Help Design my Spring Project MPG Car - Cash Prizes
SEE PAGE 2 OF THIS THREAD FOR NEW CONTEST AND RULES...WIN $100.00 IN FREE GAS!!!
Well Winter Weather is upon us here in PA. Today, was the first snow?no accumulation of course, but came down pretty good at times. This quality ?indoor time? spent in front of the computer and pellet stove brings ideas of the next spring project. Although currently unnamed, it will be a modified 1997 Ford Escort Wagon. It will have the standard 2.0 SPI Gasoline engine and the 5spd Trans (I have even toyed with the notion of an automatic since the highway gearing is a hair better). My goal will be a highway commuter car that can achieve 50mpg. I know I could just purchase a VX, but I have always liked the Escort Wagons. I have owned many escorts prior to my Metro Years and think back upon them fondly (especially the wagons). The first step of my new project was taken and the ?salvage car? with only 18k miles was purchased from ebay and will be delivered tomorrow to my parent?s driveway (no extra space in mine :o ). This will be the donor engine and various other low mileage parts (wheel bearings, axles, suspension etc). Next will be to locate a 5spd wagon with a good body. Since I have the engine and will have the transaxle rebuilt (to install different final drive) high mileage will be fine. Due to the parts car being a 1997, I will strive to find a 1997 car to simplify the swap. There were some differences in the block 98 and up with the PCV system and knock sensor. I will utilize the winter months to accumulate info and parts to get ready for the spring?. I want to check into replacing the power steering with a manual rack. The 5spd Transmission (IB5) has been around for a while. I have looked up gear and axle ratios for different years and cars. I will be calling on a trans shop to swap out the 3.85 final drive gears in the standard trans for the focus 3.61 gearing. I also want to see if the 2.88 axle in the SVT 6spd is interchangeable (haven?t found info on this trans yet if it is even compatible). I have a few items to implement on the car. Right off the bat, the engine will get a new timing belt (just in case), higher output coil and an under drive pulley. Haven?t decided about the A/C yet, but it will probably go. Other items will include aero mods. I don?t quite know what to do besides a belly pan. Aerodynamics are not my forte. Any suggestions? I will use this thread to update my progress and hopefully receive some suggestions on how other GasSavers.org Members would proceed. Feel free to offer your suggestions on anything pertaining to the car (engine/trans/weight reduction/etc). Even the paint job, if someone is good with Photoshop, (as long as it is ok with Matt) I will be more than willing to have GasSavers.org logo and racing stripes on the sides of the car. Look for design competition info soon with cash prizes.:D Anyway, just thinking out loud?have to go check on the pellet stove? |
The 6 speed is a getrag gearbox. I read a few months back about a man who had a gear machined for his escort. I may be incorrect but he had a reverse gear machined to work as an overdrive. I also read a few minutes ago that an overdrive gear out of an 88-92 mx6 will work I think its an 0.70 gear.
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You should be careful about reducing the overall ratio too much....there is usually a "sweet spot" as far as load vs rpm that gives the best mileage?
https://www.escortfocus.com/html/mileage_build-up.html "The mileage test run was about 200 miles using premium fuel with about 90% highway and 10% stop and go driving coming back through a few small towns on a 2 lane road. The results was nearly 49 mpg at 60 mph (with the cruise set) on the highway with 2 people in the car. We run our mileage tests using premium fuel with the tank topped off until fuel is visible in the neck and all the air has been shook out. Then at the end of the test, we refuel at the same pump, same spot, and refill it again. We also try to do tests in 45-55 degree temperatures to prevent the gas from expanding in the tank and giving a false reading. The A/C was off and the windows were up." * this test was run on winter gas in colder temps. The Escort wagon is the car I'll eventually try to build up as an mpg sled. * lower it? * airtabs * LRR tires? * air dam or ??? "5 easy mods that almost always work: -Lowering the ride at least 20 counts of drag per inch -Grille block (yes, in a performance mag!) 15-30 counts of drag and 50-100 counts of lift -Front air dam (big one - from the front bumper down to the ground) 20 counts less drag, 50 less lift. more effect the taller the car is -Seal the back of the cowl (stop airflow going under the hood at the rear) 10-20 counts of drag, 50-75 counts of lift -Remove the outside mirrors 10-20 counts less drag. *Except in '94-up Chevy Caprices where the Cd actually increases without the mirrors One "count" of drag is .001 Cd, but they add up quickly" |
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https://raleigh.craigslist.org/car/452157889.html is actually 1200 now because he sent the head out, but the coupe has no rust whatsoever. Quote:
Thanks, I didn't even think about the Mazda relations.:rolleyes: Quote:
