New Member with a Veloster

[California98Civic]

you need a way to live track with reasonable accuracy three things: engine load, rpm, and short range or jnstant MPG. For the best hypermile strategies the first one is the most important. If you are concerned about expense and stealth, the ultragauge is a much better strategy than wheel covers. You can learn to drive in the optimal load band, or closer to it, with you paddle shifter auto trans. Your car wil, look the same, the wife won't object, and over 10 or so tanks, with skill, you'll get your $70 back. The wheel covers will never be atealth, especially if you use cheap materials to save cash.

With a grill block, airdam, tire pressure 5-10 psi above sidewall, and a gauge and driving technique, your car will look almost exactly like it does now, and it will get significantly better FE with your same techniques, as long as weather cooperates too. Even if you akip the gaufe... do the others because you should see a difference. ☺

[California98Civic]

you need a way to live track with reasonable accuracy three things: engine load, rpm, and short range or jnstant MPG. For the best hypermile strategies the first one is the most important. If you are concerned about expense and stealth, the ultragauge is a much better strategy than wheel covers. You can learn to drive in the optimal load band, or closer to it, with you paddle shifter auto trans. Your car wil, look the same, the wife won't object, and over 10 or so tanks, with skill, you'll get your $70 back. The wheel covers will never be atealth, especially if you use cheap materials to save cash.

With a grill block, airdam, tire pressure 5-10 psi above sidewall, and a gauge and driving technique, your car will look almost exactly like it does now, and it will get significantly better FE with your same techniques, as long as weather cooperates too. Even if you akip the gaufe... do the others because you should see a difference. ☺

[Zach]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

you need a way to live track with reasonable accuracy three things: engine load, rpm, and short range or jnstant MPG. For the best hypermile strategies the first one is the most important. If you are concerned about expense and stealth, the ultragauge is a much better strategy than wheel covers. You can learn to drive in the optimal load band, or closer to it, with you paddle shifter auto trans. Your car wil, look the same, the wife won't object, and over 10 or so tanks, with skill, you'll get your $70 back. The wheel covers will never be atealth, especially if you use cheap materials to save cash.

With a grill block, airdam, tire pressure 5-10 psi above sidewall, and a gauge and driving technique, your car will look almost exactly like it does now, and it will get significantly better FE with your same techniques, as long as weather cooperates too. Even if you akip the gaufe... do the others because you should see a difference. ☺

Thank you for your input! Is there a dummy guide on reading the "engine load" and how that can translate to achieving better MPG? I am very new at all of this and trying to read/learn as much as I can haha.

I have the "TouchScan" App that I got for free a while back on my android device, could I buy the OBDII adapter and use my phone to get the same results or would be be better to invest in the ultragauge? Robot Check

Reason I ask is because I have some Amazon gift cards from Christmas but the UltraGauge isn't on there haha.

You did mention an air dam, looking at the 65+ efficiency mods thread, that doesn't look any more stealthy than wheel covers, is there an alternative to that?

Thanks again for all of your great input!!

[California98Civic]

I don't think apps are as reliable as a unit directly plugged into the OBD2 port. But I have no experience with the apps, so my opinion ain't much.

The engine load thing has to do with the dynamics of how much power per unit of fuel your engine makes at a given rpm. Gasoline engines don't produce a uniform amount of power per unit of fuel across the whole power band. Generally, though I gather not always, you will be burning fuel most efficiently in the 70-80% load range. That's not throttle % but load. It is a fairly brisk rate of acceleration, counterintuitive when thinking about saving fuel. In your auto trans you would get to speed in the most efficient way and then cruise, or perhaps coast in nuetral with the engine on ifmyour car is designed to handle that.

The airdam jn the list is kinda extreme. A different and also very good airdam can be under the bumper, a few inches behind the leading edge of the bumper, made from black lawn edging. It is very low key. I have hd to point it out as a mod to people looking at my car. Often, they cannot guess how I made it. It's also a really good mod. It keeps air from going under the car, the messiest aerodynamic area of most cars, prob yours too.

When you add to the low-key airdam, a grill block behind the existing grill, you get quite stealthy, cheap, but known effective mods.

[Zach]

Thank you so much for the detailed replies and explanations! I have been reading about the apps/OBD2 connectors and I think it would be good option for me right now and if it doesn't work out I will look into investing into the ultragauge.

I actually looked at your build thread and like the way yours looks! I will see about doing something similar to mine. The only issue I might run into is scraping on my driveway because I have a bump right in the beginning but I guess I can try and see. And it looks to be easier that trying an under-belly pan.

Do you think an upper grill block would be worth trying or should I stick to a behind the grill lower block? I tried to show what it would look like in the previous posts, right now my air intake (OEM) scoop pulls air from the upper grill block and the opening isn't very large.

[California98Civic]

If it were my car and I shared it with a partner who seems trepidatious about conspicuous mods, I do the grill block as stealthy as possible. So only do behind the grill blocking. Also, as far as upper/lower, I'd want maybe a 70% block total and the remainder to be in frint of the cooling radiator (not the AC radiator) if possible. Experiment. Maybe leave the top grill alone because it looks pretty small and might only be about 30% of total grill opening. If so, try blocking all of the lower grill. Monitor coolant temperatures if you can (another reason to get an ultragauge is precise readings from all engine sensors including coolant and intake temps).

An added plus of an ultragauge... it reads engine trouble codes. It is *almost* as robust as those handheld diagnstic tools mechanics have.

[Zach]

Once again awesome tips! I think I will start experimenting with a lower grill block this weekend with cardboard since I have some from Christmas. Definitely going to look into some threads here on the best final product though.

I checked my psi and each are sitting at 30. Max sidewall is 50. Was thinking of going to around 40-45. Anyone have experience with a tire inflator?Shop Kobalt 12-Volt Power Source Air Inflator at Lowe's

[Vman455]

I wouldn't bother with a power inflator. A $10 Walmart pump and some elbow grease work just as fast and well.

[roosterk0031]

I'd buy a battery jumper with inflater and light for $60. IMO biggest gain is from not using your brakes, get off the gas, start your coast so you don't need to touch the brake pedal untill under 20 mph. that's where the largest % of the driving gains come from.

[Zach]

Thanks vman I didn't even think about that! I will put it on my list. Rooster thanks for the tip. I normally coast often as well. I am at 80k miles on my stock brake pads ....not sure if that is good or not though haha. I need to get back to the gas saving mindset while driving, I think recently I just haven't been conscious.