The Aerostar Gets Aero Mods

[95metro]

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?

Any guesses as to mileage improvement?

[90CivicStandard]

JB Weld... I use it for everything!

[95metro]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot.

[basjoos]

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.

[Mighty Mira]

Originally Posted by basjoos

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.

[95metro]

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?

[SVOboy]

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

[95metro]

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

[SVOboy]

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

[95metro]

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? 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.

[zpiloto]

The belly pan will give you the biggest gain in FE.

I would think that the angle on the grill block would be better than the straight up and down block.

If the bug zapper is pushing the wind over the windshield there would be a lot of turbulence under the area. I would take it off.

Aero stuff really helps even if you don't do a lot of highway driving. If you doing 30 MPH with a 15 MPH headwind it helping.

[95metro]

The belly pan is the biggest gain, huh? I guess I'd better try that first, but it's going to take some ingenuity.

It's an AWD Aerostar so there is basically nothing but transmission underneath. Two differentials hanging down and a HUGE driveshaft running to the rear.

[zpiloto]

Originally Posted by 95metro

The belly pan is the biggest gain, huh? I guess I'd better try that first, but it's going to take some ingenuity.

It's an AWD Aerostar so there is basically nothing but transmission underneath. Two differentials hanging down and a HUGE driveshaft running to the rear.

You don't have to do it first. Just work with what you got. The Grill Block is easy do that first. You'll get abot 3% increase. The skirts is what I'm really struggling with can't seem to get it to work right.

[95metro]

What are you trying for skirts? I'm going to use MetroMPG's velcro method for the rear skirts, but I'm going to try foam/fibreglass panels instead of Krazy Karpet.

For the fronts I think...no...I know I can make it work as long as I have something to bolt/weld the framework to. However, I haven't pulled the wheels off the Aerostar yet to see what is available. Worse comes to worse I will do the grill, rear skirts, and attempt a belly pan.

[Jack]

Originally Posted by basjoos

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.

Humm.... I like the sound of that. I may have to do that to my wifes Pilot. 6 MPG is huge. I would be happy with 3 on that pig!

[zpiloto]

Originally Posted by 95metro

What are you trying for skirts? I'm going to use MetroMPG's velcro method for the rear skirts, but I'm going to try foam/fibreglass panels instead of Krazy Karpet.

For the fronts I think...no...I know I can make it work as long as I have something to bolt/weld the framework to. However, I haven't pulled the wheels off the Aerostar yet to see what is available. Worse comes to worse I will do the grill, rear skirts, and attempt a belly pan.

I've tried cardboard and coloroplast with no luck. Trying to deal with the bulge and not having any luck with FE. I know it will increase FE I just have to make em right. Just another item to add to the every increasing list.

[95metro]

Just a note on coroplast. I used to be a signmaker so I've worked with coro a LOT. You can make coro conform to just about any shape by cutting one side of a flute or group of flutes.

Styrene (basically what Krazy Karpets are made from) is another thin, easily conformable material that you can also find at a signshop. Use a coathanger like MetroMPG did to build a frame and attach the styrene to it. Styrene can become brittle in cold weather...exactly why Krazy Karpets are so prone to smashing to bits when stepped on.

[zpiloto]

Originally Posted by 95metro

Just a note on coroplast. I used to be a signmaker so I've worked with coro a LOT. You can make coro conform to just about any shape by cutting one side of a flute or group of flutes.

Styrene (basically what Krazy Karpets are made from) is another thin, easily conformable material that you can also find at a signshop. Use a coathanger like MetroMPG did to build a frame and attach the styrene to it. Styrene can become brittle in cold weather...exactly why Krazy Karpets are so prone to smashing to bits when stepped on.

Thanks. Don't have to worry about cold weather

[95metro]

Some shops may have another name for Styrene, but I'm not certain. It comes in various thicknesses, but the most common are .020", .040", and .060". Go for .040" - it's a good blend of durability and lightweight. .020 is flimsy and .060 actually starts to get pretty heavy (though it's nearly unbreakable - I guess a wheel-skirt sized chunk wouldn't be too heavy).

To cut it you only have to score it about a 1/3 of the way through and then snap it along the cut line. Watch those edges though...think extra thick, extra painful paper cut.

[basjoos]

Coroplast is made of polypropylene, so you can use a heat gun to weld pieces together (with or without using welding rods cut from thin strips of coroplast), and also to create curves without sharp bends.