Most Efficient Auto Car

[OdieTurbo]

Originally Posted by StanleyD

Please be care ODIE and make sure that EOC is not damaging your tranny. You should idle coast instead of EOC.

No problem on the Saturn SL1's. The tranny is not your normal automatic. It is basically an electronically contolled solenoid shifted manual with a torque converter. In layman's terms, the SL1's can be towed on all 4 with the engine off. So us Saturn guys are AOK

Heck, if anyone's interested, I found a thread on the Saturn Fans website where I guy converted his auto to a manual by manually controlling the servos and the torque converter lockup! I'll have to dig it up.

[GasSavers_StanleyD]

Originally Posted by OdieTurbo

No problem on the Saturn SL1's. The tranny is not your normal automatic. It is basically an electronically contolled solenoid shifted manual with a torque converter. In layman's terms, the SL1's can be towed on all 4 with the engine off. So us Saturn guys are AOK ....

Damn it !!! Lucky you. I hate you !! (Jealousy talking)
Well then I guess that means EOC is OK for Saturn automatics
and EOC = NOt Ok on all other automatics.
My next car will definitelty be a manual. 98 Camry was from family member which is why I bought it. If it was up to me I would have bought manual because I like contol of stick shift and are WAY cheaper to fix than trannys, but now I have another reason to buy manual cars (aside from fact that they're at least a grand cheaper when new)

[GeekGuyAndy]

I still EOC, but I try not to do it at high speeds as much. I'd say read your manual and see what it has to say. Mine recommends <20mph / <30 miles. Since I'm never coasting that far, I don't see a problem with 40mph for a few miles. I think my longer coasts will be in N now though.

I'll get on that top 5 soon enough! My last tank was ~35, and I didn't have a scangauge or any mods to help.

EDIT: Got an SGII and front air dam. 40mpg runs, watch out!

[itjstagame]

Sometimes I coast in neutral with the engine on but I worry about shifting back into gear, I mean by truck is old and I don't want to overstress anything. But it makes a HUGE difference in how far I coast, my transmission must really transmit the engine braking effect well (unlike some which will almost fully disengage when not on throttle).

I've only EOC in my GFs car, because her auto shifter is on the floor and much easier to select neutral in (unlike the shifter on the column in my truck where I sometimes go flying past neutral and into R ). And then I only do it when I'm rolling up to a red light that I know will take at least 1-2 mins to cycle. This way I figure I'll save the little bit heading to the light and sitting at the light (I hate seeing the 0 MPG while at a light and idling). I wish I didn't have to restart though, the car revs so high and it stressed my starter and electrical system. I think the car just needs to idle at 300-400rpm somehow....

[vt420]

hmm.. the way I see it, soe of the hyrids and diesels are going to have autos too, so did you mean best non-hybrid gasoline automatic mpg? that seems like an awful lot of restrictions, and sounds a little like someone trying to make him/her self feel better about choising a less efficent drive train

I'm not trying to be rude, or start a flame-war. I just think if all you say is automatic, then the diesels and hybrids that don't have 3 pedals should count also. If you mean non-hybrid and gasoline, then it should have been stated.

Jeff

[GeekGuyAndy]

It's not like I bought this auto... If I had a choice I certainly wouldn't have an auto

[GasSavers_bobski]

Originally Posted by vt420

[...] that don't have 3 pedals [...]

My dad drives an '05 Toyota MR2 spyder with a sequential manual transmission. It's not the "sport shift" you see in many automatics these days, but a hydraulicly operated, computer controlled manual transmission. There's no 'drive' shifter position, you have to hit shift + or -, or it doesn't shift. If you let off the brakes while stopped on a slight incline, the car drifts downhill, even if that means rolling backwards... You have to hit the gas before the computer will start feathering in the clutch.
So... For the purpose of this thread, is an SMT an automatic, or a manual? It's only got two pedals.

Oh, and to update my earlier post, I recently hit 45.76 MPG on a return trip from NC.

[Bill in Houston]

Ya, there was a whole thread on what constitutes an automatic. To me a torque converter is the defining characteristic. To others, the inability to EOC made a car an automatic.

[cfg83]

OdieTurbo -

Originally Posted by OdieTurbo

No problem on the Saturn SL1's. The tranny is not your normal automatic. It is basically an electronically contolled solenoid shifted manual with a torque converter. In layman's terms, the SL1's can be towed on all 4 with the engine off. So us Saturn guys are AOK

Heck, if anyone's interested, I found a thread on the Saturn Fans website where I guy converted his auto to a manual by manually controlling the servos and the torque converter lockup! I'll have to dig it up.

Man I never knew that!

I really think it would be GREAT if you found that thread. Half the agony of an auto is having no control as to when it shifts.

The more I think of it, this makes sense. The Saturn auto *does* look like the manual, except for a big metal bulge on top. That must be where all the auto control stuff is housed.

Also, the Saturn manual transmission uses automatic transmission fluid. NOW I KNOW WHY! Its a dual-purpose transmission.

CarloSW2

[vt420]

a lot of manuals use ATF, BMW used to specify it also.