The Aerostar Gets Aero Mods
 

Okay, this is a thread to motivate me to get some wheel skirts and grill blocking done on the Aerostar before I take it on summer holidays. I roughly calculated out previous mileage at 22 mpg.

I will try rear wheel skirts, grill block, and I will attempt some front wheel skirts using my framework idea. Is there a glue/weld cement that will hold a light frame to the strut assembly? :D

Any guesses as to mileage improvement?

JB Weld... I use it for everything!

Thanks, I'll give it a shot.

So far I have seen a 6 MPG increase (from 20MPG to 26MPG) in the mileage of my wife's Honda Odyssey after I installed underbody panelling and a 40% grill block. She drives "normally", not using any of the driving techniques we've discussed on this board for improving mileage. Most of her driving is on rural 55MPH roads.

Hmmm. That makes a lot of sense, really. Consider that at 55mph, the main bottleneck to fuel economy at those speeds is drag, not rolling resistance, and not gearing, as in most cars gearing at 55MPH is usually quite good. At higher speeds, gearing coupled with aero mods are what is needed to fully wring increased FE out of your car.

1. There's a bug/rock deflector on the hood. It's probably not helping aerodynamics, right? Should I take it off?

2. The Aerostar's grill is dead flat. The bumper protudes slightly underneath it. The hood and windshield are practically an integrated slope. Would it be beneficial to angle the grill blocking material slightly from the front of the bumper to the front edge of the hood?

https://www3.telus.net/metro/aeroMod1.jpg

Bug deflector would mess up the airflow as air goes over it, I think. That's the point, isn't it?

I thought it was just to keep everything from mashing into the edge of your hood...:p Rocks and bugs hit the "deflector" instead of the hood. I don't know, maybe it really does "deflect" them (into the windshield :D ).

I thought that it pushed them up so they didn't hit the windsheild, *shrug*

I have no clue, maybe you're right. I always thought they were more for looks and to keep your front end from getting dinged up, but maybe there is actually some scientific thought that goes into them? Beats me. It came with the van, but if it's messing up the aerodyns in the front then I think I'll remove it.

I wonder what my wife will think of the mods? :D I worked out the savings. A 5 mpg increase will equal $13 over 600 km with gas prices at $1.05/L, but they will probably be $1.10/L or higher in the summer so the savings will be more. So, if I can keep the costs cheap then they will pay for themselves with one long trip.

I may go ahead and try the belly pan while I'm at it.