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As far as the 'sweet spot', I'm sure you are right, but I want to be able to cruise 70-80mph and still get the MPG. Also, I want to minimize the rolling resistance, so I may even go with smaller brakes/rotors/wheels than the factory (for the year). Doubt I will over due it, but I will keep that in the back of my mind. LRR tires with lightweight rims are definately on my mind. The stock tires are 185/65r14 and when mounted on the stock 14x5.5 alloy rim for the wagon/sdn they weigh approx 33lbs each (just weighed the one on my recently aquired/recieved/delivered :D parts car). They also have almost a 6 inch tread cross patch area. The 13x5 VX wheels that I have with Kumho 795 155/80r13 tires weigh in at 22.8lbs each and exhibit approx only a 4.5 inch tread contact patch width. I need to decide what to do with the wheels/tire combo. I could go with the HX rims that weigh in at 24.4 pounds total with Potenza RE 92 (165/65/14) LRR Insight Tires (info from SVOboy link:https://www.gassavers.org/showthread....t=lrr+hx+tires) although I have no idea what the width of the contact patch is, only that the that combo would work and avail itself to a LRR tire/size. ------- Then I start thinking, why not go with the suspension from an older escort and put it on a 97, it may fit the VX rim. Plus it would have lower rotating weight also....Then I start thinking about just getting an older wagon to begin with and installing the newer 2.0SPI engine in that...Then I start thinking about....well I guess I will stop that rant right there. Every car I have lowered, I have regretted lowering due to the ride. Do you think it would help just putting a mild lowering spring in the front only? The front of these cars usually sits higher than the rear...this should basically even the car out. As far as the very large front air dam...wouldn't this increase the frontal area therefore increasing wind resistance? Excuse my ignorance of aerodymanics, but just my gut response. Question about sealing the cowl. Do you mean just the back seam of the hood, or the cowl/venting for the intake of air for the heating/air cond.? The back of the hood meets with a rubber seal when it is shut on these cars. Thanks everyone for the comments/tips...Keep 'em coming! :thumbup: Look for design competition info soon with cash prizes. :D |
Aerodynamic Modifications and Paint Scheme Design Contests
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SEE PAGE 2 OF THIS THREAD FOR NEW CONTEST AND RULES...WIN $100.00 IN FREE GAS!!! CONTEST IN THIS POST IS SUPERCEEDED BY CONTEST ON PAGE 2 (11-26-07) Welcome to my Aerodynamic Modifications and Paint Scheme Design Contests...TWO CASH PRIZES OF $25.00 each to be awarded! This will be the first (and second) contest for design of my Spring Project Car. Your thoughts and ideas are very much appreciated. Additional contest to follow after winners are declared for these. Here's how it works: [IMG]https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071120/qtcptycq.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071120/uiovcnpc.jpg[/IMG] Take these pics and/or any other pics or drawings of a 97up Ford Escort Wagon and modify them for: #1. Best Aerodynamic Benefits and Exterior Modification. #2. Best GasSavers.org Paint Scheme A Cash Prize of $25.00 will be given for the best aerodynamic modifications (with real world applications/benefits) AND a Cash Prize of $25.00 will be given for the best paint scheme. A few rules (let me make these up as I go...and possibly edit them :o ): 1. Designer must be a member of GasSavers.org. 2. Designer may utilize any and all supplied photos or any other photos or drawings of a 1997-up Ford Escort Station Wagon. 3. Designer may utilize any method of altering photo or drawing. 4. Submission must include 'GasSavers.org' painted at least one time in design. 5. Designer must post submission to this thread no later than 11:59pm on 11/30/07. 6. It has not been decided how submissions will be judged yet. Either by general member vote/poll or by the members of Team Opec Busters and Matt Timion...but winner will be declared no later than 12/07/07. (Feel free to post your thoughts on who should judge the contest). 7. $Prize will be made to winner in form of Pay-Pal, Cash or Check payment and sent no later than 12/10/07. 8. Also an additional $25.00 donation will also be sent no later than 12/10/07 to GasSavers.org for permission to utilize any and all designs including paint job from this contest on my own personal vehicle. (As long as that is ok with you Matt-please PM me with your thoughts on this). 9. At least three submissions (to each contest) must be made in order for this contest to be valid. If three submissions are not made to either the aerodynamic or paint contests (in otherwords, if the contest is a dud) any and all prize monies for that contest will be kept in 'escrow' until new contest is implemented and completed. 10. Same designer may win both prizes (aerodynamic and paint) for same submission. 10?. Any and all rules are subject to change without notice and are at the sole descretion of XFi (there, does that cover me for any lawsuits?). :p This is meant to be a fun contest with beneficial ideas. Feel Free get drastic and to think out of the box, but real world modifications for an everyday driver (on a budget) are appreciated. I know there are some members that are good utilizing PhotoShop or other similar programs, well here is your chance for $25 or even $50 for just having some fun. Go To! :) Also, feel free to draw(and scan) or utilize any drawings for this contest. If you can think of anything that would make this competition better, please post your suggestions. Thanks... |
Turn it into a baja clone with a bigger bed. Ditch the rack, then cut the rear after the back seats and weld the back up completely, maybe put a pickup truck sliding window in back for sight, then add something like a pick up truck bed to the back with a taut cover of some sort. Twice the cargo capacity, and w/ LRR tires/taller gearing, 50mpg@55mph should be easy peasy imo.
