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Old 08-28-2009, 10:53 AM   #1 (permalink)
JohnnyGrey
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Earth
Posts: 303

Pushrod - '02 Chevrolet Cavalier
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My MPG machine is now a turbo sleeper :)

I didn't forget you guys, I was just busy with a massive project. My 2.2L Cavalier is no longer a pure MPG vehicle. I've been modding it for performance as I have another daily driver now. Fortunately several MPG mods I've made to it, like weight reduction and a wideband O2 sensor, have proven very useful in a performance context.

Except for a couple of hood pins, the appearance of the car is stock. I'm using a fifth 95lb/hr injector to provide additional fuel while keeping the stock injectors. I'm also using an air to water intercooler driven by a Bosch pump. That circuit is cooled off by a radiator from a small car mounted in front of the A/C condenser. Because of this, there's no room for the hood latch or cooling fan. I'm also using water injection for additional cooling. I think I should be able to run 14 PSI and put down around 230HP.

My original project of a MPG meter has been shelved as I've been working on an extra injector controller with wideband learning capability. The car is serving as a testbed for this device. Eventually I'll get back to the MPG meter to the point where it's available as an off-the-shelf type box like the SGII.

One thing that got me thinking was the air to water intercooler. It's just a very low restriction heat exchanger core where fluid travels through one end and the intake charge travels through the other. If you were looking to elevate intake temperature, you could run a coolant line, or an oil line with a restrictor, and the intake plumbing through the other. Engine bay air isn't that hot and it takes a while to warm up, and pulling air off the exhaust manifold means wild variations in intake temperature, so this might be a better solution that would give you repeatable results and better efficiency year-round.

Check these out on ebay, they might have a hypermiling application.

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