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36K views 114 replies 39 participants last post by  NamelessFoe 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi all,

This last holiday, I have spent some time testing my Eclipse GT. She was "busy" at the shop and tracks during the year, so I previously didnt have much time to play with her.
Btw, I have posted this in the brazilian Mitsubishi Club. English is not my native language, and I dont know the correct english word for all car pieces. I would be very gratefull if you make any correction.

I have started testing some weight reduction "theories" for the 4G. I could read lots of posts about this subject, but i havent got numbers and/or pictures. So I removed and weighted the following items:

- Back-seat;
- Spare tire;
- Tools;
- Trunk cover;
- Trunk floor;

The whole procedure was quite easy. Bellow are the results:

- Lower (horizontal) part of the back-seats: 4.2 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3171636445/" title="IMG_0749 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/3171636445_333ab6d0d2.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0749"></a>

- Vertical part of the back-seats: 7.2 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172466902/" title="IMG_0748 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1066/3172466902_02e593069b.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0748"></a>

- OEM Subwoofer: 6.9 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172469010/" title="IMG_0751 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/3172469010_bdcb95b5e1.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0751"></a>

- Spare tire: 12.8 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172468178/" title="IMG_0750 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3257/3172468178_3f97c5ba39.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0750"></a>

- Tools: 4.4 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3174263688/" title="IMG_0752 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1187/3174263688_7c218c363e.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0752"></a>

- Trunk cover: 2.0 Kg
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3173429935/" title="IMG_0753 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/3173429935_956f8c8dbf.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0753"></a>

I have forgotten the trunk floor in the shop (320 miles away from here). I dont know its weight. Probably about 2Kg (will not include it for now).

See the car after this process:

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3171635097/" title="IMG_0746 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1142/3171635097_8efffe1b11.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_0746"></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/zikizira/3172466464/" title="IMG_0747 by Zikizira, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1370/3172466464_b1b5d18e8f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="IMG_0747"></a>

These have given a total weight reduction of 37.5 Kg (82.6 lbs) . With another -12Kg from the coilover/exhaust/cai (I had the car weighted at each wheel in November), I think I have a good starting point for improving its performance.

I have done preliminary tests with my G-Tech Pro RR. I had improved my 0-60 times about 0.1s with just the -37.5kg, as expected from the math at 0-60 mph Calculator - 060calculator.com. I am going to make better measurements and post the results here (it was raining slightly at that day).

Next months, I am planing to go even further:

- Remove passenger seat: -23Kg (50lb);
- Replace driver seat for a Sparco Evo: -18Kg (60lb - 18.5lb);
- Install Volk Racing TE37 wheels: -14Kg;
- FC hood: -15Kg ?;
- FC trunk: -15Kg ?;
- Lighter battery: -10Kg;

Counting the already installed reductions:
- Coilovers: -12Kg;
- Seats, subwooker, spare tire: 37.5Kg

We could have about 145Kg (319 lbs) of total weight reduction, without doing anything not-reversible and keeping the interior quite good. This would translate to something similar to +30hp if I remember the math (1 hp for each 10 lb). That would be fantastic.

A side-effect of removing back-seats and trunk floor: engine sound is louder and more metallic from inside (I loved it).

I have tested these weight reduction in racing simulators (GTR2 and rFactor) where I have been building/modeling my Eclipses for the last months. As expected, the weight reduction improves acceleration, braking and handling. I could reduce my lap times accordingly. I cant wait to test this in the real tracks.

Update (Jun 23rd, 2009):
I have installed the Evo X Small Battery Kit from AMS Performance. The OEM battery is 17.7 Kg, while AMS Battery is 6.8Kg. Its almost 11Kg of weight reduction:








Best regards,
Ziki
 
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#2 ·
awesome.......

pull the fuel cover off, and you can pull the interior pieces off the trunk hatch and inside the trunk as well, if you have a rear wiper I hear thats about 25lbs to pull that motor etc......but with the hatch replacement all that goes away neways........
 
#5 ·
I have tried to stick to things I could quickly do right before a race..then revert after it. Anyway, that would be a good suggestion, since I cant remember using the rear wiper (I had to check personally in the garage in order to confirm I have it).
 
