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Thread: New air dam

  1. #1
    Senior Member Cani Lupine's Avatar
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    New air dam

    Inspired by MetroMPG's aeromod thread, I decided to go ahead and try an air dam on my own car. Looked around for some materials, and ended up just about giving up when I found a 6'x3' sheet of coroplast at Home Depot, so I grabbed two and headed home. It's fully reversible, using 3M auto molding tape and corner braces to mount the coroplast, smoothed out with Gorilla tape. Since it's white coroplast, I used some matte black Plastidip for a quick paint job. About 2 hours of work to install, no testing yet.


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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 49.2 mpg (US) ... 20.9 km/L ... 4.8 L/100 km ... 59.1 mpg (Imp)


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  3. #2
    Yours is a bit further forward than the one I made:



    I think forward placement is better: should reduce both drag and front end lift.

    My air dam was good for a couple percent better fuel economy at moderate highway speed of 90 km/h / 56 mph ... Thread: Mirage aero mods for better fuel economy: 4.5% improvement @ 90 km/h / 56 mph

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 63.2 mpg (US) ... 26.9 km/L ... 3.7 L/100 km ... 75.9 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Cani Lupine's Avatar
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    I tried to get it flush with the edge of the bumper lip under the grill, but the corner air dams make it tricky for an all-around flush look.

    UPDATE: Took it out on the freeway today for about 350 miles, averaging about 52 MPG, which seems about on par with most other freeway trips, so I can't say for certain what it does in terms of fuel economy, but it DEFINITELY helps stability. Going up to 75 feels rock solid, and steering remains nice and firm, when before it would start to feel a bit light.
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    Last edited by Cani Lupine; 09-30-2014 at 12:59 AM.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 49.2 mpg (US) ... 20.9 km/L ... 4.8 L/100 km ... 59.1 mpg (Imp)


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    Member Jackson's Avatar
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    I can't help but say why to this, seems like you're trying to deface your Mirage

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2013 Mirage 1.2 automatic: 39.0 mpg (US) ... 16.6 km/L ... 6.0 L/100 km ... 46.8 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Cani Lupine's Avatar
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    That's why it's only temporary with adhesives, and I'll be putting on an air dam from another car soon for an OEM look.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 49.2 mpg (US) ... 20.9 km/L ... 4.8 L/100 km ... 59.1 mpg (Imp)


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    ミラージュ Minihaha's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cani Lupine View Post
    That's why it's only temporary with adhesives, and I'll be putting on an air dam from another car soon for an OEM look.

    I have been considering this strongly too, what "air dam from another car" are you thinking of?
    ゼロ

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 33.4 mpg (US) ... 14.2 km/L ... 7.0 L/100 km ... 40.1 mpg (Imp)


  9. #7
    Senior Member Cani Lupine's Avatar
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    Quite a lot of cars have similar air dams bolted to the underside, and I'd be looking for one 3 inches wide by 6 feet long. Probably one from a pickup. I'll go and scout out some junkyards at some point for a good donor.

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 49.2 mpg (US) ... 20.9 km/L ... 4.8 L/100 km ... 59.1 mpg (Imp)


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  11. #8
    Carmageddon m4v3r1ck's Avatar
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    better to lower the car right?

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        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2013 Mirage 1.0 manual: 47.5 mpg (US) ... 20.2 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 57.0 mpg (Imp)


  12. #9
    Senior Member Cani Lupine's Avatar
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    I do plan on that, but I can't afford the suspension parts just yet.

    Update: I ended up removing it and installing a belly pan under the engine bay to see if that would help, but it didn't seem to have much of an effect beyond reducing cooling system efficiency. In theory, a smoother underside is better for drag than an air dam. I did notice a difference with the return of front end lift on the highway, as well.

    I reinstalled the air dam yesterday and trimmed about an inch off the length, so from the front it's about 2 3/4" deep, and less under the corner extensions.

    In cold weather, it was doing pretty good with the license plate blocking most of the lower grill and would run in the high 190s, but when temps warm up it'll creep up to 210, so I moved the license plate back onto the bumper and I'm taping off sections of grille to fine-tune the opening. Right now I have the rightmost section of lower grille taped off, and the entire upper grille slit sealed.
    Last edited by Cani Lupine; 11-01-2014 at 12:56 PM.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 49.2 mpg (US) ... 20.9 km/L ... 4.8 L/100 km ... 59.1 mpg (Imp)


  13. #10
    Senior Member Cani Lupine's Avatar
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    Okay, got some pics of the second version, with the additional belly pan underneath the engine bay. I recently cut off one of the "wings" on the pan to give the underhood air somewhere to escape, since coolant temps rose up after installing it.


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        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 49.2 mpg (US) ... 20.9 km/L ... 4.8 L/100 km ... 59.1 mpg (Imp)


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