Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Success Stories
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 04-24-2011, 09:55 PM   #1 (permalink)
Easter McoModder
 
SwamiSalami's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: West Texas, US
Posts: 363

'99 Subaru OLL 2.5L - '99 Subaru Outback Legacy Limited
90 day: 22.57 mpg (US)

Rabbit - '08 VW Rabbit S
90 day: 32.93 mpg (US)
Thanks: 212
Thanked 28 Times in 26 Posts
VW Beetle TDI Kammback

I just finished an experiment with my homemade Kammback. Made of cloroplast and packing tape, my design improved my fuel economy remarkably. Typically, my car averages around 38/39 city and 43ish Highway.

With the Kammback, I achieved 55.4 mpg.








Anything relevant is welcome. Please give me suggestions or comments.

Thanks!


Last edited by SwamiSalami; 04-24-2011 at 09:58 PM.. Reason: mistake on photos
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to SwamiSalami For This Useful Post:
aClockworkLuka (08-24-2011)
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 04-24-2011, 10:00 PM   #2 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
jedi_sol's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Tustin, CA
Posts: 929

2013 STi *SOLD* - '13 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Subaru
Sports Cars
Team Turbocharged!
90 day: 26.59 mpg (US)

1996 Geo Metro *RETIRED from Ecomodding* - '96 Geo Metro Base
90 day: 58.68 mpg (US)
Thanks: 368
Thanked 380 Times in 238 Posts
Nice! what was your testing procedure?
__________________







See the rest of the Sti project log:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...log-26612.html
  Reply With Quote
Old 04-24-2011, 10:04 PM   #3 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
Boreas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: northwoods of Minnesota
Posts: 32
Thanks: 23
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
That's amazing for such a simple set up.
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Boreas For This Useful Post:
SwamiSalami (04-24-2011)
Old 04-24-2011, 10:15 PM   #4 (permalink)
Easter McoModder
 
SwamiSalami's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: West Texas, US
Posts: 363

'99 Subaru OLL 2.5L - '99 Subaru Outback Legacy Limited
90 day: 22.57 mpg (US)

Rabbit - '08 VW Rabbit S
90 day: 32.93 mpg (US)
Thanks: 212
Thanked 28 Times in 26 Posts
Well, I've been using fuelly.com for quite a while to track mpgs. (which is where I get previous #s)

For my experiment with the kammback, I drove around town with it for a few days. Then to test it on the highway, I fueled up, hit the highway and came back to the same station and refueled in EXACTLY the same manner, for a round trip of 57.6 miles @ 1.040 gallons.

Unfortunately, I don't have a scanguage at this time. I'd love to get one, though. I think that if I was able to get a "live" or "immediate" reading, it might even reveal more mpgs. I say this simply because I did have to enter/exit the freeway.

Last edited by SwamiSalami; 04-24-2011 at 10:24 PM..
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to SwamiSalami For This Useful Post:
aClockworkLuka (08-24-2011)
Old 04-24-2011, 10:49 PM   #5 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
jedi_sol's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Tustin, CA
Posts: 929

2013 STi *SOLD* - '13 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
Subaru
Sports Cars
Team Turbocharged!
90 day: 26.59 mpg (US)

1996 Geo Metro *RETIRED from Ecomodding* - '96 Geo Metro Base
90 day: 58.68 mpg (US)
Thanks: 368
Thanked 380 Times in 238 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by dieselbeetle View Post
Well, I've been using fuelly.com for quite a while to track mpgs. (which is where I get previous #s)

For my experiment with the kammback, I drove around town with it for a few days. Then to test it on the highway, I fueled up, hit the highway and came back to the same station and refueled in EXACTLY the same manner, for a round trip of 57.6 miles @ 1.040 gallons.

Unfortunately, I don't have a scanguage at this time. I'd love to get one, though. I think that if I was able to get a "live" or "immediate" reading, it might even reveal more mpgs. I say this simply because I did have to enter/exit the freeway.
Sorry, not trying to rain on your parade, but a 33% gain from before is a bit much (considering MetroMPG only achieved a 15% gain from a full boat tail).

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...mpg-10691.html

Since you dont have a scanguage, i strongly suggest testing tankful-tankful, instead of relying on small fillups. Small fillups are very misleading because they don't average out any "miscellaneous" factors that could affect your mpg readings. Try to get as many tankful readings as possible to strengthen any mpg results you are achieving.

If you can only do short highway runs, at least try to use the cruise control to cancel out your "foot bias."

I highly recommend reading this thread
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ery-11445.html
__________________







See the rest of the Sti project log:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...log-26612.html
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to jedi_sol For This Useful Post:
Cd (05-02-2012)
Old 04-25-2011, 03:16 AM   #6 (permalink)
X-Frenchy: very
 
groar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Toulouse, France
Posts: 595

scenic - '01 renault scenic
90 day: 43.09 mpg (US)

megane - '97 renault megane classic
Diesel
90 day: 72.53 mpg (US)

dennisius - '06 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 69.27 mpg (US)
Thanks: 9
Thanked 34 Times in 23 Posts
Beware, it begins with only a test (mine was with cardboard) and a morning you find a chloroplast car in your driveway

You should consolidate the chloroplast as the gravity will make it bend.
This will be accentuated by fast speed for the top and side winds for the sides of your mod.
You should abuse strong tape and monitor it closely before the heat deteriorates it and so your mod flies away...

