Ecomodding to the Extreme - A Build Log
 

EDIT: Unfortunately, I have decided to pursue a different route in my quest for MPGs. I purchased a 2001 Volkswagen Passat and will be selling the Golf to a friend since the transmission is messed up. He wanted something he didn't have to worry about ruining and I wanted a Turbo. We are both happy now... This thread is not going to be continued unless he goes ahead with any MPG mods.




I have a 97 Volkswagen Golf GL that I have lightly 'edo'modded. The 3rd and 4th gear synchronizers are now semi-shot. I love this car and want to take it to the next 'eco' level. As is the car would sell for about $650 with the transmission issue. So there really isn't a point in selling it. Now, as an American, I have been taught to want more, more, more....So, I'm going to be real greedy and hoard all the MPGs in the pursuit of 200% EPA.

EPA for my car is 21/29 MPG (US gallons). I'm at 44-45 MPG(Got 50.0 MPG on a 75 mile highway trip today - February 5th) currently with the following mods:

• Removed antenna
• Blocked off missing fog light holes
• 1" larger tires/wheels
• Removed vibration dampener from steering (Heavy)
• Fuel injector kill switch
• Passive driving style
• EOC down hills

The car is completely stock besides the cold air intake the previous owner installed as well as the wheels I put on.

The modifications I have in mind to reach 200%:

• Weight reduction (Stock - 2540 Lbs, Goal - 1999 Lbs)
• Replace 213K mile engine with 133K engine
• Replace transmission (Different gearing?)
• Possible hatch spoiler delete after testing
• Redirect air around tires with coroplast
• Power steering delete
• Full grille block
• Lower car ~ 2"
• Shave bumper
• Lighter wheels
• Narrower tires
• Heater delete
• Mirror delete
• A/C delete
• Belly pan
• Other stuff

I think 200% percent is doable if I were to remove ~550 pounds from the car and follow up with the list above.

This thread will be the build log for the car and I will document my progress and the results! This may take a long time to complete but I am starting now!

Reserved

Reservved

looking forward towards your progress!

Extreme!
 

Extreme! Now yer talkin. :D

Put ContiEcoContact EP 145/65R14's on it at 42-45 psi
Ditch the spare, front passenger seat, everything you don't need, like panels. Get a 1.5-inch hole saw and get creative.
Pull the rear doors. Pop rivet on aluminum sheet. Brace with spruce.
Keep the engine if compression is about the same across the cylinders. Use synthetic Mobil 1 (0-5w)
Install a knock warning gizmo
V-KNOCK
and fabricate a manual carb leaning adjustment with vernier knob on the dash.
Pull the battery and replace with LiPO FAQ about replacing lead acid with lithium battery
Keep the tranny. Replace fluid with spec synthetic, then replace again at 250 miles.
Lower it. Eibach Springs, Eibach Sportline Springs, Eibach Coil Springs
Fabricate air dam, side fences and rear wheel covers.
Install Ultragauge UltraGauge OBDII Scan tool & Information Center
Later: Pull rear hatch, fabricate boat tail.
Daytime driver? Pull alternator, charge bat every evening.:D

If you live up north do not replace the lead acid with LiFePO4 unless you are prepaired to relocate it inside the vehicle and remove it every night that the temperature will get at or near 20'F.
Why would you delete the heater?
That seems like you are asking for a fogged up wind shield that will cause you to crash into something.

I started looking into tires just now because the threads in my tire are showing through (I used and I'm sure the metal belt is about to show through as well. It's like having racing slicks, lol. Rain is not fun sliding around.

Anyhow, I am currently running 195/65/15's all around. I have 15" aftermarket aluminum wheels and 14 inch steel wheels. I wouldn't be opposed to even running 13's from the junkyard.

I was running tires that are roughly 6% larger than stock and it translated into higher MPG for my driving style so I am hesitant to go smaller. Unfortunately, there really aren't any narrow tires that are the same overall diameter.

Not sure what to do :/ Need to figure it out though as my tires only have a day or two left before I take them out back and salute them. Tires will be the next mod to my vehicle aside from the alignment that will go along with them.

200%
 

Where is it that you're going for 200%:
*City ?
*HWY ?
*Combined ?

I would like to have 200% (58-60 mpg) highway and at least 45 city. As it sits now, I got 42 miles per gallon on a ten mile city route to test the new tires I just put on.

Update February 6th - Tires were so bald it was dangerous, put steel wheels with 195/60/14 tires back on the front. Still running 195/60/15 aftermarket rims on the back. MPG in first gear has almost doubled when accelerating from stop. I would get about 4.9 MPG for the quick burst straight into fifth gear at 22 miles per hour. Now it is about 9.5 MPG for the same acceleration sprint to fifth gear.

During the wheel swap, I noticed both of my front shocks/struts/whatever are loose and have half an inch of play when not loaded with weight. I believe this is the reason the car is making a popping sound and the suspension shifts when making tight turns at full lock. Of course they won't tighten because I need a special tool to hold the strut while I turn the nut. This being loose is probably causing the abnormal wear on the tires. Sometimes it looks like I have camber and other times it doesn't. Time to fix it!

If you are getting a popping sound during a sharp turn then you likely have a torn CV boot and the CV joint is full of water, dirt and other junk that should not be in there with those bearings.

Thanks for the input! I will check it out tomorrow. I noticed after swapping wheels that it stopped doing it. I am leaning more towards the struts being loose on top because the symptoms went away after reseating them. I did replace the CV axle at 2 in the morning on the side of the highway coming back from the coast not too long ago so it is possible that something wasn't done correctly or something has since been damaged. I'll give it a good inspection tomorrow and report back.

Things to do tomorrow: Clean car, remove clothes - fuel can - fishing gear - car parts - etc from the back. Then I get to lower the front 3 inches and the rear two inches. Then it is time for an alignment and a new set of shoes. I might go to the junkyard and buy two sets of tires with different diameters to test out how smaller wheels vs stock vs the larger wheels I just removed impact the fuel economy.

Loose struts or shocks bang around a lot worse.
To hear a CV starting to go bad the window needs to be down to hear it and you have to be turning for it to happen at all.
With a loose shock or strut or bushing you will feel it and it will usually happen when going over bumps while driving straight or turning.

My symptoms are Shifting suspension at full lock with a noise and when going fast the car will make a noise and jerk to the side I hit a bump on, such as a manhole cover. Although it does both things less now that stock tires are back on. Not sure why the tires would make a difference.

I tried to install coilover springs yesterday but didn't have the 21mm socket that was required. Now that I am home, I will have access to more tools so the car is going low today! 2" in the rear and 3" in the front!

Alright, got the Golf lowered on new coil springs. The rear was lowered 3 inches and the front was lowered two inches. A little bouncy but should be a little better for aerodynamics. New tires and an alignment this week. Going to start figuring out the belly pan and some rear wheel covers.

Well which one is it? :D

Fixed? :)

You guys are great! 2" front, 3" rear :P