Tune up, WAI, and some aero mods.

[BrianAbington]

I just did a tune up and did some mods to my car all to prepare it for a nice long road trip this next weekend.

I replaced the way to old Bosh 4 point platinum's that were in the car when I bought it, with NGK platinum's and indexed them.

I also changed the fuel filter.

Idles and runs much smoother now.

I cut the intake pipe only about 5 inches out from the filter box, I then added a 2" to 3" coupler and used a metal 3" pipe used for vent fans and stretched and curved it so it pulls air from about 2 inches away from the catalytic converter which is right on the front side of the engine.

I've noticed a need to push the accelerator down much further to maintain speed.

I made an air dam and grill block to the front as well.
Someone threw a jager bottle at my Ron Paul sign and bent the end of it pretty badly, so I replaced it and cut the damaged one to the shape of the upper grill.

I also got some medite (pegboard with no holes) and used self taping screws to attach it to the bumper.

I used scraps from the Ron Paul sign and medite to block directly against the ac condensor. I then used a scrap of medite to block the whole drivers side grill, I then drilled a couple dozen 1/2" holes directly in front of the remaining passenger side opening. Air now flows directly into the radiator and the temps have not changed at all.

I wanted to get it as low as possible so I started with 1" of clearance and shortened it incrementally. With 1" of clearance I plowed the gravel in the alley. It was pretty funny. Each time I'd cut a bit, drive it, then come back and cut again. Now I have about 3" of clearance. It scrapes now only on really steep driveway approaches.

I gassed up and drove to Omaha and back twice. Maintaining 60-65 MPH the whole time except for the times I turned around to go back the opposite direction.

There is a long hill that I coast down every day on the way home from work. At the same point every day while rolling at 65mph I can coast 3/4 of a mile and it holds at 65 and by the time I get to the bottom it has slowed to 60mph. With the airdam, and grill block in place it actually gains 5mph and coasts another 100 feet or so before it starts to slow.

I drove 105 miles and filled it back up with only 2.3 gallons.

45.6 mpg.

Not a bad increase in mileage from lower 40's

Photos will be taken tomorrow. to dark now.

[2000neon]

Great numbers, and lets see some pics!

[hawk2100n]

Nice, these Civics DX's have a lot of potential. I get a fairly consistent 42 mpg out of mine with almost no mods. I love those long coasts. It has to be a long coast like that for me or I won't EOC, just DFCO.

[BrianAbington]

I have a thread in the aerodynamics forum showing the airdam and a success story about my chicago trip.