A.M.E.C. Economy Run II - Gas mileage contest

[Mike Kamm]

Greetings fellow Toyota hypermilers. For those of you located in the northeast, the Adirondack Motor Enthusiast Club A.M.E.C. will be holding a Fall Foliage "Economy Run" coming up this October 5, 2008. These events are far and few between. Take advantage of this unique opportunity.


A little history: A.M.E.C. held it's first Economy Run back in 1954. Now 54 years later with record high fuel prices, the club decided to bring the event back. Our members created a new course and the event took place this past August 10th. It was very well received and was thoroughly enjoyed by all who participated. Results can been seen here. It was a good dry run to make sure everything went smoothly and that our laptop excel program worked properly to calculate the results. We enjoyed it so much that we have planned an "Economy Run II" and this time would like to open it up to like minded individuals who would like to join us. To keep it easy to manage and fun we will limit registration to the first 20 entrants.

Here are the details:

What: Fuel mileage contest through the southern Adirondacks of NY. The route will be on some really nice scenic and challenging roads and will run 106.3 miles in distance. Your “economic” driving ability will be tested. Cars will be filled with fuel by an AMEC official and then weighed on electronic scales. Small ramps are employed for easy on and off of the scales. Any street legal vehicle is allowed to participate, [including motorcycles].This event will run rain or shine.

Where: The starting spot will be at the Fairway Oil gas station on Route 5 in Fonda, NY. [directions below].

When: Sunday, October 5th, 2008. Arrival time will be 8:00-8:30am, first car off at 9:00am. They have gas and diesel and have a large enough parking lot that we won’t be in the way. (They also don’t use ethanol, if that makes a difference to anyone.)

Cost: $10 per vehicle

Awards include:

1. Best overall mpg for gas cars

2. Best overall mpg for diesel and hybrid cars

3. Best ton-mile per gallon [TMPG] vehicle weight in pounds, divided by 2000, times miles driven, divided by gallons consumed. A handy calculator is here.

4. Best carbureted mpg

5. Best miles per dollar. [Based on the actual cost to travel the 106 miles. For example, we had a diesel VW Jetta get 56 mpg and a Dodge Avenger get 48 mpg. Because the diesel fuel was about a dollar more per gallon than the gasoline, the Avenger won this contest.]

Note: If we get more than one motorcycle we will add a class for them.

Awards: This event will conclude about noon, and our plan is to proceed up the nearby Checkers Out Go-Kart track for lunch, awards, and optional indoor go-kart races if you so desire. Checkers Out Speedway is an indoor go kart track open year round, and is located about ¾ of a mile south of Johnstown, NY, on NYS Route 30A. Physical address: 2299 State Hwy 30A Johnstown, NY 12905. Track phone: 518 736-4630

Directions: to Fairway Oil gas station: Take NY Thruway Exit 28. After the toll booth, turn left onto Riverside Drive. Then turn right onto South Bridge Street and go over the bridge. On the other side of the bridge is a traffic light. You can see Fairway Oil and Gas on your left. Turn left onto Route 5 and enter the station.

To register for this event: Please contact Mike Kamm at (518) 674-0520 or via email: mkamm [at ] juno [ dot] com. Or just simply reply to this thread with your name, year/model car. There is also a message board thread regarding this event on the A.M.E.C. message board here.





Registered driver's list as of 9-6-08

1. Dave Burnham - 1991 Diesel VW Jetta
2. Dick Vedder - 2000 Ford ZX2 S/R
3. Mark Long - 1997 Dodge Avenger
4. Mike Kamm - 1977 Datsun B210 mpg
5. Claude Hutchings - 1999 Saab 9-3
6. Ernie Yue - 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250cc
7. Ronny Kienhuis - 1972 Citroen SM or 1992 Subaru SVX
8. "Bestmapman" [Clean mpg forums] 2007 Toyota Prius, Cincinnati, KY.
9. "JPS000" - 2008 Toyota Prius
10. Al Walker - [Clean MPG] - 2004 Toyota Prius - Boston, MA
11. Brian Wilsey - 2003 Mazda Protege [2.0]
12. Tom Moeller - 1994 Mazda Miata - Saratoga NY
13. Carl Germain - 1950 Studebaker Champion Business Coupe
14. Bill Clark - 1960 Metropolitan convertible - Endicott, NY
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[Mike Kamm]

