Honda Insight w/Acura TSX engine - Ecomodding

[Ecky]

That's largely how I'm running it - it's 15.7:1 up to around 0.7bar and the intake is short ram, so I'm seeing some nice warm intake air temps. And, contrary to all advice I've seen, getting some EGR via intake cam advance has seemed only to hurt economy. It might be that I haven't adjusted timing for it, however.

[serialk11r]

Ah, that's pretty decent already then. Darn, I'm running out of ideas to boost your engine efficiency short of internal modification.

[Piotrsko]

Could make his own modified diesel fuel with added volatile solvents.

[Ecky]

Too many projects...

[Ecky]

Ordered the oil-water heat exchanger, water pump housing and water pump from the Acura RSX Type S.

What finally made me pull the trigger was that the block heater from my Insight will fit on the K24 engine block, but I'd have to plug a very awkward hole where an oil cooler can be installed or all of my coolant would run out. Best way to block a hole for an accessory (which never actually came on the engine) is to install that accessory. Hopefully it'll help warmup in the cooler months, and perhaps give a larger effective thermal mass. Bonus is that the block heater is positioned to heat both water and oil.

[freebeard]

Best way to block a hole for an accessory...is to install that accessory.

[California98Civic]

Really clean install on a really clean engine. I wish mine were that clean. I think you have to be right that it will add thermal mass... that it will help. I have thought of this mod, too. But I am backlogged anyway, so...

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

Really clean install on a really clean engine. I wish mine were that clean. I think you have to be right that it will add thermal mass... that it will help. I have thought of this mod, too. But I am backlogged anyway, so...

Sorry if it wasn't clear! That was a sample image for what the install should look like.

I finally have all of my parts prepped. Everything that could be bought new OEM Honda/Acura was, but some parts are simply unavailable now, so I had to wait to find one someone was parting out. Here's the full kit:

[Ecky]

Got it all installed over the weekend.

Original parts, as they arrived in the box:




Cleaning up:




Image from above of the water pump, housing and oil heat exchanger assembly ready to be put in the car:




I was rather pleasantly surprised I was able to get to work on the accessories with the engine in the car. I'd actually wager I have an easier time working on it than 06-11 Civic Si owners.








While under the car, I realized that BOTH of my axles were missing the band clamp on the inner boot, and that they had slung grease all over my clean engine bay. Got that fixed.




The stud for the oil filter was particularly difficult to get out. I ended up cutting a notch through it and using a crowbar to get it started. Reports online suggested most people can make due with some channel locks or vice grips.




From the top, it looks just like it did, really not much to see from pictures. Following this, I changed the oil, moving from a 0w30 to a 0w20. Going to send a sample out to Blackstone. Over ~7k miles there was zero measurable oil consumption.




And what did I do with my new-found economy superpowers, but hitch up my trailer and use the car to fetch construction materials from a big box store and my local lumber yard. Chances are good this tank won't look any better than the last, given how I tend to use the car lately.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by Ecky

Got it all installed over the weekend. ...

It looks great and obivously functions well or all that towing would have been a problem. Is there any way for you to track, at least roughly, it's effects on warming and cooling? Do you have any baselines you think reliable enough?