5th generation civic hatchback - improving aerodynamics

[Cd]

I've begun looking for a small / cheap web cam that I can mount to the outside of the car. ( for tuft testing )
I would even be able to video areas such as under the car and inside the wheelwells.

I would have to buy a battery for my laptop though. It currently is giving me about a minute before it goes into hibernation.

If the webcam is cheap enough ( I've seen some new for around $ 50 and some one E-Bay for as little as $3 ) I would risk smashing it to pieces. As long as the road is flat and the mount secure, I dont think I would worry too much though.

To get video of the back and sides of the car I would have to build some sort of platform that extends out from the car. I would then place a red flag on the end of it to remain legal.

[H4MM3R]

What you've done to this car is awesome.

[AndrewJ]

Step 1: remove the gas strut by loosening the little bolt until it comes out. Be careful as the steel threads are anchored in an (aluminum?) receptacle that's goes trough the glass.











Step 2: loosen the large plastic nut on the inside, while holding the aluminum "receptacle" thingie on the outside.






And for all of you airdam maniacs, here's a shot from the back of the car of the underside. The fuzzy-looking thing top-center is the rear tow hook.

[Cd]

Thanks Andrew !
I notice that your exaust pipe doesn't hang down as far as mine. ( Just an observation.)

[Cd]

AndrewJ , thanks for the help with strut information.

On a different topic - your cars engine temperature. From your previous posts, I am assuming thet you actually drove your car several miles and ... gasp even up a small mountain with the grill completely blocked.
Have you checked your oil lately ? It must be completely burt by now !
What does the engine temperature read when you are driving like this ?
Also, how do you drive in rush hour traffic ?
I see that you now have a small hole for the radiator ( clever idea with your throttle cable mod. )
How often were you smelling fumes from the radiator ?

I'm guessing that the only thing that saved your engine was that you did not have a belly pan installed to trap all of that heat in.

I am looking very forward to your next mods - especially any involving that spoiler.

[Cd]

I also wanted to ask what kind of material that you are using for the spoiler and wheel cover. I'm guessing that it is thin signage plastic.

Edit : Yep ... ABS

[AndrewJ]

Originally Posted by .Cd

The thing that has me puzzled is that there are no areas that look as if they come off for spoiler removal. I see a water jet for the wiper* and two tabs for the light, but no screws / bolts.

I don't have a rear wiper or water jet. So, no luck there.

Originally Posted by .Cd

On a different topic - your cars engine temperature. From your previous posts, I am assuming thet you actually drove your car several miles and ... gasp even up a small mountain with the grill completely blocked.
Have you checked your oil lately ? It must be completely burt by now !

I just changed the oil a few days ago actually. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Originally Posted by .Cd

What does the engine temperature read when you are driving like this ?

Well, the entire trip when I was having the "trouble" the temperature gauge never went above it's normal position, about 3/8ths above "cold"

Originally Posted by .Cd

Also, how do you drive in rush hour traffic ?

Yep, sure do. I almost always use P&G in town, so no real risk of overheating there. A few times I have intentionally driven "normally" and had no problem overheating then either.

Originally Posted by .Cd

I see that you now have a small hole for the radiator ( clever idea with your throttle cable mod. )
How often were you smelling fumes from the radiator ?

I've never smelled coolant in this car, except when I first bought it, back when it had a blown headgasket. With the enormous plume of vaporized coolant coming out of the back at that time, I'm sure that the entire neighborhood could smell coolant.

Originally Posted by .Cd

I'm guessing that the only thing that saved your engine was that you did not have a belly pan installed to trap all of that heat in.

So, as it turns out, the real "problem" was the MAF (or whatever) not resetting once you've reached a higher altitude (with correspondingly less dense air) and it's detrimental effects on power production.

Originally Posted by .Cd

I am looking very forward to your next mods - especially any involving that spoiler.

I think any further mods are gonna have to wait till I get some FE instrumentation. Except, of course, unbelting the alternator. IF, I can get ahold of some free or low cost batts.

[Cd]

Thanks for the reply !
From looking at the picture of the spoiler bracket, it is slightly over-exposed so I can't tell what I'm really looking at. It looks as if there are two bolt holes where the light is located. Is that right ?

I'm thinking of just being a copy-cat ( you know the saying about imitation being the most sincere for of flattery ) with the tail light, except I will just try and add some length to the wiring so that I can use the stock light.

From what you have said about your car not overheating with no cooling what-so-ever, I think my engine must have other problems because the radiator often spills over into the overflow container.
Also, my oil seems darker than it should be for the few miles I have put on the car since I changed it last ( less than 1000 miles )
( I don't know a thing about cars and it really shows.)

Maybe I'm just overly paranoid.

[AndrewJ]

Originally Posted by .Cd

Maybe I'm just overly paranoid.

I ended up being paranoid too. Even though I've never overheated it, I still added the choke-cable-opening just in case.

As far as getting the spoiler off, just open the hatch and look at the hinge part. There should be three 10mm nuts. Take those off and unhook the 3rd brake light wires. Then you can take the whole thing off and get the black plastic of the spoiler off of the white subframe. Blunt force and a big screwdriver worked best for me.

Good luck!

[Cd]

I'm going on vacation in a week and plan to try and do another tuft test on my car.
Are there any portions of the car that you would like to see the airflow on when ( and if ) I get around to doing the test ?