AeroCap In Traffic Fuel Efficiency Update

Hi, Well - today was a special day - I got a phone call from a friend to go see the eVaro, in Brampton! What's the eVaro you say? Check it out today! eVaro

Along with that - I of course have a previous model of the ScanGage installed in the 2008 Dodge Dakota, and at the last fill - the recorded scan gage distance was barely a few tenths of a km different than the trip meter since the last fill! I used it to moderate and monitor my lead foot management response, and to of course track my trip fuel economy.

Today - I ended up back home with 73.4 km on the current fill, and a scangage reading of 10.0 l/100km for the tank so far. I must note - I filled the truck up Thursday night, and for the short drive home - it got an average of 14.7 l/100km, so with today's driving, in traffic, I was able to bring down the total run average to 10.0 l/100 km, but in steady state cruising with a throttle TPS reading of 18 - 20, the current Trip reading was delivering a primarily highway trip performance of 9.8 l/100 km!! That is actual Canadian Fuel Rating figure for the truck in it's Highway test - 9.8 l/100 Km! There were also regular periods of 6.5 - 8.0 l/100 readings displayed and some lower - in traffic!

This is an improvement over the last report of 10.1 Litres/100km, but it might be noted - I was not using cruise control due to heavier travid, a different route - Highway 401 from Dufferin west to Highway 410 North to Bovaird, with street traffic for about 5 more kms, each way, and into a approaching storm. so - was my 'wind speed' hihger or lower than it might have been on cruise control at 110 kmh? It's anyones guess, but - I will also say - that there were some peaks of fuel consumption in the 40 - 70 l/100 km range when starting out at lights, ramps, etc.

In any case - 9.8 - 10.0 l/100 km is still impressive in the Dodge Dakota at 100 kmh! The average speed overall on the curent tank of fuel has been 74 kmh, with street, and highway combined from fill-up to home today.

What does all this mean? Well - more suggestion that the AeroCap is doing it's job to smooth airflow, reduce drag, reduce cab noise levels, etc.!

Finally - Sharp Corners Rounded!

Well, Yesterday, I finally got some time and worked on the AeroCap again - after it just riding around getting bored on the back of the truck all winter!

Among other things, a few weekends back, we got hit with some good sized hail that was about a nickel or so size around, and it really took a beating on the Foam of the Cap, and the sun, winter, and weather had taken it's toll on it as well, creating a dusty, dead skin I needed to run the shaper or 'cheese grater' tool over and clean it all up. After that I worked on shaping up the sides a bit to even out the bit of an offset in the fit, and take out some of the side curve so it matched the cab's curves or lack thereof, better.

Then, with the foam all cleaned up, I decided to start the rounding of the arch curved sides along the left and right top side edge, and also the edge above the tail gate, and bring them together, rounding it all out at the rear corners!