gas saving with hand controls.

[silversol]

Well after being shot in the back last feb i have had to install hand contols in my honda civic ex automatic. It has all the maintance done to it and it runs perfect i have 40psi in all 4 tires and i average about 32mpg which is not bad but as a previous vx owner i want more, What are somethings i am overlooking that might help? I have been looking at a ultra gauge but i am waiting and hopeing the price goes down on them.

[VX_Arky]

Shot in the back???? Hope you're ok. Wow. Sorry but that totally distracted me from the original intent of your post.

[silversol]

Originally Posted by Arky

Shot in the back???? Hope you're ok. Wow. Sorry but that totally distracted me from the original intent of your post.

Yeah im still trying to recover i have a spinal cord injury at t10.

[theholycow]

This guy may have some insight.
http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=11511
He lost a leg but wanted to continue using manual transmissions, so he was looking at hand controls to allow his remaining leg to operate the clutch pedal.

[IndyFetch]

Sorry to hear that man. I wish you a speedy and full recovery.

[GasSavers_Erik]

silversol,

I am the member that holycow was referring to. I have a few ideas.

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.

2. Maybe you could swap a final drive set with a better ratio into the transmission (assuming you could find a set that would fit)

3. Try a warm air intake and a hotter thermostat

4. If you have a big budget, there is a company that makes the Drivematic automatic clutch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApQ_f0btB50

I called them a few years ago and they charged about $9K to install it- they would not sell the parts outright. This could enable you to get another VX.

[silversol]

Thanks for the insite eric! Yeah my budget is not that big and i dont have use of either of my legs to attempt to drive a stick shift. the tcm and sterring wheel shifter sounds like a good idea! My budget is streched I also have a fully restored 67 mustang that im going to install power sterring and power disk breaks to make it safer to operate with hand controls.

I have thought about finding another vehicle but this little honda civic saved my life so i have grown attached to it, To those wondering i was dating a girl with a ex boy friend that was upset i was dateing this young lady. So insted of talking to me he slased one of my tires in the parking lot, But when i got in my car and tried to leave he shot at my car 6 times with a .45. Lucaly my civic was cold and the high idel at the cold start i was able to get almost a mile away!

[IndyFetch]

Originally Posted by silversol

Thanks for the insite eric! Yeah my budget is not that big and i dont have use of either of my legs to attempt to drive a stick shift. the tcm and sterring wheel shifter sounds like a good idea! My budget is streched I also have a fully restored 67 mustang that im going to install power sterring and power disk breaks to make it safer to operate with hand controls.

I have thought about finding another vehicle but this little honda civic saved my life so i have grown attached to it, To those wondering i was dating a girl with a ex boy friend that was upset i was dateing this young lady. So insted of talking to me he slased one of my tires in the parking lot, But when i got in my car and tried to leave he shot at my car 6 times with a .45. Lucaly my civic was cold and the high idel at the cold start i was able to get almost a mile away!

Please tell me that guy is rotting in jail.

[silversol]

^^^ yep 40 years with a min of 25 years to serve.

[theholycow]

It's good to hear about the justice system working...usually we only hear about it when it doesn't work.