3 options to resolve mpg drop after front air dam install?

[beluga]

I installed a front lawn edge airdam on 4/10.

You can see that for fill-ups after 4/6 in my fuel log graph that I lost 1-2mpg since that time. I could feel more air resistance too.

1990 toyota camry dx wagon Gas Mileage (baby beluga) - EcoModder.com

So which of these resolutions would you recommend?

1. remove the airdam completely
2. cut out part of the airdam that's in the middle; leave the parts in front of the tires
3. leave the whole thing on and add a belly pan right behind it

I notice that the Volt, hybrid cars and Tesla/nissan gt-r all handle airflow, airdams, differently...

Volt has a low-hanging easily scratched up tuner-ish airdam "lip" all the way around.
Hybrids and Bimmers have air blocking flaps only in front of the tires to reduce air drag on tires. Tesla/GT-R/Jetta TDI have full belly pans.

My dam looks nice but i'll chuck it if it's not helping. So far it's not helping. I'm ALSO sad that my mpg increase from various mods is only helping me 8% or so vs a lot of 30-40+% increases in MPG I see from many other people here... not sure what I'm doing wrong. Will check tire pressure again tomorrow...

Wondering what to do... I recall some people complaining of similar air dam mpg reductions on their small cars or big trucks.

Thanks for any advice!

[serialk11r]

How about remove it and add belly pan? Proven method used by OEMs, seems to work. Even if you leave the part sitting in front of the tires, it might be too far forward to block air.

[nemo]

Have you installed some type of instant FE gauge yet. I think that most people here will agree that the vast majority of their FE increase comes from driving style. May have missed it but a picture of your air might be helpful for comments. If you believe its not working modify or remove it. Tank to tank testing is not the best method. For me it wouldn't even be close, were I drive and conditions vary too much.

[Gealii]

We need pics

[Vman455]

Here's what I see: you only have 5 fills listed since installing the air dam. One of these you admitted to driving at higher speeds, and another you couldn't get accurate mileage because of the pump. I think you're jumping the gun on declaring the air dam a culprit in lowering your economy. Give it a few months; unless you're doing controlled testing, it's very hard to ascertain the effects of one modification except over a long period of results.

[niky]

I think you should do some coastdown testing, airdam on and off.

It could be your airdam is just too low. You're creating more drag than necessary to reduce underbody turbulence.

[aerohead]

Yes,please.Photograph that little puppy.

[Cobb]

An air dam makes more air get sucked through the radiator. Have you any grill blocks? Did you see change in coolant temperature?

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by niky

I think you should do some coastdown testing, airdam on and off.

Yup! More focused testing would be best.

I'd be very reluctant to declare success/failure of any mod as small as adding a lawn-edging air dam if going by tank-to-tank results.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ery-11445.html

[beluga]

thanks everyone for the tips.

there are pics at the bottom of this page. let me know if you need better ones. thank you!

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...n-27935-2.html