Grand am airdam where to place?

[Gealii]

Well its time to start modding my grand am for mileage.
From the current moment over the summer i was happy getting
32mpg driving country roads all summer to work rated for
29mpg hw, but now I'm headed to school which has quite a bit
of city driving and I can already see my mileage is going
down according to my UG.

So the plan is to start modding my grand am for mileage. I have plans
for an air dam, grill block, smooth wheel covers, rear wheel partial skirt,
possible side skirts, and a partial kammback.

So the plan is to put on a new air
dam. I have the lawn edging for
the air dam to do but the question was were to mount if it
should go back into the factory air-dam spot that got ripped
off by previous owner. The other option would be to push it
forward to the front of car I have added pics to show you what
I mean. Plz leave your 2 cents especially if you have modded
a grand am or grand Prix to help with effective mods.

The orange line is where the factory air dam originally ran while the green
line is an idea of where to place it other than factory position.
I'm interested in putting a new one on because I would like to
do a grill block but don't want the fan running to much so I'm hoping blocking
the upper grill will help raise intake temps but the upper grill helps cool the radiator so i want air directed more-so into the radiator.

If I put it in the new position I am going to add something behind it
to keep air going through the lower grill into the radiator.

[Sporty Modder]

Personally I would put the air dam back in the stock location. Maybe extend it to the wheels. If you make it round with the center pushed out a bit, that should move the air to the side and around the car, and direct more air towards your rad.

[nemo]

I used the original as a mount lowered to 1/4 inch below the subframe and wraped it around to include the wheel spats. Even with it that far back i need to be careful not to pull up to curb stones, goes over most stops,catches on others.


This is my second version.

[mcrews]

couple of thoughts:
THe father to the front, the greater chance to scrape (been there done that!!!)
the corvette has the air dam that is almost like tire deflectors. It is all the way under the front nose in a straigh line w/ the front axle

Mine on the 02 Q45 is on the curved edge of the IMPUL front bumper.
The IMPUL body kit is aready 2 inches lower than stock and I was running my springs 1 inch lower.
I ended up scrapping the rubber dam right off.....

[UltArc]

I hope to see whatever you workout in October! A link to the thread is in my sig. If I knew more, I would try to help, but I am not familiar.

[nemo]

Originally Posted by Gealii

but now I'm headed to school which has quite a bit
of city driving and I can already see my mileage is going
down according to my UG. So the plan is to put on a new air
dam and upper grill block to it.

My car also has upper grill blocks, stealth. For city driving it is all about accelerating and momentum. Although you have approx a 400lb weight advantage on me (lighter) and a smaller engine, I think you will get more pay back in with driving mods. Not saying not to do the mods, do them. But your pay back in the city will be minimal.

With my car it needs to get to 47 MPH and hold it for best mileage. The 80% load doesn't work for me. There is not enough distance between many lights to recoup the MPG loss used during acceleration and the car is often carrying too much momentum at the next light which always seems to turn red.

The two biggest city fuel savers for me are:
1. No AC (when I'm alone)
2. Engine off at lights

The 3.8 is very thirsty at an idle .39 to .47 GPH after reaching operating temperature, depending on how hot the day. Don't like to key off though, in dash ignition switch was $500. Another annoyance the DLRs (daytime running lights) come on with each restart.

[Gealii]

Originally Posted by nemo

My car also has upper grill blocks, stealth. For city driving it is all about accelerating and momentum. Although you have approx a 400lb weight advantage on me (lighter) and a smaller engine, I think you will get more pay back in with driving mods. Not saying not to do the mods, do them. But your pay back in the city will be minimal.

With my car it needs to get to 47 MPH and hold it for best mileage. The 80% load doesn't work for me. There is not enough distance between many lights to recoup the MPG loss used during acceleration and the car is often carrying too much momentum at the next light which always seems to turn red.

The two biggest city fuel savers for me are:
1. No AC (when I'm alone)
2. Engine off at lights

The 3.8 is very thirsty at an idle .39 to .47 GPH after reaching operating temperature, depending on how hot the day. Don't like to key off though, in dash ignition switch was $500. Another annoyance the DLRs (daytime running lights) come on with each restart.

Well theres still a good amount of kinda hw driving b4 city so my goal was more so to increase the mpgs i get there to help out the city driving
bumper to bumper not moving fast then theres driving around the decks
not finding any spots.
As far as idling the 2.2 ecotech uses about .47 GPH thats on start up tho havent looked after warmup. Those pesky dash ignitions had 1 going bad in the old car and decided it wasnt worth it compared to the price and condition of the car, so i refuse to turn it off.
I also run vents and window down. I never use AC unless im with some1 who wants it which isnt very often

[Gealii]

I decided to turn this thread into an air dam build for now.
The first thing i had to do was to straighten the air dam out.
Nothing some re-bar and hot sun on blacktop couldn't fix.
Then I cut the circular part of the edging off on the sides
to make it more malleable wasn't co operating very well on the
turns. Then it was just as simple as screwing in some self tapping
screws. Doesn't quite cover as wheel spats but i got plenty left
to fix that on a cooler day.

[Sporty Modder]

looking good

[nemo]

Nice! How much clearance?