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Old 05-31-2022, 01:28 PM   #3 (permalink)
EcoVan
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Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Illinois
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Increasing drag

I basically was trying to get the dam to shield all the low hanging components and the tires, but no lower. The center is still about 1 1/2 inch above the lowest components and with a belly pan I suspect this should work out well. This body had a small 3 foot wide 2 inch or so deep air dam just below the radiator mounted on the bumper and then in 2016 or so, went to a full air dam that dropped lower in front of the tires ( per 1960's Fiat design). The chassis also changed around 2003 with the same body.
I've seen some of those same research results... too low is not good, until it is dragging on the ground like a race car. Also, I suspect attaching the belly pan directly to the bottom of the air dam makes a lot of difference. The low pressure zone drag right behind the air dam will be eliminated or at least moved rearward where air exiting the engine compartment will be sucked into the low pressure zone at the back of the front belly pan. My 93 escort with an extended air dam saw little improvement in mileage. However, when the front belly pan was attached and pretty well sealed to the bottom of the air dam, my fuel mileage skyrocketed from 33 MPG highway to near 50MPG. I don't expect that big of percentage gain in this case because that apparent drag reduction on my escort allowed the 1.9 SEFI engine to go into lean burn on the highway. I don't know how diesels respond to reduction in drag, but I expect some improvement since drafting a semi does provide a 10 to 15% boost in fuel mileage. I don't drive the vehicle much ( it a business work van) but I'll need to take it out to check out how it does.

Last edited by EcoVan; 05-31-2022 at 01:37 PM..
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