Here's a list of eco mods I've already done to my van:

[Synchronicity]

Well I have been lurking for a few months,

In the spirit of reducing our impact on the environment, possibly saving money and having fun, I have already done some basic eco mods to my new van:

I drive at highway speeds quite frequently, so aero mods are the most important, cheapest & easiest to do right now.

My theory is that little 1, 2 and 5% improvements eventually add up to something significant if you do enough of them. Hopefully 20-30%?

The catch for me is that mods have to be done WELL and be almost undetectable to the casual observer. I.e. it's an eco-sleeper.

Here's what I've done and what I have in mind:

• removed the spare tyre (I have insurance & roadside assistance (too dangerous to change a tyre on the side of a highway anyway)
• removed additional weight such as wheel jack, floor mats, never carry unecessary loads
• I only carry essential safety equipment (reflective triangle, reflective vest)
• Always keep the outside of the vehicle clean (I have a theory that this think this helps aerodynamics a tiny weeny bit)
• One of the first things I did was to install new valeo brand aero windscreen wiper blades (new ones are already pants), added an aero fairing to the arms, and also duct-taped the base of the arms themselves which was hollow underneath (where the spring is, not sure how much air stream this actually sees)
• removed the front two mudflups (actually cut them out as removing them completely mucked up the fairing & I think it made things worse around the front wheel wells). There were no rear mud flups.
• I'm about to install some home made vortex generators on the roof (mainly to cut down cleaning of diesel particulate residue on the back of the van). If it stabilises the van any amount, that'll also be a bonus.
• I've installed a flashing across the top of the windscreen as there was a HUGE gap there.
• I'm also trialling some adhesive tape on the A pillars. I hear it cuts down wind noise.
• I've also filled in the gaps below the headlights.
• One of the first things I did was remove the radio antenna (it always hit celings in low-roof parking situations). I never listen to Spanish radio anyway.
• Taped over two particularly unsightly holes in the plastic body panels.
• I actually used a high temp silicon sealant (300°C capable) to smooth over the gap between the wheel rim and the tyre. I already tried standard black silicon sealant and that was not up to the task (there are a lot of descents here and wheels get HOT). I believe that this silly lip accounts for a small but significant amount of additonal drag. Think both sides of the tyre, going 120km/hr. There's quite a bit of surface area that can be smoothed over...
  I can't take credit for this though. I originally got the idea from ZIPP with their tangente bicycle tyre. They are like the masters of 'aero' in the world of cycling... hehehe
• I will eventually get around to making a removeable aero fairing for the rear axle, which is possibly the most un-aerodynamic shape imagineable (it's an I beam with great big holes in it and then the axle spinning in the middle). It requires the most planning though...
• There is a front factory belly/engine pan, but I'm still working on the engine so for the time being that is in the basement.

ENGINE MODS:
I realise that some or all of what I write here may go against the eco modding theory... but I guess if you are using a higher gear than normal, that is a good thing.

• removed turbo silencer (arguably better airflow through turbo pipes)
• replaced plastic(!) turbo hoses with metal ones and silicone couplers (turbo spools up sooner, less lag, theoretically there is also additional cooling along the metal pipes)
• insulated the bottom of the air box from the engine casing. No I don't want hot air entering my engine (I already live in a warm climate)
• replaced the original coolant from 50/50 glycol water to something more along the lines of 20/80, with biodegradeable coolant I might add. That will probably go down to 10/90, as we just never see sub-zero temps here (this could be an extensive topic all of its own). Why? Reason being, the heat capacity of water is greater than that of any glycol mixtures. Yes I only use distalled water not tap water for this. ;-)
• I've insulated the exhaust pipes with fiberglass wrap. I had it lying around for my motorbike and thought "why not?"
  Gases escape faster, supposedly better engine efficiency, lower under-bonnet temps, less heat developed under the body (the pipe is right next to the fuel tank).
• I've also applied aluminium tape to the fuel tank, hoping that it will reflect some heat away. There are two adjacent heat sources I can think of: the exhaust pipe which bend right alongside it, and the hot bitumen road surface directly underneath.

I'm also waiting for some more aerodyamic hubcaps to come up on ebay. OEM ones weren't any good.

