Grill Blocking Caution

The dept that cares for the roads. They will come and take care of it and fine the person that painted it. Call anonymously as they have no obligation to keep your name out if it.

 

I drove my new to me 06 today with the full block installed for the morning commute (35 miles) Same type of block as others (i.e. the photo Boo kindly published). I have done radiator blocks before and have used a scan gauge for three years in my Gen I Insight.
Anyway all was well, but after 10 miles of moderate speed highway driving the temp climbed rapidly. When it jumped from 202 to 218 to 229 within a mile I pulled over and pulled the lowest "rod" out. The outside temp was 32F and the car sat outside all night. Once I let the car sit for a minute (off) the temp dropped back to 188 and stayed right around there for the remainder of the trip. So I guess I wonder if I may have a thermostat issue, I also had the heat set high (which in the Insight offsets the block, as does putting the 5 speed in neutral) Any thoughts? thanks Oh I did pull 48 mpg out of it for the trip, which I think was pretty good for a newbie.
Wayne

 

When I had the car fully blocked last winter the highest coolant temp was 206F. The highest OAT was in the 50s. The trip was ~ 7 miles local and ~ 11 miles highway (< 60 MPH). This winter I decided not to risk it even though I do monitor the coolant temp.

 

That is weird! I have mine fully blocked[2006] and the temps are around 40 to 50 and the light never comes on, even after a couple hrs. driving. I don't have a scan gauge. The engine would smell hot at those temps, I would think. Know you got me worried! Hal

 

Hi waynetc,

I know a head wind will overcool the Prius. I had a trip home into a stiff head wind in the 40's and the car never warmed up enough to auto-stop (after 23 mile!). So, if you had a strong following wind, I guess the car might have had much less air-speed, enough to allow the car to overheat.

When I had my 2006, I always left some of the left lower grill open, as that is the only source of cooling for the transmission.

 

I would expect that if the following wind was that appreciable then the engine wouldn't be working hard enough to generate enough heat to overheat.

 

After reading this thread i decided to make my lower grill adjustable.
i am working on a canbus reader before i run with the grill closed.
Dave

 

If 202 to 229 were your coolant temps (FWT), that's way too high. With all of the upper part of my grille and most of the lower blocked, I've never seen coolant temps that high on my 06, despite higher OATs and a much longer highway drive.

 

I like it.......very nice. !!!!!!!!

 

sweet!!! details!!! sure has my pipe foam beat!

 

have to echo others that there is something else wrong. up until last year, i ran 100% block on both my 2004 and 2006 all winter in temps as high as the upper 40's.

highest temp i ever saw was 209º on a regular basis. i once saw a spike to 211º but that was it. normally it runs between 190 to 202....

 

Doc, great thread! Living in LA as I do, I really have not embraced the grill block technique for fear of oveheating. However this winter has taken a toll on the MPG and it's now time to embrace the block! With yourself having done all the work, I have a good idea what temp range to be in. Having 2 ScanGauges running it's easier. I am also considering the Canview v4. I found 2009Prius's write up on his software package, very impressive work there! Thanks for the info, it makes for some great reading!

 

I agree that something is not right. I have been running with full block on top and 1/2 the bottom covered and it sticks right around a nice 191F and I've been able to avg 52mpg on my 70 mile daily commute.//and I have not even pushed the pressure up on the tires yet. (Pretty close to the good old Insight during January in Cleveland with the Nokian snows on it!) The Prius takes a very long time to warm the interior with the temps the past week in the low 20's, even if it is in a garage that's at 38F. Is this common for a Gen II? thanks
Wayne

 

Today on a 50 mile rural drive outside air temp 10oC with uper and lower grills blocked the outside temp reading on the MFD was reading 21oC (engine compartment getting warm) it gave me the idea of fitting thermistors to a suitable point on the ICE and inverter switching them into the place of the outside temp thermistor to give ICE or inverter temp up to 99oC on the MFD

 

Hi Wahnetc,

Yep, the 2nd Gen is slow warming the interior, and its especially slow, if you are in stop and go traffic for the first 5 miles. The worse situation I was ever in was a 5 degree F snow storm stop and go (4 hour) drive home. Had the mittens on all the way home.

If you set the climate control to AUTO and 75, it will run the engine and warm things up eventually. Block the top grill completely, and run with the lower grill 75 % blocked, on the passenger side, leaving a 25 % opening in front of the transmission. As long as its below freezing, and your not climbing the rockies downwind, that should be OK. With the grill blocking, you can run 65 F on the AUTO temp control and it will warm up nicely still.

The 3rd Gen Prius is much better in this regard with the exhaust heat recovery system.

 

I'm running with the top fully blocked and all but the very bottom slot blocked. Temps are between 28deg-55deg and I have never seen engine temps above 191deg and buf temps above 71deg. Generally buf stays around 36-68deg.

What other Xguages are available to track system parameters so I know I am not running to hot in any area. Currently I track water temp and buf (battery temp).

 

Thanks Donee. I appreciate the info for a solution to this. It was 18F this morning and it took about 24 miles of highway before it got warm inside the car..but I was not using auto. The Gen I insight can get so warm inside (if you want) that you could practically bake cookies in it (well almost)
Wayne