Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Aerodynamics
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 11-21-2012, 11:16 AM   #1 (permalink)
.........................
 
darcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Buckley, WA
Posts: 1,597
Thanks: 391
Thanked 488 Times in 316 Posts
The forgotten HX - Story of an '01 Civic

Lean burn.

The best thing since sliced bread and everyone wants it. You have your 5th gen Civic VX, 6th gen Civic HX, and your 1st gen Insight and then it was eliminated for emissions (?) reasons.

But wait, there's more! From 2001-2005 they continued making the HX. It has a 117hp 1.7L VTEC-E engine with lean burn. .gov currently rates it at 31/39mpg. And here is the one I own:


I bought it this summer and first fixed a bunch of the problems that made it quite cheap (like replacing the pass. door that the original owner's angry ex-boyfriend scribbled "B*tch" in). Started commuting in it and was getting 40mpg in warm summer temps and light traffic.

First mod, a grill block:


This is blocking too much air for summer, but I am leaving it during the winter months.

__________________
Past Cars:

2001 Civic HX Mods

CTS-V

2003 Silverado Mods
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 11-21-2012, 11:20 AM   #2 (permalink)
.........................
 
darcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Buckley, WA
Posts: 1,597
Thanks: 391
Thanked 488 Times in 316 Posts
Next step: remove that spoiler. I have no conclusive proof that it helps or hurts, but I really don't like it. I posted an ad on CL to swap and found a kid that wanted my trunk lid. So, we swapped:


I also removed my squeaky power steering belt at this time and didn't bother replacing it.
__________________
Past Cars:

2001 Civic HX Mods

CTS-V

2003 Silverado Mods

Last edited by darcane; 11-21-2012 at 11:30 AM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2012, 11:29 AM   #3 (permalink)
.........................
 
darcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Buckley, WA
Posts: 1,597
Thanks: 391
Thanked 488 Times in 316 Posts
Next step: air dam.

I saw on a Miata forum, that someone had used paver edging to build an air dam. It was about the right depth and is nice and rigid. I also looked at a garage door seal that is popular for doing the same thing, but I'm pretty sure it would deflect which would defeat the purpose.

I pulled off my bumper last night and got to work. Here you can see it attached, as well as an unmodified piece of the edging.

There is also a new upper grill ($20 shipped off eBay) with a coroplast grill block. It's a very poor fit, but it will do. This is also new tonight. The edging is held in place with 1/4-20 screws/nuts with fender washers. Since it is so rigid, this only works because the bottom of the bumper is flat.

There is also a lot of damage to the underside of the bumper, and this helps reconnect a lot of the pieces and stiffen it all up.

And here it is on the car:




Not bad for $30 total.
__________________
Past Cars:

2001 Civic HX Mods

CTS-V

2003 Silverado Mods
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2012, 12:19 PM   #4 (permalink)
Aero Deshi
 
ChazInMT's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Vero Beach, FL
Posts: 1,065

MagMetalCivic - '04 Honda Civic Sedan EX
Last 3: 34.25 mpg (US)
Thanks: 430
Thanked 668 Times in 357 Posts
My only concern is that you've gone too far on blocking off the air. A $1,000 to $3,500 repair bill does not offset the .5mpg you might be saving by letting in a bit more air down low.

Another "Hot" tip, form a guy who's been there, Change Your Thermostat!!! Cheap and easy to do, crazy easy, and it could save you the $1,000 to $3,500 repair bill if it overheats. Mine went out on me in Atlanta last spring and made a leak in my head gasket which is almost certain to happen when it over heats. It was due for a new timing belt anyway so I combined the 2 repairs and got away for $1,200. But in the back of my mind I always wonder if a screw wasn't tightened just right and I'm left walkin.

But I digress.....

Excellent job otherwise in all respects on you great HX!!
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to ChazInMT For This Useful Post:
Cobb (01-02-2014)
Old 11-21-2012, 12:37 PM   #5 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,585 Times in 1,553 Posts
Yeah, just keep an eye on the coolant temp and make sure the e-fan isn't running too much.

The mods look good!
__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2012, 12:54 PM   #6 (permalink)
.........................
 
darcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Buckley, WA
Posts: 1,597
Thanks: 391
Thanked 488 Times in 316 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daox View Post
Yeah, just keep an eye on the coolant temp and make sure the e-fan isn't running too much.

The mods look good!
Yes, that is a concern, but the Ultragauge is keeping tabs on my temps. On my commute in this morning, it never got over 195°F but it's about 40°F outside. I'll open up the lower block when it gets closer to summer and temps warm up.