#3 ·
if you go to road race engineerings web site, they also have the corner wieghts for a full interior and completely gutted car.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Great writeup! :twothumb: You get eRep for that, sir :woot:

FYI, the front seats are also their namesake... buckets full of unnecessary weight, if you can spare getting rid of the coil heaters and electronic adjustable mechanism.

A different car altogether, but when I was installing heaters in the 3G seats, they easily weighed over 60lbs each! :ndance: Also something to consider are the bumper core supports, which, depending on what you're trying to accomplish, are a safety feature that adds on significant weight to the vehicle. But again, it's a risky tradeoff. Then there's also the back hatch and sunroof assembly.
 
#6 ·
Great writeup! :twothumb: You get eRep for that, sir :woot:

FYI, the front seats are also their namesake... buckets full of unnecessary weight, if you can spare getting rid of the coil heaters and electronic adjustable mechanism.

A different car altogether, but when I was installing heaters in the 3G seats, they easily weighed over 60lbs each! :ndance:
I have read in this forum that the driver seat has 60 lb, while the passenger has 50 lb. This weekend, I am going to remove and weight them, so we get more exact numbers.
 
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#8 · (Edited)
#9 ·
#10 ·
yeah, the rear wiper is easy to nuke.

i have taken the passenger seat out of mine, i have heated leather. and just the non automatic seat wieghs 65+ easy
 
#12 ·
Yeah but even the cloth ones weigh a ton, Dane. Note that the rails alone weigh a good 15 lbs. Plus the ass-cup and seat back frame.
 
#13 ·
yeah, i went to pick it up and all i could think of was how it felt the same as a really heavy rucksack...

i dont want to know how bad the drivers seat is.
 
#14 ·




 
#16 ·
Also, another thing for the truly die-hard -

all the AC components will weigh about 100lbs easy. Just the condenser assembly alone will be about 40lbs. Take away all the A/C and heater stuff in the engine bay, and HVAC plumbing in the cabin and you'd already have reduced the weight of your car by a wife or full grown daughter.

A couple of other ideas - engine block underbrace (interior piece) redone in aluminum, aluminum oil pan, aluminum radiator, battery relocation to rear, rear hatch and glass panels... WHEELS...

Lots of opportunities. But not for the daily driven nor faint of heart :)
 
#18 · (Edited)
yeah... lol im fixing to add 100lbs of crap to my car. so there are going to be some things pulled out to make up the difference

but ziki, there isnt much past what you have already done that is easily put back in. unless you start replacing parts with custom lighter pieces... on my 3g i had the little 1/4 windows redone in CF, the rear hatch was lexan, the fuel tank was gone for a fuel cell that was about 1/2 the size, a 'miata' battery, etc...
 
#19 ·
bed pan? :ndance:
 
#21 ·
the CF fenders wiegh more than the stock fenders...

and no, you don't actually gain HP from losing wieght. thats just a horrible way to say that. every 100lbs you take will equate to .1-.2 off your 1/4mile time
 
#22 ·
pay attention to the front/rear weight distro. The 4G is already kind of weight-biased towards the front and a lot of those removals are behind the drivers seating position.

A battery relo to the spare tire well will help this some.
 
#24 ·
I wonder, though, if taking weight off the front any further will do anything to get the car off the line quicker. Of course, it's pertinent to when you're taking the twisties, but for bloated torque and lack of traction? :dunno:

Damnit --- I have a proposal: why don't the GT gearheads start talking about a solution to getting all four wheels to spin with the accelerator instead? ;)
 
#25 ·
because it would be cheaper to buy a new car........I found a junkyard motor, I plumbed the guys bathroom in his basement,(about 6 hrs labor) and he's bringing it home from his work (the junkyard) next week when he has the flatbed, and I have my cherry picker out of storage.......I'm gonna take a hammer and chisel and crack that sucker open and see what it's gonna take to put some pinkies in that bad boy.........
 
#26 · (Edited)
WHAT THE FUCK, DANE??!

You gots yourself a spare 6G74-M? :yum:

Good deal, man! :D



:ttiwwp:



Danester said:
because it would be cheaper to buy a new car........
Highly doubt that. All we need is a suitable tranny or way to properly affix a tcase and there are so many ways you could source the rest.
 
#28 ·
Hmmm... I hate you... Carl style :squint:



:p


I'm seriously, SERIOUSLY jealous... :sad:
 
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