Unit-02 Red Honda Insight

[Ecky]

Lower blocks are easy to make invisible if you paint them black. I'll take some pictures of mine current ones later.

For what it's worth, I'm struggling to get 60mpg on this tank due to short trips and brutal weather.

I'm vaguely curious about a full IMA removal. I know you'd lose auto-stop, but with Mudder's bypass circuit you can replace the DC-DC with a smaller and more efficient Meanwell unit and almost entirely reclaim the hatch space, close to doubling your storage in the back. Do you plan to replace the battery, perhaps with something lithium, or drive it as-is?

[Daox]

I like the way my lower grill block turned out. Its simple black coroplast.

2000 Insight lower grill block

[Natalya]

Holy crap Daox that looks incredible.

@Ecky:
I don't want to bypass if I can avoid it. I need EFAS lol that's a really important part of my fuel efficiency strategy.

[Natalya]

All right, last week I copied Daox's block all the way, except I measured to get my own dimensions for the coroplast. It took a couple tries, denial and error, to trim the ends to the right shape, but it fits pretty snugly now.

This is a 100% block, I have OBDIIC&C monitoring coolant temp, and I don't have the upper grill blocked yet anyway. I'm currently also running a partial radiator block... it's been cold enough recently that I've not seen my radiator fan come on yet.

Thanks for the write-up Daox, I'm really happy to finally have one of these in place.

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It's still hard to keep the fuel economy up. I'm fluctuating between 68 and 70. But it's getting colder again, which obviously doesn't help.

If I dropped $100 on more mods, what would be most cost effective for increasing FE? A couple options would be like an oil pan heater or LED headlights. Don't worry, I know I probably won't save that $100 down the road lol.

ALSO:
I have some small solar cells laying around. I was considering hooking them up inside the back hatch at the very top and getting them to passively charge the 12v battery. Is that a smart plan? IDK how much it will help. I'd probably need a zener diode to make sure the current only flowed towards the battery. Maybe I also need a charge controller or something?

[samwichse]

Engine heater for sure. You can get one way cheaper than $100, and it will make a big difference in winter trips if you have a place to plug it in before you drive most times.

[Natalya]

I have places to plug in... are you talking about an engine block heater or the heat pads that I was thinking of?

Also, I do have like 18V worth of solar cells, not sure how many amps, but like what should I power with them? 12v trickle charge?

[IamIan]

Originally Posted by Natalya

Also, I do have like 18V worth of solar cells, not sure how many amps, but like what should I power with them? 12v trickle charge?

One nice thing about solar cells is their max current .. and if you are going into a battery that is trickle charge happy .. like PbA or NiMH .. than all you have to do is stay in that trickle charge range .. at most have a diode in for night-time .. you only have to worry about charge controllers and such once you get beyond the trickle charge rates.

You probably won't see much in way of MPG measurable gains .. but if the sun will shine on it anyway .. and if you already have them anyway .. might as well put them to use

If you don't want to trickle charge a battery , some other options might be:

Targeted heating .. you could also run them through a wire and a power resistor to do some targeted heating location .. like inside the NiMH battery pack or such.

In the summer time you can use them to run an exhaust fan for a tiny bit of cooling.

[Natalya]

All right, final underbody aero for now. The metal pan came in the mail today, I installed it immediately and then I put in the piece of coroplast between it and the one covering the exhaust channel.

I was a little conservative with its width because on my old silver Insight I had a larger panel in the same position that kept getting partially popped off, probably by the lower control arms. Hopefully this one stays in place.

[Gasoline Fumes]

Originally Posted by Natalya

All right, final underbody aero for now. The metal pan came in the mail today, I installed it immediately and then I put in the piece of coroplast between it and the one covering the exhaust channel.

I was a little conservative with its width because on my old silver Insight I had a larger panel in the same position that kept getting partially popped off, probably by the lower control arms. Hopefully this one stays in place.

Is there any airflow to the cat? I'd be a little worried about overheating it.

[Ecky]

Mine is completely enclosed and it's fine. Exhaust gasses probably aren't as warm, given it's a 3 cylinder with a liquid cooled header.

Btw looks great.