Registered driver's list as of 9-20-08

1. Dave Burnham - 1991 Diesel Jetta - Delanson, NY
2. Dick Vedder - 2000 Ford ZX2 S/R - Johnstown, NY
3. Mark Long - 1997 Dodge Avenger - Staatsburg, NY
4. Mike Kamm - 1977 Datsun B210 - Averill Park, NY
5. Claude Hutchings - 1999 Saab 9-3 - Saquiot, NY
6. Ernie Yue - 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250cc - Mechanicville, NY
7. Ronny Kienhuis - 1972 Citroen SM or 1992 Subaru SVX - Long Island, NY
8. Jud Engels [Clean mpg forums] 2007 Toyota Prius - Cincinnati, KY.
9. "JPS000" - 2008 Toyota Prius
10. Al Walker - [Clean MPG] - 2004 Toyota Prius - Boston, MA
11. Brian Wilsey - 2003 Mazda Protege - Amsterdam, NY
12. Tom Moeller - 1994 Mazda Miata - Saratoga NY
13. Carl Germain - 1950 Studebaker Champion Business Coupe - Syracuse, NY
14. Bill Clark - 1960 Metropolitan - Endicott, NY
15. Jonathan Bartlett - 2005 Passat TDI wagon[Biodiesel] - Sterling, MA
16. Pam Subik - 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Mayfield, NY
17. Tom Compoli - 1981 VW Rabbit - Schenectady, NY
18. Chris Werner, 1991 Ford Festiva - Troy, NY
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This event will be completely full shortly. What I will do is add 3 more spots for cancellations and no shows.

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[Mike Kamm]

Here's a sampling of the cars at the check point.....



This event was a big success and full results are HERE. This picture was taken at the checkpoint. This heavily modified RX-7 got the worst mileage of the entire field at only 21.45 mpg. The average for the entire meet was an impressive 49.56 mpg though. The Datsun B210 behind it got 61.53 mpg! The stock Miata got 41.17 mpg. The beautiful '60 Metropolitan got 37.86.

More pics can be seen HERE.



Top dogs of this event were both TDI's, a New Beeltle and a Passat wagon that go 70 and 71 mpg respectively!

We'd love to have some Toyotas come out and join us next time out. We can't let the Prius [64.37 mpg] get top mpg for gas cars again!

[KooL]

Jeez, thats one awesome datsun

[TrailDust]

If they're going to be so hard core that they're taping over all body seams, etc., then they ought to apply rough-surfaced appliques to the front bumper, flared fenders, and side mirrors to reduce drag. The only street car I've seen with this type of drag reduction appliques is on the rear flared fenders of the Porsche 930 Turbo and similar flavors of the Porsche line. Every little bit helps.

TrailDust

[Mike Kamm]

Originally Posted by TrailDust

If they're going to be so hard core that they're taping over all body seams, etc., then they ought to apply rough-surfaced appliques to the front bumper, flared fenders, and side mirrors to reduce drag. The only street car I've seen with this type of drag reduction appliques is on the rear flared fenders of the Porsche 930 Turbo and similar flavors of the Porsche line. Every little bit helps.

TrailDust

That's a neat idea TrailDust. I just google "rough surfaced appliques" and couldn't quite find out what it all about. How rough of a surface are we talking about? I have some peel and stick [yellow reflectorized] gritty anti skid tape. Will that work?

[Mike Kamm]

Originally Posted by KooL

Jeez, thats one awesome datsun

Thanks, that's mine.
Here's a recap of how I prepared my '77 B210 for this event.

Previously the car was modified for speed and power. I used it for hillclimbs and such. I built and modified the 1397cc engine to 1608cc's complete with twin 40mm Dellortos...


It ran terrific but only got 25 mpg. OK so I needed a stock engine for economy run events.


So I removed this original 1397cc engine from my '76 B210 parts car. It sat outside in a field for the last 15 years. It needed some TLC.


I tore it down and freshened it up.