https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...1d04e2109b.jpg |
Could. But they're 'spensive and since the bed is short, nearly as much body work would be required imo. Ya know, in poking around, and from a SAE paper or two, smaller cars are much harder to make aerodynamic (in terms of Cd) than larger ones. Larger/longer cars have more room to curve and keep flow attached, while doing this in smaller ones impinges on usable room at a given LxWxH. IMO the best donor would be an older rear-ended Subaru wagon. Very reliable, 4wd, and no need to cut up an intact car.
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yes- the "fineness ratio" that John Wes.... I mean, toecutter liked to go on about
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eggasctly. or the derivative of the cars' shape can't exceed a certain ratio.
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r ya being sarcastic? and if so, r ya ever not?
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* grill block * airtabs in the right places...around the back and in front of the front wheel openings * full moon hub caps..don't waste $ on light wheels * LRR tires * cover rear wheel opening * loose the rack * remove pass mirror and replace with wide view interior mirror * airtabs on a streamlined shield under the front of the car * lower the car the easy way: https://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...up?Ntt=springs lowers maybe 1/2" to 3/4"... inexpensive...reversable Do it right...then I'll copy what you do. ;-) |
XFi, where did you get the ratios for the IB5? I've got a '97 Escort and I'm trying to find some different ratios. Right now I'm thinking I need an early '90's Pony box. Swap 2nd, 3rd, 4th & final into mine. Got a link?
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Been surfin for a while, but can basically only find these ratios...
https://www.escortfocus.com/html/specifications.html The IB5 was in the 2.0 SPI manual vehicles (others listed). If you look at the bottom - the 86 Escort 4spd has a final drive of 3.39. That would be nice if it is compatable. I know they had some concerns with the diff bearings wearing prematurely, but it may fit. :confused: (MTX-II? or IB4?) I'm still trying to find info on the Pony Transaxle to see if it's gears are a direct swap in or not. I have run across some other sites here and there with IB4 of IB5 ratios such as... https://www.fordexp.com/sections/history.asp?yrmk=82e, but they are few and far between. Let me know if you come across any comprehensive listing, as I am still looking (stumbling around). :o Thanks |
landon...you know the gear and final drive ratios of the 'pony'? Have your seen it from any reputable source?
I just ran across an old post at focaljet.com... https://forums.focaljet.com/team-pit-...cort-pony.html ...that stated: 'I had an '86 model, and the gearing was very tall--IIRC, the final drive was 2.85'. Wow, if that is the case, that final drive - even with our .79 5th gear - would have a ratio slightly taller than a VX/CX trans. Then get one of the .70 5th gears from a SPI Focus (also saw .756 quoted for focus 5th gear) and It would start getting insane! :eek: I LIKE IT!!! :D Going to scope out feoa.net for info. |
I'm not sure how fast you "need" to go or how flat the terrain is or how much you need to start/stop but unless it's a steady speed flattish commute, I'd be tempted to give weight reduction some serious attention.
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I wonder what the weight savings of the rear and rear side glass would be. Do you know if anyone on the site replaced glass with plexiglass? Hmmmm... Been thinking about saving weight and rotating mass by replacing brakes/calipers with a retro year escort set up that is smaller. Off the subject (sort of)...I was thinking of adding more weight with a Solar Panel installed on the roof to off set the 50% reduction underdrive pulley I am thinking of. They are kind of heavy, but I think the benefit of the pulley would off set this. |
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3.42 1.70 1.15 0.87 0.73 3.41 This program also says my fifth gear ratio is 0.72 so I'm not going to stake my life on any of this. |
Plexiglass will save plenty of weight...rear and side windows...leave windshield and front passenger doors glass.
