ideas?, what can i do to my car next

[saand]

Hi All,
I am looking for new ideas to modify my car for efficiency. I have spent more than half a year modifying it to its current state and I am starting to run out of ideas.
I have copied the list of mods and planned mods from my cars garage page below. For anyone else interested in doing any of these mods let me know if you want more info. I have only spent so far maybe $30 on all my mods so making a nice saving so far.
So does anyone have any idea i have not tried.
Please note: I have an automatic and i do not want to change the transmission or engine, I would get large gains from doing that but its just way to much effort and cost.
I am also not going to install LRR tires, i have looked at the cost and for my car the price difference per tire is about $40 which will pay back after more than 4 yrs. I doubt ill have the car in 4 yrs so not bothering with this one.
Also i am only going for ideas which have some scientific basis behind them.

Current Mods:
- both side mirrors delete
- single windscreen whiper delete
- wheel mud guards delete
- flat wheel hub covers
- removed air con which removes a drive belt
- some weight removed, all air con parts, some carpets, power steering, back seats, unused speakers
- Changed power steering to manual steering (disconnected hydrolic lines, The connected hydrolic lines makes turning harder) Steering is now harder but still drivable)
- reduced idle and placed switch in cabin to put ECU into diagnostic mode which stops it from compensating for low idle
- Wheel PSI increase
- cold idle speed reduction
- Torque converter control
- automatic transmission gear manual control
- radio antenna delete
- cover up gaps for aerodynamics, bonnet gaps, gaps around lights, removed side indicator lights that were poking out into air stream.
- Improved wheel well aerodynamics
- Control of alternator charging by enabling and disabling field
- reduce electricity used in car,
* remove cluster useless indicator lights
* removed all but driver side door lights
* usually drive with only parkers on at night rather than full lights. Still visible to other drivers
* Disconnected rear center break light. Not required as already 2 rear break lights
* Disconnected side indicator lights

- Electric fan monitor LED
- Aerodynamic cover for windscreen wiper
- Metal plates around exhaust for full belly pan
- Electronic control system for alternator disabling
- Electronic control system for torque converter lock up and gear selection
- Electronic control system for idle air control

Planned Mods:
- Lean burn
- Change break, indicator, cabin and parker lights to LEDs
- Look into running fan motor as a redundant starter motor.
- full belly pan

[meelis11]

really big mod-list you have here
Would be nice to see some pictures, how your modifications changed aero.

Some mod seems hair-splitting to me though.
I mean these:
* remove cluster useless indicator lights
* removed all but driver side door lights
* usually drive with only parkers on at night rather than full lights. Still visible to other drivers
* Disconnected rear center break light. Not required as already 2 rear break lights
* Disconnected side indicator lights

door lights, braking lights are not turned on normally, so let them be
You are reducing safety.

Replacing all lights to LEDs is better. You can find many led bulbs in ebay cheap.

One idea - you could add MPGuino instrumentation to get real-time feedback.
Are you pulse-and-gliding?

[Frank Lee]

HHO?

I kid!

[saand]

meelis11,
The aero mods i have done are, windscreen wiper cover (which i have placed pictures on the wiki), Wheel covers (plenty of examples on the wiki) but i can put mine up if you are interested, belly pan (mine is done fairly badly but there are several examples on the wiki as well). I may take some full car pics if i get time tomorrow.
I have considered a boat tail but i just cant bring myself to do it. I will get way too many looks on the road so i have decided to not install a boat tail. I may however make a airflow trip feature.

you are right, some of them are hair splitting, The electrical ones i did because they were easy only took a minute or 2. They are of some advantage because i have alternator disabling so every bit of power i use causes more energy to be taken from the engine as i only turn on the alternator when required.
Regarding door lights, this is not a safety issue as they are internal. The break lights are ok because there are still 2 rear break lights i just disabled the 3rd one.
Thanks for the info on LED lights from ebay, i shall be looking for these soon.

I should have mentioned i do have an fuel meter which i developed myself (i am an elec engineer) Which works just as good as a mpguino and allows me to datalog the fuel usage

Also yes I am P&Ging. I think that has provided my highest gain of all. If only I had a manual and could bump start the engine after P&G then I would be able to turn the engine off during pulse.

[saand]

Thanks frank,
just send me through those HHO schematics and ill get right on that one

[Daox]

I don't see a grill block on the list. I see there isn't a ton of grill on the 626 like there is on some cars, but you can still likely block off some area.

[saand]

daox thanks for the good suggestion.
unfortunately i already have a grill block. i just forgot to enter it in as its basically a continuation of the belly pan.

[jtbo]

They say rear is most important, so do you have plans to add some mods for rear section of car?

626 had quite good angle at trunk lid if hatchback or do I remember wrong?

[dennyt]

How about:

• Block heater
• Manual transmission
• LRR tires

[saand]

jtbo the only mods i plan for the rear section of the car is to continue the belly pan all the way to the back. I have already taped off some gaps but i dont want to put a boat tail on the car because it already gets plenty of attention and i dont think i need any more. I may however install airflow trip features which might do something and wont look very strange.

Also you are correct the 626 hatchback has a good angle (could be better but still good) unfortunately i have the sedan so there is a fairly abrupt angle between the top of the cabin and the rear window. This is where i may place the airflow trip feature

Dennty good ideas, Block heater i do not have to worry about as i have lowered my idle at cold start up. using a self made electronic control system for the idle control valve and i have blocked off the mechanical air bypass which activates at cold start. This means i get very low fuel usage at startup. A block heater would provide a little advantage however i think with my car in its current state it would cost more in electricity than the petrol savings. If i was in a cold climate then this would be different. (it only very occasionally goes below 0 here in melbourne australia)

The manual transmission is a dream of mine and i will definitely be buying a manual car for my next car however to change out the transmission it is such a large job that it would work out better to just buy a new car and trade this one. In hindsight maybe i should have done that at the start of all of these mods

Regarding LRR tires as mentioned in the initial post it will work out cheaper for me to stay with normal tires. I am actually in the process of getting some tires so i have only just recently done the sums. If i had a new car i would definitely get LRR tires but i dont expect to have the current car i have in 4 yrs which is when the payback time is.