mpg help!

[BajaSportsmobile]

The greatest Aero Drag on a vehicle is under the vehicle. Our 4X4 lifted SMBs have a tremendous amount of Areo Drag under the chassis.

[Skywagon]

Not much we can do about that though.....
Bill

[BajaSportsmobile]

Originally Posted by Skywagon

Not much we can do about that though.....
Bill

I don't know, depends how important it is to someone. Possibably removable ground effect air dams like the big Tractor Trailer guys use.

It is all about frontal area and moving the air around the chassis and not under it.

[racrx451]

I have a bully dog watchdog. It's like a scanguage. The stuff on the roof is during our trip and not normally up there. All that aside, would turbos help? Significantly? Mpg est.? Thanx guys!

[JoeH]

It is what it is. An aerodynamic brick. I'm not sure you would want to add a turbo to a gasser. Even if you could it wouldn't help mpg. More power but you know what that means.

[Ford_6L_E350]

Originally Posted by racrx451

I have a bully dog watchdog. It's like a scanguage. The stuff on the roof is during our trip and not normally up there. All that aside, would turbos help? Significantly? Mpg est.? Thanx guys!

Turbo cars can make better mileage than normally aspirated cars, mostly because they were designed to be small engines normally, then make big engine power when needed. I don't think you can add a turbo to an engine and expect anything other than more power. At best, it wouldn't hurt your mileage.

Have you done the normal things?

- Air filter (a clogged air filter will KILL mileage)
- Fresh oil
- Spark plugs and wires
- Higher air pressure in the tires

My Chevy PU gets about 10% better mileage with premium. It runs fine on regular, but the knock sensors drop the timing back to stop the knock, and that hurts power/economy. It turns out to be cheaper to run premium and get better mileage for that truck.

Mike

[racrx451]

Yeah, I need to up the pressures in my tires. I know that will help. I also found out that the 1996-2000 express had an optional 6.5L turbo Detroit diesel. I'm currently looking for a used diesel of similar year to do a full swap... Im just not sure my tranny will bolt up to the diesel. Still doing the research. Anyone have any input on that?

[Ford_6L_E350]

I'll bet you have to swap more than the engine. How about:

- Fuel tank and lines
- Engine computer
- Wire harnesses
- Motor Mounts
- Instrument cluster
- Brake booster
- probably more

In computer controlled vehicles, it is not simple to change from gas to diesel or vice-versa.

Mike

[BajaSportsmobile]

Originally Posted by racrx451

Yeah, I need to up the pressures in my tires. I know that will help. I also found out that the 1996-2000 express had an optional 6.5L turbo Detroit diesel. I'm currently looking for a used diesel of similar year to do a full swap... Im just not sure my tranny will bolt up to the diesel. Still doing the research. Anyone have any input on that?

It would be a nightmare and way to costly to make sense.

[racrx451]

I would buy a used van and swap everything over... Found one for $1500. I could do the work myself just trying to figure out if my trans would work.?