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I did run across some info to verify the 2.85 final drive ratio in the 1st Generation Escort Pony IB4 Trans.... https://www.car-part.com/ If you puch in 86 Escort Transmission...it brings up two choices for the four speed transaxle...3.52 or 2.85 ratios. I am going to try to find out if the IB4 Final Drive will fit in the IB5 (and that the axles are the same, etc). I may end up purchasing one and taking it to the transmission shop. Good to know that atleast we can step down to the 3.41 with the 2nd Gen Pony. Thanks Quote:
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i looked into replacing the tempo glass with plastic as a weight saving measure.
weighed a rear door glass: 6 lbs. other side glass on 4 dr all about the same size, so all side glass about 26-28 lb. (it has those lil side windows behind the rear doors too) can't scrape it so didn't want plastic on windshield or back window. figured out how much the plastic would have weighed but don't have that value at my disposal right now. anyway you can see on my car the savings would have been modest... <20 lb. if it's worth it depends on how radical you wanna get. and of course the escort wagon has more glass on the wagon sides but other than that should be similar. |
If you are wanting radical changes, chop the top and/or narrow the car by as much as you can with the drivetrain still able to fit in the car :)
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Well it looks like my Spring Project Car is quickly turning into a Winter Project Car :o
I already stated that I purchased a 'Donor' car for the 18k mile engine and misc. other low mileage parts....but it looks like I may have found a base 5spd wagon (with no roof rack to boot!). It is located a good 6 hours from me, but is an one owner in decent shape - at a decent price. The car has the green exterior and interior. The seller is sending me some more (better) pics this morning. :) If I like what I see, it could be in my driveway by the end of this weekend. [IMG]https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071122/xlzwfvf9.jpg[/IMG] https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071122/g8ps7b5b.jpg |
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Sweet! Thanks for the submissions omgwtfbyobbq & charlesB! Keep 'em coming!
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Roadtrip to Boston to pick up the Wagon! Will be heading out momentarily. I am going with my wife and we decided to stay, just South of Boston, overnite and take in some sights:) and shopping:( (oh well, have to give a little to get a little ;) ). I think we are going to try to eat at 'Cheers' tonight since we will only be 45min to 1hr from there. She will drive 'Now' back and I will drive the UnNamed Wagon. Wish me luck!
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Shopping, Mystic Pizza, Cheers and a New Home for the UnNamed Wagon
Whew! Back Home...Just returned from picking up the UnNamed Wagon from the Boston, MA area. Stopped at some shopping outlets and village along the way, ate Pizza in Mystic, CT and had dinner at Cheers. Not a bad trip at all, fit a lot in. Traffic was horrible on the way back (especially around NY City area), but what do you expect driving on one of the biggest traveling days of the year.
The Wagon is not perfect, but a good base to start on. Made it back home with no drama. I'll post some pics soon. |
FUN! :thumbup:
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Win $100.00 in FREE Gas! Help Design my Spring Project Car?
Win $100.00 in FREE Gas! Help Design my Spring Project Car?
Since response was sluggish on the Aero and Paint Contests (only two submissions so far) I though I would revamp the contest. There will be ONE winner that will receive a $100.00 gift card to the Gas Station of their choice (as long as there is one local to me-otherwise a $100.00 may be substituted via Pay-Pal at my discretion) for the best overall submission. The submission will be judged on numerous factors including how comprehensive/complete the submission is thought out (engine, trans, rolling resistance, aero, paint etc.). Pictures/Drawings are not necessary, but recommended. The longer and more complete the list of modifications the better. Submission must be based on a 1997 Ford Escort Wagon 4cyl Gasoline Engine with a 5spd Manual Transaxle. You must be a member of GasSavers.org to submit. If you are not a member, take a minute to join?it?s easy and free, then you can post in the forums/threads (including this one). Submissions must be posted in this thread. The contest will run until the end of the year (12/31/07). This will give time for more members/viewers to submit their design information. By submitting a design, you agree that all ideas submitted are public knowledge/info and can be used my any and all members/viewers of GasSavers.org. This contest supersedes any and all previous contests (including the Aero and Paint contest posted on 11-19-07). I reserve the right (again) to change any and all rules pertaining to the contest without notice. Previous submissions from the 11/19/07 Aero and Paint contests will carry over and count towards this contest (although you may want to add on to them for MPG modifications/improvements. There will be no minimum number of submissions. Someone will receive the $100.00 in FREE GAS even if there are only a few submissions. Thanks again for your interest and help designing my Spring Project! |
Pics from trip
Here are some pics of the car and the trip to Boston to pick it up. Also a (bad) picture of my wife and myself in front of Cheers.
https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071128/1ehpv4yr.jpg+ Cheers - Boston, MA https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071128/5gboizab.jpg https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071128/rsze497f.jpg https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071128/pii78so7.jpg Mystic, CT https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071128/lblm3cpg.jpg https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071128/83i3ljti.jpg https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071128/fpj37xb3.jpg Future MPG Sled |
Well, just started getting the 'salvage' escort ready to remove the engine. Tonight after work I pulled it into the garage, removed the wheels and broke the axle nuts loose. Tommorow I will disconnect and unbolt everything, then I plan to actually remove it on Sat. Onward!
Here is a pic (prev owner took) of the salvage/donor escort with only 18k miles on it... [IMG]https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071130/r0c0ih5i.jpg[/IMG] |
I cannot improve on CharlesB's design but I say get the diesel.
