blogONEPerhaps its a good time to start a new post-series, which would document my new adventures in our family Accord. I should be able to get my G2 license in early May, so I’d be sharing the car a bit more starting then. Let’s get started!
According to this site (InternetAutoGuide), our 6th generation 02 Accord has an automobile drag coefficient of 0.33…which is pretty impressive, considering it has a pretty bulky front compared with the 7th generation 03 model, which has a drag coefficient of 0.3.
Pretty nice knowledge to have when you’re starting to obsess more and more over fuel efficiency like I am. If I keep the smooth front end waxed, the Accord (starting to be more commonly referred to as Helena) should have no trouble cutting through the air and maintaining a steady FE. I’d imagine lowering the car a little would also help with that and general handling, but I’d also need to consider suspension upgrades and camber adjusting.
I’ve also thought about upgrading the exhaust to a cat-back, which should increase the output rate, but since Helena is a 4-speed 2.3L (ie. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION), it is rumoured that it’d just be a waste of time operating on her, but I’m waiting for some confirmation from a few individuals.
A cold-air-intake (CAI) would also help boost the performance (and conversely, the fuel efficiency?), but I’ve wondered if this is actually viable, since we live in Canada and the snow will be killer. If I remember correctly, the CAI would have a (few?) intake(s) at the bottom of the front bumper, which intakes cold air into the engine (hence, CAI), which forms a better air-fuel mixture.
A final thing that could be done to improve performance (and FE) would be to install a turbo, which would allow more power for less revs. Since you’re using less revs at lower speeds, you should, theoretically, increase your FE because of the decreased work on your engine. However, in more realistic situations, your FE would probably drop because you’re starting too have too much fun with the increased performance.
But hey, with great power comes great responsibility, yeah?