Hi guys,
I am a new small business owner located in Arizona. I do deliveries for car batteries, and recently bought a 1996 Mazda B2300 for the deliveries instead of using my Tahoe all the time. Better mpg = more money in my pocket, I guess the same reason everyone does it! Nice to save the planet too
Getting pretty decent mpg now, 24-28mpg depending on driving conditions, but have been toying with the idea of modding for more mpg. Did some research and found this forum and decided to give it a go! First things first I am going to sort out the engine, had some issues when I bought it that I am still sorting out. Getting 24mpg easy now, should get 26mpg easily averaged once the engine is sorted out. My GOAL is 30mpg+ (85% highway)
My plans roughly in order of how I want to do them:
Stage 1
• Solid wheel caps (moon caps)
• Adding rear wheel skirts
• Panel gap filling - probably just with tape
Hoping for .5-1mpg gains
Stage 2
• Low rolling resistance tires (B381)
• Custom solid flat plate covering undercarraige
• Lowering the car, pretty severely too (car is pretty high now)
Hoping for 1-2mpg gains
Stage 3
• Custom aero cap will be done as time permits, maybe with tonneau cover in meantime
• May also taper the rear at this point (though would prefer non-permanent mods)
Hoping for 1-2mpg gains
May also lighten it up as appropriate, removing the bench seat and installing a single driver's seat, as light as I can find, and possibly replacing the rear bed with a fiberglass version if I can find one. Would like another .5-1mpg gain out of lightening it
Will mostly be using this as a log for myself, I look forward to improving my MPG. I am new to this ecomodding thing, though have been a car mechanic for years. Im used to making BMWs go fast, now I get to try my hand at making my Mazda sip gas. I am already pretty experienced with economy-minded driving, but will be doing plenty of research to try to find anything I am forgetting or any other tricks I can use.
Happy modding everyone!
