New Members: Welcome Thread

[shonus]

I'm trying out the max psi right now and I also did it on my mother's accord to try and help her get better mileage.
Another question perhaps I have not seen enough cars on here yet but why is it that most people are willing to block off their grill, or make a belly pan, some huge air dam out of plastic for a garage door, or wheel skirts but they don't simply lower their cars?

[theholycow]

Lowering is no substitute for grill blocking, wheel skirts, and belly pans.

It could be a substitute for air dams (and DIY bodykits) but it's usually expensive. Folks motivated by money or merely lacking investment capital (I fit both of those categories) are limited to modifications that can pay for themselves in a reasonable length of time.

Additionally, lowering has a number of practical disadvantages.

• Ground clearance affects driveability; if you have to brake to a crawl and then re-accelerate for a bump then that's a waste of fuel. Sure, you lose some ground clearance with a DIY air dam, but if you break it then it's cheap to replace.
• There's also the aesthetic issue; a DIY air dam is ugly but lowering makes you look (to a traffic cop) like someone more worth pulling over and ticketing.
• Depending on how it's done, lowering can reduce your load capacity, and lots of folks here use their cars for hauling stuff.
• Also depending on how it's done, lowering can affect ride quality negatively.

Lowering a great option for lots of people, but not so great for others.

One major advantage lowering has versus air dams/bodykits is less frontal area.

[shonus]

Ahhhh I see your point.
My chin spoiler is only about 5" from the ground while the rest of my car is 7" and I really have to be careful around here. It seems like everywhere I go they designed these huge dips where I am going to bottom out. I had recently extended my factory air dam so it was 3" clearance but I ended up breaking it like you said because its too low. I would like to drive around with it that low but I will break it everyday so I just took it off.

[theholycow]

GM factory air dams are usually pretty flexible, I'm surprised it broke...maybe Saturn was using something different than I'm used to.

[shonus]

Oh no, the factory one was only a few inches lower than my chin spoiler so I have had it off for a while. I recently decided to extend it with foil tape and styrofoam and it was barely clearing the ground till i trimmed it to 3" clearance and then broke it in a dip.

[5thGenYota93]

Just saying hello

I predominantly drive a Toyota Pickup 2wd averaging about 28MPG, sometimes as high as 34MPG. I've just recently started using hypermiling techniques and have yet to measure the results. This is a good place to document what the truck can do and what I can do to extend this trucks range.

[heathvideo]

I have a 51 mile one way commute. I sold my Chevy Venture mini van and purchased a 1998 escort SE with a manual transmission. Now the learning curve for driving and mods, I would like to get 50 miles to the gallon, 90% of my commute is freeway with light to medium traffic.

[Gasalene]

Originally Posted by CA ExhaustCoatings

Hi, been perusing this site on and off for about 2 yrs now. right now looking to start my business later this yr which will be selling a DIY ceramic exhaust coating, hence my handle name. this coating can be applied from the exhaust manifolds to the tail pipe. The heat from the exhaust system cures it. I have done my vehicles already as has the inventer of the product. Varients of his products have been used in industry for the past 25yrs including the shuttle launch platform. Have seen a nice 2-3 mpg increase and a quieter exhaust.

My present ride is a '99 dodge dakota 4x4, 5.2L v8, 5sp. after many mods including rhodes lifters, presently avg 22-23 mpg. epa is 19hwy.
My daily commuter is a '98 Honda Valkyrie, with mods avg 37-40 mpg, straight hwy have seen 55-60 mpg.

2 to 3 mpg increase due to an exhaust system coating???

As the latest member of this forum, I'm having to take my time & read prior postings before I jump in to this varied field of interest. But when my eyes caught this "2 to 3 mpg increase / quieter exhaust note" post, I sez: "Self: Find out what planet he lives on... miracles are happening there!"

Now ... hit "Submit reply", right?

[Gasalene]

Originally Posted by jstol3

Speedknight -
When you purchase your new tires inflate them up to max sidewall pressure.

As a newcomer to this forum ... let me ask this poster "Why stop with the sidewall pressure rating?"

Today's car tires are now radial; ie, the uneven tread wear problems of the (bias ply) earlier days are over! Taking the hint from IMSA racing ... increase your tire pressure (cold) to 43 to 45 psi F/R. This will bring a bit of harshness to your ride but your tread squirm is greatly reduced, thus reducing your wear rate; your pressure must be (at least) weekly monitored. TP may tend to go down at these pressures. A flatter footprint is maintained in sideloaded conditions ; ie, cornering.
To those who scream "Blowout!" ... this reaction is nutz! Those who talk "uneven tread wear patterns", remember there is a belt inside this carcass. Flat is flat! AND ... less rolling resistance of four tires will show up in slightly better mpg... I use a ScanGuage II, not the seat-of-my-pants or topping off the gas tank.

[Gasalene]

Originally Posted by theholycow

Actually, I disagree. While there are no miracle devices, there are some basic modern technology devices - specifically, a fuel injection conversion.

May I disagree with your "disagree"? All this discussion of engine mods, aero mods, tire pressure increases, HHO mods...and the like - ignores the common element which can be (altho' not easily) changed ... gasoline chemistry.

The idea of putting junque in your gas tank repels "logic"; should we do this?
Horror stories tend to be true (to an extent). Claims abound! But the quality of the gasoline you so readily pump into your gas tank ... ignoring octane ratings ... is also suspect. Hint: Have you smelled this gas? Hmmm....

As a newcomer to this forum, I'm getting used to comments already posted, posting techniques, surfing, etc. Shortly, I will post in the appropriate sections.