Terrible mpg's = new interest in old ideas.

[Tygen1]

That's good news on the mpg jump from summer gas. This is the first time I will be tracking the change.
I am no expert on BSFC, so it would help to read up on it, but what I believe it to mean is that from 1200-3400 rpm at 70-90% load the motor is getting pretty much the best power for gas used. It's difficult for us to accelerate in our ATX's this way, so I use OD with the torque converter lock to pulse and coast...seems to be working?

[mhmitszach]

It's plastic sign board covered in black vinyl. The middle was taped together, so the vinyl isn't very smooth. I unintentionally made the middle bottom just a bit too small, but I guess it's good because a small amount of air can get in that way.

[mhmitszach]

Next two mods in store, hopefully.

Air dam from an old truck or whatever.

Half side skirts. On the panels, there is a gap in the middle for styling (?). Going to side skirt the upper half of wheel well. I'm thinking 4 brackets, aluminum, and wing nuts so it's easily removed.

[mhmitszach]

Warm weather got me to redo half side skirts. 6 dollars of hardware later. Two sets of brackets, some bolts painted black and nuts. Wingnuts didn't have enough clearance.

I'm going to run a strip of black vinyl tape along the edge just so its sealed.

Not to mention, I'm only two brackets and a few washer away from making full side skirts.

[mhmitszach]

37.38 mpg! Best tank since September!

AND

It's 4.56 mpg better than the exact same day last year!

[Tygen1]

Wow, looking good. I bet most folks won't even notice the half skirt or "Mini Skirt"
If you keep this trend up, you'll be over 45mpg by mid summer, judging from your fuel log. Got the air dam done yet?

[mhmitszach]

Originally Posted by Tygen1

Wow, looking good. I bet most folks won't even notice the half skirt or "Mini Skirt"
If you keep this trend up, you'll be over 45mpg by mid summer, judging from your fuel log. Got the air dam done yet?

That's why I like half skirts. I plan on doing some ABA testing eventually, but as far as I can tell, there is definitely a gain. Just look at fuel logs. I can tell too based on scanguage readings.

You see a lot of early 90s cars with the wheel wells like that, especially previous gen escort.

I got rained out on my plan to go looking at a junkyard for an airdam from a truck. I probably won't be able to look for one for a couple of weeks unfortunately. We'll see though.

[Tygen1]

Why not just the Home Depot stuff, it if very durable. My father in law crushed it today, totally bent back at ninety degrees, and popped right back into place once he backed away from the curb.

[mhmitszach]

Originally Posted by Tygen1

Why not just the Home Depot stuff, it if very durable. My father in law crushed it today, totally bent back at ninety degrees, and popped right back into place once he backed away from the curb.

I might but I just wanted to try making an even more durable one that would most likely end up looking nicer.

[mhmitszach]

Just flushed the coolant and replaced the thermostat. Just idling up to high temps seems much improved.