I don't have CAN-view. I blocked the grills completely about a month ago during the ~30* temperatures. However, the weather is warming up here. It's been in the high 50's, and we've had a couple days between 60-62*. We've driven the Prius during those 60-62* temps with no apparent problems, but that was only for short, sporadic trips no longer than ~6 miles at a time so I'm pretty sure the engine never really got a chance to warm up anyway. What do the average outdoor temperatures have to be, for ya'll to think I should remove the lower grill blocks completely? Thank you.
When temps are consistantly above 60 I think I'd remove the lower just to be safe. Upper when consistantly 70. My numbers, no data, just rough guide based on observed temps.
without posting where you live we're unable to conclude if you have hills in your commute or if your primarialy on flat ground. That said if you have hills at all I'd pull both when the OAT gets to 50F I have hills and with the blockers in and 50F I can consistantly get the ICE to 95+C. That is the temp at which I feel that the effect of the blockers becomes a potential issue. If you have instrumentation you can judge for yourself if the ICE is getting to hot or not. Flat land only and all short trips 60F would be my limit. Best is to get instrumentation.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Feb 8 2007, 10:58 AM) [snapback]387113[/snapback]</div> what I noticed on the 2k4 is with the upper open I couldn't get the temps up. I think it's the other way around, both in till 15C and then upper out till 15C in the morning then pull the lower as well. Jon do you have any method of monitoring the temps?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Feb 8 2007, 06:17 PM) [snapback]387218[/snapback]</div> Nope. That's why I'm following Evan's rule of lower removed if T=50F and upper removed if T=70F
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Feb 8 2007, 08:48 PM) [snapback]387288[/snapback]</div> lol.. waay ahead of you. It's been above that since our last snowfall in early Jan. It hit 11°C today!
at first I blocked the lower opening completely and couldn't get the ICE to go over 75C in normal driving,5 to 10 mile trips in town. Ran that way for about a month till one sunday coming home from grocery shopping I said there has got to be some reason for it not getting to 87C so went and got the pipe insulation and cut strips and plugged the upper grills and volia the temps get to 87C with normal driving around town. It's picked up about .2l per hun. since then. Those readings were from driving it on the weekends and wondering why it wasn't climbing. Even went and bought a thermostat and gasket and was convinced that it was the thermostat till I blocked the upper. That's why I say leave it blocked till the temps get to about 15C consistantly in the afternoon then when it gets to be in the 15 range in the morning out will come the lower blocker. Someone else with a CAN-view could confirm my findings just in a mornings drive to work. Tony? Evan? takers? No forget Tony his car would complain! out loud. That leaves only Evan.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Feb 9 2007, 12:42 AM) [snapback]387322[/snapback]</div> Wait a minute! It's warmer in Canada than it is in Chicago?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Feb 9 2007, 05:47 AM) [snapback]387387[/snapback]</div> currently 40F
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Feb 9 2007, 07:21 AM) [snapback]387437[/snapback]</div> I assume you're in British Columbia, rather than further north. In the right edge of Washington State, it still got just below 0C last night. That's in spite of weather people claiming a "pineapple express" for last night or the night before. It's above freezing now, but the roads are still slick from the underlying frost. Dave M.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dmckinstry @ Feb 9 2007, 08:19 AM) [snapback]387474[/snapback]</div> yup in Vancouver. I lived up north and I've seen -45F more than I ever want to again. But we need that to kill the mountain pine beetles that are devastating the northern pine forests. But global warming hasn't allowed that to happen. So it'll be burn baby burn again this summer.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Feb 9 2007, 09:32 AM) [snapback]387533[/snapback]</div> Yep. And burning off more trees sure isn't going reduce global warming. Dave M.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Feb 6 2007, 09:58 PM) [snapback]386481[/snapback]</div> For you guys in the Sunbelt, it's probably time to remove it - seriously. ScanGage says my coolant temperature normally peaks at 198F. Saturday I drove 210 miles cruising on the interstate at 65mpg in 75F weather. Coolant was at 227F. :blink: :blink: :blink: Was running the heater before I stopped to remove the radiator block. Yes I drive an Insight, but does anyone want to test their coolant hoses?
i commute to richmond everyday with upper and lower blocked but the lower has two airintake holes to cool, however, it still reaches 95 degrees C every now and then and then gets knocked down to 86 C... maybe cooling system kicked in? So far it has never exceeded 96C but I do climb hills... two major ones in fact. But yeah when the mornings do hit 15 degrees C its time to strip.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(philmcneal @ Mar 31 2007, 01:22 AM) [snapback]415407[/snapback]</div> I've hit 97C a couple of times but it only last for a few minutes. This with the Classic, the wife with a realativily flat commute hasn't got to the mid 90's yet so it's still plugged as well. I'm going to do my little experiment with her's by pulling the top grill blocks and see what the temps turn out to be. I couldn't get it to the thermostat opening temp,87C, with the top not blocked in the winter so that's the reason for my taking them out first. The belly pan has the openings for the inverter section of the rad in case it goes over temp. By Richmond do you mean B.C. or VA?
