It started out innocent enough...
When I bought the Insight this past spring, two items came to the top of the list.
1) Make oil changes easier
2) Replace the missing smoothing panel under the drivers side of the car
The first time I changed oil, it was 20°F outside in Wisconsin, and snow was falling in the driveway. I lay on my back with the car jacked up, *attempting* to get the panels off, to change the oil. Cold fingers on hard metal fasteners was not my idea of a good time.
Getting the panels back on took even longer, as the panels were 'tweaked' and jimmied back on by the previous owner. Needless to say, when warmer weather arrived, 'something' would be done to improve the situation.
Well, warmer weather did arrive in the form of 'summer' and I spent most of it, again on my back under car. But this time, with more purposeful disposition, that included fixing points 1 and 2.
Two air smoothing panels are now complete and on the car for the first weeks evaluation. You can see them here:
Picasa Web Albums - jsmosher - Air-Smoothing...
The panel under the engine vastly changes how the radiator block works. This spring I was running a 70% radiator block and could easily leave it at 50% blocked when the outside air temperature was 80°F or so.
Now I have completely removed the block after running the car on the Interstate highway as a safety check. With a 50% radiator block I saw temps as high as 204°F using a ScanGauge, just below the fan turn-on point. I typically do not run the car on the Interstate, but was curious what would happen.
The hot air intake mod is disabled for the time being. It was purposely only partially coupled to the intake snorkel to keep temperatures below 130°F, but now the under hood temperatures are so insulated that the hot air mod was generating temps above that temperature. Disabling it completely seemed easier than fine tuning it with outside temperatures close to 80°F right now.
With the radiator unblocked and running at 45mph on the back roads to work, I typically see radiator temps around 197°F or so, which makes me more comfortable, as I don't have to keep such a close eye on the ScanGauge while driving.
No Cd numbers yet, but that will eventually be done, when I finish smoothing out the rear of the car.
P.S. Highwater was an early inspiration to me. He posted some pictures of his 'engine blanket', and after numerous search attempts, I have been unable to find those early pictures he posted. Anyway thanks for getting things started.
Jim.
When I bought the Insight this past spring, two items came to the top of the list.
1) Make oil changes easier
2) Replace the missing smoothing panel under the drivers side of the car
The first time I changed oil, it was 20°F outside in Wisconsin, and snow was falling in the driveway. I lay on my back with the car jacked up, *attempting* to get the panels off, to change the oil. Cold fingers on hard metal fasteners was not my idea of a good time.
Getting the panels back on took even longer, as the panels were 'tweaked' and jimmied back on by the previous owner. Needless to say, when warmer weather arrived, 'something' would be done to improve the situation.
Well, warmer weather did arrive in the form of 'summer' and I spent most of it, again on my back under car. But this time, with more purposeful disposition, that included fixing points 1 and 2.
Two air smoothing panels are now complete and on the car for the first weeks evaluation. You can see them here:
Picasa Web Albums - jsmosher - Air-Smoothing...
The panel under the engine vastly changes how the radiator block works. This spring I was running a 70% radiator block and could easily leave it at 50% blocked when the outside air temperature was 80°F or so.
Now I have completely removed the block after running the car on the Interstate highway as a safety check. With a 50% radiator block I saw temps as high as 204°F using a ScanGauge, just below the fan turn-on point. I typically do not run the car on the Interstate, but was curious what would happen.
The hot air intake mod is disabled for the time being. It was purposely only partially coupled to the intake snorkel to keep temperatures below 130°F, but now the under hood temperatures are so insulated that the hot air mod was generating temps above that temperature. Disabling it completely seemed easier than fine tuning it with outside temperatures close to 80°F right now.
With the radiator unblocked and running at 45mph on the back roads to work, I typically see radiator temps around 197°F or so, which makes me more comfortable, as I don't have to keep such a close eye on the ScanGauge while driving.
No Cd numbers yet, but that will eventually be done, when I finish smoothing out the rear of the car.
P.S. Highwater was an early inspiration to me. He posted some pictures of his 'engine blanket', and after numerous search attempts, I have been unable to find those early pictures he posted. Anyway thanks for getting things started.
Jim.