If you can get 43mpg out of an XJS....
Discussion
I came across this article on The Register where it's claimed you can get 43mpg out of an XJS!
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/19/crawling_f...
This seemed pretty incredible and there are a number of efficiency savings across many different areas, mainly to do with weight savings and reducing drag.
While I'm not advocating increasing the MPG in the Wedge - the other savings are well worthwhile in order to increase acceleration and top end.
The ones that seem worth investigating are:
- Wiring harness - replace with an aluminium bus bar (well, a pair in our case, supply and ground) and a signal bus plus local controllers. I would shorten the injection harness too - there's a half metre of it flapping about in the passenger footwell.
- Electric coolant pump - works better at idle speeds when you need it most. Engine warms up quicker and doesn't get overcooled.
- Radiator shutters - to reduce drag
- Front end undertray - covers under-bonnet area - further reduces drag.
- Increase bottom-end torque with a better EFI computer.
- Smaller and lighter starter motor, and more efficient alternator.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/10/19/crawling_f...
This seemed pretty incredible and there are a number of efficiency savings across many different areas, mainly to do with weight savings and reducing drag.
While I'm not advocating increasing the MPG in the Wedge - the other savings are well worthwhile in order to increase acceleration and top end.
The ones that seem worth investigating are:
- Wiring harness - replace with an aluminium bus bar (well, a pair in our case, supply and ground) and a signal bus plus local controllers. I would shorten the injection harness too - there's a half metre of it flapping about in the passenger footwell.
- Electric coolant pump - works better at idle speeds when you need it most. Engine warms up quicker and doesn't get overcooled.
- Radiator shutters - to reduce drag
- Front end undertray - covers under-bonnet area - further reduces drag.
- Increase bottom-end torque with a better EFI computer.
- Smaller and lighter starter motor, and more efficient alternator.
I have been wondering about electric motors on the front hubs. What donor vehicles can we use, with front wheel drive, where I can change the granny front hub over to a driveshaft front hub, with minimal front suspension/geometry changes?
I'm thinking of hanging the motor off the stub axle at the back, which would then be used for braking+generation (in conjunction with the normal brakes of course) and power delivery. A modest battery pack could be installed in and under the passenger footwell.
This would confer extra advantages = a few more bhp = less oversteer (while the battery has charge!) = maybe delete the starter motor and bump-start instead = charge it in the garage for a few miles range/boost on the batteries.
Another thought is - given my supercharged setup - if I can drive the blower off the recovered energy I don't have to sap as much from the crankshaft... hmmm....
I'm thinking of hanging the motor off the stub axle at the back, which would then be used for braking+generation (in conjunction with the normal brakes of course) and power delivery. A modest battery pack could be installed in and under the passenger footwell.
This would confer extra advantages = a few more bhp = less oversteer (while the battery has charge!) = maybe delete the starter motor and bump-start instead = charge it in the garage for a few miles range/boost on the batteries.
Another thought is - given my supercharged setup - if I can drive the blower off the recovered energy I don't have to sap as much from the crankshaft... hmmm....
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