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Old 05-03-2011, 03:35 PM   #8 (permalink)
basjoos
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Upstate SC
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Aerocivic - '92 Honda Civic CX
Last 3: 70.54 mpg (US)

AerocivicLB - '92 Honda Civic CX
Team Honda
90 day: 55.14 mpg (US)

Camryglide - '20 Toyota Camry hybrid LE
90 day: 62.77 mpg (US)
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The simplest mode, and which is good for a few mpg, is using a roll of black duct tape to do a grill block. A pick-up truck's grill inlet is sized to handle the cooling load for the largest engine option towing/carrying the heaviest rated load under the highest environmental temperatures (i.e the largest V8 towing a loaded stock trailer through Death Valley in the summer in stop and go traffic). 99% of the time the grill air flow is massive overkill and for normal driving you can block most to all of it off, especially in winter. Just monitor your temp gauge and be ready to rip some tape off if it gets too hot (which I have never had to do on my F-150 4X4, even when towing a loaded stock trailer.

Another mod which will take a little more work, but which shouldn't affect functionality is to install underbelly panelling to get rid of a lot of the drag on the underside and if done well can do double duty as a skid plate when off roading.

I'm averaging 21mpg overall and have gotten 26mpg on highway trips in my 97 F150 long bed with just a grill block installed.
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