pulse and coast?

[slurp812]

Originally Posted by R.I.D.E.

When the speed demons block the intersection and destroy your coast, downshift to engage fuel shutoff (highest gear to keep revs above 1000). This way you are using no fuel decelerating while you allow the light to change and traffic to start moving again. Time your deceleration to keep fuel shutoff engaged and retain the highest practical speed as you pass through the intersection.

It works better with a manual tranny.

Also when drafting try the 3 stripes rule with big trucks.

Nowadays when a SUV pulls over 2 car lengths in front of me I just look at it as an opportunity to burn less of my gas and more of his.

This is on I64 between Hampton and Richmond VA, where the traffic can get soo heavy the average distance between vehicles is probably less that 6 car lengths.

Let the weavers and inconsiderate morons pass you, its safer to have them in front of you instead of climbing all over your rear bumper.

regards
gary

YES, I always try to do that as much as possible! If I have to slow, I use the downshifting to slow me. Always ready on the brakes if I have to use them!

[slurp812]

Thanks to all for feedback!!!

[palemelanesian]

I use high-throttle and low rpm. 1500-2200 or so, with about 75% throttle.

[slurp812]

Iv been using the motor, even ad high as 4000 rpm! I went to my moms, on the highway, and lots of stop and go timing lights, and pulsing my @$$ off I got a 47 mpg trip there, and I worked harder on the way back, even having to sit for a short time at a few lights, I got 49.1 for the trip home!!! Its lots of work, but my #s are blowing me away!

[theholycow]

It's definitely a lot of work. Yesterday I did two or three times as much driving as I normally do, as well as some other tiring things. My P&G cycles were getting very short on the way home, and my usually crappy rev matching got even worse, to downright terrible.

It's hard to tell but it definitely looks like a big FE gain. I won't find out until Monday.

[dosco]

Originally Posted by theholycow

It's definitely a lot of work. Yesterday I did two or three times as much driving as I normally do, as well as some other tiring things. My P&G cycles were getting very short on the way home, and my usually crappy rev matching got even worse, to downright terrible.

It's hard to tell but it definitely looks like a big FE gain. I won't find out until Monday.

Clearly it's easier in a manual trans.

I have an auto, and have yet to figure out how to use P&G effectively. I can't pulse and keep the RPM below 2,000 - between the engine and the auto trans, there is no power below 2,000 RPM and the trans shifts so damn quick that the RPMs come up to 2,500 very very quickly.

I have noted on other trips that the best mileage in my car is achieved at highway speeds for long periods of time.

Not a shocker, I guess, but trying to replicate the same engine load and RPM at lower speeds has been difficult/impossible for me so far. The other thing I've noted, after computing fuel flow rates from the dyno chart and SFC chart, is that there is not a lot of difference in flow rates over the RPM range - a gauge to measure the flow rate would really help here.

I suppose the other thing to think about is that I might have a problem with the engine. There has been an intermittent "check engine light" that comes on perhaps once every 3 or 4 months, and stays on for a day or two. I don't have an OBD II reader, and it's kind of a crapshoot as to when the light extinguishes itself, so I've hesitated to bring it to a mechanic for troubleshooting or code-reading. (the Hanes manual doesn't have a "cheat" to short/jump pins to read codes, like older cars) Another reason for a scanguage. Heh.

[theholycow]

A cheap OBDII scanner can be had at Harbor Freight for $40 or so, it will tell you the codes and allow you clear them. Or, you can go to Auto Zone or Advance Auto and have them scan it, they do it for free. The codes are stored even after the light turns off, so you can check them when the light's not on (though the cheap HF scanner might not read those codes).

[dosco]

Originally Posted by theholycow

A cheap OBDII scanner can be had at Harbor Freight for $40 or so, it will tell you the codes and allow you clear them. Or, you can go to Auto Zone or Advance Auto and have them scan it, they do it for free. The codes are stored even after the light turns off, so you can check them when the light's not on (though the cheap HF scanner might not read those codes).

Thanks for the tips.

As far as storing the codes, not sure what's going on there. I know that the on-board computer is supposed to store them...

Last summer, the timing belt broke (I knew it was getting to be about time to change it). The car hadn't had any work in about 8 years of ownership, so I sent it to the dealership and had a bunch of work done. Not the cheapest, but I had the money in the bank. Anyways, they didn't inform me of any stored codes. Not sure why, and I figured if it was something major (like an Oxygen sensor) they would have told me.

[theholycow]

They wouldn't inform you of stored codes unless they see an opportunity to make some money. I'm not saying that in an "evil corporations are jerks" way, just realism.

Anyway, that was a year ago, your check engine light could be something that happened since then (or, for that matter, something that happened while they were working on it).

[slurp812]

Originally Posted by dosco

Clearly it's easier in a manual trans.

I have noted on other trips that the best mileage in my car is achieved at highway speeds for long periods of time.

My numbers on the scangauge are higher than what I can get at a steady 40 mph, let alone a steady 60. I am not being nice when accelerating. I let the RPMs go as high as 4000, but I am coasting a 1/2 a second later and for long distances. I would say I am coasting close to 90% of the time. My car is the 02 Si civic, with a larger 2.0l motor, and close ratio trany. 60 mph on the highway is 3000 RPMs. Its really hard to move at all without keeping it above 2000. We'll jus have to see how my tank #'s come out...