Quote:
Originally Posted by Miller88
So I think for now I'll do a grille block for winter months at least. Maybe I'll see if I can pick up a set of more eco minded tires. A 215/65-17 set of ecopias or something would be similar diameter but a bit narrower.
|
That's what I was going to suggest, a grille block and narrower, but same diameter tires.
Another help could be an engine block heater. I've put 1,500W circulating heaters on my engines. The higher the wattage the better. Even if you plug it in for 15 minutes you get more heat for less electricity because you're not giving it enough time to cool off and heat the environment. Or go for an hour or two to completely heat the engine to operating temps. Or go for a block heater around 700W and throw a 700W space heater into the cabin if it's too cold to drive (you either are cold blooded or you need to defrost your windshield).
This would mainly help if you have short drives, but if you drive at least 5 or 10 miles or more per drive then the benefits are less noticeable. Still, I don't ever warm up my engine before driving: even today when it was -20°F (-29°C) when I got into my car.