Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - How does a Grill Block help with engine warmup?

campisi · 02-26-2013, 10:30 PM

Genuine question.
I see people post it all the time but it's not something I can see happening.

I have a UG monitoring my intake temperature. I also have a WAI that pulls air from directly behind the radiator. So, basically, I can watch the intake temp and it never moves from ambient temp UNTIL my engine reaches operating temp (190 Deg F) AND the thermostat opens which lets hot coolant into the radiator. Then and only then does hot coolant flow through the radiator. When my tstat opens I can see my WAI start to work in that the intake temp rises quickly. Until then intake temp is sitting at ambient.

Point is that nothing happens until the engine gets warm anyway. A grill block would do very little to quicken engine warmup, wouldn't it? I mean, if the radiator isn't trying to radiate engine heat it makes no difference whether there's air flow through it or not? Maybe in VERY, VERY cold temps it might make a difference in that there'd be less airflow across the actual engine rather than the radiator? Jes' wonderin'!

02-26-2013, 10:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
campisi Chief Cook & Bottlewasher Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: California Posts: 76 Xterra - '13 Nissan Xterra Pro-4X 90 day: 19.58 mpg (US) Thanks: 11 Thanked 25 Times in 13 Posts	How does a Grill Block help with engine warmup? Genuine question. I see people post it all the time but it's not something I can see happening. I have a UG monitoring my intake temperature. I also have a WAI that pulls air from directly behind the radiator. So, basically, I can watch the intake temp and it never moves from ambient temp UNTIL my engine reaches operating temp (190 Deg F) AND the thermostat opens which lets hot coolant into the radiator. Then and only then does hot coolant flow through the radiator. When my tstat opens I can see my WAI start to work in that the intake temp rises quickly. Until then intake temp is sitting at ambient. Point is that nothing happens until the engine gets warm anyway. A grill block would do very little to quicken engine warmup, wouldn't it? I mean, if the radiator isn't trying to radiate engine heat it makes no difference whether there's air flow through it or not? Maybe in VERY, VERY cold temps it might make a difference in that there'd be less airflow across the actual engine rather than the radiator? Jes' wonderin'!