I used an '80 Datsun 210 "mpg" cylinder head with it's smaller round intake ports and small combustion chambers. This head, on the B210 block [with it's flat top pistons] yields about 10.5 to 1 compression ratio. High compression is key for improving gas mileage.


Other than the Pacesetter header and 2" mandrel bent exhaust system, the reast of the drivetrain is stock.


The big engine comes out, the little one goes in....

After bolting it all together, I fine tuned it with an Innovate LM1 wide band oxygen sensor setup. After rejetting the stock Hitachi carburetor for between 14.6 and 15.0 to 1 A/F ratio, I took the car out on a 64 mile test loop the afternoon before the big event. I topped up the fuel tank to the rim and then carefully drove a 64 mile loop. I refilled the tank [right to the rim again] and it took 1.1 gallons of gas. I was very happy to have gotten 56 mpg in this initial test! B210's sit quite high off of the ground and this brings a poor drag coefficient, so I went home that night and tried to help the poor aerodynamics. I added a makeshift front chin spoiler, clear plexiglass headlight covers, and blocked off half of the grill to reduce wind drag.



The next I morning I competed in the A.M.E.C. Economy Run event and carefully drove the 118.7 mile distance. During the post event refill it took only 1.91 gallons of fuel. This equates to 61.53 miles per gallon!



I think we have a new record for the B210/B310 chassis folks!

This was not my absolute best attempt at fuel mileage for these cars. I would have needed much more time to prepare. There are many other things I can and will try in the future but I don't want to do this with my B210 though. My plan is to take this to the next level with my '81 210 sedan instead. Then I will get into lowering the car for aerodynamics and such.

I would have loved to do something like this with my Paseo, but it is a dirt oval race car and is no longer street legal. I'll bet a Tercel could be a real contender for an economy run!

Mike

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by Mike Kamm

That's a neat idea TrailDust. I just google "rough surfaced appliques" and couldn't quite find out what it all about. How rough of a surface are we talking about? I have some peel and stick [yellow reflectorized] gritty anti skid tape. Will that work?

I've never seen appliques sold for this purpose, but you could use adhesive-backed #50 or #100 sandpaper. Using rough-surfaced appliques have been used in competitive sailing to line the leading edges of keels and rudders because, hydrodynamically, the effect is much greater and drag reduced much further than in air. Unless you were to be driving highway speeds, appliques would offer little help and you'd be better off saving your money and time. You might try searching along nautical supplies, etc., for such appliques, though, if you really want to try them.

I've got one of my engineering books that covers the subject of drag and using leading-edge appliques for reducing drag. I'm heading out of town tomorrow, but when I get back I'll look for it and post the material.

TrailDust

[Mike Kamm]

Originally Posted by TrailDust

I'm heading out of town tomorrow, but when I get back I'll look for it and post the material.

TrailDust

Good stuff! Thanks.

[TrailDust]

Originally Posted by Mike Kamm

Good stuff! Thanks.

Mike,

I still haven't found that textbook, which is likely in a box stored in the garage. Anyway, going from memory, I'd say you'd have to determine just how aerodynamic the shape of a particular auto is when applying rough surface appliques. Even individual features could benefit, like the flared fenders on the 930 Turbo that have rough surface appliques to improve boundary-layer separation, improving air flow, and reducing drag at high speeds. If the front end of your vehicle is fairly blunt and affecting form drag, then rough surface appliques will trip the boundary layer from laminar to turbulent flow and increase the attachment length of the boundary layer before it separates from the body. But if you have a very sleek, aerodynamically shaped front end then surface drag is more important and a clean surface is essential and rough surface appliques would prove to be detrimental. It's no wonder car and aircraft manufacturers spend hundreds if not thousands of hours in wind tunnels and running computer simulations in order to perfect and improve a particular vehicle's drag characteristics.

This is all food for thought, but it's worthy of research in order to squeeze out that last bit of efficiency. I'll keep looking for that text book, but until then you'll have to do some research and weigh the benefits or drawbacks of appliques. Also, with luck there may be some other TN members with additional info that can shed more light on reducing drag with your vehicles. Later....

TrailDust