Just starting out (looking to build a highway MPG machine - '88-91 honda CRX?)

[guudasitgets]

or just anty-up for a VX and be done with it

[02ws6]

Originally Posted by guudasitgets

or just anty-up for a VX and be done with it

That'd be too easy... lol...



Good luck finding a car and putting the pieces together.. I know I looked for what seemed like forever before I ever found a decent deal on the swap and the car... Interior and cancer are gonna be your two worst parts of finding a decent one.

[Varn]

Welcome

You probably can get 8-10 mpg better if you drive like you have an eggshell under your rt foot and keep your speed to 55 mph. Take a mile to get up to speed. If your car is a manual get it in top gear as soon as you can bordering on lugging the engine probably with a v8 you can't hardly lug the engine just keep it to 1500 or 1700.

I can get 18 mpg in a loaded econoline doing exactly that. I can get 26 mpg in a 99 windstar with a stock drivetrain and high mileage. Both probably have 2x or more aero drag than your small car.

If you only use light throttle cheaper fuel will not be a detriment. The cylinders are choked off and don't fill up at high pressure like they do with the throttle valves open.

I bought a VW Diesel for less than 2000. In the two years that I have owned it I have put on a fan belt, a set of tires and a fuel line. I've done some aero work and am getting about 54 mpg. I am in top gear before 35 mostly. The engine has amazing low end pulling power. You can let out the clutch in first gear and roll away no throttle needed. Easy to do that with a 300 hp v8. It starts basically instantly 3 seasons a year. In winter it likes to be plugged in for an hour.

Do the math on converting water into its separate components It takes more energy to do the electrolysis than the energy you get out of it.

Originally Posted by BBrown7888

Hey everyone, I just joined today and have a few questions. I will be building an eco car for my monthly trips from NC to NJ and also what ever other long drives I find myself taking. Right now I do them in my CTS-V which gets about 20 MPG on premium and costs $130-$150 to go to NJ and back which sucks when you do it constantly.

Please feel free to chime in and tell me I'm wrong or if there is a better/cheaper way... but here is my plan

I'm think about starting with an '88-91 honda CRX (I dont have my heart set on this so if there is a better choice let me know)

Completely gutting the car to reduce the weight as much as possible.
replace the front bumper and side skirts with flat plastic.
Fabricate flat hub caps
fabricate rear wheel covers
Lower the ride height
"Boat Tail"
Skid Plate
Skinny, taller tires
Seal all seams
Remove power steering

Over time I am also thinking about adding a hydrogen kit. I know it won't increase the MPG's by to much but it will reduce my cost per mile which is the main goal.

Like I said before, any and all advise will be appreciated.

Thank you,

Brian

[arcosine]

You can do all the ecomodding you can with your Cadillac STS-V and it will still get less gas mileage that a smaller car. For gas mileage its hard to beat a TDI.

[Varn]

Tony has a point. But still your car isn't that large and it is yours and paid for. It probably is loaded with passive safety features that a cheap little used car doesn't have.

I forgot to mention, I got better rolling once I started pumping my tires harder. I started by going to the max side wall pressure.

[BBrown7888]

I know It's been a while since I've posted but I finally got the V sold and bought my CRX. I got a 1990 SI with 180,000 on the clock for $1,000. It needs a little TLC up front before I get into eco and aero modding it. I'll be keeping everyone posted on what mods I do and what kind of gains I get out of them but so far I haven't had it long enough to even get a baseline out of it.