Aerocivic - how to drop your Cd from 0.31 to 0.17

[3-Wheeler]

Originally Posted by TOOSTUBBORN2FAIL

just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration, i too drive way too much, 110 miles a day just for work, not including any errands or vacation, and it'll be nice when i finished my project and can speed back up from 55 mph

I noticed that you get 43 mpg from a Neon. What is your typical drive speed and route to get that high?

I used to have a 1996 Cavalier and squeezed typically 42 mpg by driving old country roads at 45 mph or so. Is this close to your speed?

Jim.

[TOOSTUBBORN2FAIL]

i average 55 mph, mostly freeway. 43 was tank average. That was with a small grill block, passenger mirror delete, low tire pressure (30 psi), underdrive pulley, reduced backpressure, removed power steering, and racing transmission (3.94 final drive, .81 5th)

i now have a larger grill block, both mirrors deleted, and soon will have my other tranny installed for 25% lower cruising rpms (3.55 final drive, .72 5th)

[basjoos]

Originally Posted by JackMcCornack

Man, you may have mentioned this elsewhere on the thread but I've looked and haven't found--where the heck have you been driving? That's like 100 miles a day 7 days a week. Okay, alternate Sundays off but still a lot of driving!

I do most of my driving in the area between Greenwood, SC and Asheville, NC.

[RobertSmalls]

You were able to hold lean burn up to 91+mph? What RPM is that?

The Insight, in stock form and cool ambient air, struggles to hold lean burn at 68mph. VTEC kicks in around 73mph, which pretty much kills all hope of lean burn. It's clear the Insight was not designed for great fuel economy at >70mph.

If your 90mph lean burn was on flat ground, your engine can apparently make 20+HP in lean burn, whereas mine can't do more than 15HP.

Btw, AerocivicLB should join Team Honda.

[basjoos]

At 91mph, rpm was about 2600 to 2700 rpm and 5.0 usec injector pulsewidth on flat ground. On my engine, VTEC kicks in at 2500 rpm, but this has no effect on lean burn, which is maintained up to injector pulsewidths of 6.1 usec at temps of 80F and up to 6.4 usec at 25F. I suspect lean burn will be maintained at speeds up to close to 100mph

[Orweller]

I'm curious if you have weighed the car before / after to see how these mods has affected your overall weight?

Also, have to tested to see how the efficiency is affected when you have passengers / cargo of significant weight?

Good job with your project! I am pretty impressed.
I'm not sure I'd want to get quite that much attention with my car, but you are giving me ideas either way.

[basjoos]

I haven't weighed the car before and after, but there should be little change in weight. The mods are made of lightweight aluminum and coroplast and I removed a heavy glass and steel rear hatch to install the boattail.

I regularly make runs carrying several hundred pounds of livestock feed from Tractor Supply. Increased weight has the same effect on my car as it does on any other car. It hurts mileage if you are having to use the brakes very often (urban/hilly), otherwise it has little effect on mileage (rural/flat).

[Christ]

I wanna think that hatch and tailgate (they're two pieces, for those that don't know) weigh like 60+ lbs... they're pretty hefty.

[pumafeet10]

i keep wondering if doing a boattail would be legal in PA, i just got pulled over the other day for having my mirrors deleted.

[Christ]

If you got a ticket, go to this site: 067 Pa. Code §*175.68.*Mirrors.

Specifically reference this quote:

Originally Posted by Pennsylvania Vehicle Code Title 67 SS 175.68

(b) Rearview mirrors. A vehicle specified under this subchapter shall be equipped with at least one rearview mirror or similar device which provides the driver an unobstructed view of the highway to the rear of the vehicle for a distance of not less than 200 feet. A mirror may not be cracked, broken or discolored.

If you have a windshield mounted rearview mirror, and it provides an unobstructed view of the REAR of the vehicle, for a distance of 200 feet, you're safe.