First mods for 96 Prizm

[PaleMelanesian]

Originally Posted by Daox

Do you have a scangauge?

This. Among other things, it'll help you see if the fan is working. Mine gets to 206 water temp, then the fan comes on until it's down at 198. If it doesn't cycle the temperature down like that, it may not be working.

[justjohn]

Thanks for the ideas and advice!

You mean like the one inch coper pipe insulator for the lower? I can probably snag some of that at menards or home depot, right?

[busypaws]

Your Prizm looks just like my 97 Mazda Protoge. The grills look the same. I used the shrink wrap plastic that you put on windows in your house to cover the entire lower grill block. I have a scan guage and never get over 205 degrees.
It cost me $1.64 at home depot. When it starts to warm up I'll watch the temp and if it ever gets over 210 then I can just rip it off. I'll spend another $1.64 next fall.
Check my fuel log and mod history to see the other things I've done.
I know ford and mazda share platforms but your Prizm and my Mazda are real close.

[cfg83]

justjohn -

Originally Posted by justjohn

Thanks for the ideas and advice!

You mean like the one inch coper pipe insulator for the lower? I can probably snag some of that at menards or home depot, right?

I have seen two sizes for the pipe insulator. The fatter diameter one will squish tighter into the space, but the thinner diameter one may be more appropriate. It just depends on the size of the gap of your grill. Here are some that I have :



Here is the fatter one installed :



I could probably wedge it in farther, but I wanted you to see it in the picture.

I just did the above so that you can see it. In sunny SoCal I mostly don't use it anymore because I am using my spring-mounted grill block. I do have a short fat piece that I put behind my license plate, but that's all I need right now.

What I *should* be doing is adding grille block insulation at night on the cold drive home, and removing it during the warm sunny drive to work.

CarloSW2

[busypaws]

I was thinking the 3M window insulation. I.E. Clear plastic that you attach around a house window frame with double sided tape. Then you use a hair drier to shrink it so there are no wrinkles. Google 3M Window Insulation Kits.

[justjohn]

Originally Posted by busypaws

I was thinking the 3M window insulation. I.E. Clear plastic that you attach around a house window frame with double sided tape. Then you use a hair drier to shrink it so there are no wrinkles. Google 3M Window Insulation Kits.

Yeah, interesting idea. No problems with the tape on the car paint then?

Edit:
What about 3M-ing the top and insulation for the bottom to keep it easily adjustable? I heard lexan in the past, but shrinkwrap sounds cheaper and easier.