Civic VX -post your MPG

[tt2323]

'94 vx with 145k. After a new o2 sensor I've gotten 40, 44, 45, 48, 45 mpg in my last 5 tanks of gas. Max tire pressure +1-2 psi. usually going speed limit, a mix between 50-50 city/highway with some a/c use. Practicing easy acceleration keeping rpms down, anticipating lights and even shutting it down at long ones. Would love to hit 50mpg!

[eliteskill]

94' california vx 200k miles, replaced everything possible car drives 100% perfect.... average 31mpg 50/50 city/hwy full ac use.. under 3k shifts all the time... 70mph hwy.. im starting to hate this car... will be up for sale soon if someone wants to figure out why its not getting 40+

[GasSavers_vxhatch]

Originally Posted by nowhhs

No problem..

Thx for the info on your lean-burn monitor. I also looked at the autospeed article and had ordered n received the parts. From your info, I've placed a 2nd order to Allied Electronics for a 9V regulator and recommended capacitors. I hope to have this completed and installed within a couple of weeks. BTW, I got 48MPG on my last tank! Main difference was in my driving style, trying to keep it to 70MPH or under, (safely) drafting when possible.

I can definitely tell when I come out of lean-burn, just not when I go into LB. For this, I think a LB LED indicator will be a big improvement. Out of curiousity, in your experience is the upshift indicator simply a lean-burn indicator that is disabled in 5th gear?

[nowhhs]

As far as I can tell, the upshift indicator only measures rpm and load. It doesn't tell you anything about lean burn. And I agree with you, its alot easier to feel when it come out of lean burn than when it goes in.

Since you all have VXs this might be a good place to ask this question, can you feel when vtec engages? I have an led thats wired to the vtec solenoid, so I can tell when it gets the electrical signal, but I can't feel any difference. Maybe mine needs cleaning? It does pull well at higher rpms though. I don't mean to hijack this thread, just a quick yes or no. Thanks.

[Loserkidwac]

Originally Posted by nowhhs

Since you all have VXs this might be a good place to ask this question, can you feel when vtec engages? I have an led thats wired to the vtec solenoid, so I can tell when it gets the electrical signal, but I can't feel any difference. Maybe mine needs cleaning? It does pull well at higher rpms though. I don't mean to hijack this thread, just a quick yes or no. Thanks.

vtec-e engages at 2500rpms...honestly its probably the most noticeable in 1st or 2nd gear...there is a little screen in between the the 2 halves of the vtec solenoid, which I have heard can become clogged, this could be the problem, I'd order up some new seals from Honda, remove the solenoid, take it apart, clean it and reassemble it with new seals...

[Danronian]

95 VX (non-CA version)
Current MPG: Around 43 MPG daily (80% rural and city, 20% highway)
258k miles/140k mi on motor/Orig trans
About 30k miles on the NTK o2 sensor.
Most wear-parts have been replaced in some way.

Mods:
Rear disc conversion (helps a LOT) with upgraded front pads.
Stereo and 4 speakers and Si interior w/ front del sol seats +arm rest (added weight, then took some out w/the seats)
warm-air OEM intake conversion (flipped direction of one pipe)
added antenna
lacking rear air diffuser and grill block right now
tires at max-psi plus some more
lowered about 2 inches (adjustable springs + AGX struts)
Exedy stage-1 clutch, oem grade pressure plate
Synthentic oil w/4k mi filter changes, 8k mi oil change

Future Mods:
mud flaps (now live on a dirt road)
rear diffuser
OEM VX grill block
LRR tires once these wear out (year or so away at least)
Super-MID real-time MPG gauge

[R.I.D.E.]

Mine just went past 39,000 miles, bought in March with 27,492 miles hit in rear at about 2 years old and kept inside in controlled environment to train insurance adjusters.

I lost some MPG when I replaced the original tires, with 175-70-13 Michelins, but the tire noise, handling, and tarction are much improved.

I seldom exceed 2500 RPM and my combined mileage was almost 59 before the tire change. After it seems to be averaging about 55.

Yesterday I drove from Williamsburg Va to Chantilly Va (DC area). 342 miles on 5.712 gallons. No hypermiling, averaging 65 MPH, drafting when practical, probably 25% of total trip time.

I use 5th gear at anything above 30 MPH, lower gears if I need better acceleration.

I maximise DFCO and coasting when it doesn't aggravate other drivers unless they are tailgaters, then I use P&G to frustrate their stupidity and the increased danger.

I do not shut off the engine because I read it stops lean burn for a certain period of time after the restart.

Tires at 40 for now, max is 44, but ride quality is superb, noticeable to every passenger who has travelled with me.

It seems that my current mileage range works out to about 51 local and 57 highway, but speeds and hypermiling have a significant effect. My worst tank recently was 45 (havent entered it in my log yet), when I did no hypermiling and drove on the interstates locally instead of the 45-55 back roads. I wanted to see how bad my mileage would be, and that was the only sub 50 MPG tank in 8000 miles.

Suggestions;
Maximise DFCO

Coast downhill and whenever you can (in my case locally sometimes .5 mile).
Max elevations changes locally are about 40 feet.

I generally use the back roads locally, but lately there has been a lot of construction on my favorite routes which has increased idling times significantly. That was one of the reasons for the 45 MPG tank.

Anticipate the lights ahead. I drive the same routes every day. My favorite, is a 32 mile round trip with over 50 traffic lights. Timing them is crucial to mileage. In many cases I idle less than 2 minutes on that 32 mile round trip, to give you an idea of the effectiveness of traffic light anticipation.

People blast by me all the time, only to stop at the next light and I pass them coasting in neutral. A lot of the time I can hear their engines rev up as they jockey for a position, when the light will not change soon enough for them to maintain their inertial state, which is the key to effective hypermiling.

It took me 7000 miles to rub the rust off the brake drums and rotors from the car sitting for 13 years. That is a good indication of how little I use the brakes. Light timing requires me to make decisions about acceleration and speed. If I slow down any I will catch the yellow light, so I have to sacrifice some efficiency to reduce idling in those cases.

I have no means of monitoring lean burn, everything is based on instinct. My previous Del Sol averaged 43 MPG (DX model) on the same routes, best tank was 47, but I did not use DFCO nearly as much as I do now, due to gear ratio and differential ratio differences between the two cars.

I also use minimum accessory loads, the car never had a radio, minimal AC use, as well as anything that would cause the load sensor to increase my idle speed, which seems to be at 500RPM or slightly less (a significant way to increase mileage, is to minimise idle speed).

regards
gary

[1993CivicVX]

This summer between 62 and 70mpg. But that's with lots EOC and egg shell acceleration, anticipatory driving and over inflated tires. I recently had the compression tested on my car. 3 cylinders were around 175, one was around 165-170. I'm told that's pretty good for a car with 200,000+ miles. I stopped logging my gas mileage because I no longer have the leisure time to keep track of my mileage using Google Maps (*gasp!*) My odometer only works ~60% of the time.

[R.I.D.E.]

Forgot one thing, I also have the intake snorkel reversed for WAI, trimmed a little of the horn off so it sould not contact the top radiator hose.

regards
badger

[gtstwincam]

145k miles. K&N drop in filter. used the upshift indicator light while driving
Approx 80% hwy, 20% City

53MPG.

Fully tuned. 5w-30 Mobil 1 sythentic. Stock VX wheels and tires. 32psi on the tires.