The diesel gives you a lot of advantages. 1. The engine is 25-50% more thermodynamically efficient than the gas engine. It does not lose efficiency when run at lower RPM. 2. Diesels generally have better low-end torque and can easily push numerically lower gears, minimizing engine frictional HP. With a diesel you can re-gear aggresively without worrying about lugging the engine. 3. The diesel gives you a lot of fuel flexibility. If you are a chemistry wonk, you can make your own biodiesel from french fry oil. Old lube oil or transmission fluid (filter them good) will supplement your diesel. You can make the car run of straight waste vegetable oil. 4. If your diesel is turbocharged (most are) it will flatten out the resonant (peaky) nature o a normally aspirated engine. For your aero mods I offer one nugget: Make your air dam out of conveyor belt material. It is relativley stiff but will not be destroyed by that dead possum you hit. Because the matrial is indestructible, you can very aggressively approach the ground. In fact, I'd recommend making it with about a one inch clearance and let the road remove the excess. |
Conveyor belt material! Wow, great idea (an idea where I can score some?). I never though of that one. I wonder if it would also have benefit running it down the side of the car for cross wind reduction underneath the car? Thanks
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You can get conveyor belt at industrial rubber supply houses. Beware: It ain?t cheap.
What I got was 5/8? thick by 24? wide black conveyor belt with steel wire reinforcement. Forty feet of it set me back $135. You get what you pay for. It is nearly indestructible. You have to cut it with a special shear but I used a Sawzall with a hack saw blade. The rubber house has hole punches but they also have 15 ton Dake presses. A hole punch powered by a vigorous whack with an eight pound hammer makes no impression. I attached it to the bumper by drilling nine holes and using 3/8? nutsets and 3/8? bolts. The belting is surprisingly supple but if you make a couple of built-in bends it can be quite stiff. Be sure to use fender washers to spread the load. Regular washers will cut the belting. For next year?s ?Son of Air Dam? I will use 12 ga stainless strip 2 inches wide. I would think this stuff would make a fine side curtain down the sides of a car. I intend to make one for my truck next spring. Knowing what I know now, I will use washers to put a slight bow in it to stiffen it up so it doesn?t vibrate like a clarinet reed. |
Thanks for the tips, I will look for it in my area.
Update: Finished removing engine from donor car. Always goes faster when you can just take a sawzall to the front end ;) . I don't know when I will install it in the wagon, but probably with the transaxle (in the spring) after I get the transaxle rebuilt with the new gears. Here's some pics from my phone. https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071201/16xniq6n.jpg https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071201/zhojqvhu.jpg https://www.mypicshare.com/thumbs/20071201/taqlazjl.jpg |
BUMP
$100 in free gas anyone? Design/Modification list needs to be submitted to this thread by the end of this month. |
A High Mileage Modification Outline
Prepared for Xfi’s Escort Wagon Project Generally going from the ground up; not listed in order of expected F.E. gains: Tires *Tread design- More “ribby” than “blocky” tends to have less rolling resistance. Also, shallower tread depths have lower r.r., as do thinner sidewalls and fewer belts in the tread. Worn-out tires have less r.r. than new tires. This is all due to reduced hysteresis- basically, the energy lost to heat from flexing rubber. Tires with a central tread rib generally wear longer at the expense of a bit of traction. *Pressure- Tires are not supposed to burst even when inflated to 200 psi, so running 50, 60, even 70+ psi is not a danger in that respect for tires in good condition. However, it is possible to blow out older, weather-checked, or otherwise damaged tires with pressures exceeding sidewall maximum- ask me how I know. :rolleyes: Some claim no uneven wear issues with running pressures that high. Personally, I don’t like exceeding 50 psi because the ride quality deterioration made whatever r.r. gains there were not worth it. *Materials- Rubber with a high silicon content is said to have reduced r.r. Michelin and Hankook are said to be leaders in this area. *Loading- I came across a Michelin tire site that implied “square” contact patches (where width and length are about equal) offered the least r.r. Various bicycle sites have also made mention of how tires can be too skinny for minimized r.r. Since contact patch is largely a function of weight on each tire divided by tire psi, one can calculate the tire width needed at various tire pressures in order to end up with “square” patches. I think it is safe to say that going narrower than “square” will result in increased r.r., while going wider, within reason, may not. My research has not yet turned up conclusive answers. Wheels *Diameter- supposedly larger diameter wheels and lower profile tires can reduce r.r.