Project Del Sol Kammback Dead; New Ideas

[jedi_sol]

Ok, so project Kammback was killed by the girlfriend

Other ideas that I'm currently planning/working on:
1)Installed alternator disable switch-8/28/2009
2)Build custom solar panel and stick it on my trunk (there is turbulence in that area anyways so it shouldn't hurt with aerodynamics. And since project kammback was killed, this is my replacement). In the mail waiting for arrival.
3)Deep cycle battery in the trunk-10/21/2009

*Should i use only the deep cycle? or wire it in parallel to the main starting battery?

4)(maybe) Alternator delete
5)Power steering delete
6)Rear wheel skirts
7)Front grille block-11/23/2009
8)Underbelly Tray
9)skinnier LRR tires
10)Side mirror delete-12/9/2009

[RobertSmalls]

I like ideas #7, 1+3, 6, 8, in that order. As for tires, well, a set of LRR tires on Civic VX or Insight rims wouldn't hurt you, but the aerodynamic benefits of narrower tires is small.

My engine kill switch gives me +5mpg on my commute, and I highly recommend it over turning the key.

The grille block is easy to execute and will warm the wife up to the rear wheel skirts, which will get her to think about letting you build a Kamm back out of solar panels. ;-)

[SVOboy]

Where'd you get that piece of metal for the rear skirts?

[jedi_sol]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

My engine kill switch gives me +5mpg on my commute, and I highly recommend it over turning the key.

Kamm back out of solar panels. ;-)

Are you talking about engine kill? or alternator disable? Kammback out of solar panels? mmmmmmmm

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Where'd you get that piece of metal for the rear skirts?

Home Depot. 3/4" wide x 1/8" thick aluminum bar. $4, It was in the Garage Door Department/Lumber building materials. Not sure about other stores. Says its used to build frames/reinforcement/fences. I used a vice and hammer to bend it to whatever shape i wanted.

It's so lightweight, flexible, yet sturdy, im trying to think of other things to do with it

[Christ]

Do you have the D16 or B16 Vtec motor?

Either way, have you considered gear/transmission swaps?

There are taller B-series gears that will fit in the B16's YS1 case easily, including longer final drive sets and a taller 5th gear from non-Vtec Integras.

There are also (obviously) a plethora of great gear swaps that could be performed on the D-series transmissions as well.

[jedi_sol]

Originally Posted by Christ

Do you have the D16 or B16 Vtec motor?

Either way, have you considered gear/transmission swaps?

There are taller B-series gears that will fit in the B16's YS1 case easily, including longer final drive sets and a taller 5th gear from non-Vtec Integras.

There are also (obviously) a plethora of great gear swaps that could be performed on the D-series transmissions as well.

Thanks for the input, i've read alot in these forums and i see that you've always helped and pitched in with the honda owners.

I've got a B18C1 integra GSR motor DOHC VTEC (from my old ricer days). I spent too much money buying the motor, not gonna swap it out any time soon. Its like buying a 50" LCD tv, only to swap it out for your old 19"crt just so you can save electricity. C'mon, who does that?

All kidding aside, I know i could swap out for an LS tranny with the taller gears.... but im not THAT hardcore into FE. So i dont plan on doing anything mechanically major, just little bits here and there that i can do to increase FE while keeping things moderately priced

My ultimate goal with the car now is to keep a balance between "fun-when-i-want-to-be" and while getting decent/above average mpg's.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by jedi_sol

Thanks for the input, i've read alot in these forums and i see that you've always helped and pitched in with the honda owners.

I've got a B18C1 integra GSR motor DOHC VTEC (from my old ricer days). I spent too much money buying the motor, not gonna swap it out any time soon. Its like buying a 50" LCD tv, only to swap it out for your old 19"crt just so you can save electricity. C'mon, who does that?

All kidding aside, I know i could swap out for an LS tranny with the taller gears.... but im not THAT hardcore into FE. So i dont plan on doing anything mechanically major, just little bits here and there that i can do to increase FE while keeping things moderately priced

My ultimate goal with the car now is to keep a balance between "fun-when-i-want-to-be" and while getting decent/above average mpg's.

