Effectiveness of a Front Air Dam????

[ftm1776]

Does a front air dam help aerodynamics to any great degree???

I don't have an engine pan under my 1991 MK2 1.6 diesel, NA engine.

Only the stock, black "valence" on my car. Maybe that's good enough?

If you have any experience, some pictures would be nice.

[Jetmugg]

An air dam absolutely helps aerodynamics.  In just about every form of racing,  any car or truck that can legally use an air dam does so.




They are mainly intended to keep air from passing under the aerodynamically "dirty" chassis of the car.  By keeping the air moving over or around the vehicle, aerodynamic drag is reduced.

How to quantify the improvement on your '91 Golf is a different matter, but an air dam will help.

Steve.

[ftm1776]

Thanks, Steve.

Cool pictures !!!

I don't want to have great expectations, but if I can prototype something out of,say, card board or plastic, I'd like to give it a try.

I'm at 46 mpg(US) latest check and now thinking that I might improve that a bit just by keeping it at 50 mph on the open road....we'll see how that turns out. I'm shooting for 50 mpg which I have not reached with my car since new. I'm the original owner of this 1991 MK2 Jetta 1.6 NA diesel, 290,000 miles. I had some head work one time when the belt broke...I was lucky on that one !!!!

[Jetmugg]

You might want to check out ecomodder.com.

Those guys make a lot of aero devices from coroplast, which is the plastic cardboard like stuff typically used for political signs.

Give them a look..

Steve.

[shorttimer]

^
Yup, ecomodder.com  has lots of good info. I go there every now & then to see if there's anything new. The peeps, who get the best mileage have made a flat belly pan that runs the length of the vehicle. Just look to see how rough the underside of vehicles are, especially trucks & vans. You can imagine how a perfectly flat under surface would help reducing drag. I plan on doing it on my Caddy, along with some other aero stuff.

[Renax]

Keep it under 55mph if high mpg is your main goal, its never intended to go much faster than that. My 1980 1.6n/a with 5speed ecogear does over 70 mpg in 50mph all day... 60-65mph dramasticly decrease mpg's...

Sent from my cheapchinaphone using Tapatalk

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Keep it under 55mph if high mpg is your main goal, its never intended to go much faster than that. My 1980 1.6n/a with 5speed ecogear does over 70 mpg in 50mph all day... 60-65mph dramasticly decrease mpg's...

Sent from my cheapchinaphone using Tapatalk

That's grrat mpg. What gear are you in while doing 50 mph?

[Renax]

5. Or "E" as the stick says... all speed over 30mph is 5. gear speed:-)

Sent from my cheapchinaphone using Tapatalk

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

What rpm are you at 30 mph in 5th gear? Isn't that in lugging territory? Is your engine stock? Modified?

[Jetmugg]

Keep it under 55mph if high mpg is your main goal, its never intended to go much faster than that. My 1980 1.6n/a with 5speed ecogear does over 70 mpg in 50mph all day... 60-65mph dramasticly decrease mpg's...

Sent from my cheapchinaphone using Tapatalk

Impressive mileage under any conditions.

Does Norway use "Imperial" gallons, or "US" gallons?

Steve.

[wolf_walker]

My 81 when it was young and a 4spd would do a solid 50mpg @50-55mph unloaded flat ground no headwind.
We lost 8-10MPG making it keep up with increasing interstate traffic speeds over the years.  They really
aren't nearly as economical as they used to be. 

[GEE-BEE]

We lowered the caddy and iam looking for a new kamei spoiler ( mk1)

GB

[CRSMP5]

Stock ride height... Heck yea helps... Drop car 1.5" well mk1 and you get same effect... At least thru my experiances...

[Renax]

Engine has TD pump, and 2" straight pipe exhaust, otherwise stock. High pressure filled tires. 30mph in 5th gear is just over the "lugging" not for acc, but maintaining speed its fine...

Does Norway use "Imperial" gallons, or "US" gallons?

Steve.

Neither, as any civilised country we use Liters, Meters, and Grams (Kilogram) i have absolutely no idea how much a gallon is, is 4quarts one gallon?
 

So my original testresult was:
3liter per 100km, going 80kph "passive driving".
4.1l/100km going 90-110 "active driving"
3.7l/100km on my daily driving, which consist of about everything, but trying to keep it under 80kph...

Just put these numbers in to a convertion app and out comes some wicked numbers:-)


It isn't a fast car, this little golf, my whole family in up a steep underwater tunnel (8%) i had to fetch 3rd gear to go 80kph...

[wolf_walker]

Gallons are easy when milk and coolant come in them.