- makes sense; they might have less hysteresis. One problem with that strategy is the unavailability of wheels and tires like this that are narrow enough to provide a r.r. benefit. *Width- within recommended range for the desired tires. I wonder if wheels on the wide end of the range would help tires wear more evenly across the tread when running over max pressure? *Aluminum vs. Steel- aluminum rims are almost always lighter and this is said to be good for handling and FE. That said, I don’t know if the difference is detectable to the average driver. And fitting some nice moon discs is easier with steelies although they‘re known to have attachment issues. Wheel Bearings *Tapered Roller vs. Ball- ball bearings roll easier for sure, but I haven’t recently researched empirical values for how they compare to tapered roller bearings. I know bicycles use ball bearings in the wheels for that reason, and I know Geo-Chevy Metros use ball bearings in the rear hubs too… for that reason? My classic cars have ball wheel bearings and drum brakes and those wheels spin freely like modern car wheels can’t. I’d like to convert the Tempo rear hubs to ball bearings but haven’t researched parts availability. *Wheelbearing Lubricants- For three years I’ve been running gear oil in one of my rear hubs for bearing lube, with no problems. When I raise the rear of the car and give both wheels a spin, the wheel with the oiled bearings seems to spin easier and keep spinning longer. Haven’t quantified the difference though. I have seen tractor-trailer rigs running oiled hubs on the trailers too. The grease cap needs to be modified with an oil fill if you are to try this mod. Otherwise, the new synthetic greases are said to perform better at lower temperatures than traditional greases. I am trying some Chevron synthetic but don’t have much field experience with it yet. Brakes *Drum- No drag when adjusted properly. I want to fit drums to the front of my car for that reason, but haven’t due to all the fabrication work needed. The wheels would stay much cleaner too. *Disc- They always drag a bit. Is it feasible to add retractor springs to disc brakes without unduly compromising function? I’ve been thinking of ways to do this; that could be easier to accomplish than converting to drums. Chassis *Ride Height- Several sources have mentioned 3” as an aerodynamically optimal ride height… but don’t ask me why that is. I have two basically identical Tempos, one lowered and one not. They take turns getting better FE, so other variables are greater than this. Still, it makes sense that a lower car can have better aero due to reduced frontal area and less air going past the rough undercarriage. Only you can decide how much compromise on ground clearance and ride quality you are willing to give up. Also, getting stuck in deep snow because your car is too low does NOT help FE. *Springs, Shocks, and Sway bars- If you want to conserve momentum and take corners fast, lowering the car and/or stiffening the suspension can help. I’ve never bought expensive lowering springs and/or shocks; I’ve cut mine and am pleased. I bet your Escort has a bigger factory front sway bar available- just go to the scrap yard and measure one from an automatic trans equipped car (Tempo a/t cars have bigger bars than m/t models due to all that extra weight on the front end). *Alignment- In my opinion it is best to stay within factory specifications, although I get as close to 0 toe and 0 camber as allowed. Transmission *Re-gearing- Getting deeper ratios could offer the best potential FE improvement of any of this- 5% or even more. However you can overdo it if your terrain and/or loading is such that you can’t pull top gear often enough. Be ready for an increased workload from downshifting if you go radical and aren’t a flatlander like me. Look here for CO ZX2’s Escort tranny re-gear: https://www.gassavers.org/showthread....t=transmission *Lubricants- Ford already uses ATF in the m/ts so… Engine *Lubricants- Lighter weight oils help FE a very small amount; fuel economy.gov says “For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent.” Synthetics may help a bit too under extreme temperature conditions. Don’t expect any miracles though. Follow the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule too- the popular 3,000 mile oil change regimen is obsolete. Consistently running it ? to 1 quart “low” can potentially reduce windage losses safely. *Air Filter- all the testing I’ve seen that I consider to be unbiased shows a plain old factory-style paper element to be the best at delivering clean air at minimal restriction. I have never fooled with oiled “K&N“ style filters and due to the economics, maintenance requirements, oil contamination of EFI components, and dubious cleaning abilities I probably never will. *Cold or Hot Air Intakes- “Results” posted on GS and other places are all over the map. Maybe what works on one car does not work on another. Then there is the poor quality of most of the “testing” that was used to report the “results”. I can not in good faith suggest solid improvements here. *Exhaust System including Headers- I believe the exhaust system can be tuned for FE with long primary headers, fewer bends, better mandrel bends, and smaller tube diameter. Problem is, aftermarket exhausts are tuned for higher rpms operations, not lower. Unless you can build your own, I wouldn’t obsess over it. *Hotter Thermostat- Some say it works; personally I don’t know. *Underdrive pulleys- Slowing down all or some of the engine-driven accessories can reduce parasitic power losses somewhat. Biggest benefits are at high rpms, where we shouldn’t be anyway. According to escortfocus.com a 45% under drive pulley leads to a 15% FE increase. But then, they sell pulleys… *Pre-Heating- Engine heaters are proven FE boosters as well as emissions reducers. Block heaters are the best, followed by “tank heaters”. Auto manufacturers recommend using them at 10 deg. F or less. We know they can be used at any temp to increase FE. If your schedule is consistent put them on a timer so they are