Boy this car likes the warmth I Blocked front grille to experiment

Got mine blocked today. Left two small openings on each side, on the top row. Will see how this does in the morning as it will be a cold 26 mile drive on the interstate. I drive about 68 mph which is 3 mph over the limit. I have a noticable difference from morning to evening drive home. Not sure the temps are the cause but will see how this works in the morning. Also taking a trip to Memphis Friday and will pay attention.
Dan

 

Good luck, Dan, looking forward to seeing what sort of results you get.

 

Ok. I left the right and left top holes open on the bottom vent. Top vent is closed too. Will keep my eye on the UltraGauge engine temp. Supposed to be in the 20s in the morning when I head out to my part time job.
dan

 

Left home with outside temp at 28 degrees. Hit the hiway at 68 mph. Instant mpg reading 41to 42 mpg. After 10 miles it was like a switch was thrown. Not sure why 10 miles but that is when the instant mpg on my UltraGauge went to 48-51 mpg. Wierd. I kept an eye on my engine temp. It ran from 182 to 194 degrees.
I will continue to watch it but from my first test, looks like stuffing the grille full of foam is a real "trick".
Thanks for the tip.
Dan

 

You probably entered Stage 4 of the warm up cycle which is why your iMPG went up like a switch was flipped.

 

I'm still new to watching this but I'm finding LOD to be a quick and easy parameter to watch. It will stay relatively low during warm up, but when it flicks up to 90, everything changes and the car seems to start performing more normally.

 

This car has a mind of its own. That is why I never use Eco mode. This morning it was 10 degrees warmer, took an extra 5 miles for the instant reading to hit 50, plus/minus. Sometimes I can now feel the drivetrain changing when the mileage pops up. Have 6,000 miles behind the wheel so I guess I am getting" tuned in".
Oh well, I am leaving the foam blocking in til the buds start popping next Spring.
Dan

 

I have definitely noticed that "mind of its own" phenomenon. Today, I couldn't break 60 MPG on any of the three trips I made.

 

I know what you mean, even though I drive the Prius HB, there are some times when I can feel that it is just "in the groove" and giving me great mpg. It's hard to explain, but you know when it happens!!!

 

This is why you have to reduce the number of variables and repeat tests using an A B A methodology whereby you test before a mod, then test after the mod then test again without the mod.

The grill block shouldn't be worth more than a few mpg at best. Combined with other mods and driving technique changes it is very useful though.

 

Well, F8L, if you know how to control the weather and the traffic, share the secret! ;-)

Otherwise, no way to ABA without such variables. I'm quite content with the better mileage I've gotten since the grill blocking. Even barely getting 60 in colder weather is better than barely getting 50 when the temperatures first started to go down. It is much colder now than when I first did the blocking, and the mileage has gone up. That's good enough for me.

 

If I could it would make my job a whole lot easier!

I simply meant that for variables that cannot be controlled you should measure them so you can compare data. For example, you watch your mpg intensely one day then you install the grill block. The next day you see a big increase if FE but fail to notice the ambient temp is warmer or that you spent more time in slow moving traffic. That would make you think the grille block made a big difference in FE when in reality it may have been the weather or traffic. This assumes you made the same exact commute at the same exact time of day/night. There are just way to many little things that can affect FE by a few mpg or more. Driving technique changes can do this even when you think you are driving the same.

 

Of course, of course. I was mostly just giving you a (friendly) hard time. I do drive the exact same route at the same time every day. Heck, I even use the same lanes every day. Of late, the temperatures are pretty consistent: 41-46 degrees when I leave in the morning. My mid-morning daily trips may have more temperature fluctuation, but again I drive the exact same route at pretty much the exact same time. This mornings 46 degree drive yielded 56.9 MPG, but I did have the heater on low for most of the trip. While I am still quite interested in getting the best MPG per trip, I am also now keeping an eye on the overall tank mileage.

 

Well as a PC owner for less than 24 hours - I am confident that at the very least this should assist in warming up the interior at an improved rate.

Menards sells a 4 pack (12 feet in total) of 1/2" tubing for $2.24 - FYI to others.

 

Do you all think this makes sense for someone who drives a couple hundred miles each day (throughout the day)? i.e. the car rarely cools completely down.

 

Well, I certainly am not anything close to an expert on this. Never heard of this until a few weeks back. I do some covering of my motorhome grille in the winter to get more heat blowing. Used to cover the radiator on my car when I was a kid, in the winter for more heat. This is different. Covering it for better mileage. I had just not heard of this before. But, in response to your question on 200 miles: I blocked mine last week. Drove to Memphis and back Friday, 300 miles round trip. If it did not improve my mileage it at least got the same mileage I was getting back in warmer temps when I made the same trip, several times. this is a road trip, 100 miles on two lanes and 200 miles on interstate. I got 49 plus, which I consider good for a trip this long. the best I have gotten on this trip is 50, a couple of times back in warm temps with the a/c on. I reall can tell little difference with or without air conditioning. So, for 2 bux, I am leaving mine blocked and watching my temperature gauge. I think it helps.
Dan

 

I think if you're not driving through a boiling desert, it shouldn't get *that* hot. Shrug.

 

Are you monitoring your temps with a SG2 or Torque? Mine was getting too hot when temps were 66F. Granted I have a GenIII but the caution still applies. /)

 

Do not have any special gauges for my car. Since I am only driving 10 miles a trip, and the temperature is in the low to mid 40s, I'm not concerned with overheating. When winter is over, I will remove the grill blocking.

 

I also have a hard time believing that the car's cooling mechanisms will not prevent overheating and/or damage when it is under 60 degrees regardless of a grille block. The ambient temp will still cause a dramatic reduction in the engine bay temps vs. summer heat when the ground is radiating heat and you are blowing ambient temps of 100 into the grille. I had a full grille block on my c within 24 hours of ownership

I do not have a scan gauge yet, however would be willing to bet a great deal of money that the above is true *subjectively*.