LOL - I just went back and read your original thread, and realized that you had the GSR swap.

I can understand not wanting to swap, I wouldn't give up my 37" LCD for much of anything (TV related.. There are things I'd gladly give it up for, though.)

How old is the clutch? If it's going to need to be changed, there would be the time to swap out your 4th/5th gears for the LS units. It only takes about two hours to do, and would get you better MPG on the highway, at least, if not the higher speed (25+ MPH) areas of the city as well, since you could use 4th gear to keep your engine just off idle. The GSR, IIRC, actually makes a decent amount of turkey at the lower RPMs, and shouldn't have any lugging issues at off idle.

Because of the massive area of detached flow, and thus, wake, at the rear of your car, and since your "other" won't allow the Kamm extension, you could also consider a deck extension spoiler, which might help get you the virtual angle you'd need to be ideal.

Some other things to look at are alternator load... replacing your lights with LED's (A'la JacobAzizza) is actually quite the idea... I'm sure you can offset the cost very quickly, as well. If you're into modding, and know how to solder, you can often get small kits of lights from StereoHouse(RadioShack) cheaply, and build your own light bulbs from LEDs using blown OEM bulbs, which is often cheaper even than using the retail LED replacements. This will also help with your alternator kill switch, since your lights won't be drawing as much from your battery. You'll need electronic relays for your blinkers and hazard lights, which also draw less (they don't work by way of inductance like the traditional clicker relays do) and they're quieter.

You may also consider simple things like a single wiper swap, as it takes less energy to move one wiper the full length of the windshield than it does to move two across 2/3 of the windshield. You can easily modify the wiper transmission to make a single wiper park flat and arc to the opposite side for a full sweep.

Old school sports car mirrors (the bullets) often look great, and are about 1/2 to 1/3 the A of your current OEM mirrors.

You can easily make color matched plugs for any hole you want to non-permanently fill with packing tape and foam. Make sure you use brown box-tape or clear cellophane packaging tape, as the foam won't stick to it as easily, and it makes for a nice, shiny face. You just line the area with the tape, then make some pieces of tape that will overlap the area, with another piece of tape face up on the backside of it to make a "lid", leaving only a couple small open spaces from which you can fill the void. Once you've done that, fill it up, until the foam comes out each hole, then let it set. You'll want to use low-expansion hi-density foam for this. Once the foam sets, in 24-48 hours or longer, you just slap some body filler over it and sand/paint. You can then figure up an attachment method from the back, so it's hidden, and you can plug your holes any time you want.

I guess that's about it for now, If I think of anything else, I'll report back.

[jedi_sol]

Originally Posted by Christ

Some other things to look at are alternator load... replacing your lights with LED's (A'la JacobAzizza) is actually quite the idea... I'm sure you can offset the cost very quickly, as well. If you're into modding, and know how to solder, you can often get small kits of lights from StereoHouse(RadioShack) cheaply, and build your own light bulbs from LEDs using blown OEM bulbs, which is often cheaper even than using the retail LED replacements. This will also help with your alternator kill switch, since your lights won't be drawing as much from your battery. You'll need electronic relays for your blinkers and hazard lights, which also draw less (they don't work by way of inductance like the traditional clicker relays do) and they're quieter.

...Old school sports car mirrors (the bullets) often look great, and are about 1/2 to 1/3 the A of your current OEM mirrors....

Def. eventually gonna do this. I was actually researching about LED's today at work!

As far as mirrors, I've seen some aftermarket Carbon fiber f-1 styled side mirrors that i've been eying as well.

Thanks for all of your input Christ, gonna have to copy and paste everything you've suggested look back at it later. So many ideas!!

[Christ]

All the ideas that I post actually make me realize how lazy I am... :P I could easily have done all of those things already to most of the vehicles I come in contact with... I just don't have gumption.

[jedi_sol]

Originally Posted by Christ

All the ideas that I post actually make me realize how lazy I am... :P I could easily have done all of those things already to most of the vehicles I come in contact with... I just don't have gumption.

I know exactly where you are coming from. It took me 2 weeks to finally get around to building that bar. A month to wire up the alternator kill