Hey everybody! Check out my Corolla 'Insight'! Any tips, comments, or suggestions?
 

So you can click under my user name and find my Corolla 'Insight'. I just finished these mods today. I had cardboard template testers, but it rained yesterday. Went through a few versions, improving every time. I got my hands on some coroplast, spray painted them, and put them on. The horrendous cardboard front air dam was just for testing today, and I've already taken it off after getting an mpg reading at the gas station. I'm going to be testing without the air dam for now. I took it off also because I wanted suggestions on how to properly make a front air dam. I was also wondering if there are any tips to keep in mind when making rear wheel skirts. My front smooth caps aren't flush, and air I think can get through. Will that make a difference? Maybe I'll just fill the cracks with some black electric tape.

This last trip was 37.62 mpg. Probably an improvement of about 5-6 mpg. An improvement of 11-12 mpg over EPA city! There is nothing like the anticipation and the joy of a gas station pump reading. We're weird people, aren't we?

This is all in my car profile, but I'll put it here too:

Description: I drive 90% city miles with normal traffic. I'll go on the highway maybe 20 miles a week. Short 5 mile commutes to and from everyday makes up for the bulk of my driving, with about a dozen traffic lights. A few times a year I might make a long trip, a couple hundred miles on the highway. I might just take a trip to a lake or something just to test out highway miles sometime.

Current Mods: =Current cardboard air dam is just for testing! I know it's hideous. I will have a black coroplast final air dam if I decide to.

-90% Tape Grill Block (for winter)
-Rear Wheel Skirts
-Front Wheel Smooth Caps
-Disabled Daylight Running Lights (DRL)

+Tires 40psi (I want to up them to 45, for winter?)
+0W-20 Synthetic AMSOIL

>Maybe I'll turn the engine off at red lights. I'm toying with the idea.

Planned Mods:
-Lowering the car an inch or so with new springs and struts (debating this because of the cost. Probably won't do to be honest but I really want to. Hopefully in the distant future.)
-Front Air Dam (planning on using zip-ties)
-Front Wheel Skirts
-Duct Tape Cardboard Kammback (I want to test this. If it works, maybe a permanent one with clear plastic, but I don't want to do anything invasive. How do you do a Kammback on a sedan?)

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EDIT: 1/2/12 - Version 2.0 completed. Just need to install front wheel deflectors. Not sure what to go for next. Maybe front wheel skirts eventually, but that's a big ask.

Tips, comments, advice, suggestions welcome.

you're on the right track.

is the cardboard being held at the bottom too, because if it's not then in the wind it will flex and move up...i noticed my lawn edging was going up when driving on the highway which is not doing what it's supposed to...
Also try to angle the airdam so that is picks up the air over the car instead of at the ground

Shark Nose or Snow Plow?

That's exactly what I was wondering about and the advice I was looking for! Thank you! So what you're saying is, the air dam should be more of a 90 degree angle, instead of sloping to the ground as it is in the picture?

I was wondering about that. What is better; a shark nose type of bumper, or a straight, 90 degree, snow-plow type of bumper? I guess with the cardboard air dam you see, I maybe thought that having it angled would push the air under and over. I thought maybe that the least amount of contact of air with the cardboard surface, and less surface, would be better. Please tell me if I'm wrong ecomodding gods!

I suppose I thought it would be like a hang-glider or a parachute or bird wings, and I am afraid that maybe a 90 degree large cardboard flat surface would actually increase drag, and that maybe a more of a shark nose type of bumper, like a pointy fighter jet, cutting through the air, would have less drag. Which is better?

I'm thinking you should try to sweep it forward slightly, like an old fashioned locomotive cow catcher. Sweeping it back makes a concave shape between the ground and the dam.

Wow, I did a search on locomotive cow catchers. I think that's a look that might catch on with customized cars! Heh! That's a third option and a really interesting one! I don't think I've ever seen anyone do a front air dam like that!

So I guess the question is which would be best:
1.) Shark Nose, pointed bumper, like a bullet.
2.) A 90 degree flat front air dam, like a snow plow but flat.
3.) A cow-catcher bumper, where the air dam points down, towards in front.
4.) I'm also seeing a lot of air dams here on ecomodder where there are thin strips, even lawn edging, somewhat offset or behind the bumper, and under it.

