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Improve Winter MPG's By 4MPG for $1 investment


ptjones
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OK, so I tried all this grill blocking stuff a bit last weekend but it was a rather mixed bag.  Some clear plastic and packing tape and pipe insulation - got it all closed pretty well except the bottom slot of lower grill - not very pretty.  Then I pushed the tires to 50 psi.  MPG on downhill leg was 52+ with 43 -> 33F temps.  That's about as good as I've gotten in summer.  Return was much warmer and a different route - good mileage but no way to make a valid comparison.  Pulled the tape off without too much trouble but Paul's suggestion about waxing first should be given due consideration!  Would like to have a better arrangement next time.  At one point I cranked up the heat and was able to drive the temp gauge below the normal center position.  And that was with all the grill blocking.  An efficient car only has a certain number of BTUs to waste!

 

Really need to get at that OBD-II data!

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OK, so I tried all this grill blocking stuff a bit last weekend but it was a rather mixed bag.  Some clear plastic and packing tape and pipe insulation - got it all closed pretty well except the bottom slot of lower grill - not very pretty.  Then I pushed the tires to 50 psi.  MPG on downhill leg was 52+ with 43 -> 33F temps.  That's about as good as I've gotten in summer.  Return was much warmer and a different route - good mileage but no way to make a valid comparison.  Pulled the tape off without too much trouble but Paul's suggestion about waxing first should be given due consideration!  Would like to have a better arrangement next time.  At one point I cranked up the heat and was able to drive the temp gauge below the normal center position.  And that was with all the grill blocking.  An efficient car only has a certain number of BTUs to waste!

 

Really need to get at that OBD-II data!

As it turns out the bottom grill does most of the cooling and is the one that needs to be opened up during the Summer for those long up hill grades. Getting an OBD-II reader like ScanGauge or Torque lets you see the big picture. :)

 

P.S. You need to close off the whole front end during the Winter when it is cold.

 

Paul

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