I'm in mn and it's 32 now and is to drop to 24. I blocked all if the bottom and left the top alone. Am I safe doing the blocking this early? And if I am correct there is no way to tell if its over heating.
I use a Scangauge II, it can read water temp and air temp. There are other similar solutions that us a smart phone and a OBDII to bluetooth transmitter.
It is pricy, but easy, it uses just one D shaped connector so you can't put it in 'wrong'. And it Velcros onto a flat surface. Here is one showing Intake Air Temp in F in the upper left and water temp in F in the upper right.
IMO, if you're going to be blocking your grill, you should be monitoring your temperatures to avoid damaging your inverter. SCH-I535
I'm in MN too, but obviously further south. It's 37°F now and we'll be hitting first freeze of the season tonight. That's plenty cold enough for blocking. Did you do it right? Actually, no. Sorry, but the Iconic (gen 2, from 2004 to 2009) model needs the reverse of the 2010+ model. You block the top entirely and only part of the bottom. Get yourself an aftermarket gauge. You won't ever see any reason to be concerned about overheating, but you will appreciate seeing when the engine will shut off and come back on. With your 2005, the temperature threshold is 145°F. Knowing that allows for taking advantage of reserve heat the coolant is holding.