I've seen shark nose bumpers and I've seen flat snow plow bumpers here on ecomodder, but I am very curious about a cow-catcher bumper. It would catch the air and bring it up and over the hood of the car. But I have no idea. Perhaps I should test, but I wouldn't be the best person for that job. Which would be best?

My .02 would be that the best design would be like basjoos aerocivic's front bumper design. aerocivic.com

As for #4 the reason i used lawn edging behind and under the bumper was because thats were the factory air dam had went before it was ripped off by the previous owner hitting a curb. And the farther forward an air dam is placed the more of a chance of it hitting the ground.

Yes! The hammerhead shark, pointed bumper that the aerocivic has! I was leaning towards that one, but the one question I have about that particular air dam design is the underbelly aerodynamics. Wouldn't that design allow air to flow through the aerodynamically dirty underbelly of the car? Would I then have to get a belly pan? I'm not sure I'm up for that task, but I might be.

But then there's the flat snow plow air dam design. AndrewJ's Civic: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea....html#post2283

I'm just not sure.

The shark design would probably be best with a belly pan. Would you be willing to do an air dam just pass the engine bay? This would increase warm up times, Add safety towards your engine/tranny in case an object gets in there as well and would help in FE. Considering FWD vehicles most the under-body is already pretty smooth.

I see the blunt air dams as helpful, but it would add frontal area so the gains would be less than the combo

what Gealii said, shark nose, like to aerocivic will work great if the underbody is clean (smooth flow) but if it's not then get the air away from under the car

...also, take a look at the "air-splitters" used on race cars (NASCAR, F1, etc.), they're typically raked down and forward (like train cow-catcher), with a flat-bottomed plate at their front edge (hence, the "splitter" terminology).

There's a great overlap between speed and efficiency. I see two main schools: the ecomodders and the street-racing modders. But we don't need to be at odds with each other. I could see eco-modded cars at racing events and shows. There ought to be an alliance, an open discussion, an exchange of ideas, and we'd both be better off for it. I think the biggest difference is that we're just really frugal and make modifications out of, heh, cardboard and corrugated plastic.

But yeah, there are so many things in common with speed and efficiency. It's interesting, it's kind of poetic. I wish I had a beautiful analogy for it. Two groups of people you would think didn't have much in common or wouldn't possibly like other, being able to talk about things in common. I could imagine Team Ecomodder! with a fleet of the most hideous, ridiculous looking cars made for pennies. And on the other side, Team Street Racers, with their body kits and fancy colored lights and loud engines and so on. And you'd think these two groups would have nothing in common. But we have so much in common. I don't know my point, I just find it poetic somehow.

I know nothing about that side of modding, but I was looking at some body kits for my 2001 Corolla, because I never knew people modified this car like that! I always saw my car as an old, beat up, unappealing, just simple, basic, vanilla, fuel efficient, sensible car for an old lady. But then I see this 2001 Corolla all souped up. It's weird. But yeah, I was wondering if those body kits offered aerodynamic benefits. Lowering a car definitely improves fuel economy, and so do side skirts, which these body kits have. And just as you mentioned, I was really curious about the design of these body kit front bumpers, since I'm trying to design a front bumper/air dam right now. So I definitely might try doing a front bumper design something along those lines, with a cow-catcher kind of design at the bottom if I can. My driveway up to my garage is an upward slope though, and even at the height of my cardboard prototype it scratches the concrete a little. I'm probably planning on trying out and testing a cardboard hammerhead pointed shark front bumper, with a belly pan covering up to just the front axle. We'll see.

Oh man, I would love to see a Ecomodder vs. Street Racer competition. They'd all have their cars parked and lit up and revving waiting. And we, like a triumphant army, out of nowhere, will march in 5 cars side by side, going 30 mph and 1,500 RPM, blocking all traffic behind us, all in slow motion of course, while the entire crowd stares at us in silence. All in the glory of our yard sign coroplast and cardboard and duct tape. And all in the glory of our fuel efficiency. What a contrast! But with what dignity in our eyes, without shame would we exit our vehicles!

