Uk ford transit, economy increase?

[chipX]

Well, ive just got myself a semi high roof 1999 ford transit.
Its fitted with a 2.5 diesel, weighs 1700kg, and i think about as aerodynamic as a tank.
Ive been averaging approx 30-something mpg ( uk ) which isnt too bad, around the city, driving very gently.
Any opinions on what sort of aero mods could be done to increase mpg?

I dont think anything can be done to the rear sadly.

Im thinking of blocking 1/2 the grill, sealing any front end gaps , installing a front end air dam.
Lowering isnt really an option.
Im going to install some " moon disc " trims for the wheels.

I think rear skirts would attract too much attention ( its a work van )

Here is a sample picture :


does anyone have a very rough estimate what i may see with a front air dam and grill block? or will i be wasting my time ?

[blueflame]

Mudflap delete, high pressure tyres and grill block should be easy and effective.

I found that with my Townace, some drafting even from vehicles to the side made a big difference with vans.

Getting around 45mpg imperial with my 1450kg Towny Noah (2l diesel non turbo)@60psi with extreme hypermiling, though its way smaller than the Transit....

[chipX]

Yeah may try that, perhaps little " spats " infront of the tyres may help. Ill see if i can get narrower tyres ( when they are due for renewal ) and boost up the pressure too.
I wish i had got the low roof , not the semi high roof - that would of saved some weight and frontal area.

[chipX]

Perhaps my engine needs a good tune up. The other members on my respective forum seem to be getting around 35mpg average in their vans. And they are regular van drivers, not hypermilling :P

they also recon that increasing the fueling a little ( can turn a screw on the pump ) will increase mpg and increase power , but going too far will kill power and mpg , i find this hard to believe?
I would of thought reducing fueling will increase mpg?

[vinny1989]

Semi-high roof - can you stand up inside the back?

Id suggest the same as the others, try a partial grill block, new tyres etc.

Is that the normal diesel, or the turbo?

And, if you dont mind me asking, how much did you pay?

[chipX]

570 quid 9 years old van, 124k .

Non turbo diesel.

[blueflame]

run an injector cleaner and diesel fuel bug killer for a couple of weeks, each time run the fuel tank as low as possible to use all the old fuel, then turn the screw OUT(to lean) 1/8 at a time, drive for a day, turn again, drive for a day...until you become underpowered then go back to the previous days setting

driving slow is good for FE but dont take too long accelerating and getting up to speed

60psi rocks for FE

[chipX]

I do drive pretty slow and accelerate very slowly, im a little scared to play with the fuel screw though, cant it overheat ?

[theunchosen]

Rear wheel full skirts will help your CD a good bit and should be pretty easy with the smooth shaped van. . . Moon disks from something cheap if you can manage it and an underbelly pan with all that air

[aerohead]

I don't see any easy remedies for the commercial vehicles.The aerodynamic challenge to reduced fuel consumption involves the enormous wake behind the vehicle.Some sort of boattail extension is the remedy,however it requires either an inflated envelope used only for higher speed extra-urban travel,or a teardrop/tadpole trailer with gap-fillers(as used on commercial 10-wheel/18-wheel lorries), which fill the void between tractor and trailer.The trailer would be empty,could have only one wheel,and serve only to sculpt and fill the wake,long enough,that at its rear,the airflow would finally separate at a cross-sectional area no larger than 50% of the frontal area of the vehicle,as recommended by Dr.Wunibald Kamm, Dr.Walter Korff and others.------------------------------- So far,the world hasn't been ready for anything like that,and there is nothing commercially available.So you're kinda on your own.It would mean a 25% increase in highway economy.----------------------------------- If you've ever seen a picture of NASA's Space Shuttle being ferried on top of the Boeing 747,with its boattail cone attached,you'll have an idea of what I'm talking about.That cone cuts drag by 100%.