HCH1 Ecomodding

[elhigh]

Hey, Ecky,

SKeith helped me a lot when I was trying to get my IMA pack sorted. If he chimes in with advice, it's probably pretty good.

It looks to me like most/all of your engine bay belly pan is still there? Can't tell for sure. Quick Oil goons tossed mine aside before I ever even got the car.

Lots of convenient nooks and crannies underneath for installing a proper belly pan under the whole car, looks like it should help a bunch...when I get around to it.

Tire pressure made a huge difference to mine - coast distance went through the roof, fuel consumption tumbled, etc.

Totally feel you on the you driving vs. wife driving. Sweetie gets the car, next time I see it the IMA pack is showing 0 bars and 5.0mpg is just gone. Where did it go?

[Ecky]

I'm not certain which panels are supposed to be under the car, frankly. I'm thinking the pan will be a project for over the summer, definitely no time to make one right now; I'm working on getting my teaching license and it's a tremendous time commitment. The IMA isn't a big deal right now. The battery doesn't last as long as my Insight's, but it feels healthy and provides strong assist. I'm curious to see how long it can provide assist after its first grid charge.

Next stop is a set of all seasons.

[Ecky]

Checked Walmart.com, and it looks like they don't have the Integrity tires anymore. Not sure what to go with now, and Walmart doesn't list LRR in any of their tires:

Tires - Walmart.com

I think the Dunlop SP20FE is also LRR?

[samwichse]

Hey, now we have both have the exact same cars in the exact same colors .

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

50mpg @ 70mph should be achievable in an HCH1 with LRR tires and proper foot control.

HCH1 LB is actually even a little more lean than the Insight's. However, there's a gotcha: It absolutely will NOT enter lean burn over 64mph. Will. Not.

It will hold lean burn if you're going down a hill and are already lean burning when you cross the threshold, but it won't go in it above the threshold without slowing down to below the magic 64 mph.

LRR: The Defenders are what I have on mine. But before that I searched down a set of the B381's that came originally on the car. Those are like the RE92 for the Insight, definitely superior gas mileage, poor tread life. I lost about 3-4 mpg going to the defenders after.

Do install IMAC&C for your HCH! It's soooooo cheap and soooooo easy compared to the Insight stuff. A tiny thumb-sized circuit board with three buttons and it only takes 2 wire taps (power) and two wire splices (serial control from ECM to MCM) to work. I zip-tied mine to the end of the e-brake lever and it's VERY helpful IMHO.

Also: OBDIIC&C is available for the HCH.

Definitely watch your temperatures very carefully with the full block. I was driving to canada this February and while I was in NY state, I got very close to overheating, even though the outdoor temps were ~20F. I had to open the block by 50% to handle the hills. BTW, nice block . That same grill perfectly handles stuffing two pieces of foam pipe insulation into it, and it actually looks pretty good.

And yes, the car handles like a freight train compared to the Insight. I added some Tokiko blues because I like the stiffer ride feel and they helped with a lot of the waddling. Also: the HCH1 power steering sucks... makes my car kind of hard to hold centered in the lane. The stiction in the wheel is suddenly, and massively overcome and it's hard to make just a small correction. Ugh.

Sam

[samwichse]

Oh, and the factory under-engine pan is much more comprehensive than the insight one. Just one big plastic piece covering the whole underside of the engine compartment.

[Ecky]

So far as I can tell, I haven't been able to get in lean burn. I imagine I'd recognize it by the FCD jumping without moving pedal position. I've watched closely for it, and there have been no signs.

Engine temperatures have been fine. However, intake temperatures were suspiciously high, even before the block. Everything in the engine bay looks bone stock, but the intake temperature as reported by my OBD II dongle is generally 60-70c. Maybe I have a faulty intake air temperature sensor, and that's why I'm not getting lean burn?

[samwichse]

Mine is always pretty high too. I think I was showing ~57c on the way home... cooling fan kicks in around then too.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by samwichse

...HCH1 LB is actually even a little more lean than the Insight's. However, there's a gotcha: It absolutely will NOT enter lean burn over 64mph. Will. Not.

It will hold lean burn if you're going down a hill and are already lean burning when you cross the threshold, but it won't go in it above the threshold without slowing down to below the magic 64 mph. ...

Sometimes guys on EM with the lean burn Hondas have noticed that taller tire/wheel combinations or taller transmissions have changed how/when LB engages. Any thoughts about how to hack that 64mph threshold?

[samwichse]

I guess you could hack a pic between the vehicle speed sensor and the ECM that would just max out at exactly 64 mph.

The car wouldn't register more the 64 on the speedo though and your dash distance travelled calculations, fuel economy readings, etc would be screwed up as well.

[Ecky]

After going over the car carefully, I'm inclined to believe I'm missing a few bits:

1) Under-engine panel, which is part 74119-S5B-000 on G1part.com, and around $40. Anyone know where I might get one of these for cheaper?

2) 74306-S5A-J01 - MOLDING ASSY., R. ROOF - rubber bit that runs along the roof seam. About $25, but I bet I could steal one from any same-gen Civic from a junkyard.

3) I believe there should be a plastic liner or cover behind the passenger rear wheel well, over the muffler. There's currently a gaping hole instead. I was unable to find this part on G1parts, could anyone give me an idea of what it's called?