Gen 3 Prius Lower Grill Block - How to with Picture

gorgeous!

 

Why didn't you slip the foam between the grille slats? Between the slats is much less visible like below


Our Prius would have the foam just as invisible, except I used up old insulation on the Prius which is light gray so it really shows up. I plan to soon redo it with the dark gray insulation that is almost invisible from a distance.

 

Because in the prius grill there are vertical pieces like pillars or dividers ... just see the upper part of the grill same thing exist in the lower part. You can not push them in enough to stick... that is why the step three notches are required .... and then you can get the things just stick

I used to use zip ties but since last year I realized NO NEED

 

When you cut notches for the vertical pieces you can stick the foam between the slats and it's very solid.

I posted pics above of how the dark gray foam blends in on our Fusion Hybrid and on my parents' C-Max Energi. I would worry with having the foam out like you did it that the force of the air at freeway speed would pull them off. When you cut slits for the vertical pieces and stick the foam between the slats, it is very solid and doesn't move. I've washed our cars with the foam in there, driven on the freeway at 70+ MPH and more without a single piece of foam coming lose in the past almost 3 months that I've had the grille blocked.

 

Foam designed for half inch pipe. I need to redo the Prius with the dark foam and then post pics of it too...

 

i have done mine like cary's for 10 years and never lost a piece of foam. i didn't think the foam would fit between the slats, can you give us a pic of your prius?

 

I would need to cut almost all the way through to accommodate the pillars and be able to push all the way in.

This is my 4th winter with this method never lost a piece. As a matter of fact I was able to reuse last year one (before I had a 2010 which had different grill design so I could not use those again).

But will try if I need to re-do

 

Here is the hideous job I did back in October. It was my first attempt at blocking so I kinda did a hack job because I didn't really know what I was doing. The pics above of how I did our Fusion and my parents' C-Max are much better quality jobs. I will redo the Prius soon so it doesn't look so awful...

 

thanks! i'll have to see it after you redo it to decide if i should try to stuff it in between the slats. btw, i thought the fusion had active grille shutters?

 

It does. But they're like blinds in your house. Sunlight still comes through the blinds. The grille shutters also only close when you're driving. Every time you stop in city driving and when you turn the car off they open. Foam insulation also helps to keep the ICE warmer when it's shut off while parked for short periods of time. With the foam the FFH will get from 20-30C to 80-85C coolant temp in less than 5 miles. With the foam it will heat up about as fast as the Prius. The disadvantage of the FFH is that since it runs in EV mode so much more than the Prius, it doesn't stay as warm as the Prius. Thus we try to drive the Prius more in the winter and the FFH more in the summer.

 

great info, thanks!

 

Over the years (7+) I lost one or two "compression fit" pieces. The Gen2 grill was easier to block with stock lengths. The opening on the early Gen3 is shorter so the tubes have to be cut for a better fit. I use long black twist ties to keep the bottom tubes in place.

Is white pipe insulation a Minnesota thing? We have Magnetic Gray Frost King here.

 

I'm using a larger diameter foam tube, it's about 1.5" outside diameter. It comes in 4' lengths and I just put it on as-is, not shortening to only cover the actual open zones.

Two tubes will cover 100 % of the lower grill: I push the tube's slit onto either the topmost or lowest slat, and the diameter is enough that it mooshes over to the center slat, no need for more tubes. I hold them on with a piece of Velcro tape at each end.

Here's a pic of current. Well actually, I've only got one of two tubes in right now, it's so mild out. Just put the second tube in for illustration. Also, I pretty much never block the upper, and if I do, 50% at most: the inverter radiator is in that area.

 

New insulation I have bought has been dark gray. The light gray is many years old (at least 10) and was leftover in my parents' basement. The foam was quite hard because it is so old lol

 

I posted this in another thread, cut from sheet metal with door edge trim around the edge and held with two black wire ties.

 

What does you upper intake look like?

Very nice!

 

I left the upper part open, last winter I used the pipe insulation on the lower and it worked, but it was more noticeable.