Ecomodding the U-body

[arcosine]

U-body is a Chevy minivan, Lumina APV 1993

CD is 0.30

Body is plastic and fiberglass, never will show and rust, like a corvette.

Chassis is galvanized!

I wanted a Honda Odyssey, but the prices are too high, $2k for a 95 with 200k miles and most have rust around the rear wheel opening. I payed $350 for this APV with 173K miles. I didn't really want it, too much work, but the guy kept comming down on price.

Needs:
power steering pump
AC compressor clutch bearing
muffler
rear shocks and front struts
new acc belt
oil change.

Both doors didn't open from the outside.
no radio

I fixed the doors by lengthing a rod inside the door panel.
I have 3 radios in the garage.
New power steering pump is $36
New water pump is $16 (try that on your honda!)
New Belt was $26
0w20 syth was $24
oil filter $4.50
new air filter
AC compressor eliminator (idler) $39
Tail lights, side markers $10
Tacks for ceiling liner

What else..? Oh the side door didn't open, he was pulling on the handle the wrong way!

Lubed all the door and hood mechanisms.

Ball joints have grease fittings!

It look like they make a 205F thermostat for the 4.3L but tnot the 3.1. The thermostat was not closed completely when I took it out.

[oil pan 4]

I don't know about running 0w-20 oil in that old 3.1L, I know I wouldn't try it.
Good job catching that stuck open thermostat, it was likely in the process of failing.
Just hang a big air dam some where near the front and you should be all set, for now.

[Frank Lee]

Throw out the ps and ac, save $$ besides.

[arcosine]

ts a truck, so it needs the PS for the wife to drive. AC would be nice on a 94 degree day, seems the ac replacer idler from autozone doesnt quite fit up. Therm not failing, spring tension was fine, just stuck a crack open, gasket was hard too. New one, now modded, should open around 205F. I don't believe in air dams. Off to the junk yard....might spot a caddy 4t60 with the 2.53:1 final drive ratio and 0.7:1 over drive, that would give me 1350 rpm at 65 mph.

[Xist]

He doesn't believe in air dams! Is that allowed?!

[RobertISaar]

Originally Posted by arcosine

ts a truck, so it needs the PS for the wife to drive. AC would be nice on a 94 degree day, seems the ac replacer idler from autozone doesnt quite fit up. Therm not failing, spring tension was fine, just stuck a crack open, gasket was hard too. New one, now modded, should open around 205F. I don't believe in air dams. Off to the junk yard....might spot a caddy 4t60 with the 2.53:1 final drive ratio and 0.7:1 over drive, that would give me 1350 rpm at 65 mph.

i don't know how well the 3.1TBI will take to that kind of gear reduction... that is a LOT of vehicle to move with 120HP/170TQ with that kind of gearing.... you might run into enough throttle to hit PE just cruising at a steady speed in 4th gear.

[2000mc]

Originally Posted by Xist

He doesn't believe in air dams! Is that allowed?!

Understandable when the person actually does belly pans. However, I recently put a new airdam on my car and my initial testing is so good I don't actually believe its correct yet

[Xist]

Originally Posted by 2000mc

Understandable when the person actually does belly pans. However, I recently put a new airdam on my car and my initial testing is so good I don't actually believe its correct yet

Yes, of course, and I was joking, for the record.

As I have mentioned previously, allegedly air dams see higher returns than belly pans, but I think that we need more numbers.

Oh, don't look at me! I am not going to do it!

[arcosine]

Im returning over 50 mpg in my saturn with a belly pan, its at 2000rpm at 65 mph and runs over 8psi vacuum on flat ground. 1.9L/3.1L*2000 = 1225 rpm equivelent displacement so it will have 10% more umf and 40% more weight than the saturn. Might be as slow accelerating as an unassisted Insight in lean burn. Id like to gear the saturn up more. Weight is 3600lb vs 2500lb. 120 hp is at only 4200 rpm, I doubt if my engine will make 120 hp, with hot air intake and all. What do CRX HFs run, 1.5L@1900 rpm at 65 mph, 2300 lbs. 3.1*1350/3600 = 1.16 1.5*1900/2300 = 1.2. So it will be struggling 4 % more than a CRX at highway speed. Definately willl need a belly pan and and full front and rear skirts, starting a CD = .30 is not too bad.. OK so 1350 may be a bit slow but not out of the relm. I could use a 3.06 final drive for 1440 RPM, but my wife likes to drive at 80 mph. 1350 would be fine for the 3.4 or 3.8 engines.

[freebeard]

I'll be interested to see what you can do. I've just paid off my weekly driver and the focus will turn to getting my panel van on the road. Well, that and a hitch on the driver. It sets pretty high, you can drive right over those extruded concrete parking lot stops. I want to do a belly pan and wheel spats. The pan will be a 5x10 sheet of PolyMetal or better. What do you use?

That's a nice long bullet-train looking nose. What do plan on for the back? It wouldn't struggle against the gearing with good aero.