best models for fuel efficiency? (best platforms for ecomodding?)

[ps2fixer]

Interesting results, 28 miles on 0.345 gal is over 80mpg, so i'm sure there is some room for error saying 60mpg, but seems pretty high. What mods have you done to the car besides how you drive it? I'm always looking for tips that work .

[bheadrick]

Originally Posted by ps2fixer

Interesting results, 28 miles on 0.345 gal is over 80mpg, so i'm sure there is some room for error saying 60mpg, but seems pretty high. What mods have you done to the car besides how you drive it? I'm always looking for tips that work .

Well, there was already some fuel coming out of the pump handle before I actually started pumping - probably left over from where the last person was pumping - that wasn't counted in the .345. It was a tiny amount, but possibly as much as .09 gallons - that would bring the mpg to a bit over 64mpg.

I'll need a larger sample size to get a more accurate picture. I just wanted to make sure that 60mpg was in the ballpark and I wasn't actually just getting a little over the usual 32mpg. When I hit empty and fill up again, I'll have a more accurate figure.

No mods just yet, which makes me very excited about the potential. Pretty much all I'm doing is P&G, not cutting the engine. Also, when I accelerate, I try to modulate the pedal just right to maximize the instant mpg, which I can usually get about 35mpg if I'm not going up a steep incline.

I think my biggest advantage is that my route to and from work is lightly traveled and has very few stops, so traffic is usually a non-issue.
I have a couple mods planned for this weekend. Can't wait to see how much they improve my numbers.

[ps2fixer]

If your able to hit 60+mpg with a factory car, then aero modding it + your efforts should put you over 70mpg easy. That would be pushing the #1 person on this site for MPG in a car.

[bheadrick]

Originally Posted by ps2fixer

If your able to hit 60+mpg with a factory car, then aero modding it + your efforts should put you over 70mpg easy. That would be pushing the #1 person on this site for MPG in a car.

Yeah, I must say I'm feeling a bit skeptical that this could be possible, but time will tell.

[bheadrick]

ARG!!!
I had planned on doing the Power Steering delete this weekend, but
A) the water pump is on the same belt, so I couldn't remove the belt
B) There appears to be more than just 2 hoses connected to the power steering pump.
Here, two hoses can be seen, in addition to another hose (not pictured) connected between the resivoir and the pump. I guess I'm going to have to buy the service manual to determine how to do this. Even if I find out what to do, the pump is in the back and is practically inaccessible. Perhaps I should get some jack stands and attempt to access it from below.


On the upside, since I wasn't able to do the power steering delete, I decided to do a little aero modding.
I did a partial grill block and belly pan - not sure if I can really call it a belly pan - it just extends from the bumper to just past the radiator where a deflector already existed.
Before:

After:

I haven't done any ABA testing to truly determine the effectiveness, but my gas mileage has been pretty consistent over the past few days, so I should be able to estimate.
Another interesting thing to note is that my UltraGauge has been telling me about pending trouble codes, so I finally got around to checking them today. One of them was P0174, which indicates that the system is running too lean, which might be a contributing factor to my higher gas mileage. I intend to get it serviced, of course, but I'm wondering just how bad something like that could be as long as I'm not having trouble with it sputtering.

[bheadrick]

I've found a possible solution to my conundrum: electric water pump. Autozone has one designed for a small block engine for $175. I've read that replacing the water pump with an electric one will result in a dramatic performance improvement.
Of course, I'll probably need to get a second battery if I also do the alt delete. At full power, this thing draws 5 amps.

I think I read elsewhere on here someone suggesting the use of a programmable microcontroller to modulate one of these at a lower power level, but it seems like you could just get a manual PWM controller like this one, find a good setting for your typical cruising rpm and leave it there.

I'm open to suggestion here. I've worked with PIC micro-controllers before, and I'm not opposed to programming one, but it just seems like overkill.

[jtbo]

I wonder how Suzuki Alto would be for aerodynamic mods?

They still make it in India Maruti800: one of the most successful cars in India and we have them here in few numbers at silly low prices.

Engine is 800cc motorbike engine from my memory, and thing does not weight nothing compared to other small cars.

It has also narrow tires so with some aerodynamic mods I would imagine it might go really well, convert to injection slap megasquirt into it and it might even take some lean burning too?

Frontal area is also among the smallest.

cdA is at 0.73 - 0.75 range, cd being 0.46 - 0.47 and frontal area of 1.59m^2

Here you can find some aerodynamic data from different vehicles to estimate which is better in stock form:
The Mayfield Company Homepage - Coefficient of Drag Tables and Curves

I would think that with aeromods one could lower cd to 0.35 range at least, if not even lower, depending from legistlation of area and what mods it does allow, maybe even less than that is possible and fuel economy would be great on city and highway too.

However I doubt that it would be possible increase length of that car by 1 meter in here, which it probably would need, or then chopping rear roof.

[ATaylorRacing]

The 98 Neons with a five speed were rated at 41 mpg, but mine needed a TB from an automatic car and underdrive pulley kit to do it. My 95 Neon 5 speed got 42 with a performance (larger diameter) cat, automatic TB, and cheap V8 muffler at the back. Removal of the PS allowed it to get 46 mpg...spanking the heck out of the Smart car (premium gas), the Scion IQ, and the Fiat 500. BUT...my 96 Geo 3 banger got 60.1 with only a removal of 140 lbs...BUt IT GOT SPANKED by my wifes new Prius...an incredible 62.1 mpg without trying that hard at 55 mph 170 mile cruise...round trip so the wind direction and hills evened out.

[ATaylorRacing]

I forgot to mention the Geo also got a grill block and headlight covers to get that mpg.

[bheadrick]

I replaced my battery with an agm battery, and forgot to write down the millage, thus delaying my calibration.I got around to calibrating today: 220mi on 4.624 gallons. Not quite 60+ mpg.
;(