Grill block on a Silverado

[Frank Lee]

Too bad I don't have pix but for many years I ran a very nice pro-looking winter front on the F150- it was a foam pad on the outside of the grille, upholstered with seat vinyl.

It did NOTHING for fe except for the warm-up and heat retention benefits. I guess I should say it helped fe in that regard but did nothing measureable for aero.

[darcane]

Originally Posted by WantsMoreMPG

Darcane,
I was just wondering if you've noticed any improvement or if you have any updates. I have an Avalanche which I'm thinking of doing the same thing, I figure at the least it should reduce the warm up time. If I remember I'll hook up my programmer tomorrow and see how many miles it takes to get to full temp (it stops at 188*F).

Thanks,
Jeff

So far, it's been inconclusive. I've been on vacation for two weeks so I haven't been doing my normal commuting route. And before that, we had significantly lower temps for a couple weeks (we actually set record lows a couple days). But so far, what I've been seeing doesn't look too promising.

I go back to work tomorrow and I'll be keeping an eye on my fuel economy.

Mike

[Fubeca]

I'm not sure if the avalanche has the same front end - but this is another option.

I found this online at a surplus store for $40 + shipping.

[Jethro]

This really tempts me to try a grill block on my Ram, but with it's stature (lifted etc) I really don't think it will help much at all.

But then I'll have to drive the truck on the highway... that's what the CAR is for. =)

[ECONORAM]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Got gas log data anywhere?

Sorry, been off the boards for a bit. No, I just have it all written down in a notepad.

GoodOak, I went down to the local hardware store or Big Lots and bought foam weatherstripping. Had to layer it 3 or 4 thick in order to cover most of the gap... It is better to layer it before you stick it on the truck.

Jethro, your truck is already at an aero advantage over mine. The Gen2 Rams were much better aerodynamically. A grille block would still do you some good, I think. It helped me a lot in keeping the engine warmer last December on my 3,000 mile road trip...

[ECONORAM]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

It'll warm up faster and therein lies the bulk of any gain.

I agree partly with ya Frank. I noticed on the Dodge RAM SRT10 it had a small grill block behind the left side, as well as other aero aids to get its Cd down to 0.44. My wife's Avenger has the entire top portion of the grill blocked, and it has a belly pan covering the entire engine bay. I suspect there are some aero improvements, but nothing earth shattering...

I just made one for my Dodge RAM out of a black plastic boot tray. I will try to get some pix over the weekend.

[Frank Lee]

Ya might as well agree totally because... well, because.

[darcane]

Now that the cold snap is over, temps have gone back to about what I had back in October/November. Using the data from then as a baseline, my typical commuting mileage was about 17.5mpg.

With about the same temps and driving conditions I'm now getting 18.1mpg over the last two tanks for about a 3.5% gain.

I'd still say these are preliminary results, as that's only two (very large) tanks of fuel, but it at least looks like it is a positive gain from the grill block and belly pan.

Mike

[ECONORAM]

Okay, finally got a picture in daylight. I would cover more, but what you cannot see if about 1/4 of the passenger side (left as you look) is taken up by an intake scoop. About 1/4 of the right side is covered by a block behind the grill, so I do not have so much going into the radiator and a/c condenser. I have noticed going up hills and sitting in traffic the truck does warm up more, so this may end up getting trimmed or being a winter mod only...

[wriley4409]

I went out and purchased a grill block for my Silverado. The nice thing about it can be removed in about a minute when towing or in hot weather situations.



Winter/Summer Truck Grille Covers : Cabela's

Fia Front Grille Covers, Go Fia Winter Grill Cover, Truck Grille Covers