Newbie says Hello!
 

Hello,


That's it.....


Ok, really now. I'm from SoCal and I drive a 1997 Saturn SW2 which we bought when I was 5. I was the one who named the car and it became mine about 2 years ago. I tried being efficient with it even before I found this site. I did keep track of fuel purchases and mileage but lost most of the reciepts that the information was written on. So my logs only go back a year. Now, I still don't get as good as some of you, but it is going well. The car is still unmodified as I have been procrastinating and waiting for material to fall from the skies. I am also keeping track of a car that my mother drives after she bought it new in January. She gets less than EPA yet I still couldn't convince her to change her driving habits. I digress. At least she is interested in keeping track.
By the way, does anyone have the frontal area and CoD for the 2013 Civic?

Howdy, sniper. My uncle, I heard, used to reach over and turn his mom's ignition off at stoplights to save gas, much to her disapproval. :) He got to be pretty good at wrenching over the years.

Good luck w/ your Saturn. I'm sure you'll find plenty of affordable mods here and driving tips to play with. is your car a stick or an auto?

It is an automatic, When Driving I tend to Pulse and Glide in neutral but don't shut the engine off since my starter seems to have a hard enough time turning the engine. It does work better after the engine heats up, but I still try not to tempt malfunction while on freeways. I do however shut down at red lights.

And I don't usually go with her when she is driving. So I can't do that if I'm not in the car. Her previous hybrid did that for her but she traded that one in for a new civic. :shrug:

Does your Saturn have that 1.9L engine?

Yeah, 16 valve DOHC 1.9 litre I4

Welcome to the forum!

Welcome.

Thanks guys,

By the way, does anyone know why there is a 0 in front of the 13? It confuses me slightly.

Actually modded my car, Antenna relocation!

Well, material fell from the skies! I just got 3 sheets of 4x8 coroplast and am pondering which order of mods I should do?
I'm planning a full belly pan but also rear wheel skirts and a kammback. I'm thinking I would do the skirts first then the belly pan and finally the kammback since I want it to look sort of stock for a while but I'm not too sure.
Oh, and I am currently working on making gauge pods for the dash and A pillar.

I think you will see similar benefits from whichever one of those mods you decide to go with. In the end it all adds up as you continue modding, the more the merrier. I think you should also consider a grill block as well.

Welcome to Ecomodder :)

Grill block is under consideration too, but I only have those three sheets so I was focusing toward the rear of the car first.

Oh, and the A pillar gauge is a Vacuum gauge. Just have to figure out how to run the tube to the intake manifold. I don't have a t fitting.

I'd consider another material for the belly pan. I don't feel so confident about the resistence of coroplast to the high temperatures from the engine and exhaust pipe :o

What would be better for a belly pan? I didn't really think about the engine bay but knew about the exhaust pipes. I was thinking that a gap with insulation would work, but haven't really given it much thought. Probably going with skirts first.

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...vic-16422.html

Here is a thread where brucepick added an underbelly pan to his 97 Civic HX using coroplast with aluminum sheet metal for the exhaust and maybe the engine area as well. That post has some great pics and info. Hope that helps :)

I'd rather get a belly pan made out of either plywood or aluminium, due to its resistence to some impacts. Insulating the exhaust pipes is also good. But remember: no matter which material you use, it's good to have some access spot to drain the oil sump :thumbup:

I agree with the access spot for easy oil changes, but I would go with the coroplast/aluminum combo (maybe full aluminum) and try to avoid plywood. That is simply due to the extra weight that plywood would add. Also coroplast and aluminum might be a much smoother surface for airflow than plywood.

I guess when it comes down to it though, any of those could work just fine. It would just be preference.

Search the AeroCivic thread on the question of heat/coroplast. His exhaust has been fully enclosed for years.

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I'd start with the partial grille block if only because it's quick 'n' easy. Instant savings vs. the more complex parts you're considering.

I think this might be what MetroMPG was talking about... Not sure though.

Yep, that's it.

:)

Fully-insulating the exhaust pipe seems to be effective in every vehicle. And it also makes the catalyst reach the optimal temperature sooner :thumbup:

I think eventually I will insulate the exhaust pipes and attempt a belly pan after skirts and kammback. I think the belly pan may require more effort then the other two. So I'll save it for later.

Also, my engine revs up to 3krpm when in neutral!?!?! but only when not stopped. This didn't happen before. Ideas?

Unplugged the battery and the problem went away.

started working on the vacuum gauge mount for the a pillar:

Turning scrap ABS tube on lathe to outside diameter of the gauge:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1363493398

After being Dremeled to fit:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1363493398

Front of gauge:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1363493398
(square thing is camera reflection)

Still a work in progress. Still have to figure out how to route the vac line through saturn firewall.

That gauge pod looks pretty good for something made out of scrap material.

Of course now that I have made that, Mom wants to sell my car and won't let me install it! It won't be sold right away but she doesn't want it "damaged." But it seems that I will have about $4500 budget for a "new" car. If I get a 2002 Honda Insight, how long will it take to make back the cost of the car in Savings? (assuming my car is worth $1200 and I drive 4~5k miles/year)

Here is how I did mine gauge pod:
Drilled Holes
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1363758451
Cut with Dremel to fit
{no pics here, sorry}
Constantly checking fit on Pillar
{refer to third pic}

Aline gap between gauges protrusions with hole:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1363758451

Test fit pod to pillar to see fit again:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1363758451

What should have happened next:
Cut hole for passing vacuum line and light wires in A pillar
Glue pod to pillar with amazing goop marine/rv/automotive/plumber/any really. (needs to be a glue that is flexible enough to fix plastics)
Attach wires to dimmer switch
attach vacuum line to manifold (somewhere close to the intake runners is preferable)
Reinstall trim in car
Enjoy!




And other gauge pods I made turned:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1363758451

Hi I am also a new member in this forum, interested in this discussions and want to share my thoughts and views.