Hypermiling/aero mods

[duaneb9729]

if i could throw out a thought on grill blocking, if you use your air conditioner in your car, you have no idea how far off of normal your system pressures are, if the condenser isnt getting the designed air flow across it, of course as the system pressures rise the amount of cooling ability would drop.

while automobile systems are not my area of expertise, home and commerical systems are were my experiance lies.

if the air flow is decressed the "high" side pressures rise making the compressor work harder to do the same job, and i would assume robing some of the engines horse power, again this is just a thought based on my experiance

Sincerely
Duane

 

[BrianWC]

Good point...just like having a dirty unit at home. However, I'd point out that most folks that are going to the trouble of blocking grills aren't running the a/c much anyway b/c of the extra load to begin with.

 

[oilyriser]

Even the ventilation fan draws power from the engine. I can sweat.

 

[duaneb9729]

I NEED my trucks A/C smiles! but i work out in the heat all day

 

[BrianWC]

I know what you mean. It amazes me how silly I can be. I'll deny myself a/c for 2 hrs a day in my car, thinking I am just being the king of frugailty...Yet I come home and drop the thermostat down to 69 degrees on the home unit....

 

[duaneb9729]

lol yes well its more important to you at home then in the car
plus the car mods are more interesting and fun!

 

[Drew99GT]

My A/C took a dump last year. Can you say, compressor delete???

The ventilation through my little Corolla is pretty amazing. Traveling down the highway at 65, with the blower off/fresh air vent opened and a rear window cracked, it's like a wind tunnel. Keeps it comfortable actually.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: oilyriser
Even the ventilation fan draws power from the engine. I can sweat.


Try that down here. You can heatstroke.

Like my many of my neighbors to the north, I too keep a pair of gloves in my car. But mine are for those times when I have to park in the sun and the steering wheel ends up getting too hot to touch with bare skin. At least the hybrids have ultra efficient, electric driven, variable speed AC compressors.

 

[BrianWC]

Oh, I'm doing it here okay. It's still just nipping the 90's, though. Next week it'll be 95 a day or two. I'll see how well I can stand it. I may have to give up and put my a/c on auto mode, which isn't a bad option. I believe it will switch the a/c compressor off once it hits the set temp. Hopefully it won't just blend in heat to keep it from going lower! I'll have to try it on 76 or 78 degrees and see....

 

[Drew99GT]

Coroplast belly pan is next. After looking at things a bit better, I don't think I'll even have to drill any holes as the holes for the factory splash shields will suffice. Should be even easier than the grill blocks.

I'd like to get rid of my spoiler but the 3rd brake light is in it.

I'll stop at that. Wheel skirts just don't look right.

 

[oilyriser]

Can you fit a 3rd brake light inside the rear window? That's where the factory one is on my car. Those spoilers add weight.

Wheel skirts take away the horse drawn carriage look.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I would not trade away the spoiler if it left mounting holes behind.

 

[Drew99GT]

Had to pull the top covers. Fans are running a lot more, constantly in heavy stop and go traffic during the heat of the day.

I'm not going to sacrifice my motor for perhaps a mpg.

Some of these hypermiling guys totally cover the rad with the intent of having the motor run upwards of 230 degrees. They also plum intakes so the engine breaths in air directly off the exhaust manifold.

I'd bet a few folks will end up overheating big time and blowing out hoses/caps etc. and burning down their motors.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
I'm not going to sacrifice my motor for perhaps a mpg.


Sissy!

I had a buddy fab me a quick change airdam for my TJ. I was attempting to clean up the under carriage turbulence.

It didn't do squat. It's off

 

[Drew99GT]

Yea, what I did probably wouldn't even be statistically significant in fuel economy measurements........but I was bored!

 

[Drew99GT]

Maybe I should do what the founder of eccomodder.com does. He was on a CNN special about fuel mileage. Has a 4 banger automatic Accord and uses "advanced technique" hypermiling tactics. Shuts the engine off and coasts whenever possible, coasts into parking lots and his driveway and then pushes the vehicle in, constantly shuts the engine off and coasts on the highway - basically gets momentum then shuts it off and coasts, then repeats.

Hope he's good at changing late model Accord starters!

But he does get 60 mpg...

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Maybe I should do what the founder of eccomodder.com does. He was on a CNN special about fuel mileage. Has a 4 banger automatic Accord and uses "advanced technique" hypermiling tactics. Shuts the engine off and coasts whenever possible, coasts into parking lots and his driveway and then pushes the vehicle in, constantly shuts the engine off and coasts on the highway - basically gets momentum then shuts it off and coasts, then repeats.

Hope he's good at changing late model Accord starters!

But he does get 60 mpg...


yeah, I saw that same story. the guy push starts his car, shuts off the engine and restarts it constantly. hope he's good slamming his brakes when his engine is off.

 

[BrianWC]

The guy who founder cleanmpg.com is the father of hypermiling and has gotten like 100 mpg off an accord. I think he's gotten like 50-60 off a 4 cyl Ford Ranger.

 

[Quest]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Maybe I should do what the founder of eccomodder.com does. He was on a CNN special about fuel mileage. Has a 4 banger automatic Accord and uses "advanced technique" hypermiling tactics. Shuts the engine off and coasts whenever possible, coasts into parking lots and his driveway and then pushes the vehicle in, constantly shuts the engine off and coasts on the highway - basically gets momentum then shuts it off and coasts, then repeats.

Hope he's good at changing late model Accord starters!

But he does get 60 mpg...


I'll be more worried about power steering and vacuum assisted braking for my Honda fit comes with electrical servo steering rack and as soon as the alternator quite charging or battery fails to provide enough "juice" for the steering, the steering gonna go stiff on me.

Q.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
My A/C took a dump last year. Can you say, compressor delete???

The ventilation through my little Corolla is pretty amazing. Traveling down the highway at 65, with the blower off/fresh air vent opened and a rear window cracked, it's like a wind tunnel. Keeps it comfortable actually.

Drew, in Colorado Springs, hot as the air can be, at least it's *dry*. If I try that here, I get home with my office clothes soaked in sweat. Not good.