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2025
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Do trucks really save fuel in winter by wearing a mask and blocking the grille?
We interviewed a Long truck owner about the significance and reasons behind sealing the grille with transparent tape. In fact, as winter sets in, it's not uncommon in the north to cover the air intake grille using physical methods. However, this truck owner's way of taping the grille shut is indeed quite rough. So, is this method really effective?
Actually, the habit of truck drivers 'wearing masks' is something that truckers in the North are certainly familiar with, especially in snowy and windy weather, where you can basically see long-nose and cab-over trucks 'wearing masks' on the road. However, in the South, this phenomenon is indeed relatively rare, because the harsh cold weather in the North has a much greater impact on trucks in winter. So why do truckers use thermal face masks?
First, the optimal operating temperature for a diesel engine is between 80 and 90 degrees Celsius, while the average outdoor temperature in northern winters is below zero. A large amount of heat is carried away by the antifreeze in the radiator and the cold air outside the engine block. At this time, a lower engine temperature causes the oil viscosity to increase, which reduces its flowability, affects lubrication efficiency, and decreases the working power of the diesel engine.
At the same time, the increased oil thickness reduces the amount of oil pumped by the oil pump. This poor lubrication increases friction resistance, accelerates the wear of engine parts, and eventually raises the cost of maintenance and repair.
Secondly, low temperatures can cause insufficient high-pressure atomization of diesel, reducing the combustion efficiency of diesel engines. Incomplete combustion of the air-fuel mixture, on one hand, can lead to a small amount of unburned diesel flowing down the cylinder walls into the crankcase, mixing with the engine oil and affecting its efficiency.
On the other hand, if the diesel cannot finish burning near the top dead center in time, it will prolong the post-ignition combustion period, making the engine operate more roughly. Components will be subjected to high temperatures for extended periods, which further accelerates engine wear and shortens the engine's service life.
Finally, the engine's residual heat can provide some warm air to the car interior. If the radiator and the engine's cooling are too effective, the water temperature will rise slowly, making the cabin heat take longer to arrive, and the interior will remain as cold as the outside.
Summary:
In short, low-temperature conditions can reduce the power of a diesel engine, worsen fuel economy, and increase fuel consumption! Therefore, 'wearing a mask' can not only help the engine warm up quickly to reach the ideal operating temperature, but also provide some insulation for the cabin and reduce some aerodynamic drag.
Through this phenomenon, manufacturers have also capitalized on it online. For example, a few years ago, the American company Freightliner showcased a very stylish super truck, which, in addition to a more streamlined front design, also featured an active grille.
The electronic control unit monitors the engine's water temperature to analyze the engine's temperature condition and sends signals to the stepper motor to control the angle of the active grille. This is an actively closing intake grille that can automatically adjust its opening. When the engine is running at a high temperature, the grille blades fully open, allowing air to flow and cool like a regular truck. When the engine is running at a low temperature, the blades close, shutting off the front air intake. This not only looks aesthetically pleasing but also reduces air resistance and increases stability.
Our new Qingqi Liberation vehicle, the Yingtu, also features an active air intake grille. Although it is only installed on the bumper, it brings two benefits: 1. During cold starts in winter, it allows the engine to warm up faster, reaching its optimal operating condition in the shortest time, and the cabin heating becomes quicker; 2. At high speeds, a closed intake grille can reduce air resistance and improve fuel efficiency.
● Editor's Note
Driving in winter comes with special conditions. Besides keeping the engine at normal operating temperature, attention should also be paid to the following: use winter or all-season engine oil, such as multi-grade oil with a 'W' designation, to ensure the oil can meet the lubrication system's needs in winter; add antifreeze with a low freezing point to prevent radiator bursting and engine block or cylinder head freezing; additionally, select diesel with the appropriate pour point for different temperatures, for example, 0# diesel is suitable for 4~8°C, -10# diesel for -5~4°C, -20# diesel for -14~-5°C, and -35# diesel for -29~-14°C.
It is clear that blocking the grille has achieved good results, to some extent improving the driving experience. Keeping the engine at its optimal working condition is indeed beneficial for fuel saving.
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