Does your mod always permits you to open your hatch ?
Please take a picture with the open hatch.

How much your mod reduces the rear view from the steering wheel ?
Please take a picture from inside.

Did you felt a difference under your right foot ?
I can definitively feel a difference with/without the rear wheel skirts, the car accelerates stronger and it's more difficult to keep it at a steady speed when the road isn't perfectly flat.

What about a rear wheel skirts test now ?

About the scangauge, I have 3 advices : buy it, buy it and buy it.

Have fun,

Denis.
__________________
Save money & CO2 at home : http://ecorenovator.org/
Created and managed by the creators of http://ecomodder.com/
---
Earth and health are priceless, so are kilotank and AT-PZEV
Best Mégane tank: 1268.9mi @ 77.847 MPG(US)
2008/06-2011/10 saving:
  • 5725.5 kg CO2 (5342.6+382.9)
  • Diesel / Money: 42.17% = 2446.25€ = 3357.26$


---
megane : thread - kill switch.
  Reply With Quote
Old 04-25-2011, 04:35 AM   #7 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
euromodder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Belgium
Posts: 4,683

The SCUD - '15 Fiat Scudo L2
Thanks: 178
Thanked 652 Times in 516 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by dieselbeetle View Post
I just finished an experiment with my homemade Kammback. Made of cloroplast and packing tape, my design improved my fuel economy remarkably. Typically, my car averages around 38/39 city and 43ish Highway.

With the Kammback, I achieved 55.4 mpg.
Like jedi_sol wrote, a 33% increase is huge for a mod like this, so expect this gain to be watered down in everyday driving over an entire tank.

Then again, the Beetle's rear end is notoriously bad in the aerodynamic department. Everything and anything will likely help it


What transmission is in the Beetle - I'd guess an automatic ?
50+ averages should be in there for the manual version, but the auto (even DSG) will only work really well on the motorway.


Didn't the Beetle come with an on-board computer showing the mileage ?

A ScanGauge will work on diesels, but it's not a miracle solution for them.
I've found they get calibrated to one's driving style rather than to your actual fuel consumption.
Keep the same driving style, and it'll become very accurate with calibration.
Change your driving style, and it will be off ... until it gets calibrated to your new habits.
But if the Beetle didn't come with any FE display, a SG (or the cheaper ultragauge) will help you getting better FE.
__________________
Strayed to the Dark Diesel Side

  Reply With Quote
Old 04-25-2011, 04:41 AM   #8 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 332
Thanks: 15
Thanked 79 Times in 54 Posts
Send a message via MSN to markweatherill
There's something in that overall shape, I think.
See the Toyota Will Vi:

And this concept from Teijin:


These are 'closed' shapes so I wonder what the aero difference would be with a rear panel on yours?
  Reply With Quote
Old 04-25-2011, 09:55 AM   #9 (permalink)
Easter McoModder
 
SwamiSalami's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: West Texas, US
Posts: 363

'99 Subaru OLL 2.5L - '99 Subaru Outback Legacy Limited
90 day: 22.57 mpg (US)

Rabbit - '08 VW Rabbit S
90 day: 32.93 mpg (US)
Thanks: 212
Thanked 28 Times in 26 Posts
I'm a little confused. I thought the goal was to reach a high rate of efficiency?
  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to SwamiSalami For This Useful Post:
aClockworkLuka (08-24-2011)
Old 04-25-2011, 10:12 AM   #10 (permalink)
Easter McoModder
 
SwamiSalami's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: West Texas, US
Posts: 363

'99 Subaru OLL 2.5L - '99 Subaru Outback Legacy Limited
90 day: 22.57 mpg (US)

Rabbit - '08 VW Rabbit S
90 day: 32.93 mpg (US)
Thanks: 212
Thanked 28 Times in 26 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by jedi_sol View Post
Sorry, not trying to rain on your parade, but a 33% gain from before is a bit much (considering MetroMPG only achieved a 15% gain from a full boat tail).

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...mpg-10691.html

Since you dont have a scanguage, i strongly suggest testing tankful-tankful, instead of relying on small fillups. Small fillups are very misleading because they don't average out any "miscellaneous" factors that could affect your mpg readings. Try to get as many tankful readings as possible to strengthen any mpg results you are achieving.

If you can only do short highway runs, at least try to use the cruise control to cancel out your "foot bias."

I highly recommend reading this thread
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ery-11445.html
I agree with you, there are a lot of variables at play here. However, I wholeheartedly achieved 55.4 miles per gallon with my kammback. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

It, of course, does make sense that a better "testing" would be conducted on longer trips or "tankfuls" at a time.

I did run into a problem concerning the theory of testing:

Without using a scanguage, theoretically, it is a must to drive the EXACT distance, terrain, speed and using the same accesories (a/c, vent, radio, etc.).

WITH a scanguage, I would assume that there would be a problem as well. While the scanguage is incredibly accurate from moment-to-moment, it doesn't account for terrain at any given moment (especially where the terrain is less obvious).

So I guess what I mean is...with a scanguage, how do you know the moment is right to take a readout?


Also, of course I used cruise control.

  Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to SwamiSalami For This Useful Post:
aClockworkLuka (08-24-2011)
Reply  Post New Thread


Tags
aerodynamics, kammback, new beetle, tdi, volkswagen

Thread Tools




Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com