So I figured out how to install my block heater

In that case I'll have to get you something from a local brewery. Where are you guys headed?

 

I got mine at Meijers on Black Friday. BOGO for $4 + Tax.

 

At that price, I'm going to order one myself. Not for work - it can't do power factor correction or 3-phase analysis - but just for around the hobby farm.

Have you priced the Fluke or AEMC power quality analyzers? Good luck at "only" 50 times the cost. The bloody replacement torroidal probes are $1,000 Cdn!

 

Without question the ebh will help improve your cold start fuel economy, and also help produce hot air out the defroster much faster.

I would also recommend blocking off the grille. I have the lower portion - under the licence plate bracket - covered with a rubberized mill felt product. This product is used on paper machine wet ends to transport the fiber, and I got a few rolls of used felt.

I couldn't find anything to cover the two slits above the licence plate bracket until Frank Hudon suggested using 1/2 foam pipe insulation. It's remarkably easy to trim and shove into the slit.

I expected blocking off the grille to help on the highway, and it certainly has at -24 C. I didn't expect it to make such a big difference in city driving though. The car warms up much faster and really pumps out the heat.

Another thing to consider is a lighter viscosity synthetic oil, such as Mobil 1 0W-30. There will be less pumping loss and drag. This winter I'm running Mobil 1 0W-20 as a "winter" oil, and will report back with the used oil analysis regarding effect - if any - on engine wear.

When I factor in the blocked grille and the synthetic 0W-20 oil, my city commute fuel economy is 5.1-5.5 l/100km. Same temps last winter, with no blocked grille and synthetic oil, was 7 l/100km.

 

Jayman, do you have some device installed for monitoring the engine temp? That's my next step. I don't really wanna block the radiator without some way of seeing the engine temp.

 

Not currently. I was debating installing some sort of mechanical gauge, took one look around the engine bay, and slammed the hood.

I'm going to probably end up getting the CanView monitor interface that Norm and Frank put together. It's about the easiest way I've seen to keep tabs on such things.

I really don't think engine overheating would be an issue, at least not at -18 C to -24 C. After 1.5 hours of highway driving at 90-100 km/h, I parked in my detached garage at my hobby farm and opened the hood. I wanted to see how hot the motor was.

It felt very warm, but not hot. I could leave my palm on the motor for a few moments no problem. It certainly feels a lot hotter in summer driving.

 

I purchased several of them at Canadian Tire a few years ago. I believe they are made by Intermatic and are mechanical. You turn the large knob to set the time, and you have to pull out and push in trip pins.

The trip pins - there are 4 of them - are used to "trip" the switch on or off. The On pin has the blade in a different position than the Off pin. Sort of like how the old industrial timers and loop control switches used to work.

My timers were a bit pricey at the time, around $50 Canadian. They are in olive drab metal boxes, with a metal hood you can lift up to access the timer. It has a NEMA 5-15 male plug with about 30cm of cord, and a single NEMA 5-15 female plug under the metal cover.

They seem to work flawlessly, are weathertite, and built like a brick s***house.

I suppose you don't need anything like that. A cheap electronic one will work just as well and be much easier to program.

 

Doc:

Glad to hear that. So it sounds like I have little to worry about at -24 C? Yeah, I'm kidding you.

I thought you knew I was a happy single bachelor? Nope, don't need excuses for a missus. And my plump lazy housecat could care less

jay

 

The CAN-view was totally developed by Norm all I did was install it on my wifes car and tested the Prototype. I have helped Norm with some tooling for work on the cases for the modules. And bugged him with some ideas on the interface, that's it. I'd love to be as smart as Norm, but I'm just the dumb mechanic. Oh and the CAN-view is a great tool for the 2k4 just as Graham Davies (ECROS Technolog) MiniScanner is for the Classic. Both tell you what's happening under the hood.

 

Frank:

Oh C'mon now! Next time I visit my Auntie in PoCo I have to bug you for awhile

jay

 

Yeah, I'm thinking about ordering the CAN-View myself. BTW, what the hell does CAN stand for? I'm not gonna end up with a "moon" view on my MFD am I? Well, I suppose it depends who's can it is. No offense to Frank and Norm, but if it's one of them I think I'll get the scan gauge!

For those that have already done so, how does installing the CAN-View board compare to installing the EBH?

Maybe I'll try a partial block (up to 1/2) with a piece or cardboard or something. I know there are some posts in the middle of this thread that mention various materials. I'll have to take a look.

 

Check here: http://priuschat.com/Acronyms-and-Abbrevia...ary-t13051.html

CAN - Controller Area Network using a multi star style bus connection through 2 junction connectors and connecting main bus line at 500 kbps with a max of 1M bps provides connection for the main components of the HSD including:
HV ECU
ECM
EPS ECU
Battery ECU
Skid Control ECU
steering angle sensor
Yaw Rate and Deceleration Sensor
Gateway ECU

 

Tripp have a look at this website
http://www.hybridinterfaces.ca/

 

Hopefully, I can bring this thread back on topic! I called my toyota dealer and they said they can get me a Prius heater block for about $40. Has anyone else ordered theirs from Toyota? I'm thinking I'll just have them install it, we're going to have them do the Sienna too. Just found out my hospital has plugs in the docs parking lot, so I'll stay warm!

 

He said he has to order them, it will take a week, so maybe he's calling AK?

 

Ok, cold weather folks, my b/friend is taking my Prius to Wyoming for four days over the holidays. It will most likely be parked outside the entire time. I live in So. Cal., so I don't have a block heater. He asked me if there any problems he should anticipate leaving it outside in subzero weather. He wants to know if he might have any problems starting it. I told him I had no idea, but I would check it out with the experts here, so....experts, bring on the advice please!

 

I doubt it. I'm on Colorado. We've just had a rather nasty cold spell. Temps down to and below zero. Car has driven fine, even if the MPG aren't what I'd like them to be. Other car guys, would the coolant mix be different for cars in So Cal versus, say, the great state of Minnesota? That's probably your only concern if it's actually a valid scenario.