MPGs run, Aspire SE

[mikeyjd]

Don't see why it would matter. Pretty much the same body. I expected to see all sorts of interesting changes based on my mods, and was surprised how little changed after the front air dam.

Edit: oh BTW I just ordered Matt's MPG roller cam, header, and injector balancing. Gonna be a while before testing tho, since the header takes longest to do and I want to test it before the cam.

jealous ^

[TominMO]

According to Matt I should see a couple or three MPGs of improvement just with the injector balancing. I will test that first, since they will come back to me soonest; then the header addition, then the stick-with-bumps.

Mikey, I thought you were ordering the MPG cam too?

[mikeyjd]

According to Matt I should see a couple or three MPGs of improvement just with the injector balancing. I will test that first, since they will come back to me soonest; then the header addition, then the stick-with-bumps.

Mikey, I thought you were ordering the MPG cam too?

I am. It sounds like you're gonna have yours first though Maybe I'll wait to see your numbers on the other upgrades and to see if I should do the whole shabang as well. How much is all of it running you?

[TominMO]

I am. It sounds like you're gonna have yours first though Maybe I'll wait to see your numbers on the other upgrades and to see if I should do the whole shabang as well. How much is all of it running you?

Well, since all prices have been quoted by him on the forum before, I will discuss them.
Header = $340
MPG cam = $180
Injector balancing = $81 IIRC
plus shipping

Injectors will come back first, so that will be the first test. Then header, and finally the cam.

[mikeyjd]

Well, since all prices have been quoted by him on the forum before, I will discuss them.
Header = $340
MPG cam = $180
Injector balancing = $81 IIRC
plus shipping

Injectors will come back first, so that will be the first test. Then header, and finally the cam.

The header is the one I'm most interested in seeing the numbers on as it's the largest investment (my festy was only $250 lol). 2-3mpg for the injector balancing would be worth $100 to me. The reason I'm waiting to do mine, is I'm planning on taking it to his shop and having him do it all at once. I want to make sure I'm doing everything I want done since it's about 10 hours round trip. Did you decide not to get the adjustable FPR unit?

[TominMO]

The header is the one I'm most interested in seeing the numbers on as it's the largest investment (my festy was only $250 lol). 2-3mpg for the injector balancing would be worth $100 to me. The reason I'm waiting to do mine, is I'm planning on taking it to his shop and having him do it all at once. I want to make sure I'm doing everything I want done since it's about 10 hours round trip. Did you decide not to get the adjustable FPR unit?

The header needs to be tested just to make sure it doesn't cloud the results of the test after it, to wit the cam. But I don't expect much if any mileage gain from it, since the header is more about improving the stock exhaust mani's screwed-up airflow, not MPGs per se. I expect to see a small HP gain, but that won't show up in a steady 60-MPH test of course.

Got the injectors back, and am waiting for an intake mani gasket kit (due Monday) so I can pull the top half of the mani, to get the old injectors out and make the swap. (These injectors came out of a JY head I picked up a couple of months ago. So did the cam I sent Matt, since he didn't have an Aspire cam to work with.)

Went back and forth about the FPR, but for this application decided not to. The cam will make sure the fuel is burned more efficiently. While reducing the pressure from (just making up numbers here) 40 to 32 or 36 might make some MPG improvement, and it sure would look cool in the engine bay, it seems to me to be the least useful addition; or rather, the lowest priority in terms of bang-for-buck. All cars should have the injector balancing done IMO, and the MPG cam will probably give the best overall improvement. Reducing fuel pressure by say 10% will probably help too--maybe 3-6 MPG?. You could even argue that the FPR could be used as a poor man's MPG cam by simply letting less fuel in, and not get the cam at all, but the cam should be the better investment long-term. Possibly someday I will buy it too, just to see if it matters, and even better bragging rights if I can hit 65 or 70 MPG by buying it. If not, I can use it on a motor built for power rather than MPG.

[FestYboy]

Tom, have you considered an intake spacer (extention between upper and lower halves of the intake, for the purpose of lengthening of the runner and therefore lowering the peak torque RPM)

[TominMO]

Tom, have you considered an intake spacer (extention between upper and lower halves of the intake, for the purpose of lengthening of the runner and therefore lowering the peak torque RPM)

No I have not, as I am ignorant of such things. If I was going to do something like that, I'm thinking I would have Matt make me up a custom MPG-oriented intake. But I doubt I will go that far. More interested in common, reasonably-priced, bolt-on solutions that most people can do themselves.

[FestYboy]

a 1.5-2" spacer would be in your realm of fab and installation expertice. Nate was working on such an item a bit ago, but no one has tested it yet that i'm aware of. note that Matt has basicly done the same thing by fabing an upper intake (longer runners) and the torque curve was near table flat out past 4k

[Pu241]

a 1.5-2" spacer would be in your realm of fab and installation expertice. Nate was working on such an item a bit ago, but no one has tested it yet that i'm aware of. note that Matt has basicly done the same thing by fabing an upper intake (longer runners) and the torque curve was near table flat out past 4k

Strange you should mention that, I happen to have the spacer Skeeter made for me, here in St Louis.
TominMO, if interested it's yours, for the data generated with it.

[TominMO]

Strange you should mention that, I happen to have the spacer Skeeter made for me, here in St Louis.
TominMO, if interested it's yours, for the data generated with it.

SOLD! Thanx oh Almighty John.

BTW mikey and Arty, slight delay on injector install as I am having Matt build and send me an FPR after all. Will install together, but test lower pressure separately. Should still be next week tho.

[Pu241]

You are welcome, my disciple of MPG!

Will have to source longer intake bolts and another gasket or make a gasket via permatex which fits between intake and spacer.
Might be able to just use two intake gaskets, for an off the shelf solution.

[FestYboy]

Tom, i currently have my FPR set at 42psi whilst deadheaded... since the install, i've noted an average of 2mpg increase over the factory equiptment (all other things being the same mechanicaly since the rebuild, and honestly, my driving habbits have gotten worse since the install). i suspect you should see better than that with your injectors. being that i dont have a wide band installed yet, i'm going to leave things as is untill the header is installed later down the road. Matt suggested that i start at ~40# on the FPR and it came to me set at 42 so i left it there.

[TominMO]

Tom, i currently have my FPR set at 42psi whilst deadheaded... since the install, i've noted an average of 2mpg increase over the factory equiptment (all other things being the same mechanicaly since the rebuild, and honestly, my driving habbits have gotten worse since the install). i suspect you should see better than that with your injectors. being that i dont have a wide band installed yet, i'm going to leave things as is untill the header is installed later down the road. Matt suggested that i start at ~40# on the FPR and it came to me set at 42 so i left it there.

Talked to Matt today about it. He seemed to think I could do fine with ~32 PSI. The extreme low end, maybe too lean, would be at 27 PSI. But a little experimentation will be in order to find the drivability sweet spot with reduced pressure.

[FestYboy]

i see long meaningfull conversations with your spark plugs in the future. i'd stock up on several sets for said experimentation, as color and arc location are good indicators of combustion events/timing.