Scion xA aero mods

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

After my first commute with the smooth wheel covers on, I gotta' say that my seat o' the pants impression is they are helping a lot! Coasting was better, and the feel of the throttle was better, too. I was able to go faster with similar throttle, and my FE only went up. I got ~240 miles on the first half tank which is in line with higher FE than I have been getting lately.

Of course, some of the change could be the 4 Michelin X-Ice full snows inflated to 40psi (their sidewall max is 51psi, which is surprising). I've had these tires for 2 winters already, and they used to make more noise and not roll as well as they do now. And they never were as good as my all-seasons.

We'll see how the numbers work out, but it looks like I'll be selling the alloy rims and mounting my Yokohama's on the steel rims in the spring...

[Funny]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Of course, some of the change could be the 4 Michelin X-Ice full snows inflated to 40psi (their sidewall max is 51psi, which is surprising).

Is there a reason you are not running max inflation? Have you experienced negative results (AKA Accidents and near misses)? Sliding, fishtailing, poor stopping distance and the like? If not, pump those puppies up and go for the record tank man!

[Tercelerat0r]

Huh, thats interesting seeing as we're on winter gas, and snow tires typically would hurt your fuel mileage, but who are we to complain.

I gotta go jack my tire pressure up, i'm currently running them at 35psi(MF recommended) gonna put to max sidewall pressure

Max mpg FTW!

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

Yes, if I go too high, the wet traction goes to hell, and I start to feel sliding on turns. I'll see how they go on snow as they are -- and there are dimishing returns after certain point. Lastly, the sharper pavement breaks get telegraphed into the chassis -- it starts to seem painful.

I was just surprised that the snowtires had 51psi sidewall max. And at 40psi, they are rolling like crazy; in combination with the smooth wheel covers.

[aerohead]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

Hi,

After my first commete with the smooth wheel covers on, I gotta' say that my seat o' the pants impression is they are helping a lot! Coasting was better, and the feel of the throttle was better, too. I was able to go faster with similar throttle, and my FE only went up. I got ~240 miles on the first half tank which is in line with higher FE than I have been getting lately.

Of course, some of the change could be the 4 Michelin X-Ice full snows inflated to 40psi (their sidewall max is 51psi, which is surprising). I've had these tires for 2 winters already, and they used to make more noise and not roll as well as they do now. And they never were as good as my all-seasons.

We'll see how the numbers work out, but it looks like I'll be selling the alloy rims and mounting my Yokohama's on the steel rims in the spring...

I was filling the T-100 in Alamogordo,New Mexico when a family pulled in with a car like yours.The driver/father was very curious about my truck and I don't believe I've ever heard the word "crazy" used so many times in such a short period.I told him about ecomodder.He said they were getting around 36-mpg.It would have been poetic if you'd pulled up about then,and they could have seen what you've done and the difference its made.Crazy!!!!!--------------- The Scion looks great! And great numbers to go with it.---------- I'm already noticing falling mpg due to oncoming winter temps,so don't be frustrated if things get squirrely between now and next spring.-------- Really like what your doing,look forward to your future posts,Phil.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

I have been keeping a fuel log since I got my xA, and I have entered them into the EPA website. Here's the graph of all my tanks -- 178 of 'em so far!



The dips in the graph are during the winter -- I bought it in the late spring of 2005. At first I drove far fewer miles, so the beginning of the graph is compressed a bit in the horizontal/time. I started ecodriving and I did the significant aero mods that account for the latter part of the graph popping up well above the previous highs.

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

I thought I'd post a current picture, but I realize it is very similar to the last one. The biggest difference, you cannot see: I've removed the rear under pan, and it did not seem to hurt me at all.



My worst mileage this winter was just above 41mpg, and my best tankful was 46.3mpg! I'm looking forward to getting above 50mpg, after the weather warms up!

[NeilBlanchard]

Well, a day after I posted an updated picture -- I added a new more streamlined upper grill block for my xA:



It projects forward to the "nose" of the bumper, and smooths things out, and increases the angles to (hopefully) better deflect the air flow around the car.

I need to make it more symmetrical, and trim it, so it doesn't "want" to lift the lower outside corners...but the air will be pressing this into the car, so it will suffice for the moment. And later as the weather warms, I'll adjust the lower opening for the right amount of cooling.

[alohaspirit]

this is another thread ive been following for a while

great job on the aero Neil

[NeilBlanchard]

Hi,

An early update on the new upper grill block: the cooling provided by the remaining opening below the front bumper seems to be keeping things cooler than when I also had the small opening above the bumper! The only thing I can figure is the upper opening was providing a vent for the pressurized air in front of the radiator -- like what happened on the original Taurus.

I'll wait until the weather gets warmer to confirm this, and if it is correct, I can make the lower opening smaller...