Better Aerodynamics for the Corolla

[ps2fixer]

I'll probably just paint them while on the car, just need a glossy black paint. I'm not huge on looks, but a little paint that don't match perfectly on the body don't effect me much, of course i'll tape it off. For the wheel covers I though about painting the Camry hubcap shape on them and paint the rest black so it would "almost" look like hubcaps lol.


I'm slowly changing to LED lights, I changed my right marker light to led and is about 1/4 the brightness (at 20ma draw). I think I'll need to build my own LED lights, I can't see spending $5 + each when I can make them for under $1 + a lil time.

I have been planning on a Kammback, just havn't messed around with one since I'm pretty sure a belly pan would be more benefit for time invested, since the Kammback requires a bit more testing like a tuft test .


Did a lil research on the slow moving signs, seems it wouldn't be allowed for a car that can travel over 25mph. Looking further at model t forums, found this:

Caution Slow Moving Vehicle Magnetic Sign Decal Sticker

Might mimic it and reword it like....

CAUTION
Slow moving vehicle
45 MPG

Another good one for the back of the car if you worry about other people's safty

SAFETY FIRST Don't Take Chances

Already had 1 car that would have been in a head on wreck if I didn't hug the shoulder of the road so 3 cars could go by. People passing directly behind someone else with out looking is death.... That is why I want some sort of signage.

I could just do this as well lol...

[max_frontal_area]

good job so far! feed your intake cool air from in fornt of the vehicle then try some very light water injection (distilled) a percentage of the spray of a personal comfort mister - make sure your crankcase ventilation is operating well!
and of course a 195 F deg thermostat the mist should allow your ecu to bump the timing back up and it will allow you to run cheap (<octane) gas to boot!

[ps2fixer]

I have read a little on water injection. I think i'll focus on other mods first since that is fairly advanced. Should be possible to use an engine injector to mist the water?

My coolant runs around 200F when it warms up fully (takes a long time lol). When we hit 70-80F outside, I ran around 230F. Coolant and seals/hoses must be good since my dad worked on the car while I was sleeping (midnight shift) and ended up having the coolant hit 267F and have had no problems yet. Seems the corolla likes a nice warm engine since I get better mpg when it is > 200F compaired to 180F

Also I already run the lowest octane at the pump, pretty sure it is 87 which is called for in the owner's manual.

I'll add water injection to my planned mods

[max_frontal_area]

I have read a little on water injection. I think i'll focus on other mods first since that is fairly advanced. Should be possible to use an engine injector to mist the water?

here in the desert when folks get hot they use lil air misters to stay cool as simple as running it off low pressure compressed air. but even such a small amount of water will drown my 1.6l diesel engine which is why i say use part of the mist. solenoid injector, no. also it would rust in no time.

My coolant runs around 200F when it warms up fully (takes a long time lol). When we hit 70-80F outside, I ran around 230F. Coolant and seals/hoses must be good since my dad worked on the car while I was sleeping (midnight shift) and ended up having the coolant hit 267F and have had no problems yet. Seems the corolla likes a nice warm engine since I get better mpg when it is > 200F compaired to 180F

if you run it that hot make sure you have as much coolant as the lable on the bottle allows or you will have localized boiling in your cylinder head. better yet run evans coolant - NO water! also you might need a fan controller with a higher temp setting or your fan will run incessantly trying to cool your engine to OEM temps.

Also I already run the lowest octane at the pump, pretty sure it is 87 which is called for in the owner's manual.

the water mist *should* allow your computer to increase timing beyond the 87 octane gas which is essentially what the extra octane does, but water has many other benefits and is almost free.

have you tried feeding your engine high pressure cool air yet. if not give it a try..

[jtbo]

Some use windshield washer tank + pump and oil burner 'injector' (those that are warming houses; burning oil, heating water) Some alcohol in mix is good for cold areas.

Simpler method is to spray water to radiator or intercooler. With intercooler and turbo motor it is not the most clever idea to put water before intercooler, but I have seen that done too, now how do you drain intercooler of water then?

Old times when engines got carbon buildup easily, water was used to clear the engine, 3000rpm or so and then water to intake, not so much that engine stalls, but enough to effect running and that did bring back missing ponies, but some managed to cause hydro lock destroying perfectly good engines, so too much is too much, too little did not clean engine. I remember that glass or bottle was 'injector' so it is quite hard to cause serious problems with injector put to intake manifold.

If my intake would be any way sensible, I would do water injection, but as my intake is behind the motor, below intercooler, it is real pain to remove it, I think removal of cylinder head was needed to be able remove intake manifold, so I don't think that I will do it.

[SwamiSalami]

yea, this corolla is definitely tops.

this thread is the shizzy.

i'm thinking when i get back to america i'd like to get an old corolla like this one.

[LeanBurn]

I just put on a front belly pan portion that goes from the chin of the front bumper to the bottom of the radiator support. My car comes with some strategically placed pan pieces directly below the engine and transmission, so this new piece helps the air flow into those without swirling around between the bumper chin and the radiator by closing it off. I will update my findings.

Make sure your radiator fins are clean and not bent. I just washed out the fins of my other vehicle and was surprised at the grime and bugs that were in there that I couldn't even see. It seemed to run cooler while towing too. With all the blocking you are doing it helps to have everything running as well as it can.

[ps2fixer]

Bumping this post up again. Only thing really changed to the car since the last post is new rear tires and wheel covers. It is getting cold FE is falling down, and I need to do more mods .

[ps2fixer]

Woo made some progress for the first time in a long time. Installed 1 panel of a belly pan yesterday. It only covers 1/2 the width of the body, and back to about the back of the engine bay. The other side I'll have to work with as I get time, it has the exhaust pipe, oil plug etc.

I got more of a feeling for the odd high mpg mode I found in my car today on the way to work, pulled 46.7mpg instead of the usual ~39-40mpg. Only big difference was 45mph for 100% of the trip insteast of ~40% (rest at 50mph), the belly pan work, and I kepted it in the mpg mode for a good % of the trip.

[ps2fixer]

Update!

I have an Ultra Gauge since I have been wanting a 5/6th gauge and it was cheaper than a scangauge e to piggyback. Also... since the temps have dropped, the corrolla is acting up, giving poorer mpg and such . One day I drive eco friendly and bearly get 40mpg, and the next I race to work @ 10-15mph faster and get nearly the same mpg. Of course it goes the oppsite way, just kind of depends what it wants to do, have had trips as low as 35mpg when before I never gotten under 40, even racing to work speeding, no coasting etc.

Things I have noticed when it is acting up...

High Idle while coasting in neutral
Low efficency cat code has poped in a couple of times while getting the poorer mpg
seems to be running richer than before at any given rpm including the "high mpg mode" which I can't keep it in when it is acting up
DFCO only works in lower gears at higher rpm

Betwen a little research and a wild guess, I'm targeting the O2 sensors, and/or a dirty IAC valve, to maybe dirty fuel injectors. Really hoping the cat isn't plugging up....

It does seem to work better when the temps are above freezing, and it acts up at and below freezing, maybe water/mist related in some way.