Radiator block a success? Once again, I'm too impatient.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by http://www.gassavers.org/garage/viewgaslog/1399

37.23 MPG.
Couldn't resist the allure of the cheapest gas price I've seen in a couple years, but it calls my experiment into question. This tank included some high-RPM fun, a rare occurence for me. It includes my radiator block experiment. Does it include pump error due to pumping gas at a different gas station than usual?

I'm pretty sure that my usual pump stops a little sooner than most other pumps. Today I pumped at a different gas station. However, I'm not sure I should have gotten such good results.

My radiator blocking experiment is done with cardboard, so I can't drive it during rain. Therefore I need to conclude the experiment. I got a solid 1.5 MPG higher than I've gotten in the last 5 tanks. What should I think?

[kit352]

i usually try to back things up with 3 tanks, but i do convince myself after the first that everything works as it should. try getting some corraplast to make it more permenent.

[groar]

37.2 instead of 35.7 is a 4% improvement which is what should be for a front grill block.

The front grills are generating 30% of aero drag (from an article on autospeed). If you can lower it by 30% with a block, the aero drag is lowered by 9%. As over 40 mph (depends on the car of course) the aero is stronger than the rolling resistance, there should be a 4.5% saving.

And the grill block permits to heat the engine quicker which also helps saving.

About cardboard, you should have a lot of coroplast left in next hours

Denis.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by groar

About cardboard, you should have a lot of coroplast left in next hours

Denis.

I don't know about that. Here most of the signs are printed on a heavy duty plastic bag that is pulled over a wire frame like a sock and stuck in the ground. I haven't seen any coroplast.

-Jay

[Mayhim]

You could try painting the cardboard with some house paint, hobby paint, spray paint, varnish, or urathane you may have sitting around. Or maybe some of that vinyl stick-on stuff for cabinets and drawers.

I wouldn't think any of that would be a problem in the target temp zone.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by groar

The front grills are generating 30% of aero drag (from an article on autospeed).

It's a radiator block, not a grille block. It doesn't have as much effect on aero drag as a grille block would. I've got carboard plastered right up against the radiator.

I used cardboard because the radiator block was for temporary use only, and I wanted it to be easy to remove. I have lots of coroplast; there is a road-spammer going around my scenic rural area placing dating website roadspam. One day I went to 3 different intersections to collect something like 36 signs.

I wanted to test and see if I'd overheat, and I wanted to do it without plastering cardboard all over the front of my car. I painted the cardboard black and put it in front of the radiator, and it's invisible. I would have used coroplast but it's difficult to get to the area, requiring a few minutes disassembly, and I figured this way I can remove the cardboard without disassembling the car - wet the cardboard, then reach in with a coathanger and rip it out.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by theholycow

I figured this way I can remove the cardboard without disassembling the car - wet the cardboard, then reach in with a coathanger and rip it out.

Kinda like a back-alley radiator-block abortion?

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

Kinda like a back-alley radiator-block abortion?

[groar]

Originally Posted by theholycow

It's a radiator block, not a grille block. It doesn't have as much effect on aero drag as a grille block would. I've got carboard plastered right up against the radiator.

Oops, read it too fast. From what I read by elsewhere, the radiator block should have an effect in aero as the air flow through the grill is lowered. I'm waiting for my aero book to travel the Atlantic Ocean : Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles: From Fluid Mechanics to Vehicle Engineering
Your result is even greater

I used cardboard because the radiator block was for temporary use only, and I wanted it to be easy to remove. I have lots of coroplast; there is a road-spammer going around my scenic rural area placing dating website roadspam. One day I went to 3 different intersections to collect something like 36 signs.

Reminds me something : It's raining coroplast
But my 18 months son call them wolves... in fact he calls all animals like that.

I wanted to test and see if I'd overheat, and I wanted to do it without plastering cardboard all over the front of my car. I painted the cardboard black and put it in front of the radiator, and it's invisible. I would have used coroplast but it's difficult to get to the area, requiring a few minutes disassembly, and I figured this way I can remove the cardboard without disassembling the car - wet the cardboard, then reach in with a coathanger and rip it out.

The first time I wanted to do an invisible modification so I looked how to put my cardboard behing the grill. The radiator grille is around the radiator and I can't put anything between them without taking all apart, which I refuse to do for safety reason (my DIY level is incompatible with any safety measure). After a little though I decided that I don't care about the look. At worse some people may come and ask me what it's for... After one month with a white front grill block, I can say people are sad seeing it : may be they think I crashed the car. Several times I thought about drawing a big smiley on the block I may also write "objective 60 MPG".

Denis.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by groar

Reminds me something : It's raining coroplast

That sounds similar. You got much larger pieces, but you also had to do a lot more work. Mine are small, 30 x 45 cm, but I've got a lot of them.

can't put anything between them without taking all apart, which I refuse to do for safety reason (my DIY level is incompatible with any safety measure).

I'm at least a little bit more confident than that. Sometimes you have to try and fail a few times before you learn how to do it, and it's scary expecting to fail on your only car, especially if it's in good condition when you start...you don't want to break stuff that's expensive to fix!