This could make a movie, I kid not. All the ridicule and stolen wheel hubs and skirts. The dramatic scenes and overacted crying. When the whole world called us crazy, and said we could never do it, and that we'd never make it. The group with cardboard modifications versus fifty thousand dollar modified cars. What odds, when the entire world is against us! The car failures, then heartbreak, the friends and family who too called us crazy and told us to quit.

And after all the ridicule, all the naysayers, the entire world calling us crazy, and that we could never do it, there would one event, one day, one final run that would prove once and for all, while all waited with abated breath, if what we had was gold, or just base metal.

The first event would be a one lap around the oval track. We would modify the cars just before the race, and make some last minute changes. Finally the cars meet at the start. Everyone is laughing and scoffing. What a waste of time! The light turns red, yellow, green! The street racer takes off! The ecomodder considers not even participating in this particular event. Is it not their strength, it is not what they were made for. But he goes for it anyway. He finishes, losing, but not so badly, though still quite badly, heh. The crowd mockingly cheers.

Another two ecomodders run the lap. They all fall short. But then the third one comes so close, only a second off! The crowd dismisses it as luck. Though now the atmosphere has changed. The street racers were overconfident, slacking in their driving and car. Now they wake up a little bit. Finally, the last ecomodder. A Honda CRX comes to the line. They rev their engines. He looks straight ahead. "This is for our Ecomodder brethren, every brother who suffered ridicule for what we have believed in." Red. Yellow. Green. The cars take off. The Honda CRX... wins. The crowd is silent. The announcer: "And the winner is.... Team Ecomodder? Is this a mistake? Show the replay!" We welcome our MVP with cheers and celebration! Smiles all around. The other team scoffs.

Then comes the final event. A X-mile city course where the winners are, you guessed it, whoever has the greatest MPG and the greatest percentage over EPA. Ten cars compete. The street racers have no idea how to hyper-mill. They just try to drive really slow. One guy in defiance and disgust races through the track, and is the first to finish the race, with an impressive MPG of 15.

The CRX is on a miracle run! Only a mile left to the finish line, and the ScanGauge shows perfection. On an engine off coast, something happens. The car refuses to restart. He can see finish line. Panic sets in. Was it all for naught, all because of this? He radios in with his team-mates. "Guys guys! I just did an EOC and now she won't start up! I need a jump! Tell me someone has a pair of jumper cables!" Radio silence. They are all in shock. Finally someone pipes in, "I've got a pair! But I'm about X miles from you right now! Give me X minutes!" Every second passes like a century. The CRX sees cars passing him, finishing the race. Will his team-mate make it? Will the car even start? Or will he be disqualified?

Finally he shows, rushing and struggling to pop the trunk. Shaking and trembling, he takes out the cables and hooks them up. "Crank the engine!" The engine does not start. "Give it two seconds! Crank it again!" The car refuses to turn, like a stubborn child. "I will sacrifice my MPG for you!" The other car revs his engine mad, burning valuable fuel. "CRANK IT!" The car... starts. "YES! GO GO GO LEAVE ME!" "I WILL NOT LET YOU GO WITHOUT ME!" "I SAID GO!" The CRX takes off, and finishes the race.

The announcer, "Ladies and gentlemen, now for the moment we've all been waiting for: the winner of the Fuel Efficiency Race and the overall team winner of this event! First off, finishing with a staggering one hundred and thirteen miles per gallon, Team Ecomodder with their Honda CRX!" Vindication. Redemption. And the overall winner of the 2012 Red Kap Event... TEAM ECOMODDER!" Many in the crowd now cheer, now believe, now understand. Some still scoff, but inside they are amazed. Team Ecomodder wins, and every member cheers. "You saved me back there." "I love you."

At the end, a few members from the street racer team comes over. "Hey, good race." They all shake hands sincerely. "Hey uh, what can I do to increase my gas mileage?" You laugh, and pat your hand on his shoulder.

Trip 1 - No Air Dam or Grill Block (not on purpose) - 28.26

Previous Trip - With Snow Plow Air Dam - 37.62mpg

I just went 28.26mpg, 9.36mpg less than my previous of 37.62mpg. Can someone explain this?

This is with a removed air dam and 0% lower grill block! And the two removed dummy caps on the lower bumper as well! That also means slower warm-up times in this cold winter weather!