Probably the next mod will be some tyre spats...

When money permits, I will think about lowering the vehicle for better handling and fuel efficiency. That is definitely the most expensive mod.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Synchronicity

The catch for me is that mods have to be done WELL and be almost undetectable to the casual observer. I.e. it's an eco-sleeper.

Are you sure you don't have the approach backwards there?

Would it not be better to draw attention to your van? Mobile marketing?

Take it from someone who has tried some "extreme" aerodynamic modifications on my vehicles that you will draw attention. I bet you'll be able to give out piles of business cards to curious bystanders: "visit this page on my web site if you want to read more about all this."

Also, you probably already know that if you want to save serious fuel in a boxy vehicle, the back end is where the money is. A boat tail.

[Frank Lee]

He leaves the good useful stuff home (spare) and drives around with a triangle? Quite a few of the things mentioned have been proven to be ineffective/troublesome... why keep going there?

[Synchronicity]

Thanks for the replies,

I would certainly love to have a well fabricated aero boat tail. I mean it's the ultimate. I'm not sure my partner or father in law would agree. I'd probably lose a few friends too. hahaha

There's the issue of parking though (it's hard enough with a vehicle that is 5.2 metres long)

But here in Spain, we have a [very] strict ITV law. It states you can't modify your vehicle unless you have an authorised engineer approve the work. I can guarantee that many of the vehicles on this forum would not pass. Even well made aftermarket parts that are direct REPLACEMENTS or upgrades are still troublesome. I personally think it's a joke, because some of the OEM parts (turbo hoses) are plastic, which I've replaced with metal...

If you can read Spanish and want to pity us, type "ITV pesadilla" in google and see what stories come up.

Even things like alloy wheels, wheel spacers, exhaust pipes, air filters, they're all scrutinised here at inspection. I have noticed a lot of cars with full bodywork and no engine work done, so maybe they don't care so much about the externals...

Oh by the way, which mods have proved not to be that effective?

[kach22i]

I installed a huge air dam/chin spoiler on my 1976 short box Econoline back in 1983. Top part was metal, has a lower lip of rubber form a garage door.

I'm not sure how much it really improved MPG, but it defeated lane wandering tendencies caused by highway cross winds by an incredible amount.

[Synchronicity]

Well, it's raining now so no mods this morning...

[Sven7]

Oh by the way, which mods have proved not to be that effective?

clean exterior, wipers, vortex generators (especially "home made" ones)... not sure how your tape on the gas tank will work either.

Make a full belly pan with the rear end at 0* (horizontal). That is the ideal angle for a "diffuser" on a one box or two box form, and a belly pan should give you a couple MPG's.

Also, what van is it?

[Synchronicity]

It's a Renault traffic, cargo only, long wheelbase version.

I have just installed the home made vortex generators today. It took quite some time to cut them all out. The good news (for me) is that they aren't noticeable when standing beside the van... as it's so tall... hehehe

I'm not tracking mpg so I don't have any reference point. I know it sucks, especially because I have a strong background in science.
However, I just don't have the time to do a proper test after each mod. I drive for work nor is the traffic consistent here, so that's out. I know that I should be able to get more than 1000km to a tank. Previously I've been struggling to reach that mark, mainly because of my driving habits.

I think the most obvious best mod for me was the low-profile windscreen wipers. Not only do they work better, they are quieter. Next noise reduction came from the additional door sills and one I put at the top of the windscreen. I can be going 55mph and not hear much wind noise (if at all).

I did buy a curved seat today for 10 bucks (just the top) which has two uses: I ripped out the insides, and it's a nicely curved wooden aquare plank. Two of these will make a nice rear belly pan. Alternatively, one will make 4 tyre spats. Just need to paint them black so they aren't so conspicuous.
I'm also recycle the fake black leather to reupholster (spelling) a few old saddles that I have lying around.

I can let you all know how some of the mods performed either today or tomorrow on my usual highway run.

[Synchronicity]

Here's a few photos (mockup)
Only the front and rear stickers have actually been applied...

[kach22i]

That van is already light years ahead of any US made van aero wise.

I still say a chin spoiler with perhaps a splitter will help.