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Old 10-22-2020, 10:41 AM   #1 (permalink)
Cd
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Oil drip aero testing - anyone here had good results ?

I searched the forum to see if anyone had posted on the topic, but the search feature doesn't work on Android.
( I consolidated my internet onto this phone I'm using to post )

I tried some oil drip tests on my car. It just made a mess.
The oil just runs down the side of the car.

So I thought I needed something with more viscosity and tried mollases.
I was thinking i could apply it cold even on an upright surface, and then it would thin as I drove - especially on a hot sunny day here in Texas.
It didn't work, and again made a sticky mess. ( At least it was easier to clean up than oil. )
But this was only giving it around 5 minutes or less to warm up.
My other thoughts are to take the water line that runs to my back window sprayer ( for the rear window wiper ) and add some colored dye.
Once up to speed, i could just squirt the area being tested .
I also tried drips of thin water base paint.
Both the paint test and the oil tests flowed downwards in the same direction on my Kammback.
They appeared to show MASSIVE vortexes on either side of the car.
Based on the tests, and the overall feeling I got after I applied the aero mods, It seemed to show that my mods had made the drag much, much worse than if I just left the car alone.
It was only after I did a tuft test, that I could see that the true direction of the airflow. ( with good results )
So what is the correct way to do oil drip tests ?
And how do the results compare to tuft tests ?
And since we are on the topic of tuft tests and such, why is it that it is no longer common to see tuft testing in wind tunnels ?
I have seen many smoke wand tests, and the results look the same for aerodynamic, and non aerodynsmic cars.

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