on for 1 to 1 1/2 hours before you go. *Heat Retainers- Feeling inventive? Prius has sort of a Thermos bottle system for retaining some waste heat for later release on cold engine start-up. Even better than electric heaters… if too much time doesn’t elapse between starts. Nothing commercially available especially in N. America that I’m aware of. *Ignition Timing- Anything with a knock sensor will already have optimal timing. *Spark Plug Indexing- Very small potential for improvement but if you like tinkering it can’t hurt. Heat Retention *Grille Blocks- Are they more aero or heat management? My guess is they are both, depending on. They are aero at highway cruise speeds, and heat management especially on start-up, low speed operations, and they help slow heat loss when parked. *Engine Blankets- I like to insulate the top of the engine bay to help heat retention when parked after a bit after running, and also it might help warm up the engine compartment when it’s plugged in? (Not tested) Cylinder Head Modifications *Compression Ratio- Higher C.R. = better thermal efficiency. However, with our desire for tall gears and low rpm operations, all the lugging and near-lugging we do coupled with the higher temps from our grille blocks and whatnot increases the engines’ propensity to detonate… so we can’t go overboard on this or the engine management computer will do naughty things like pull timing advance. However, ethanol mandates are becoming more widespread in the U.S. so higher octane fuels are now readily and "cheaply" available. I’d increase C.R. if committing to ethanol blends. *Somender Singh Grooves- I like the story; I like the theory; but do they really work? It sounds like, in order to work best the combustion chambers need big ol’ quench zones, like old small block Chevys had. I don’t think your Escort chambers have much, if any, quench. *Camshafts- I’m sure any of the big cam companies (Crane or Comp Cams come to mind) could come up with a custom grind that would help to move the power band lower. This would be especially useful if you regear the transmission. They may also be able to come up with estimates of efficiency gains. They have access to powerful simulation formulas and years and years of dyno experience. I don’t. *Camshaft timing- One source says “Advancing the cam leads to slightly improved low rpm torque, slightly reduced peak power, imperceptible change in emissions, idle & fuel consumption”. Well if you’re geared way up and you can improve low rpm torque, allowing you to better short-shift and use the taller gears, it might increase FE… right? *Coatings for Internal Engine Components- There are many (Swain comes to mind); some for piston skirts that retain oil and are “slipperier”, some for piston tops that claim to reduce hot spots and overall temps for increased detonation resistance, still others for cranks, rods, and blocks to promote oil being flung off, reducing “windage losses”. Do you want to tear the engine down for that? *Engine Cleanliness- Seafoam users claim good things from top-end cleanings. Of course, it won’t improve anything if the engine is already clean! On that note, if your injectors are old they may benefit from an out-of-the-car cleaning or replacement. *Throttle Locks & Cruise Controls- Not going to P&G all over the place? I don’t blame you. The next best thing is a very steady throttle. G.S.rs have done throttle locks and hacked cruise controls to maintain constant throttle settings. I don’t know the FE results of these mods though- have they ever been reported? Electrical Load Reduction *LEDs- reduced wattage draw on the electrical system. Won’t pay back for a long, long time though… if ever. *Alternator Delete- Definitely improves FE (up to 10%!) but do you want to do all that battery-handling work? Also you are basically transferring power supply from the gas in the tank to the national grid. It is more fuel efficient though. *Alternator Disable- Cutting out the field so that the alternator doesn’t charge under acceleration and maybe even cruise can improve FE a claimed 1-10%. It could be done manually via dashboard switch, or perhaps a vacuum switch of some sort could disable it under high loads. The real deal would be for the engine management computer to have an algorythm to take care of it- beyond my skillz at this point and I know of nothing commercially available. *A/C delete- Definitely can improve FE… by how much depends on how much, and how you use the A/C. I've seen figures for up to 20% FE improvement, but I don't know how accurate that may be. *Interior Cooling Strategies- Reflective window shades, white exterior and interior colors, crack a window open slightly when parked, find a shady spot, etc. *Power Steering Delete- Big guys driving little light cars shouldn’t need power steering. It doesn’t consume much power, but it’s a parasitic loss nonetheless. There are manual steering racks that swap right in our cars. Failing that, I have considered running the lines from the rack into a reservoir and removing the pump- perhaps almost as good "feel" as a real manual rack? Radical Engine Mods *Engine Swaps- You know you can do a diesel swap! Or any other engine that presumably has some combination of less power/more efficiency than what it came with… Howaboutta D15Z1??? LOL *Deactivating Cylinders- Forget about merely cutting the injectors and/or disabling the valves- those ain’t gonna cut it. I do believe removing two pistons and rods would work though. I haven’t done it thus far because of the time-honored principle I try to adhere to: “If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It“. I