gas saving with hand controls.

[FrugalFloyd]

Wow! Good to hear you're still with us. Consolidate your trips to get/keep the engine warm & avoid mileage-killing short drives. Best speeds are the lowest you can keep the torque converter locked - usually high 30s to low 40s. Coast as much as possible, in neutral if you can do so safely. Most people are still on the gas half a block from stop signs. I'm coasting 3-4 blocks to the same stop sign.

Most important, keep your speeds down. Cruising at 70-80 mph is 30 mpg or less. Cruising at 60 mph is 40 mpg or better.

[trollbait]

1. If your 99 civic has a TCM (a computer that controls the shift solenoids and torque converter lockup), I think you could work out a way to manually override it (with buttons on the steering wheel) so that you could force it to upshift at low rpms and immediately lock up the torque converter. You couldn't get rid of the added drag of the transmission's ATF pump, but you should get closer to to efficiency of a manual transmission in city driving.

I came across this about a month ago.
http://ecomodder.com/wiki/index.php/...nverter_Lockup
Aside from actually getting to the wires, it's a simple mod.

Not mentioned on that page, but in the discussion, is that with the TC locked up there might not be enough fluid following to the cooler. A way to monitor the transmission temps would be prudent. The scangauge should be able to do so.

[silversol]

^^^ Thanks for that link. I put in 8 gallons today fearing gas prices would go up over the weekend. With a mix of atlanta city driving and hwy driving at around 70mph I was able to get 32mpg! Not bad but I know it can do better. I have been looking around at a scangauge/ultra gauge I just can bring myself to spend the money, What kinda results are you guys getting with them?

[GasSavers_Erik]

Originally Posted by trollbait

Not mentioned on that page, but in the discussion, is that with the TC locked up there might not be enough fluid following to the cooler. A way to monitor the transmission temps would be prudent. The scangauge should be able to do so.

IMHO, cooling shouldn't be an issue since most of the heat in an auto trans is created by a slipping torque converter. Locking up the converter should eliminate this heat source. But yes- I agree that monitoring fluid temps would be the safest thing to do.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by silversol

I have been looking around at a scangauge/ultra gauge I just can bring myself to spend the money, What kinda results are you guys getting with them?

Consider the TurboGauge IV too. I recently found out about it.
http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=13848

I'm not sure I can quantify exactly how my SGII affected my results. I had my best results ever with it, and I believe I couldn't have done as well without it.

Entry dated 3/20/1999 appears to be where I began using the SG.
http://www.gassavers.org/garage/viewgaslog/1399
I apologize for my verbosity back then, I think I'm more concise now.

[trollbait]

I'm not sure I can quantify exactly how my SGII affected my results.

It's mostly the instant feedback. Seeing how driving style effects fuel economy in real time has more affect on the driver than seeing the results once a tank.

I didn't have the SGII in the Prius, but the built fuel economy gauges helped me.

[trollbait]

The instantaneous feed back helps alot. You don't have to wait until a fill up to see the results of a mod or technique. All cars should have a basic, easy to read, display.

Since I've used the SGII from the get go with the HHR, it's hard to quantify how much it is responsible for. Consider that driving behavior can have an impact of 30% or even more, though. These gauges make the driver more aware of their behavior.

[theholycow]

I've found the current trip average to be more useful than instantaneous. Instantaneous really can't tell you how well something is working, it's too depend on too many transient variables.

Even current trip average isn't good enough to declare something a success or failure, it's just good enough to give some encouragement to continue trying something for a few tanks.