n00b here - current ride is Nissan Versa

[brucepick]

Welcome to ecomodder!
The ScanGauge should be helpful in both vehicles - good move.

I recommend that if you are comfortable with your tires at 40 psi, bring them up to "max sidewall", that is the sidewall imprint, when cold. Likely they are marked either 44 or 51 psi.

Which do you drive more - the F150 or the Versa?

[skyl4rk]

Welcome

I have the 1.6l manual Versa Base, not the 1.8l. MPG at 45mph seems to be very good, it drops rapidly at higher speeds.

The upper grill can be closed off completely without affecting engine temps. I now run with the lower grill open, not covered as shown in this pic.

The foglight openings are easy to cover and leave a fairly smooth front end.

I have a lawn edging front spoiler. The front end mods make it easy for me to hypermile in the mid 40's mpg at slow speeds (typically around 45mph with a lot of coasting, no engine off coasting). However driving at the speed limit like a normal driver (hard braking) drops that quickly to the lower 30's mpg.

[stimpsonjcat]

Hey skylark!

Your thread was how I found this place.

I will be getting some black Coroplast today and will be fabing up some block-outs for the fog dimples as a minimum. You mention leaving the bottom open now...I had hoped to go the opposite with the top grill open and the bottom closed or mostly closed. Did you ever try this?

I won't be messing with the grill openings until I get the scan gauge so I can watch the temps.

I also plan to put a lower dam on...probably with some tire flares(is that the right term?)

After that I will mess with the mirrors, I have several ideas for solutions there from simple replacement to custom fabed up units.

[Daox]

Blocking the upper grill is generally considered better for aerodynamics versus blocking the lower grill. The reason being is the air going over the car can follow the smooth profile of the vehicle (less drag) vs the air going under the car hitting all the unaerodynamic underside of the car (more drag).

[skyl4rk]

The airflow path to the radiator looks better from the bottom opening, and I have had no overheating issues since opening the bottom grill up.

[stimpsonjcat]

Ah, so you did have some overheating issues with the lower grill blocked off? Even with just the partial block?

[skyl4rk]

Yes, very quick overheating with the full block, warm running with the partial opening shown. Heat measured by Scangauge.

[stimpsonjcat]

Scangauge came in today's mail and is installed.

Had to go get some milk for the girl, so filled her up and ready to start checking numbers. The Drive home from the store registered 35mpg...encouraging.

[skyl4rk]

Driving with the scangauge is a sport and becomes an obsession.

[stimpsonjcat]

Ok, got the SG calibrated to speed shown on GPS, which is different than the speedo shows.

Drove in to work this morning and display shows 36.3mpg.

So, either 1) the SG isn't calibrated properly (though the manual pretty clearly states this is the only parameter affecting distance)
Or
2) I have been doing much better than I thought all along and the odo has been lying to me about my distances.

Am I missing something?