Car Modifications for Better MPG?

bear15 · #1 10-06-2006, 06:57 PM

Has anyone completed any car modificaton such as type of tires, K&N air filters, radiator covers, etc. and receive better MPG?

tbaleno · #2 10-06-2006, 07:07 PM

Many have done just that. I don't think you mentioned WAI (warm air intake) which a lot of people live by when winter comes. Some have even gone so far as to make aerodynamic modifications. This site mostly deals with techniques (though we will occasionaly talk about mods). If you want to see some guys that do a lot of mods then check out http://www.gassavers.org as well as this site. Between the two sites you will get both halves of the FE coin.

kickflipjr · #3 10-06-2006, 07:31 PM

High pressure in the tires(LRR tires is a plus), Grill block, hot air intake.
Aero mods are a bit more difficult to do. But help at highway speeds

K&N air filters don't help according to this test:

http://www.metrompg.com/posts/air-filter-part-2.htm

bear15 · #4 10-06-2006, 07:35 PM

Tbaleno ~ Thanks for the information. My son (12 years old) and I are viewing this a project car with a goal to someday reach 100 + mpg.

We have 51 psi in the rear tires and 49 psi in the front tires. We just replaced the factory oil with Mobil 1 0w-20 (3 qts. only instead of the 3.4 listed in manual) and replaced the air filter with a K&N.

We have solar panels we would like to fully charge the battery when it is parked. Do you know how this can be done?

We were also considering covering the raditor now that we have cooler temps but do not have any data that would support a MPG improvement. What do you think?

xcel · #5 10-06-2006, 07:40 PM

Hi Bear15:

___100 mpg goal is a lofty one but mods will not get you there. Techniques will however! You may recognize the dash as it should be awfully familiar to you already … This was achieved here in IL. a day or two before HF2006 this summer if that helps

___Good Luck

___Wayne

bear15 · #6 10-06-2006, 07:41 PM

Hi Kickflipjr ~ I am very new at this. Please excuse my inexperience. I am not sure what "LRR" tires are or what "Hot Air Intake" is.

xcel · #7 10-06-2006, 07:45 PM

Hi Bear15:

___You have hidden mode toggled. You can change this in your CP where you uploaded your Avatar and sig.

___LRR is Low Rolling Resistance tires. You already have those. A WAI will not help the non-lean burn capable HCH-II much as it was mainly used to achieve lean-burn and AS in the Insight/HCH-I when temps dropped below 40 degrees F. Your HCH-II was allowed a much wider range of temps where the hybrid HW works. It will not hurt but it will not help nearly as much as it does with the Lean-burn capable ICE’s. Purchase the block heater and raise those pressures even higher is about all you are going to see in terms of HW. Read about the techniques as that is where the real numbers come from.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

tbaleno · #8 10-06-2006, 07:46 PM

Well, on a good day you could get 100mpg

But you would need ideal conditions. If you ever want to get 100+mpg then you are well served to keep coming back to this site often. Some of the best drivers in the world are here.

For instance, just last week a few guys took an insight to a 2254.4 mile tank with the tank mpg being about 160 mpg. Thats pretty much an unmoded vehicle. I think the cost of the total mods on it was <$100.00.

Technique give you more bang for your buck than mods. Since technique is free. However, mods are good so you don't have to work as hard. There is a guy with a saturn here that can get 70mpg segments.

A radiator block will help improve FE.

A link for a battery charger using solar power. It is for a riding mower, but the battery isn't that much bigger (at least in my 03 civic hybrid. Not 100% sure of the 06)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...me=mem_guide:1

tbaleno · #9 10-06-2006, 07:55 PM

The master spoke as I was typing. The best thing to do is take advice from people that can post good numbers. Xcel is one of the best. Most of us have signatures telling what kind of mpg we get. It should be helpful in determining who knows what.

bear15 · #10 10-06-2006, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xcel

Hi Bear15:

___You have hidden mode toggled. You can change this in your CP where you uploaded your Avatar and sig.

___LRR is Low Rolling Resistance tires. You already have those. A WAI will not help the non-lean burn capable HCH-II much as it was mainly used to achieve lean-burn and AS in the Insight/HCH-I when temps dropped below 40 degrees F. Your HCH-II was allowed a much wider range of temps where the hybrid HW works. It will not hurt but it will not help nearly as much as it does with the Lean-burn capable ICE’s. Purchase the block heater and raise those pressures even higher is about all you are going to see in terms of HW. Read about the techniques as that is where the real numbers come from.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Wayne ~ Thanks for the information. We have much to learn. Ed & Drew