I Could Use All the Help I Can Get
 

Hey Everybody,
I feel like I'm finally home. I've found a bunch of neat folks into saving gas, and getting the most out of their vehicles. My friends think that I am nuts, with the records I keep, and the way I preach about saving fuel, and ecodriving. For those of you that might remember the time, I began driving around the time of the first oil embargo, and have been driving accordingly ever since. Man...I am no spring chicken.
I have a 2007 Toyota Tacoma, with which I am already beating the odds. My mods to date are: synthetic oil, tonneau cover, tires to 39 psi, partial grill block(top portion), and ScanGaugeII. I have a set of smoothie hub caps due Friday 8/29. I have been researching lowering kits, one which takes 3" off the front, and 4" off the back...someday! My overarching goal is 40 mpg.
My question, for right now is: If I do a partial grill block, what is the best way to vent the air that I let in? I have looked on the underside of the hood(bonnet), and it seems that there is a structure there that seems as though it were meant for a form of ventillation. I am thinking that this might be a good place for a rearward facing scoop. The resulting vent holes would be just aft the radiator. Are there any rules for hole size, other than Area in =Area out? Tricks?
Are there better gains to be had?
I have 13 Airtabs. What would be the ideal placement on a Tacoma? I have my doubts on a vehicle of the size and shape. It seems they might work well on a box truck, or semi-trailer. I tried them at the rear end of the cab with no effect. I now know why. My next try is just above the tailgate. Does anybody have any real world results,data?
Is there anybody out there from Greenville/Greer SC?
I look forward to hearing from y'all.
Best Regards,
TacoDog (Doug)

Hey Doug-

Welcome to EM...

Check out the 104+ Mods section and try a few things out. Plus, there are lots of Taco drivers here that can lend a hand.

Best FE to ya...:thumbup:

RH77

Hi Doug -

You're doing very nicely with the Tacoma so far. As for "venting" air that enters for cooling, is it not already venting beneath the truck?

Airtabs: I've done a very limited amount of testing which has NOT removed my skepticism that these reduce fuel consumption. See: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...olla-2390.html

If you do a fair amount of highway driving, I'd be looking at constructing an aero shell bed cap - far greater gains to be had from that than anything else at higher speeds.

Welcome to the site!

Darin

Here's my plan for my Dakota, if time ever allows. Upper grille block, air dam/ spoiler directly under radiator, smooth underbelly housing a duct to move underhood air to the rear into the drag zone behind the truck. This should (at least I hope it does) clean up a lot of the turbulence.

39 psig? Too low, be brave!
 

Hi, Taco !
39 psig? Hmmm.... keep going. Some people stop at 40psig, some go over ( I use 44 pgig, and the ride is plenty firm), some go way over! I'm not afraid of 50 psig...but old habits ( and good results) are hard to break. Be brave...they won't pop! But they'll roll much easier at any speed ( less HP).

TacoDog -

Welcome to EM! Lots of good MPG Tacos here. I had MPG spreadsheets starting around 2002, but now Ecomodder does that for me!!!!!!

What does MPG mean for a Taco? Menudos Per Guacamole?

CarloSW2