So I figured out how to install my block heater

[hdrygas]

Originally posted by ken1784@Nov 19 2005, 06:20 PM
Again, it is not a good idea to block the radiator itself.
The key is keeping the engine room warm.

If you do so, you'll see huge rebounds to charge the battery back to it's desired level.
Your average mileage value will be worse.

Ken@Japan

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Ken, I have been thinking about your post. I saw the pictures of your mod. I wonder if all that insulation in the engine compartment restricts the flow of air through the radiator and engine compartment both. If air can not get out of the radiator is that not in the end is it not the same as blocking the radiator? Enlighten me. What is the difference?

[ken1784]

Originally posted by hdrygas+Nov 28 2005, 11:28 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hdrygas @ Nov 28 2005, 11:28 AM)</div>

We make spaces surroundings of radiator so that the radiator works his own job.
The thermostat of the engine coolant start to open at 82 C and full open at 95 C.
The cooling fan starts at 100 C.
We should avoid overheating and let the radiator work correctly.

Again, our target is to keep the engine room warm up to 50 C, same as summer time.
We have to monitor temperature of coolant and others.

add comments:
<!--QuoteBegin-efusco@Nov 18 2005, 03:22 PM
It is amazing, however, how quickly that ICE will cool off even with a brief stop in cold weather.

It is also important to avoid the ICE cooling down while engine is shutting down or vehicle is parking.

Ken@Japan

[hdrygas]

OK I am converting from C to F, but the temp that I get for full hybrid is 157 or 69.4444. What controls the HV ECU the coolant temp or the catalytic converter or both. With the engine compartment stuffed with insulation does that not slow the air flow through the radiator? I am trying to understand this. I am doing better with the radiator blocker on the upper 2/3 of the radiator. Help me understand the difference in your experience and mine! I agree with the cool down issue and it really causes problems for me during the day when I can not plug in my block heater during the day. My employer is not supportive, thinks it is a joke that I want to improve my M.P.G. with my block heater.

[ken1784]

Originally posted by hdrygas@Nov 29 2005, 11:47 AM
OK I am converting from C to F, but the temp that I get for full hybrid is 157 or 69.4444.  What controls the HV ECU the coolant temp or the catalytic converter or both.  With the engine compartment stuffed with insulation does that not slow the air flow through the radiator?  I am trying to understand this.  I am doing better with the radiator blocker on the upper 2/3 of the radiator.  Help me understand the difference in your experience and mine!  I agree with the cool down issue and it really causes problems for me during the day when I can not plug in my block heater during the day.  My employer is not supportive, thinks it is a joke that I want to improve my M.P.G. with my block heater.

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Sure!
The coolant temp is controlled by the thermostat and the radiator as same as the conventional ICE.
We know the Stage-2 is over above 157 F or 70 C, then goes to Stage-3.
As I mentioned the thermostat starts to open at 82 C, the coolant does not go to radiator until that temperature. The radiator is still cold and does nothing until 82 C.

Hope this helps,
Ken@Japan

[tomdeimos]

One thing I notice blocking my radiator is it works great on my commute. But if I take a longer trip it works for like 1/2 hour and then the radiator coolant gets hot and the cooling is diminished so driving fast risks some overheating if you don't watch carefully.

If I find the right insulation, I may try out Ken's method next year. Just haven't found anything yet I feel comfortable stuffing into the engine compartment yet. But I do have a bit of that with my pad on the oil pan. So this year I can block a bit less of the radiator. I am staying warm enough so far with about 50% of radiator blocked.
Rest of insulation on the engine.

I adjust radiator block as needed to insure I stay under 192 degrees F on the coolant temp. I hope the inverter is OK and assume it will be with 50% of it's radiator always unblocked and temps below 50 deg. F

Currently with temps in the 30 to 40 range, I get 190 at 65 mph on flat highway, and maybe 150 deg driving in town at 30-40 mph, after warm up. Seems about best I can do without an adjustable louver. If I could keep engine warm and not block the radiator there'd be much less to worry about.

[ken1784]

Originally posted by tomdeimos@Nov 29 2005, 09:02 PM
One thing I notice blocking my radiator is it works great on my commute.

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If you feel fine about blocking the radiator, I'm fine too.

However, let me comment some...

In the old days, there are a lot of problems about thermostats, then people block their radiators to avoid over cooling of the coolant.
Now, if the thermostat works well, there is no need to block the radiator.

Please refer to following page...
http://www.samarins.com/glossary/thermostat.html

Any opinions are welcome.
Regards,
Ken@Japan

[jayman]

Originally posted by tomdeimos@Nov 29 2005, 07:02 AM
If I find the right insulation, I may try out Ken's method next year.  Just haven't found anything yet I feel comfortable stuffing into the engine compartment yet.    But I do have  a bit of that with my pad on the oil pan.  So this year I can block a bit less of the radiator.  I am staying warm enough so far with about 50% of radiator blocked.
Rest of  insulation on the engine.

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Tom:

Although I will probably not try stuffing insulation in the actual engine compartment, I would probably go with mineral wool. As far as I can tell mineral wool resists flame. I sure wouldn't try a fiberglass batt product, it will melt at higher temps and make a huge mess.

I made a winter front at the hobby farm last week: it's a rubberized felt product commonly used in paper machines to transport the fibre in the wet end. It has to be changed periodically and I got a couple of rolls.

I have the lower grille blocked off with that black rubberized stuff and from a distance it blends right in. I used some black electrical wire to secure it and I'll have to use something different next winter, it looks fugly up close.

Sometime this week I'll swing by Home Depot and pick up a length of 1/2 inch pipe insulation to block off the upper grille, as per Frank Hudon's suggestion. I haven't noticed much difference around the city, but on the highway I get a LOT more heat out the vents.

If you don't have a scantool or mechanical gauge - and I don't - it's important to block off the exterior of the grille, not the actual radiator itself. This way if things do get too warm the electric fan can still turn on and try to cool things off.

jay

[tomdeimos]

Thanks Jay, for the mineral wool idea. I like the concept of insulating just the engine.

I block currently about half my radiator, partly so if the fans ever come on I will get adequate cooling.
I figure half at winter temps should work better than the whole radiator at summer desert temps.

[hdrygas]

Originally posted by ken1784@Nov 29 2005, 07:05 AM
If you feel fine about blocking the radiator, I'm fine too.

However, let me comment some...

In the old days, there are a lot of problems about thermostats, then people block their radiators to avoid over cooling of the coolant.
Now, if the thermostat works well, there is no need to block the radiator.

Please refer to following page...
http://www.samarins.com/glossary/thermostat.html

Any opinions are welcome.
Regards,
Ken@Japan

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OK I am getting it. The radiator is doing nothing until we get over 80C 179.6F call it 180. I do not have the lower 1/3 of the radiator blocked so hopefully the inverter will be cooled. I do not do much freeway driving so I have not seen temps over 196 F 91.1 C. I am going to have to put more thought into this. As Lewis Carroll said "curiouser and couiouser"

[tripp]

Just ordered my block heater last night. I think that I'm going to try to install it from the top since I don't have any safe way of getting the car high enough off the ground. I'm sure I'll be consulting this thread quite often right up to and during the installation. After that perhaps a radiator block. Depends I suppose on how effective the block heater is at improving the MPG. I have a short commute (about 5 miles/15 minutes) and I've noticed a pretty substantial drop in the 1st 5 minute block on the consumption screen when it's cold out. It hasn't gotten really cold but morning temps are in the high 20s and low 30s.