Too Early to 100% Grill Block?

Aaron · 11-18-2008, 07:42 PM

Just got done blocking the lower grill (upper was already blocked), but I held out on blocking the last lowest slat on the lower grill because I wasn't sure if it's still too warm out to do a 100% grill block.

My morning commute is in the lower to mid 30's and my afternoon commute might get up to the lower to mid 40's. I do have a SGII to monitor coolant temps. I'm lucky if I see 160 F by the time a reach work (10 miles one way, stop and go, no highway). Should I go ahead with 100%?

I saw someone post on the forum that monitoring the Inverter temp is important. Is that possible with my SGII? Do I even need to worry about it?

**TonyPSchaefer** · 11-18-2008, 08:31 PM

I've been fully blocked for the last month. It's in the 30s F here in Chicagoland.

David Beale · 11-19-2008, 11:39 AM

You can run fully blocked at up to 20C or 70F ambient. It's actually safe above that (I've run on the highway fully blocked at ambient temps of +30C (80F). The highway is where the engine gets the warmest. I saw max. coolant of 95C in those conditions. Perfectly safe. The car was able to drop the temp quickly when it tried to climb.

Inverter temp isn't available yet from the Scangauge. It runs a lot cooler than the coolant anyway, so I don't worry about it.

morpheusx · 11-19-2008, 12:24 PM

I run fully blocked this time of year, except I went ahead and cut my lowest two blocks about an inch shorter on the inverter side. I will probably stay fully blocked until about mid to late March.

Aaron · 11-19-2008, 12:35 PM

Looks like I'm going 100%.

FireEngineer · 11-19-2008, 08:54 PM

What took you so long!

Wayne

Aaron · 11-20-2008, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FireEngineer

What took you so long!

Wayne

Research, research, research.

Flying White Dutchman · 11-20-2008, 12:02 PM

maybe i will do it to soon

Neicy · 11-20-2008, 05:22 PM

I have everything except the lowest slot blocked and it was working great - until the warm spell this weekend. 68F ambient temp and as I was coming out of the tunnel and going up onto the Zakim bridge I glanced at the SG - 202F

. So I threw on the heat and fan and it took it down to 188. Shut it off, and it went right back up again, so I opened the windows with the heat on. But alas - it's back down in the 30's again, so I will need to block the last slat soon. It wouldn't have been a problem if I wasn't pushing the engine to keep up with

Boston traffic.

satwood · 11-23-2008, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neicy

I have everything except the lowest slot blocked and it was working great - until the warm spell this weekend. 68F ambient temp and as I was coming out of the tunnel and going up onto the Zakim bridge I glanced at the SG - 202F

.

202F is not that bad. The boiling point is much higher and I'm guessing the fans were coming on anyway. I wouldn't recommend letting it get much higher but mine was fully blocked last week also and I was in some of that same traffic, no problem. It's an amzing car. Makes you wonder why the grille opening is so large.

11-18-2008, 07:42 PM	#1
Aaron Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Monroe, Ohio Posts: 101 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #5 Touring Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 1	Too Early to 100% Grill Block? Just got done blocking the lower grill (upper was already blocked), but I held out on blocking the last lowest slat on the lower grill because I wasn't sure if it's still too warm out to do a 100% grill block. My morning commute is in the lower to mid 30's and my afternoon commute might get up to the lower to mid 40's. I do have a SGII to monitor coolant temps. I'm lucky if I see 160 F by the time a reach work (10 miles one way, stop and go, no highway). Should I go ahead with 100%? I saw someone post on the forum that monitoring the Inverter temp is important. Is that possible with my SGII? Do I even need to worry about it?

11-18-2008, 08:31 PM	#2
TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator Join Date: May 2004 Location: Far-North Chicagoland Posts: 11,185 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 56 Thanked 299 Times in 185 Posts Friends: 27	Re: Too Early to 100% Grill Block? I've been fully blocked for the last month. It's in the 30s F here in Chicagoland.

11-19-2008, 11:39 AM	#3
David Beale Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 2,337 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: B Thanks: 4 Thanked 138 Times in 105 Posts Friends: 0	Re: Too Early to 100% Grill Block? You can run fully blocked at up to 20C or 70F ambient. It's actually safe above that (I've run on the highway fully blocked at ambient temps of +30C (80F). The highway is where the engine gets the warmest. I saw max. coolant of 95C in those conditions. Perfectly safe. The car was able to drop the temp quickly when it tried to climb. Inverter temp isn't available yet from the Scangauge. It runs a lot cooler than the coolant anyway, so I don't worry about it.

11-19-2008, 12:24 PM	#4
morpheusx Professor Chaos Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Akron, OH Posts: 1,508 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 7 Thanked 44 Times in 28 Posts Friends: 3	Re: Too Early to 100% Grill Block? I run fully blocked this time of year, except I went ahead and cut my lowest two blocks about an inch shorter on the inverter side. I will probably stay fully blocked until about mid to late March.

11-19-2008, 12:35 PM	#5
Aaron Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Monroe, Ohio Posts: 101 My Car: 2008 Prius Model: Package: #5 Touring Thanks: 2 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 1	Re: Too Early to 100% Grill Block? Looks like I'm going 100%.

11-19-2008, 08:54 PM	#6
FireEngineer Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: SW-Side of Chicago, IL Posts: 1,200 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 1 Thanked 80 Times in 58 Posts Friends: 13	Re: Too Early to 100% Grill Block? What took you so long! Wayne

11-20-2008, 12:02 PM	#8
Flying White Dutchman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 2,866 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: Thanks: 22 Thanked 207 Times in 173 Posts Friends: 11	Re: Too Early to 100% Grill Block? maybe i will do it to soon

11-20-2008, 05:22 PM	#9
Neicy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Wakefield, MA. Posts: 804 My Car: 2009 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 9 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 6	Re: Too Early to 100% Grill Block? I have everything except the lowest slot blocked and it was working great - until the warm spell this weekend. 68F ambient temp and as I was coming out of the tunnel and going up onto the Zakim bridge I glanced at the SG - 202F . So I threw on the heat and fan and it took it down to 188. Shut it off, and it went right back up again, so I opened the windows with the heat on. But alas - it's back down in the 30's again, so I will need to block the last slat soon. It wouldn't have been a problem if I wasn't pushing the engine to keep up with Boston traffic. __________________ Neicy 2009 Silver Pine Mica Pkg #2 2 Scangauge IIs v 3.15 with X-gauge

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