9.36mpg less than with the air dam, running basically the exact same route! I filled at the exact same pump too. Perhaps it is something with the air dam and the cold engine. Maybe driving or something else. But most likely not.

I removed the air dam after testing it and getting 37.62mpg, because it was a hideous cardboard template meant just for testing. I'm working on making a permanent coroplast one. So this reading would just be for curiosity's sake, or for knowing a more un-modified mpg reading.

Though surprisingly low. Maybe I underestimate the impact of a grill block or a front air dam. No different driving really, I've driven that route many times before. Maybe it's something else. Thoughts?

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Trip 2 - New Shark Nose Air Dam, New Kammback, New Wiper Deflector - 35mpg

The Hideous Shark Nose Air Dam

Oh, just for the laughs I've given myself over this cardboard hammerhead shark head has been worth it. And the laughs I have given children on the street.

This time it was with a very poorly-made, shark nose, pointed air dam, instead of the flat snow plow air dam which covers more of the bottom. This shark nose air dam leaves the bottom of the car very open and vulnerable, and I have no belly pan, which was recommended by a fellow eco-modder.

This time I had more cars behind me so less coasting, and it was night with my headlights on. Not as much engine off at red lights this time.

35mpg with the shark nose, new kammback, and new wiper deflector.

Definitely better than the 28.26mpg without the air dam or grill block, but not as good as the 37.62mpg with the snow plow air dam. I project a better reading than 37.62mpg with the old snow plow air dam back on, hopefully 39+!, with the new kammback and wiper deflector.

Two other new mods:
-Cardboard beta testing sedan kammback!
-Cardboard beta testing windshield wiper deflector! (Thinking of doing the under the hood version of this)

I'm going to keep those two mods, remove the shark nose air dam, and re-install the snow plow air dam and test that. I'm definitely leaning towards the snow plow air dam now, now only for better mileage, but for less hideousness as well.

As always, any tips, comments, or suggestions? Or laughter, I deserve laughter as well.

Introducing... The Corolla Insight beta V.3 (everything black is final and permanent, and so is everything cardboard. lol jk, the cardboard is all prototype test beta templates for temporary testing and development and such and things of that nature.)

IM KEEPING THE CARDBOARD YOU CANT STOP ME!!!

Oh okay fine, I'll take it off after a mpg reading. BEGRUDGINGLY.

Sedan kammback and spoiler idea stolen from Varn's 1986 Volkswagen Jetta Turbo Oil Burner. We have full use of our trunks, and it. is. awesome. Thank you Varn for your innovation! http://ecomodder.com/forum/emgarage....vehicleid=4331

Oh man, I can't stop laughing. "Your car looks ridiculous." It does indeed, it does, in, deed.

Good thing you've cut back the width of the front spoiler / air dam, and put it far more vertical.

It doesn't need to be too wide, as the air will be pushed out well beyond its edges anyway.

If the air dam is angled to the rear (i.e. bottom more aft), you'll still let air be pushed under the car - which is what you should be trying to avoid.

Hey, thanks for the advice! I had to look up the word aft. It's kind of a beautiful word. I'd like to try to use it in everyday conversation, in talk unrelated to cars and boats. "That man is aftly daft as Robert Taft doing crafts in a raft! So I suppose my air dam is aft, with the bottom angled back towards the engine.

Should the air dam be more flat, at a 90 degree angle, rather than the downward slope it is currently at? I think that's what you're saying, and I agree. I'm so glad you brought that to my attention. It's just going to be a little hard to do... I'm trying to think how I'm going to attach it... I'm so bad at this, which is quite evident. Though I have to admit, my carbon fiber rear spoiler is amazing. Oh and by carbon fiber, I mean cardboard fiber. It's a little cheaper. Still a fiber.

Any ideas on I might attach my air dam to make it 90 degrees? Oh, my bottom bumper grill has these four skinny top to bottom stick connectors. I could maybe cut a strip of cardboard and wedge it into that metal stick, like a puzzle piece. Then, zip ties! That's all I've got. If anyone has any better ideas, I'd be grateful.

