European Yaris 2000 Ecomodding

[Arragonis]

Interesting.

I agree that when the air is cooler then it becomes more dense and therefore you can add more fuel and get a bigger bang. My limited understanding of petrol ECUs is that they can respond to a lot of environmental factors including air density (as it relates for example to altitude) to add more fuel for more power when air is more dense. Those cheap resistor type power hike things do the same kind of thing by fooling the ECU at the expense of fuel and engine life.

Combined with the faster warm up with the grill block and you may find gains there.

I know others have gone on about the K&N and it may work for you. When I used to tinker with my old style Mini K&Ns were fitted but usually had very little if any real effect as it wasn't the air filter that was the worst flowing part. In the case of the Mini the manifold was far more restrictive than the filter. Having said that the K&N made the car audibly faster - as in it sounded sportier and faster. But wasn't really. My old MGB GT will get standard filters back on it when I get time to get it finished.

I would be interested to see what the results of going standard with the air filter and removing the cool intake (as you have done) but leaving the grill blocks in place are.

I'm not trying to discourage here - you have got on a lot further than I have managed so far with mods. I'm very interested to see how far this can go.

[Jyden]

No two engine models are created equal - hence all the debate... The cold air intake & K&N in the airbox worked wonders on my RAV4 4 x 4 2,0 liter VVTI engine - gave about 1-2 km/l more.

On the Yaris - the judges are still out.

On your diesel - no question that I woild go for a K&N and cooler air intake. Try, and see what happens - and report back to us.

[Jyden]

As temperatures again fall to around - 10 deg. centigrade, I desided to make a temporary lower grill block, as to help the engine keep warm, and cut down on warmup times.

So I took some tracing paper, and outlined the lower grill opening. I also marked the width and position of the radiator behind the bumper.

In the workshop I transferred the outline to a sheet af styrofoam isolataion material I had, and cut it to size.

Driving without a temp gauge, I don't want to gamble, and cut a 1 inch slot Width as radiator, in the middel so that some air will get to the radiator.

The took the car for a spin - 40 km rural mainroad.

The difference is very noticable. Quicker warm up, and it's easyer to maintain crusing speed in high gear. So my guess is that there will be a big gain laying in making the lower grill block permanet, but also do some work on the front bumper to make it more areodynamic better / smoother. But thats a job for summertime.

I think that this tank is going to be the best so far, but I'm not yet half way throug it, so will have to wait to nex fill up to see what has actually happend.

[Arragonis]

You got pictures to share ?

Finally after waiting since before Christmas I may get a couple of hours this weekend to do my upper block...

[Jyden]

Will make a picture tomorrow and put it under my profile album. I has gone dark here now.

[Jyden]

Photo now uploaded to my album. This was a quick and dirty operation, as is was - 10 deg centigrade. I think it took me about 20 minutes to complete.

Defenetly helps shorten the warm-up period a lot.

Also feels like I can coast longer.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by Jyden

Photo now uploaded to my album. This was a quick and dirty operation, as is was - 10 deg centigrade. I think it took me about 20 minutes to complete.

Defenetly helps shorten the warm-up period a lot.

Also feels like I can coast longer.

Looks cool - going to try mine tomorrow. I went into salt and dirt removal mode today but the water I was using for washing was freezing on the drive so I had to stop as our drive is a steep hill .

Will try this tomorrow. Thanks for the motivation...

[Jyden]

He he - frozen water

I dont't wash the car in the winter, as locks, cables etc. might freeze up. We had down to -15 deg. centigrade here several times in january. Coldest january for the past 25 years here.

[Piwoslaw]

Jyden, I looked through your album and I like what you've done so far.
Judging from one of the pics, your kammback/roof extension looks short. I know the Yaris' rear is very steep, so the kammie can't be 50cm long, but you should extend it to the end of the rear bumper. This will give the airflow a few more cm to stablize, and it will make the wake area slightly smaller. I would have made mine longer, but I'm not sure about legal issues (things sticking out beyond the car's natural dimensions). And remember that sides should also close in at the same angle!



More pictures in my modding thread, page 3.

BTW: Have you thought about removing those window shades? I doubt they help airflow.

[Jyden]

You are proabably right, but I think, that it will be too massive, on such a small car.
I also have to consider the WAF (Wife Approval Factor).

The whole back of the Yaris hatchback is problematic in an areodynamic view. Theres almost nothing behind the rear wheels, which probably account for most of the dirth thrown on the back hatch and window.

If you look at the car from behind, the cabin narrows in just above the fenders, and making a cammback fitting to this is difficult, so if I make on, it will end just above the rear lights.

But I will have to think more about this. The cd at 0.29 it not bad for such a short car, and before I come the the camback I will probabbly look at bellypan and rearwheel spoilers, backend splitter etc. which dosen't have such high impact on the WAF.