Yes, it does help. I've been using the LCD diagnostic mode, and was only guessing I was looking at the right value. But after a 20 minute drive running an errand, I found mine ended up sitting at 83-86 C depending on how much load I put on it.

I guess my goal now is to block as much as I can, and not see a significant change in the operating temperature, and then see how much of a difference it makes in warm up time.

 

My 2wd FEH runs at 86'C when fully warm, City or Highway, with no engine block in the warm months. In Las Vegas, in July, it was 114'F in the shade, and hotter in the sun & pavement. Had to run the A/C full time, and had to climb some 6% grades. The water only moved to 88'C.

The service manual states 90'C as "nominal" engine coolent temp.
I've never seen it that high without the radiator block. Even in Vegas.

Driving at 75 MPH in 55'F weather, with the radiator 100% blocked, the coolent ran up to 95'C... then I slowed to 65 MPH and the coolent stayed at 91'C.

Last night, in 32'F weather, I drove 75 MPH and the coolent went to 92'C.
Driving in town, at slower speeds, the coolent stays at the normal, 86'C, even with the radiator 100% blocked.
105'C is too high IMHO, but low enough not to trigger any warning lamps.
95'C to 100'C should be just fine.

The radiator block is most helpful for slow, and EV driving.
If you drive mostly at highway speeds, it may not be worthwhile for you.
I use it because I'm mostly in city driving, and want EV as soon as possible, and to last as long as possible.

The coolent temperature MUST be 59'C or higher to enter EV mode.
That's what got me started on this whole "project".
The radiator block helps get to 59'C sooner on short trips.

Be careful, and warn the spouse / others drivers of the car about this mod if you have it. There IS potential for overheat IF you get a 60'F day in the middle of winter and forget.

-John

 

Thanks for the feedback. I forgot to hold reset button when starting up today so I get the temps with only 1 panel installed. It was 50F whel I left home this morning so I still got good milage. I wish the temperature would stay 'normal' for a few days so i can get consistent readings.

 

So, I've been working on this one, but doing it very slowly. First I took some temperature data on my commute to work without any radiator blocking.

Now my plan is to test various radiator blocking configurations. I have one installed right now, and have two days worth of data on it. After a week or so with this one, I'll switch to my second config and try again. So it will be a few weeks before I have any reliable numbers.

That said, my first two trips to work ended in EV mode, but it's hard to tell what the cause was since I spent a bit of time stuck in my driveway waiting for traffic to clear.

So far my two configurations block the middle of the bottom air intake, and most of the bottom intake. I have not blocked the top at all.

The blocks are made from plexiglass, and are held on with velcro strips around the two vertical separaters in the intake. When I get more results I'll post more details about the air dams, their construction, and their mounting.

Just thought I'd give a quick update.

Edit: One more thing. The first configuration doesn't seem to increase the operating temperature (85C) even when driving at highway speeds on a 60 deg day. I'm pleased about that.

 

You'd think that since a great deal of the US gets winter temps, that car companies would have some sort of an automatic "venetian blind" gizmo in front of the radiator to help get the engine up to operating temp as quickly as possible.

 

Volvo used to have the shutter design on their cars, but that was back when it had a pull chain into the cabin.

 

You mean like the thermostat that they already have to get the engine up to operating temperature? The thermostat, usually at 180 F is designed to bypass the radiator until the water jacket surrounding the engine gets up to 180 degrees. It then allows some water back slowly into the main loop to the radiator loop. It repeats this until the whole loop is at that temp. If this didn't happen or if you have a themostat stuck in the open position then you'd have to wait a long time for heat to come into the car. The car heater (cabin heat) is on the bypass loop.

 

Well if you're going to get all technical about it

 

That's one reason I debate the effects of this testing, and why I'm trying to be scientific with the results. It doesn't seem to me like this should really help, so I want to prove it does rather than just believing because I want it to.

 

I will watch for the results. Every little bit might help.