Hi Krousdb:
___I have been watching your tank to tank runs in the database with interest … Then again, I do not run 72 miles per hour either so you have quite a way to move up the ladder imho
___The high mileage Japanese Prius drivers are using warm air intakes to help them achieve some rather impressive fuel economy. Blocking the radiator will also help but without an OBD-II scan tool as a basis, you really never know what your coolant temperature is doing other then by the gauges. Does the 04 Prius have a coolant temperature gauge? In the case of the Insight, 6 bars is normal and 8 means you had better consider removing the radiator block. Unfortunately, it is usually traffic congestion that knocks the radiator block off its feet. There is no real good way to adjust it on the fly like a thermostat in a radiator does.
___This link from the Priusonline forums might help:
1,000 miles/tank and Mileage Tips
___With that being said, I had a great opportunity to test out if the radiator block helps even in temperatures approaching 60 degrees here in the Chicago area 2 days ago. Before I left work, I removed my radiator block in its entirety. I am used to seeing short stretches of 105 - 115 mpg on the instantaneous when running near or at a record mileage run. With the radiator block removed even at a tad below 60 degrees w/ similar wind conditions to my record run of 100.3 mpg over 96 miles not two days earlier, I stopped seeing that 105 - 115 mpg but instead was seeing bouts of 100 - 105 at best. Of course this is entirely unscientific but at the 47 mile mark, I was sitting at 94.2 mpg vs. 96 + on the record run day at the same point. I pulled into an Oasis (rest area for us Chicago land drivers on the tollway system) and reinstalled the radiator block. Within 3 miles, I began seeing that 105 - 115 mpg hover for ½ mile or so stretches … I arrived home at 97.2 mpg so it wasn’t an entirely disappointing day (tie for third best) which when analyzed, is about what I should have expected given an increase of ~ 3 mpg with the radiator block and giving me ~ the same mileage over that last 48 miles as the record run day 2 days previous. Again, totally unscientific and who knows what exact wind conditions are on a given stretch of road and such … I just thought that with temperatures near 60 degrees, I most certainly wouldn’t need the radiator block. Apparently, I still do?
___Good Luck
___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___
Waynegerdes@earthlink.net
