wheel covers - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Angelus359 · 10-31-2010, 07:00 PM

Hi again everybody.

I have a 2008 aveo sedan (as mentioned in previous posts).

My factory wheel covers are a bit cracked, aswell as the bolt covers, and I'm considering taking them off..

I have a black sedan, and the base wheels are boring factory holey black.

Without replacing that with anything, how would that affect aero?

rav · 10-31-2010, 08:04 PM

you will probably not even notice any difference in mpg without the wheel covers.

spydyr · 10-31-2010, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rav

you will probably not even notice any difference in mpg without the wheel covers.

If there the typical plastic rim covers... there would be no change at all. Even if they were cracked and jagged and catching air, the change would be absolutely minimal, maybe less than a half of a quarter of a percent.

Now that being said, you could with some epoxy and pizza pans convert your cracked plastic ones into make shift areo-rims. That is, if the plastic itself is cracked, and not the ring that it clips onto the rim with. I cant remember which person it was, but there is a thread about making a set of aero rims that way.

Good luck with the aveo, its not exactly a high fuel economy car to begin with.

Weather Spotter · 11-01-2010, 11:57 AM

Take a look at our wiki page :
Smooth wheel covers - EcoModder

Lots of user results and how to's

Angelus359 · 11-01-2010, 12:42 PM

I know its not that good for fuel... but its the best I could find in chicagoland for 7 grand, being a 2008 with 34k miles, still under warranty. (I got it checked out by my girlfriend's dad who is a really good mechanic, so I can find out what I need to get fixed under warranty)

The problem with the aveo is not the aero, and it is not the engine.
The problem with aveo is the automatic transmission.
It shifts from first to 2nd at like 15mph, and then stays there till 44mph, then shifts to 3rd. When I'm going 35-43 I'm running 2500rpm to 3000rpm, then it drops back down to 1800rpm at 44. Sometimes I drive it up to 44mph, just to make it shift, then I drop back down to 40, to get better gas mileage...

I would drive a manual (I'd perfer it), but I would need practice first. I don't have anybody to teach me, since nearly everyone I know has an automatic.

I wonder if there is a way to reprogram my transmission... Its a 4 speed.
The aveo is a quasi decently fuel efficient vehicle at 45 to 55mph.

The other known issue with the aveo, especially with the EPA test, is they wear the car in first, and then test it. Well... try doing a car wear in and test on NGK stock copper plugs originally gapped at .044. When I bought the car with 34k miles on it, the engine was actually very sluggish.

The aveoforums people have some people getting MPG in the 40s, and they don't aeromod really.

I switched it for NGK iridium IX, I had a very significant power increase (yes I know a lot of that was just new plug).

Now given the fact that I have an aveo, and am stuck with the aveo, I want to do what I can to fix MPG.
Note, I'm an unemployed (lost my job and then has only had sidework and short temp jobs) college student that acquired money for a car from a fund that was setup when I was a baby for me to go to college (I ended up going for free).

If thats grillblock, underbody cover, and ziptieing black painted coroplast to my wheels, checking tire pressure compulsively, I'll do it.

I am a tad of an enviromentalist, but I'm a broke environmentalist.
End of sob story, lol.

Weather Spotter · 11-01-2010, 12:45 PM

Good job for trying. That is all we can ask, is to try with what you have.

Angelus359 · 11-01-2010, 12:53 PM

I wonder if its possible to reprogram my trans...
I doubt it.

Weather Spotter · 11-01-2010, 12:58 PM

in most cases you can not do that

You could look into doing a torque converter lock up mod. may help at slower speeds. Head over to the wiki and look at the mod

Angelus359 · 11-01-2010, 02:35 PM

That looks a lil extreme for me...
I think I'll stick with mostly hidden aeromodding.
Plus I have a powertrain warranty for 2 more years, and its known to cause trans issues.

The pizza tray thing is intriquing, but I don't get how you guys change a tire with a flat...

Weather Spotter · 11-01-2010, 02:39 PM

Take the pans off. It would take longer for me. I need to remove 3 bolts. It would take about 3 min to do with a wrench.
Other ways of mounting just need a screwdriver to pop off the oem hub cap (and pizza pan).

Take a look and see if u can use thehub cap.