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Last day with Grill blocker

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by efusco, Mar 14, 2007.

  1. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    With temps predicted in the 70s and upper 60s for most of the week and having started to see Inverter temps in the 120 degree range I decided it was time to remove the lower grill blocker on the Prius.

    So far no untoward impact that I can tell. I did forget to plug in the EBH last night and remembered only an hour before I took the kids to school (10 miles total round trip), so I suffered a bit of a delay getting into stage IV. But even with that short trip and the EBH brain laps and the lower grill unblocked I still only dropped a couple tenths (from 67.2 to 66.7mpg).

    385 miles into this tank it's looking to be one of if not my all time best....and it's only march with temps averaging in the 50s. My first 70mpg tank (and maybe 700 mile tank?) can't be far off!

    On another, somewhat related, note. This has, by far, been my best winter with the Prius yet. My LMPG has actually steadily improved over the winter up ~0.4 mpg from the fall numbers. That is pretty remarkable considering I've got 57k miles on her and every other winter has caused my mileage to drop. Averaging in the upper 50s all through Nov-Feb just blows me away. I attribute the improvement to several things...
    1    )Religious use of the EBH (Timer at home, kept plugged in continuously at work in the parking garage)
    2)Full grill blocking (unquestionably helped), and
    3    )Using CAN-View to help keep accelerations and steady state rpm b/w 1700-2300 with a 'ideal' target of 1850rpm (based upon Hobbit's research on ideal RPM).

    I have one hill on my commute that I have to push the RPM to the 3000 range if there's traffic behind me, but if I can allow the speed to drop to around 30mpg I can do the same hill at 2300rpm. I also try to go into stealth whenever possible to avoid rpms below 1700 (with reasonable exceptions).

    I'll probably leave the upper grill blocked until I start exceeding 193 degrees ICE temp consistantly...probably not for a couple of months. I also expect I'll keep using the EBH until summertime temps are here.
     
    #1 efusco, Mar 14, 2007
  2. JimboK

    JimboK One owner, low mileage

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    Evan, didn't you hear about the late winter storm that's supposed to hit MO next week? :)

    I can report similar experiences. I too have used the grill block throughout the winter, and had the block heater installed 10 days ago (I was a slow learner on that one). And I've been watching my engine speed with the ScanGauge. (Why couldn't Toyota have designed this car with a tach?!) Other techniques:
    • Liberal use of pulse & glide whenever traffic and terrain allow (which I know Evan uses too)
    • Seeking out travel routes favorable to P&G
    I've been consistently averaging tanks in the mid 50s throughout the winter, and the current tank, which was filled a day before the EBH install, is sitting at over 62 MPG. It is just shy of 400 miles with 5 pips still left on the guess gauge. Particularly gratifying to me is the past two days' morning commutes: 71+ MPG both days. Certainly our recent spring-like weather has helped. But I've never come close to this before on this particular commute, even in mid-summer.

    Looking for 70 MPG/700 mile tanks here too!
     
    #2 JimboK, Mar 14, 2007
  3. brick

    brick Active Member

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    Things have been getting nice around here, too. I'm a far cry from a 70mpg tank, but the MFD has been stable in the 55-59mpg range since I filled on Monday. Just having morning temps above freezing is enough to get me into the EPA range without much effort, though I can't complain about the nice afternoon temps, either!
     
    #3 brick, Mar 14, 2007
  4. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    Just an afterthought of something I've begun to do during the immediate post start up period.... some of you may want to try it.

    I noticed that the Prius seems to 'want' to stay at ~1275rpm....in fact it will do so and allow the battery to go up to about 50 amp draw before moving up to 1300rpms. So, whenever feasible, I've begun 'encouraging' 1275 rpms for the ICE and trying to keep battery draw to a minimum.... (I think this is Stage I)

    So, I start the ICE, it spins up to the 2000rpm range then settles down quickly to 1275. I feather the throttle to allow it to stay at 1275rpm and make the battery draw around 12 amps.

    Now, this is pretty darn slow acceleration and doesn't work if you're merging into traffic, but it will only stay in this condition for about 30-60 seconds before it goes into the next stage (?II) of operation. Once it gets there I accelerate at 1700-1850 rpm which is a pretty average speed for most surface street traffic.

    This doesn't work worth a hoot on highways where even at 2300rpm I get dirty looks and people pass me left and right...So I just boost up to 3000rpm get near my target speed and get back down to my 'happy' zone of 1700-2300.
     
    #4 efusco, Mar 14, 2007
  5. Rangerdavid

    Rangerdavid Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Mar 14 2007, 10:59 AM) [snapback]405344[/snapback]</div>
    Must be something in the water.... I also forgot to plug in my EBH last night, and a big diff. on the way into work. In addition, I'm on the way to my best tank ever. I think mine is due (1) to the EBH, and (2) having more experience driving the Prius, (3) and experimenting with alternative routes to work to find the best one. I'm averaging 57.2 on this tank so far. I've got 236 miles on it, and the first blip just went off the fuel gauge down from full. I even have a chance to get a 60 mpg tank!! That's just unbelievable and I'm so very excited. In addition, as Evan said, it March, and the weather has been a bit warmer than usual.

    Anyway, Hoooahhhh!!! Let the summer begin!!! Gas prices are on the way up again here too.. B)
     
    #5 Rangerdavid, Mar 15, 2007
  6. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    It was in th 70s for one day so I unblocked the grill. :)

    Then it was in the 30s today. :(

    This evening, I reblocked he grill because it's supposed to be in the 40s for the next couple days at least.
     
    #6 TonyPSchaefer, Mar 15, 2007
  7. Dion

    Dion New Member

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    Snowed today, time to reblock the grill.
     
    #7 Dion, Mar 16, 2007
  8. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I put mine back on too for a couple of days...36 degrees out this morning and cooler by the time I go home from work tonight.
     
    #8 efusco, Mar 16, 2007
  9. Skwyre7

    Skwyre7 What's the catch?

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    I took off the bottom block earlier this week. I put them back on last night.
     
    #9 Skwyre7, Mar 16, 2007
  10. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Skwyre7 @ Mar 16 2007, 01:27 PM) [snapback]406908[/snapback]</div>
    I'm leaving mine on until the fan starts. Lots of rain/freezing rain/sleet here today. I can look forward to an inch of ice on the car tomorrow morning. :angry:
     
    #10 JimN, Mar 16, 2007
  11. jimmyrose

    jimmyrose Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ Mar 16 2007, 09:51 PM) [snapback]407122[/snapback]</div>
    At least. :blink:
     
    #11 jimmyrose, Mar 16, 2007
  12. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Yeah, I heard you guys were getting pounded out that way.
     
    #12 TonyPSchaefer, Mar 16, 2007
  13. dmckinstry

    dmckinstry New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Mar 16 2007, 10:56 AM) [snapback]406880[/snapback]</div>
    Well, it really warmed up here today. Into the mid 60's. The engine coolant temperature never got above 192F, but the MG1 and MG1 inverter got up to 136F. I know that's not considered high, but I think I'll unblock part of my grill tonight. Is it better to unblock the lower or upper part of the grill? It seems that unblocking the lower part would have a less severe (but probably sufficient) effect.

    OK. Now I noticed the thread subtitle. Ignore the above question.

    Dave M.
     
    #13 dmckinstry, Mar 17, 2007
  14. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dmckinstry @ Mar 17 2007, 05:36 PM) [snapback]407581[/snapback]</div>
    Block the upper grill first. Unblock the lower grill first.
     
    #14 JimN, Mar 17, 2007
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