I'm probably not going to keep my rear spoiler :(, heh. And I want to attempt a windshield deflector underneath the hood, like other ecomodders have made. I want to keep the front wheel deflector, but make it round and coroplast spray painted black of course. Hopefully it'll be really inconspicuous. Though no one hardly notices me in traffic as I am. Hah! Kidding! I am the laughing and gazing stock of this town. A man in a very nice Mercedes today honked and smiled and gave me a thumbs up. Another guy walking the crosswalk did the same. Made my day. Just to bring smiles to people's faces is a nice side benefit. The cardboard is just for testing!

I like the kammback pretty good. But it definitely needs some refinement. I'll work on it.

Can't wait to get a mpg reading tomorrow at the G-Station. WILL I ENTER THE 40+ MPG CLUB? UPSIDE: POSSIBLE NEW HIGH SCORE! DOWNSIDE: THE MOST INCREDIBLE WOMAN REPELLANT VEHICLE KNOWN TO MAN. I never had a chance anyway.

about your trips...testing is very hard to do because of different conditions....when you said you gained about 9mpg with the mods, was the engine warmed up? was the trip and engine about the same for the 2 trips?

You're absolutely right. I hadn't quite thought about that. That 37.62 mpg run was definitely warmed up. It was all city, with traffic, and a lot of engine off at red lights. The 28mpg run included cold morning start ups and without the mods and stuff. So that explains it! The mystery is solved! Must have longer runs! I most prefer long runs of a couple hundred miles. It's more mixed and even. But I guess I was just so eager to get some readings, and I can't drive around much more with all this cardboard on. Not just because of the rain forecast this weekend, but the shame man, the shame! No I kid. It's been so much more fun than I could have ever imagined. Random people honking and giving me thumbs up, laughing on the street. Girls smiling. The first girl smiled at me today in a very long time. And that alone was worth it. Just to put some smiles on people's faces. But oh, the rain will come. And I've had enough fun with it. For testing and curiosity and all the wonderful laughs I've had over this thing. That alone made this ridiculous thing worth it. But I ought to learn some shame, really, heh.

I've been learning a bit about ECTs and IATs (electronic coolant temperature, intake air temperature) about how basically cold = bad for fuel economy and warm = good! Kind of interesting, but not really, heh.

Anyway, I've got to take all this cardboard off, put on some coroplast, and go back to 200+ mile trips. Which will take me half a month or something, because I barely drive. Thank you GRU for solving this 9mpg simple mystery!

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...bums-3541.html
http://ecomodder.com/forum/member-ae...figuration.jpg

That is incredible. I take it the -14% cd low nose is the best configuration. Still have questions but, that is a fantastic graphic.

On another note, you are inspiring me. I think the next step for me is to discover trickle charging. I think eco-modding is like a drug. Once you get a taste, you just want more and more.

Just did a 48 mile run, half city, half highway. Probably one of the worst city runs I've had. Ran into road repairs and traffic. Highway I went a little faster than I wanted to. But nonetheless, with all the cardboard glory, with the spoiler removed on the highway, I got 41mpg. EPA combined is 30, I before got about 32, beta v2 city alone got 38. I'm sure I could get 43+ pure highway alone.

But for now, all the cardboard is coming off, and it's back to the drawing board. I want to design a full kammback that hinges so I can still have full access to my trunk. That may be over my head. I am very interested in trickle charging, and will look into that.

The trickle charging doesn't really ADD any mileage. I do LOTS of engine-off coasting, so the alternator isn't running much. That means the battery doesn't get charged enough. I trickle charge it overnight to make up that difference.

Finally, introducing the new Corolla Insight Version 2.0:

-Coroplast front air dam
-Coroplast partial sedan kammback
-Coroplast rear wheel skirts
-Coroplast front smooth caps
-Coroplast windshield deflector

+Still need to install front wheel deflectors.

Still testing. Going to do a 200-300 mile regular run over a week or two and see what that gets me. I think it'll be around 35mpg, which beats 27mpg which is what I've been getting in this freezing 30-50 degree F weather. We'll see and I'll update with results.

I'm out of ideas. What other convenient non-extreme non-intrusive mods can I do? I don't want to have to trickle charge a battery every day and do dangerous engine kill switches and things like that. And I want to keep all of my car seats. I'd like to eventually maybe attempt full front wheel skirts, like the Aerocivic. We'll see.

