Gas goes up, Car weight goes down
 

So since gas is getting so high lately and I deliver in my car, I decided to get my car to loose some weight... Here is whats going on so far.

Weight of each thing is based on using both of the scales we have at home, nothing fancy so I cant say its to the oz but it should be close measurements...

10.6 lbs..... Taking out the bottom part of the back seat
23.6 lbs..... Taking out the top part of the back seat
07.4 lbs..... Taking out the piece that covers the spare tire
03.6 lbs..... Taking out the rear floor mats
02.8 lbs..... Taking out the giant jumper cables I got
26.4 lbs..... Taking out the spare tire
00.5 lbs..... Random crap sitting in car I didn't need
02.3 lbs..... Passenger side-side view mirror (Electric)
--------
77.2 lbs Total

Will update any of this if I pull more stuff

Also: Geez, nothing like gas going up a ton to make you start watching that SGII like I hawk again eh? haha

I always like to see weights posted for a weight reduction. If you don't normally carry a passenger, you can take out that seat, too. It goes back in quickly, should you need it.

Me and my girlfriend take turns with cars as far as driving around to get groceries or food so Id have to keep that one in there, would be too much work to take it out and put it back in every other day :thumbup:

I'm considering a quick release for the partner seat on my golf... None ever ride with me, so it's extra weight/less space.

Yeah when I had my neon and my fiero that my girlfriend never wanted to ride in but did occasionally I was thinking about using like hood clips to hold the seat in and I could quickly take them out or put them back in. If they can hold a hood down safely you could use 4 to hold a seat down eh? :rolleyes:

Some other things you can save weight with:

Spare/tools -replace with plug kit and small air compressor
Rubber foot pads on the pedals
Fixed glass - poly-acrylic
Seats: suspension seat rebuild
Exhaust: pre-muffler/resonator if equipped
Cut the plastic behind your air dam

There's more, but some involves cutting/drilling parts

Urethane is typically lighter than rubber, for bushings, but dont go out of your way to replace ones that don't need it.

With effective anticipation of lights & stop signs (i.e. not using your brakes), weight is only a second-order MPG effect. You need a longer pulse but you get a longer glide.

Some members of this forum have reported higher MPG with increased weight, because it fits the pulse & glide cycles of their commute better.

Aerodynamics, tire rolling resistance, and engine efficiency are first-order effects.

And yet still, it's fun to see just how light you can make a car without making it structurally unsafe.

thats a really good idea and i bet it could be done pretty simply

Yes ^

I miss my 1989 CRX Si so day-um bad, I miss only weighing like 2100 pounds :D This car weights like 2900 so If I can loose some of that and get closer to the CRX im happy... Too bad I cant throw a 1.5 liter engine in this car :(

My goal for the Golf is a day-to-day weight of <1700 full of fuel and me sitting at the controls. Quite optimistic, sure, but it's a goal, nonetheless.

It's gonna require close to 500 lbs of weight reduction. At this stage in the game, you file down bolts to get rid of extra threads. :D

Weight reduction measures mainly pay off WHEN it leads to a smaller engine/drivetrain package being utilized.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KrI_thI7Jw

I was wanting to somehow make like one of those aeroshells like for trucks that go from the top down to the top of the wing on my car, sorta like the pic, make it out of plexy glass or something, Im not entirely sure, but wouldnt that help aero alot?
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1303159018

You've been here a while right? :confused:

Measure about 15° from horizontal, down from the roof rearward. Yes it should help, maybe not 'alot'.

Seems like a waste... I think your efforts would be better put elsewhere.. For example, you're averaging 22mpg, what kind of driving do you primarily do? 50/50 city highway? Do you have the VTEC or non vtec accord? Do you use the A/C? Do you employ any hypermiling techniques? What I want to know is if you're working your ass off to achieve that 22mpg figure because if you are, then my suggestion to you is to give the car a good tuneup instead of throwing out things like the seats and sound deadening... Even if you have the 2.2L automatic VTEC Accord, with a little effort (not even engine off coasting or other hypermiling techniques) you should be able to average 26mpg assuming you do 45% highway 55% city driving..

