Hot Rodder at Heart

It may also increase emissions or reduce the life of the catalytic converter.

 

All it does is it tricks the sensor to thinking it's slightly cooler outside. I don't see any issues with it.

 

That should subsequently add more fuel or timing, both of which may add to the emissions count. Is it measurable? I'm not sure but I doubt the HP gain is either. lol

 

Toyota spent years optimizing the drive system for minimum emissions. Dicking around with it can only make it less optimized. Someone who wants a hotrod should buy another car.

 

hello robert,

i have a couple of questions for you.....

#1) what's the size of the rims you got? 17 by what?

#2) do you know the weight of the stock rims and tires versus your new 17's and tires? what's the overall difference in diameter?

#3) did it affect anything? speedometer? you say no loss in mileage, but i'm very curious about any changes

I placed larger diameter rims and tires on my previous car (not much heavier in weight) and i lost mileage on the street and highway! i should have gotten better mileage on the top end, if i still remember all my hotrod days. :flame:

 

Now wait a minute! I know I'm just a newbie here, but why would you say that? You'd rather have him hotrod an [Insert American Muscle Car Here]? What? You think emissions are bad on a modded Prius, what do you think a V8 would spew before OR after modding? Isn't it better than he's playing around with a Prius rather than another car which would spew worse? I don't get the logic. Maybe I'm missing something?

Having said that, it's certainly not the car I'd have picked either. I have a 92 Eclipse for that, but I certainly don't see any more harm in modding a Prius than would come from modding just about anything else. Neither is good for the environment, but it seems modding the Prius would be the "lesser or two evils." Right?

Jack

 

I don't think he said he specifially did not experience any mpg loss. My 17" wheels weighed the same as my stockers at 14lbs but the tires were heavier at about 22lbs. The whole combo came out to about 36lbs-37lbs and I did notice a decrease in MPG. It's not just the weight that is going to negatively affect your MPG, you have to look at tire construction and compound as well. Most 17" tires are performance oriented and thus wider and stickier than what you have stock on the Prius. This will increase road friction and thus lower your MPG even if you your new rims/tires were exactly the same weight.

Here is my post on the subject after swapping back to stock. I'll do more testing this summer when temps stabilize.

 

Well, OK, a Prius probably is the least evil car to mod. But it just seems wrong-headed to do it at all, somewhat like the old joke about the guy who won an Olympic gold medal and had it bronzed. The emissions will be worse, and the improvement in performance will be either negligible or non-existent.

 

I would love to see pics of your modified cold air intake and the strut bar. Can you post a few?

Btw, there are two types of people in the world. Those who modify their cars, and those who don't. I happen to be one that modifies everything. So thumbs up to you Bob Knight. I hope you keep breaking ground on modding the Prius. :rockon:

 

Now all of that, I can agree with.

Jack

 

I am also a new member, having gotten my '08 Prius Pkg 2 on Xmas Eve. Not much I felt the need to mod yet, except to add body side molding (easy to do - stick on), and just had a manual pop-up sunroof installed this morning. Lot of work to find an installer in the SF Bay area that would do it. Everyone wanted to do a $2000 all-electric monster or nothing... Finally found someone in Walnut Creek, CA to do it. Real pleased with the result, and installed price was $470, tax included! See my posting from today in the Mods forum under "Sunroof Installed"

 

Here ya go... courtesy of evnut... Prius Trailer Wiring

 

Oh man you didn't add one of those eBay resistors did you to the AIT?
Or did you mean the mass air flow meter? The one mounted in the air cleaner housing.If you changed its sensing region by adding the infamous eBay resistor all you are doing is tricking the motor into thinking alot more air is coming in than actually is. The engine cpu will respond by injecting more gas so it does not run in a horror of horrors lean condition.You'll be running in a very rich state all the time. Bad for motor and emissions and gas mileage.If you run way out of region at the mass the cpu will get really confused and run open loop. It might even throw a DTC. Just sayin'.

 

What about curb feelers and pimp lights?

Tom

 

i'd like to see some pics also