I dont know if you would call this non-intrusive, but you could do a passenger side mirror delete.

Also, your posts are awesome to read(in a good way of course):D

I'm at an absolute loss. I don't know what else to do. What else can I do to increase my fuel economy without doing anything too inconvenient or invasive? I.e. trickle charging, engine off coasting/kill switching, losing passenger seats, etc.

I do mostly city driving, and hopefully on this tank I drastically change and improve my technique. Instead of accelerating around 1800-2000 rpms, I'm going to shoot around 15-1600 rpms. That's all I can think of right now and the only change I've got planned so far.

Any ideas? Post #22 has most of the mods I have on the car right now. I've added these two front wheel deflectors, but I don't know if they're creating more drag than their reducing. They hug the fender flare and pop out like a lizard's ears or something. Or elephant ears, I don't know. I should make a hole in my front wheels so I can check tire pressure more often, because before they were horribly neglected, and who knows I could have a leaky tire or something. They should be at 50psi right now.

Hmm... I'd love to test a full kammback maybe covering the truck. I love the use of my trunk, so maybe I could make a hinging kammback. Oh, so much easier said than done.

Hot or cold air intake? There are ecomodders using both. That seems like it shouldn't make sense. What kind of gains might be had?

Oh, any other ideas?

How did you end up attaching the final kammback? Just some tape on the top?

Have you considered doing a second windshield wiper cover that actually covers the wipers (kind of like doing a wheel skirt and full moon wheels together)? I'm thinking any air that gets in there might find its way over the windshield a little easier with a second cover.

What about a full grill block that opens when you need it. You can do an electronic one like some here have done or a passive one that only opens when the air isn't hitting it (like stopped at a light). A full block will give you just a little bit more of a cD drop.

You could get some interior mirrors and delete the exterior ones. Try doing a search for a fouring mirror. Or this:

Fouring(Made in Korea) BL Blind Spot Mirror Wide Angle Rear View For Right Driving Position : Amazon.com : Automotive

If you can get rid of any accessories attached to the engine by a belt that would also help (a/c, power steering, radiator fans, etc.) You can also replace some with an electronic version, which might use less power overall than the belt type, especially if you charge the car overnight using an outside electricity source.

You mentioned lowering your acceleration RPMs. You can install a turbo which (if you keep your foot out of it) will help you get decent acceleration performance with low RPMs.

Also, since we have the same car, make sure it's not burning oil, these model engines are notorious for the oil return holes on the piston oil ring to clog causing major problems and the oil burning. Is your tailpipe tip black?

What about the little blocks in front of the wheels to keep the air going around the tires. (I can't remember the name of them right now).

Maybe an undertray and rear diffuser?

I don't know how you would make it to access the trunk, but you can do a full/partial boat tail off of the bumper to go with the kammback.

You can extend some cardboard on the end where the side of the car meets the back side. Extend it out like a kammback and angle them in just a little. This will help the air angle in like a boat tail without limiting trunk use.

I really enjoyed the movie plot outline. There's potential in the idea. I see an outline with two rival groups each competing in their own series of contests. BUT they start talking to each other and getting ideas. And each group saves the other's um, backside when something goes very wrong. Hmmm. Then there's a race with very little fuel allowed. They join forces and field a small fleet, and win all the top prizes.

Do you have a gauge yet? A ScanGauge or UltraGauge plugs into OBDII socket and gets all power and data from there. ScanGauge gives instant and trip and tank mpg plus other data like engine temp. A good gauge is a must have.

As Jeff wrote, undertray aka belly pan is very worthwhile. Expect a few mpg gain from that.

I know you wrote you don't want to do this but I got about 4-5 mpg from it.
I put a big ($86) Walmart deep cycle battery in trunk and disconnected the alternator output cable. A heavy 4 ga cable runs thru existing hole in dash thru rocker and to trunk. A battery disconnect at end of alt cable lets me reconnect it for long trips. Yes I do have to charge it nightly. The benefit is from having no load on the alt aside from the spinning belt and pulley. Expect the project to grow. I ended up with two deep cycles batteries in trunk, none in front.