Replacing parts with lighter parts to save weight?

[suspendedhatch]

Originally Posted by mini-e

the vx and hx have different drive trains.

??? What do you mean by this?

the vx is lower powered and more efficient regardless of the weight difference between it and the hx.

I beg to differ. I'm almost certain that if you were to put a D16Y5 in a VX, convert it to OBD2 and run the Y5 ECU, you'd get better mileage than with the Z1. I plan to do it someday. For now I'll settle for my 3 Stage VTEC swapped VX getting 39/47 mpg.

[friz]

Hole saw and packing tape.

[GasSavers_BEEF]

in the end, what is the purpose? you spend more at the pump but you save possibly thousands in new body panels that go on a car that already has them? how much gas are you planning to save?

if you want to do it because it is cool then go for it. I think that if you were doing it solely for FE then you will probably never realize the gas savings from that investment. I hear that carbon fiber is really expensive (I may be wrong).

[mini-e]

Originally Posted by suspendedhatch

??? What do you mean by this?




I beg to differ. I'm almost certain that if you were to put a D16Y5 in a VX, convert it to OBD2 and run the Y5 ECU, you'd get better mileage than with the Z1. I plan to do it someday. For now I'll settle for my 3 Stage VTEC swapped VX getting 39/47 mpg.

1.5 liter vs 1.6 liter, very different final drive ratios, different valve sizes, different intake manifold shapes and runner size, different ecu, difffernet v-attack actuation point, different redline. lots in common to be sure but quite a bit different too.

It would be interesting to see how it worked out! i am getting 38/42 or so with a y5 mini-me in 96 hatch. I drive 70-80 to get the 42ish hwy mileage. I hope to get a little better than that as i dial the set-up in.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

Gym membership : $35 - $80/mo, Personal trainer, $20 - $40/ session

Weight loss is expensive and a lot of effort...


I have a friend that is 450 pounds. I always think what kind of mileage increase he could get by loosing weight. When he rides with me in my truck he is so large sometimes he has difficulty buckling the seat belt.



-Jay

You can get extensions for the seat belt free from the dealer for just about any car.

[imzjustplayin]

Originally Posted by mini-e

the hx comes with air conditioning, power steering, electric door locks, and electric windows. depending on the options of a particular the DX it can be had with out power steering, air condirtioning, or electric anything else. I have a 96 DX hatch and the only difference between it and a base CX was the passenger side air bag. it has power nothing.

a lighter vehicle with a drive train identical to a heavier vehicle will get better mileage. it takes more energy to accelerate and maintain the velocity of greater mass. the only exception would be if the route a measurement was taken from was downhill. the word "insignificant" is vastly abused in automotive forums and seldom used by engineers. There are measurable differences between systems- whether or not one considers a difference "significant" is a matter of opinion, economics, convenience...

the vx and hx have different drive trains. the vx is lower powered and more efficient regardless of the weight difference between it and the hx. it also has a smaller frontal area and I believe a lower drag coefficient. taller gearing too...

Actually the HX has a better drag coefficient due to it gradually coming together towards the trunk opposed to the VX. The VX would be more like an SUV in the sense of drag.

80% of the drag comes from the rear of the vehicle.

Originally Posted by suspendedhatch

??? What do you mean by this?


I beg to differ. I'm almost certain that if you were to put a D16Y5 in a VX, convert it to OBD2 and run the Y5 ECU, you'd get better mileage than with the Z1. I plan to do it someday. For now I'll settle for my 3 Stage VTEC swapped VX getting 39/47 mpg.

Naw, I think you've got the most ideal setup. Reasoning is that you've only got 1.5L block opposed to the 1.6L block. A larger cylinder means that much more fuel, unless you can get it to learn out even more than with the smaller block.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by JoeBob

You can get extensions for the seat belt free from the dealer for just about any car.

The big problem is when I have crap piled in the back seat, and he can't get that seat all the way back. I need to get that stuff out of there anyway. Right now I have about 4 Kirby vacuum cleaners (cast aluminum!), then some stuff I bought at yard sales and flea markets that just never made it into the house. It would be nice if people could sit in my back seat again...

-Jay

[ccbarnett]

Originally Posted by Jay2TheRescue

Right now I have about 4 Kirby vacuum cleaners (cast aluminum!)...-Jay

Kirbys are tanks. I had the pleasure of having to use one of those things around the house growing up. You'll lose 100 lbs right there.

[trautotuning]

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Nissan Motor Co. will cut the weight of its vehicles by an average of 15% over the next seven years as it seeks to improve fuel efficiency...

I am going with a fibreglass hood thats only $350 shipped for my BMW to cut weight, Lighter seats, no exhaust, and a lighter batter (mazda miata probably to stay cheap). All this and wheels + tires should net around a 200lb weight reduction (on a 2800lb e36 318i).

Remember, less weight means less pressure on the tires which equals less rotational friction with the road... I think the less weight the better. Heck, I think cars in the future will go down to around 1500-2000lbs (just like in the old days).

[GasSavers_rGS]

One factor that I haven't heard in this entire thread so far is the safety impact (pun intended). Mechanical Engineers designed the crash safety of your car based on the ACTUAL parts installed on the car and NOT based on the installation of aftermarket parts. You may be literally risking your LIFE to try to increase fuel economy by reducing weight. Regardless of how much money you've got in the account for car repair emergencies and car insurance deductible, no matter what your car insurance coverage is, no matter how much car insurance coverage the other guy has, no matter how much health insurance you have, in the event of an accident, it's just you, the safety cage of your car, and the physics of the collision between you and another car or you and a stationary object. The crash strength of your car will be the only actual life insurance you've got. The science boils down to: 1) If your car is strong enough to protect you in the collision, you live 2) If your car is NOT strong enough to protect you in a collision, you die. Was the weight savings worth it if the new lighter part is only designed to geometrically fit into the position where the previous part was located without being strong enough for a collision?