No im 100% city, delivering
the 22mpg is from a long time ago, im getting about 20 now
no vtech, 2.2L
I almost never use a/c, just roll down my 1 window

Cant do EOC b/c im in an auto

Yeah about a year and a half but I haven't been on or thought about hypermiling in the last 4 or 5 months.

Do you mean building the seats, or buying racing seats? Building would be interesting.

Building them. Most seats have a basic frame, and a spring mesh. Many have solid backs, but they can be cut to remove more weight, or you can make your own seat. The "suspension"part is nylon mesh or fabric, similar to a lawn chair. Lay out the fabric, install grommets in each side, and fasten it to the frame using hog rings, or nylon para-cord. Ugly as sin, but light and comfortable.

Might want to think about that one. In my experience, anyway, at least 3/4 of flats are things like sidewall damage that nothing's going to fix, so you're a) stuck with a flat and b) have been carrying around extra weight of compressor all this time.

I've only had one sidewall flat. Then again, I've only had 3 ever. The sidewall was from punching a curb while acting like a reject while driving. The other two were a nail and a rock, both in the tread, and both repaired using a you're plug and a compressor. The compressor weighs about as much as a good tire iron.

Really, I don't carry a spare. Must times, I don't have the plugs or compressor, either. Even on long trips.

I've noticed some darn nice fabric lawn chairs at Target; they weigh almost nothing, are very comfy, and are $25 on sale. Might get one and hack the legs off...

Id like to see that lol.

Here are the EPA fuel economy numbers for the non-vtec Honda accord:
1985-2007 EPA fuel economy numbers: 23 cty, 30 hwy, 26 combined. 1975 EPA fuel economy numbers (CAFE): 26 cty, 39 hwy, 30 combined. From my experience, these numbers can be immensely helpful because if your car's tires are inflated to their maximum pressure, you accelerate pretty gently (people likely will pass you), you coast to stop lights, keep off the A/C and defrost and you cruise at 55mph, I would say that the CAFE numbers are possible. However I have lots of mountainous terrain where I live so I end up only achieving the 1985 EPA fuel economy numbers. I have achieved the CAFE fuel economy numbers from time to time, mostly if I drive in a flat area. However when I drive on the highway, I consistently get the CAFE fuel economy number of 38mpg, but that's only if I'm doing 53/55mph.

Here is an example of a vehicle I drive that only has 40K miles and for the most part is running fine since there is little chance of rust and POSSIBLY a partially clogged PCV system which is notorious on these cars..

2004 Volvo S60 2.5T A/T: 1985 EPA fuel economy numbers: 22 cty, 30 hwy, 25 combined....(I average 24-27mpg depending on time of year 50-50 city highway driving) CAFE fuel economy numbers:24 cty, 38.4 hwy, 28.87 combined. I can achieve these CAFE fuel economy numbers if it's not too cold outside and if I'm not climbing any steep hills, or at least thats my experience.

1. Fuel is heavy, at about 6 pounds a gallon, your car has ( I think ) a 10 gallon tank, so only filling it half way should save 30 pounds.

2. Are you eating 3 Big Macs as you read this? Taking 50 pounds off the driver is taking 50 pounds out of the car lol!

Thats the Colin Chapman of car building theory. He would take a car and start cutting items off it until it fell apart, and then add that last item back on.

1. Fuel is light compared to most other liquids. And stopping to fill up is a complete waste of fuel.

2. Spot on.

Of course the practicality of that depends on where you drive. Around most of Pennsylvania it'd probably be workable - if you get a flat, just call a buddy. On for instance Nevada 722, probably not an option :-)

What exactly are you suggesting, James? ;)

You make a good point, actually... The viability of some mods and ideas will be affected by the locale of those considering it.

Just that if you can easily call for assistance, whether it's a friend, road service, or whatever, then carrying around some means of fixing a flat is probably a lot less important than if you are 50-100 miles from the nearest habitation.

I agree with that. I think in the present, its less important to worry about tire damage than, say, 20 years ago. Tires have come a long way in that time, and are clearly more durable. I don't want to give anyone a false security, but the likelihood of irreparable tire failure these days just isn't as paramount a concernas, say, which radio stations come in better on the highway...

I'd have to disagree with that. I've had a couple of serious tire failures with the Insight - road debris punching through the sidewall - though I do agree that overall blowout resistance is improving. But radio? Do they still have that?