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Unblocking the front grill - oops!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by kdmorse, Mar 22, 2007.

  1. kdmorse

    kdmorse Member

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    Since temperatures have risen into the 65/70's this week, I pulled out the foam insulation I had put in the front grill to keep the engine warm during the winter. It was just regular pipe insulation, just like most other folks used, squeezed in there tightly.

    One segment however tore instead of coming out cleanly, and the bit that remained (about 4 inches long), fell back into the car. Umm... Where did it go?

    This bit was in the uppermost slot, right below where the hood opens. A quick look under the car shows it didn't come out the bottom, nor is it visible from above with the hood open. Nor can I find any good way of getting to where it might be. Oops :)

    Any suggestions? Leave it in there? Or perhaps advice as to how best to get at it? I plan on taking a more serious look tomorrow morning, as this evening was dark and it started to rain while I was looking.

    Thanks,

    -Ken
     
    #1 kdmorse, Mar 22, 2007
  2. TheForce

    TheForce Stop War! Lets Rave! Make Love!

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    Its most likely laying on the engine undercover or the inside bottom of the bumper. I would not worry about it. It will most likely fall out while driving.
     
    #2 TheForce, Mar 22, 2007
  3. Bill Merchant

    Bill Merchant absit invidia

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    But then Ken would be littering!

    It's probably laying on the black plastic that goes from the bumper to the rear. You may be able to reach it from the bottom, or push it off the ledge through the lower grill. Or just let it ride around in there until it evaporates.
     
    #3 Bill Merchant, Mar 23, 2007
  4. judymcfarland

    judymcfarland Queen of Moral Indignation

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    One of my foam pieces vanished sometime while I was driving, I assume - I noticed it was missing when I went to plug in the block heater. I took out the others yesterday - the weather was getting warmer and the remaining foam looked silly (like a hockey player with a tooth missing). I kept the survivors as patterns for next year.
     
    #4 judymcfarland, Mar 23, 2007
  5. JimN

    JimN Let the games begin!

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theforce @ Mar 22 2007, 10:57 PM) [snapback]410653[/snapback]</div>
    I "lost" my first piece during installation. I immediately noticed that plastic pieces seal off the top and bottom of the radiator so I couldn't retrieve it. Either it fell out somewhere or it is still laying beneath the radiator. I haven't lost any during driving so maybe the compression fit wasn't tight enough.

    My top pieces are custom fit so I'll label them upon removal. The next burning question will be, "How long does grill blocking pipe insulation last?"
     
    #5 JimN, Mar 23, 2007
  6. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ Mar 23 2007, 06:53 PM) [snapback]411293[/snapback]</div>
    I'm on my second winter using the "winter lips" on my Classic
     
    #6 Frank Hudon, Mar 23, 2007
  7. kdmorse

    kdmorse Member

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    Well, I looked, and I fished around with my fingers, no luck. It's probably going to sit there for a while :)

    The rest I just tossed. I've nowhere convenient to store that length of pipe insulation without permanently kinking, or flattening it. I think I can afford the $4 to buy new stuff come next winter. And I'll probably do a better job, my first attempt this winter was a bit, imperfectly shaped...

    -Ken
     
    #7 kdmorse, Mar 23, 2007
  8. kdmorse

    kdmorse Member

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    I swear, to the best of my ability - that removing that foam knocked my mileage down. Since removing it I have taken two trips which all winter I would avg 50mpg. This weekend, same trip, 45mpg. So either the foam really does make a difference even when it's 61F out, or any of the million other things that affect mileage affected me unexpectedly. (Temperature, Fog, Traffic, Phase of the moon, what I ate for dinner, etc...)

    It's so remarkably hard to tell some times....

    -Ken
     
    #8 kdmorse, Mar 25, 2007
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