Tips for a noob

[stefant205]

Well so far what I do is when I drive my stick shift and know I'm approaching a stop sign, I shift into neutral and let my momentum take me and gradually slow me down so I don't have to use the brake that much. That and I also trry to accelerate slowly. That's about all I do do you guys have any more tips for a beginner?

[theholycow]

What do you drive?

One of the most useful things you can do is try to accurately track your fuel economy, with notes about conditions/events/routes for each tank. The gaslog function here on this site is good for that, though it's certainly not the only way to do it. That way, as you experiment with different techniques and strategies and experience different conditions and routes, you can get an idea of what works and what doesn't.

[bobc455]

I would say the opposite. Although gliding to a stop is easier on the brakes, it hurts gas mileage.

Instead, when you see a red light you should slow down as early and quickly as possible, with the intention of gliding the rest of the distance but NOT having to stop. For example, if you are going 40 MPH and see a redlight ahead, immediately hit the brakes and slow down to maybe 20 MPH - then coast the rest of the way. Hopefully, by the time you reach the light it will be green and you'll still be going 20 MPH (or slightly less), and you will have been able to keep a lot of your momentum.

Make sense?

Of course this is very unusual behavior and could surprise a car behind you, so be mindful of safety as well.

Welcome to the board!

-Bob C

[stefant205]

That too I try to time lights so that i can keep my momentum going but what I talked about before was for stop signs, where I dont have a choice but to stop.

[stefant205]

and I drive a 1992 honda accord lx.

[bowtieguy]

is that accord a 4 or six cylinder? i had an auto 4 banger that avg 30mpg...great car!

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by stefant205

That too I try to time lights so that i can keep my momentum going but what I talked about before was for stop signs, where I dont have a choice but to stop.

With stop signs, if you're not holding up traffic, approach them slower; don't accelerate to such a high speed in the first place. That's assuming that we're talking about multiple stop signs separated by a single block each.

You may be able to downshift for DFCO (Deceleration Fuel Cut Off) but you need to confirm that you're getting DFCO or you will be using more fuel. You can get a pretty good idea watching the open/closed loop indicator on a ScanGauge or similar device, and you can be absolutely sure by wiring a meter to one of your fuel injector wires.

I can't think of anything else that helps with stop signs, other than taking different roads.

[stefant205]

4 cylinder. Yeah it does pretty well for its wear.