Swift brick?

[Tom.Wiley]

I drive a 1991 Volvo 240 Wagon. Looks more like a brick than a drop of water. Whats are the easiest things to do to increase MPG? Does anyone on here have the same car?

[Arminius]

Easiest, of course, would be to increase tire pressure to the max indicated on the tires. Then grill blocks. Take off roofracks. Those are the really easy ones.

Edit: Oh yeah, take out any junk that will make your car lighter.

[Arminius]

Has anyone here experimented with putting their wipers in the vertical position when they are off? I know people do that, but I haven't seen any evidience that it works. It seems common sense to me, but I want emperical evidence.

Perhaps Landon can try it out on his cardboard box?

[SVOboy]

Some people will take the wipers off the wiper arms to make them stick out less, and then if it looks rainy or starts running unexpectedly, just toss the blades back on.

Welcome to ecomodder!

[SL8Brick]

Originally Posted by Tom.Wiley

I drive a 1991 Volvo 240 Wagon.
....Does anyone on here have the same car?

Hi Tom. I drive a `93 245. Mine has already been deracked...I used the IPD plug kit to plug up the holes. I've experimented with a rear lip spoiler and roof mounted vortex generators. And while they clearly change the aero signature and provide a modest increase in stability...neither has yielded any significant FE gain. You can replace your standard metal wiper blades with the new style 'mono-structure' blades.
Also, have you considered removing/disconnecting the OE warm air system to the airbox? The airbox T-stat is a fairly major obstruction inside the airbox and you'll find that the car will breathe a bit better with it removed.

[Cd]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Some people will take the wipers off the wiper arms to make them stick out less, and then if it looks rainy or starts running unexpectedly, just toss the blades back on.

Welcome to ecomodder!

Yikes ! No no no

It is all too easy to forget and flip them on by habit ...SCRATCHHHHH !!!
Why not just remove the entire wiper arms ?

On my Civic, it is just a single bolt that holds the wiper arm on.

Rain on the way ? No problem - just reach under the seat, grap your wrench and the wiper arms, pull over, pop the hood and pop the wiper arms back on . Tighten the bolts, shut the hood ... and you are off in all of less than three minutes ( maybe less )

[basjoos]

Originally Posted by Arminius

Has anyone here experimented with putting their wipers in the vertical position when they are off? I know people do that, but I haven't seen any evidience that it works. It seems common sense to me, but I want emperical evidence.

Perhaps Landon can try it out on his cardboard box?

It just takes 15 minutes to build a wiper windscreen out of sheet metal and pop rivet it to base of your hood. This simple mod gets the wipers out of the airflow.

[Tom.Wiley]

Originally Posted by basjoos

It just takes 15 minutes to build a wiper windscreen out of sheet metal and pop rivet it to base of your hood. This simple mod gets the wipers out of the airflow.

Ha, I don't want to change the look of my car that much.

[Arminius]

Originally Posted by basjoos

It just takes 15 minutes to build a wiper windscreen out of sheet metal and pop rivet it to base of your hood. This simple mod gets the wipers out of the airflow.

Yeah, that's an option. I'm trying to get around my wife's opinion, however.

[DifferentPointofView]

Has anyone here experimented with putting their wipers in the vertical position when they are off? I know people do that, but I haven't seen any evidience that it works. It seems common sense to me, but I want emperical evidence.

Uh.. you know that that's like the number one cause that wiper motors fail right? if you turn off your car and the blades aren't back to resting, this puts some stress on the motor, which burns them out a few ten thousand miles before they should!

Its nothing new, it even says in your owners manual, well... most owners manuals anyway.