Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Flat Bonneville-type spoiler

California98Civic · 05-25-2011, 02:08 AM

From aerohead, pendragon, brucepick, and scottoriou I took some advice and tips as to the design of a quickie flat spoiler and a quick test. I built the below in about an hour out of remnant cardboard in the garage. It "clips" into the trunk with three cardboard "tongues" reinforced with duct tape. It can be removed easily and quickly, and it fits in the trunk without taking it apart. It extends two feet behind the trunk lid and follows the angle of the trunk lid exactly. Oh, and I tapered in with the taper of the trunk lid. Then I waited for traffic to quiet down and took a ride along the Pacific Coast Highway out here. My speeds were kinda slow, but the convenience can't be beaten and frankly I was kinda nervous the thing might fly off on the freeway. Also, it was getting late and so I only got an A/B in (sorry). Nonetheless, I did six bi-directional lengths for A and six for B. The average speed for all runs was about 52mph. The average mpg for A (not modded) was 46.87 and the average mpg for B (mod) was 47.32--the spoiler seems possibly to have produced a gain of .45mpg. But of course this was not a full test.

I'm confident that the spoiler will hang on in the higher speeds now, and I really should try a better, higher speed test. Maybe tomorrow or the next day.

But... reactions?

05-25-2011, 02:08 AM	#77 (permalink)
California98Civic Cyborg ECU Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Coastal Southern California Posts: 6,299 Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe Team Honda 90 day: 66.42 mpg (US) Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike 90 day: 3671.43 mpg (US) Thanks: 2,373 Thanked 2,172 Times in 1,469 Posts	a preliminary test From aerohead, pendragon, brucepick, and scottoriou I took some advice and tips as to the design of a quickie flat spoiler and a quick test. I built the below in about an hour out of remnant cardboard in the garage. It "clips" into the trunk with three cardboard "tongues" reinforced with duct tape. It can be removed easily and quickly, and it fits in the trunk without taking it apart. It extends two feet behind the trunk lid and follows the angle of the trunk lid exactly. Oh, and I tapered in with the taper of the trunk lid. Then I waited for traffic to quiet down and took a ride along the Pacific Coast Highway out here. My speeds were kinda slow, but the convenience can't be beaten and frankly I was kinda nervous the thing might fly off on the freeway. Also, it was getting late and so I only got an A/B in (sorry). Nonetheless, I did six bi-directional lengths for A and six for B. The average speed for all runs was about 52mph. The average mpg for A (not modded) was 46.87 and the average mpg for B (mod) was 47.32--the spoiler seems possibly to have produced a gain of .45mpg. But of course this was not a full test. I'm confident that the spoiler will hang on in the higher speeds now, and I really should try a better, higher speed test. Maybe tomorrow or the next day. But... reactions? Attached Thumbnails __________________ See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.