Modding a Scion Xa

[NeilBlanchard]

If your car can be flat-towed, then it can coast in neutral.

Have you blocked the "chin" vent area so all the air goes through the radiator?

[Slow_s10]

Actually any car can coast in neutral as long as the engine is running. You should only engine off coast in an automatic if your car is also rated to be flat towed. Although it's mostly not worth the hassle in an automatic car anyway and it adds a lot off wear and tear to your starter since you can't just pop a clutch to restart the engine.

[sustainable sam]

I neutral coasted in the jeep today and it seemed to help a bit. I have not closed the "chin" vent area. I assume you mean the space above the lower grill opening? I tried searching your thread but had no luck.

I want to get a replacement vehicle for the jeep am looking for a vehicle with a manual transmission. We will see if I have any luck.

[NeilBlanchard]

With the oversized stock grill openings, much of the air is allowed to flow out below the lower spoiler under the front bumper. If you block those off, then all the air that comes in through the (reduced) grill opening goes through the radiator.

[sustainable sam]

Thanks for clarifying that Neil. One and a half hours later I blocked the chin area. I was surprised at the large area there; it was almost 4 inches lower then the radiator!

I think I will move onto a belly pan when I get some coroplast. Hope to do this next week!

Mike

[sustainable sam]

Here is a picture of the chin area blocked off. The far left shows the amount of space covered up.



My wife was excited to tell me she drove 60 to work and back (75 miles) and she followed a semi on part of the way home. =)

[nbleak21]

Originally Posted by sustainable sam

My wife was excited to tell me she drove 60 to work and back (75 miles) and she followed a semi on part of the way home. =)

That is awesome! My girlfriend just looks at me funny when I exclaim to her my achievements. lol. In her defense she does drive an echo, so the numbers I am achieving are her norms. haha

[sustainable sam]

nbleak21, Thanks for the reply. I thought I already responded to this a while ago. She thinks I am a little crazy at times but tolerates it most the time.

I can't believe this thread is already over one month old. This car now has a 5 mile round trip commute for the near future but will see a number of weekend highway trips.

The grill blocks seem to have helped a bit although not a-b-a tested. I just pulled the fuse for the AC in the instrument panel thanks to Neil's suggestion and it has made a difference in the fuel consumption with defrost on. Thanks Neil!

Is there a way to determine the expected fuel economy effect of a kammback to the 30% mark of the template. I think just from the tail lights up and expect it to be about 17" in length total. Picture is from the streamlining template thread.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by sustainable sam

nbleak21, Thanks for the reply. I thought I already responded to this a while ago. She thinks I am a little crazy at times but tolerates it most the time.

I can't believe this thread is already over one month old. This car now has a 5 mile round trip commute for the near future but will see a number of weekend highway trips.

The grill blocks seem to have helped a bit although not a-b-a tested. I just pulled the fuse for the AC in the instrument panel thanks to Neil's suggestion and it has made a difference in the fuel consumption with defrost on. Thanks Neil!

Is there a way to determine the expected fuel economy effect of a kammback to the 30% mark of the template. I think just from the tail lights up and expect it to be about 17" in length total. Picture is from the streamlining template thread.

I don't have my case studies workbook with me,but if memory serves me,the Mercedes Benz Boxfish concept car,with about 28.5% 'Template' aft-body achieves Cd 0.19.
Of course there are a lot of reasons why the Boxfish achieves 0.19,but it's apparent that a car of 30% aft-body could 'go' into this arena.

[sustainable sam]

Well temperatures have dropped here and its no fun working outside. Hopefully I can put something together soon. I have been kicking around the idea of a hitch mounted rack on the back with integrated kammback or an aerodynamic trailer. I have another couple hundred miles of highway in a few weeks so am hoping to finish something. The rear wheel arches are horrifying on this car!