Hey everybody! Check out my Corolla 'Insight'! Any tips, comments, or suggestions?

[PaleMelanesian]

The trickle charging doesn't really ADD any mileage. I do LOTS of engine-off coasting, so the alternator isn't running much. That means the battery doesn't get charged enough. I trickle charge it overnight to make up that difference.

[AaronMartinSole]

Finally, introducing the new Corolla Insight Version 2.0:

-Coroplast front air dam
-Coroplast partial sedan kammback
-Coroplast rear wheel skirts
-Coroplast front smooth caps
-Coroplast windshield deflector

+Still need to install front wheel deflectors.

Still testing. Going to do a 200-300 mile regular run over a week or two and see what that gets me. I think it'll be around 35mpg, which beats 27mpg which is what I've been getting in this freezing 30-50 degree F weather. We'll see and I'll update with results.

I'm out of ideas. What other convenient non-extreme non-intrusive mods can I do? I don't want to have to trickle charge a battery every day and do dangerous engine kill switches and things like that. And I want to keep all of my car seats. I'd like to eventually maybe attempt full front wheel skirts, like the Aerocivic. We'll see.

[LeZX2]

I dont know if you would call this non-intrusive, but you could do a passenger side mirror delete.

Also, your posts are awesome to read(in a good way of course)

[AaronMartinSole]

I'm at an absolute loss. I don't know what else to do. What else can I do to increase my fuel economy without doing anything too inconvenient or invasive? I.e. trickle charging, engine off coasting/kill switching, losing passenger seats, etc.

I do mostly city driving, and hopefully on this tank I drastically change and improve my technique. Instead of accelerating around 1800-2000 rpms, I'm going to shoot around 15-1600 rpms. That's all I can think of right now and the only change I've got planned so far.

Any ideas? Post #22 has most of the mods I have on the car right now. I've added these two front wheel deflectors, but I don't know if they're creating more drag than their reducing. They hug the fender flare and pop out like a lizard's ears or something. Or elephant ears, I don't know. I should make a hole in my front wheels so I can check tire pressure more often, because before they were horribly neglected, and who knows I could have a leaky tire or something. They should be at 50psi right now.

Hmm... I'd love to test a full kammback maybe covering the truck. I love the use of my trunk, so maybe I could make a hinging kammback. Oh, so much easier said than done.

Hot or cold air intake? There are ecomodders using both. That seems like it shouldn't make sense. What kind of gains might be had?

Oh, any other ideas?

[jeff88]

How did you end up attaching the final kammback? Just some tape on the top?

Have you considered doing a second windshield wiper cover that actually covers the wipers (kind of like doing a wheel skirt and full moon wheels together)? I'm thinking any air that gets in there might find its way over the windshield a little easier with a second cover.

What about a full grill block that opens when you need it. You can do an electronic one like some here have done or a passive one that only opens when the air isn't hitting it (like stopped at a light). A full block will give you just a little bit more of a cD drop.

You could get some interior mirrors and delete the exterior ones. Try doing a search for a fouring mirror. Or this:

Fouring(Made in Korea) BL Blind Spot Mirror Wide Angle Rear View For Right Driving Position : Amazon.com : Automotive

If you can get rid of any accessories attached to the engine by a belt that would also help (a/c, power steering, radiator fans, etc.) You can also replace some with an electronic version, which might use less power overall than the belt type, especially if you charge the car overnight using an outside electricity source.

You mentioned lowering your acceleration RPMs. You can install a turbo which (if you keep your foot out of it) will help you get decent acceleration performance with low RPMs.

Also, since we have the same car, make sure it's not burning oil, these model engines are notorious for the oil return holes on the piston oil ring to clog causing major problems and the oil burning. Is your tailpipe tip black?

What about the little blocks in front of the wheels to keep the air going around the tires. (I can't remember the name of them right now).

Maybe an undertray and rear diffuser?

I don't know how you would make it to access the trunk, but you can do a full/partial boat tail off of the bumper to go with the kammback.

You can extend some cardboard on the end where the side of the car meets the back side. Extend it out like a kammback and angle them in just a little. This will help the air angle in like a boat tail without limiting trunk use.

[brucepick]

I really enjoyed the movie plot outline. There's potential in the idea. I see an outline with two rival groups each competing in their own series of contests. BUT they start talking to each other and getting ideas. And each group saves the other's um, backside when something goes very wrong. Hmmm. Then there's a race with very little fuel allowed. They join forces and field a small fleet, and win all the top prizes.

Do you have a gauge yet? A ScanGauge or UltraGauge plugs into OBDII socket and gets all power and data from there. ScanGauge gives instant and trip and tank mpg plus other data like engine temp. A good gauge is a must have.

As Jeff wrote, undertray aka belly pan is very worthwhile. Expect a few mpg gain from that.

I know you wrote you don't want to do this but I got about 4-5 mpg from it.
I put a big ($86) Walmart deep cycle battery in trunk and disconnected the alternator output cable. A heavy 4 ga cable runs thru existing hole in dash thru rocker and to trunk. A battery disconnect at end of alt cable lets me reconnect it for long trips. Yes I do have to charge it nightly. The benefit is from having no load on the alt aside from the spinning belt and pulley. Expect the project to grow. I ended up with two deep cycles batteries in trunk, none in front.