In spite of the cold temps and heavy rain/standing water, for the highway leg of my commute: 59.6mpg.


I won't be able to keep it up that high though, I reset after the car was mostly warmed up and I had driven through the portion of my commute with more stoplights and traffic.
__________________
Past Cars:

2001 Civic HX Mods

CTS-V

2003 Silverado Mods
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to darcane For This Useful Post:
aerohead (11-21-2012)
Old 11-21-2012, 01:15 PM   #7 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 1,745

Volt, gas only - '12 Chevrolet Volt Premium
90 day: 38.02 mpg (US)

Volt, electric only - '12 Chevrolet Volt Premium
90 day: 132.26 mpg (US)

Yukon Denali Hybrid - '12 GMC Yukon Denali Hybrid
90 day: 21.48 mpg (US)
Thanks: 206
Thanked 420 Times in 302 Posts
Curious how you can tell if it has lean burn. My dad has an '01 sitting around with a bad rod bearing that he's too busy to fix. It has the 1.7, but im not sure of its vtec. 5spd
__________________




  Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2012, 02:27 PM   #8 (permalink)
.........................
 
darcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Buckley, WA
Posts: 1,597
Thanks: 391
Thanked 488 Times in 316 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by ksa8907 View Post
Curious how you can tell if it has lean burn. My dad has an '01 sitting around with a bad rod bearing that he's too busy to fix. It has the 1.7, but im not sure of its vtec. 5spd
Well, all the US market Civics in '01 had one of three 1.7L engines. The DX and LX have a non-VTEC engine. The EX has VTEC, and the HX has VTEC-E (E for economy). The trim level should be displayed on the rear of the car, but the emblem could have been removed.

The HX was only a coupe, so if you have a sedan, it's not an HX. The O2 sensor in the exhaust manifld should have 5 wires.

You could also run the VIN through this to determine if it is an HX:
Home : Free VIN Decoder - Vehicle Identification Number Check
__________________
Past Cars:

2001 Civic HX Mods

CTS-V

2003 Silverado Mods
  Reply With Quote
Old 11-21-2012, 03:32 PM   #9 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by darcane View Post
and then it was eliminated for emissions (?) reasons.
That's a good question, about why they don't offer lean burn anymore.

The 5-speed Insight had an ULEV rating, even with lean burn: ULEV = "emits 50% less polluting emissions than the average for new cars released in that model year."

So I have to wonder if it was eliminated more for driveability/consumer acceptance reasons.

Quote:
Originally Posted by darcane View Post
Next step: remove that spoiler. I have no conclusive proof that it helps or hurts
I think you made the right decision - that style is more likely to hurt MPG.

For comparison, Honda did put this drag-reducing spoiler on its 2001 Civic sedan. Most OEM drag-reducing spoilers on high-MPG cars are flush mounted, and fairly subtle, like this one is:

__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to MetroMPG For This Useful Post:
aerohead (11-21-2012), darcane (11-21-2012), Mira (06-21-2013), slowmover (12-12-2012)
Old 11-21-2012, 04:48 PM   #10 (permalink)
.........................
 
darcane's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Buckley, WA
Posts: 1,597
Thanks: 391
Thanked 488 Times in 316 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
That's a good question, about why they don't offer lean burn anymore.

The 5-speed Insight had an ULEV rating, even with lean burn: ULEV = "emits 50% less polluting emissions than the average for new cars released in that model year."

So I have to wonder if it was eliminated more for driveability/consumer acceptance reasons.
I assume the ULEV rating is during standardized tests that may not hit the very specific requirements to engage lean burn. I haven't seen any testing, but I have to assume NOx emissions are high when it's engaged and this a likely reason it was killed.

However, these are only assumptions.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
I think you made the right decision - that style is more likely to hurt MPG.

For comparison, Honda did put this drag-reducing spoiler on its 2001 Civic sedan. Most OEM drag-reducing spoilers on high-MPG cars are flush mounted, and fairly subtle, like this one is:
Subtle indeed. I don't think I've ever noticed one on an actual car.

I figure there is a chance that the spoiler could be near the right height to reattach airflow, but I doubt it. No chance for any thorough testing, but I won't miss it either way. It was kinda ugly, and I much prefer the clean look it has now.

Upcoming plans: lowering it an inch or so and full moon discs.

__________________
Past Cars:

2001 Civic HX Mods

CTS-V

2003 Silverado Mods
  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com