Ecomodding an automatic '04 Civic Sedan

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

... It still doesn't make sense how the error code persists despite resetting it a couple times, and yet my MPGs are just fine. ...

Are you sure which code it is? You have double checked and recorded it?

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Are you sure which code it is? You have double checked and recorded it?

Unless there's an error within the Torque app...it's always P0135, bank 1 oxygen sensor.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

Unless there's an error within the Torque app...it's always P0135, bank 1 oxygen sensor.

Well maybe the engine is still running in closed loop and maybe the failure is just beyond the acceptable functionality, so you are still getting okay readings. Puzzling.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Well maybe the engine is still running in closed loop and maybe the failure is just beyond the acceptable functionality, so you are still getting okay readings. Puzzling.

I can reset it again tomorrow and check to see what it says.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Got 32.5 MPG driving the family minivan across 3 states to where we fly out. Not bad for a stock '04 Toyota Sienna rated at 20 MPG combined. The Sienna excels at freeway driving and sucks at in-city driving, especially with all the weight of luggage. We were up to 33.1 MPG before we exited the interstate.

Going to be gone from the world (including Ecomodder) for 4 weeks now.

But hey, at least my last day (for a while) driving my Civic averaged out to 57.7 MPG.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Still technically "gone" from here for another week and a half, but couldn't help messing around with Paint for mod ideas. Car's back at home so I can't actually do anything until then:



So this "mod" combines several mods into one:

• Tail extension (already complete just not yet mounted to my car).
• Rear wheel skirts (using a modified version of my original prototype, which would've worked except that my smooth wheel covers aren't 100% smooth..)
• Side skirts (using two $7 lengths of rain gutter, will probably paint instead of leaving white as in picture)
• Rear Wheel spats
• Boat-tailling behind rear tires
• Rear belly pan + diffuser (if I can fab one that doesn't add drag since I don't have a belly pan for the front or middle)

...all tied together into one giant ecomod.

No actual rear window kammback is planned due to it's effect on rear visibility + cost of materials to make a rear window + complexity in angles and such. I might experiment with VGs later on, but we'll see. Rear of the 7th gen Civic sedan seems to be aerodynamic enough so that probably over half of the air remains attached, unlike other sedans such as the '08 Nissan Versa, for example.

Further specifications:

• Tail extension would be the only part connected to trunk lid, meaning that rear trunk access isn't compromised.
• Material would be duct tape covered cardboard just like my other mods, except that covering that much cardboard would take a LOT of work, so I might end up buying coroplast.
• Above the white rain gutter side skirts is some "filler" cardboard/coroplast to keep the side of the car flush with the tires instead of curving inward, which will make the side skirt implementation easier, unless this might hurt by adding drag?
• Would this mod get me in trouble legally with the law since it covers the inner parking lights and reverse lights, but keeps the brake lights and turn signals visible, albeit not from all angles? If I can get away with this I might just remove the bulbs from the inner taillights since they'd be covered anyway and save me a watt or two of electricity (not to mention the huge amount of maybe half an ounce of weight ).
• I'm also assuming I'd have to relocate my license plate as follows?

What do y'all think? I know I've posted similar posts to this before, but I'm probably going to start working on this as soon as I get back from my trip; also, implementing this would definitely be my most expensive mod to date, so if the returns are minimal (<1 mpg) then it wouldn't be worth it.

[California98Civic]

i like! build it, test it, report back!

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

i like! build it, test it, report back!

Sounds good then! What about the legality though, like part of the taillights being obscured?

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Also considering ordering some of this cheap black carbon fiber vinyl wrap to redo my wheel covers (fake carbon fiber wrap is somehow cheaper than regular matte black??). Plan is to combine what MetroMPG did with gluing cutout shapes and what The Donkey CRX did with vinyl wrap.

This would involve cutting out shapes using my favorite method of free duct tape covered cardboard and gluing/taping them over the gaps in my alloys. One of the five pieces for each wheel will have a hole in it for accessing the tire valve. Due to the build of the wheels they should be completely flat after this. However they won't look perfect, and this is one of the reasons why I'm revising them. After that the plan is to cover the outside of the wheel with the black vinyl wrap, cutting out holes for the lug nuts.

It would look as follows (thanks to Google Images & photo editing tools again ):



My only concern is long term durability of glue+tape+adhesive vs current zip-tie setup.

Main reasons for revising smooth wheel covers:

• Flatter surface (vinyl is thinner than cardboard + no protruding zip ties)
• Two or three grams lighter
• Cleaner look
• Access holes for lug nuts and tire valve
• I'll finally be able to check my tire pressure to see if it's changed since I inflated the tires a couple months ago. Maybe I'll inflate them from 41 PSI to sidewall max of 44 PSI.

If this turns out well, I may redo my lower grille block/ fog light covers with more of the same wrap and remove the ghetto-ish looking duct tape look.

Also considering filling in the grille with expandable foam and then covering the flat surface with the vinyl as well, but I'm not sure about how easy it is to remove the foam without permanent damage?

I might even go a step further and when I build the ecomod I discussed in my previous post cover it with a silver carbon fiber version of this vinyl...but it's expensive in bulk quantities, so we'll see.

Now I just need to get back home so I can continue working on my car!!!

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by mpg_numbers_guy

Sounds good then! What about the legality though, like part of the taillights being obscured?

Always check state/local laws!