do know that cutting air-cooled VW 4-cylinder boxers down to 2 cylinders has been done many times successfully. Fuel *Acetone- Some swear by it, others swear at it. IMHO it doesn’t pass the smell test, although if you are starting with a dirty fuel system and if this stuff has some cleaning action I suppose it can help on occasion. *E85- Some swear by it, others swear at it (d?j? vu?). I like it even though it does sometimes show a reduction in FE… but in my experience, rarely as big a drop as many others claim. It has good cleaning properties too, and since I haven’t experienced major FE drops and the price differential between it and regular is big, I come out ahead using it. Don’t use it full-strength when it’s below freezing out; you will experience cold-start and driveability problems. Were a guy to dedicate himself to running E85, raising the compression ratio far above what regular gasoline will tolerate gets back much if not all the efficiency losses caused by ethanol’s lower BTU content. Body *Weight Reduction- 1-2% FE increase per 100 lb reduction. Ask yourself if gutting the car of seats and interior is worth more than a 2 mpg FE gain is. Aerodynamics *Air Dams- Vehicles with really rough undercarriages like pickups benefit more from deep air dams. Vehicles like Escorts that aren’t so rough underneath, or have bellypans, should not need air dams that extend closer to the road than the lowest point on the undercarriage, and some designs may not benefit from an air dam at all. *Rake- A few degrees nose-down reduces aero drag. *Mirror Removal- Potentially reduces drag but on some designs mirror removal actually increases drag. Those of us without access to wind tunnels can do yarn testing on mirror mods, or removal. If mirror removal looks to be beneficial, some G.S.ers say mounting convex mirrors on inside on the A-pillars works well. *Antenna Removal- Antennas can be relocated to somewhere in the interior, usually under the dash, with mixed results. Reception never gets better than stock; it is a question of how much it deteriorates. I rarely listen to the radio in the car anyway so antenna removal didn’t inconvenience me, the car looks a little better to my eye, and one source of wind noise is removed. As far as FE goes, my testing isn’t fine enough to detect whatever improvement there may have been. *Wiper Removal- The base of the windshield doesn’t have the fast-moving air everyone thinks it does. I’ve removed wipers and it results in more inconvenience than anything. I've removed the passenger wiper and it results in the passenger feeling like a second-class citizen. Now, they are both back on. *Roof Rack Removal- Luckily you don’t have one. Don’t add a permanent one. *Wheel Skirts- Intuitively they should reduce aero drag but out in the real world the FE benefits have been tough to assess. And, many low-drag designs do not rely on skirts. I had some, then took them off, and the gas logs aren’t showing a conclusive difference. Put some on if you want, but know that checking tire pressure gets a lot more difficult. Tire pressure has a far greater influence on FE than skirts. *Belly Pans- Properly executed pans definitely reduce aero drag- up to 10%, which equates to roughly a 2% FE increase. So if your Escort gets 37.00 mpg highway it could possibly go to 37.74. :eek: As with all things aero it involves compromise. The faster your average speed, the more potential FE benefit. *Spoilers and Wings- Usually wings are for looks and/or down force and actually increase aero drag. Properly designed spoilers can reduce drag. How can we tell what reduces drag and what doesn’t? If there are any published wind tunnel test results, great. If not, I assume a factory spoiler affixed to a trailing edge reduces drag while all others probably increase it. *Radical Aeromods- there are many ways to chop, section, and reconfigure vehicle bodies to improve aerodynamics. The most likely to succeed would be mods that reduce frontal area. Of course, one has to evaluate their utilitarian needs from the vehicle first so as not to overly compromise or ruin it’s usefulness. And, it’s a major undertaking, requiring either above average fabrication skills or a large investment. I’d say if one is considering this approach, that they have other reasons than FE for doing it as the return on investment may not be there. Another category is boattails and other larger devices that attach to the bodywork. What G.S.ers think is cool might scream "dorkmobile" to potential buyers if not really well executed. You do want to re-sell it at some point right? Annnnddd… Paint. I dunno, it looks good to me and it's GREEN, so I’d leave it. |
Great list of tips/mods! A lot of thought into it...nice job not only listing the mod, but why/what benefits it may have. Thanks! :)
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Ratio...about 2.5 - 3.0 oz per 45 litres (made my own excel chart based on the best part of the curve) < 11.9 gallons ............2.1 to 2.5 oz acetone per 10 gallons Full tank w/o acetone approximates 180 miles (US car in Canada) Full tank with acetone approximates 250 miles. Tried the test with and without, three times,....same approximate results. Still sceptical!!! Tried a regularity run down the 401 (Ontario), without,... filled up and added the acetone, came back the same miles at same average rate (110 kph) ...mileage verified about an 80 mile gain per tank full. Took it in for the emissions test (August 26) passed hands down. I did NOT change oil, oil filter, spark plugs or put in any additives. |
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