Official Thread for posting daily FE updates

[red91sit]

Originally Posted by DRW

I just filled the tank tonight and scored another 'BEST'. I just kept driving until I covered over 600 miles on one tank of gas! 600.2 to be exact. The fuel pump was making squeeking noises, which I hope is the sound it makes when it sucks air, not the sound of an overheated, siezing pump. My tank is rated for 15 gallons and it took 14.5 when I filled it. MPG was 41.3, my second time over 40mpg.

I was nervous the whole day, the low fuel warning light was already on when I began my 70 mile commute in the morning. I was even more nervous when I began the commute home. I kept expecting the car to die at any moment. I had my bike in the back just in case. I admit I drove about 8 miles farther than my standard commute route to get over 600 miles, but I figured that I'd go farther on a warm car on the freeway, rather than start the car again tomorow morning and see how far I got. I don't think I'll push it that far again anytime soon, though it's good to see just how far I can take it.

Well, most intank fuel pumps are liquid cooled. So if it was sucking in air, it was definetly above the level of cooling gas, and running good and hot. Even though the gas tank is full of flammable fluid and air. I'ts far too rich to combust.

[rh77]

Originally Posted by diamondlarry

The temp was 4F for me this morning.

So, the sticker on the window says "LEV"...so I guess you have to sacrifice FE for emissions sometimes...

I drove the TSX to work a couple days this week since the Integra is in the body shop with the whole ice thing. With our time together, I think I'm slowly learning what works.

I woke up one morning with 6F and a challenge.

Without an EGR, I'm guessing that it takes more heat to operate the catalysts and cruddy FE is expected until warm -- so P&G warm-ups were actually reducing FE. It took about 20 minutes of solid driving before the coolant temps were high enough to allow level cruise above 35 mpg (it has a good built-in FE meter -- a bit more visual than an SG number). The process was faster with the heat off and the bum warmer for heat. With the variable cam, it idles very efficiently, so I figured Engine-on coasting would yield better results. It just runs rich to heat everything up. I'd love an EBH, but it's not my daily driver Just take note folks, if you're considering a vehicle with a hi-tech powertrain.

So, with it having a fly-by-wire throttle, what I press isn't what I get. That's tough when modulating the pedal to manage a high load on hills, or just to modulate in general. On the highway, the cruise control actually controlled the speed more efficiently -- probably moving the throttle with smaller increments.

So that's the story. I've managed 31.x MPG so far on 3/4 of a tank, which has really been a learning experience in this weather. Hopefully when the weather warms, 35 mpg tanks should be realized instead of the 25-28 typical Winter range.

It's a nice car, but I miss the simplicity of Teggy. New/efficient engine designs aren't for the hypermiler -- but pollute less overall. Give and take I guess

RH77

[kickflipjr]

First tank on Protege was 28mpg. I have had problems with the eletrical system (replaced alternator, battery, belt) during this tank. Shorter trips and cold temps= bad mpg. I guess I can only go up from this.

[MetroMPG]

Kick: damn, that took you a long time to get a tank through! I'm hoping you can post some good numbers. I like that car.

--

66.6 devillish MPG (US) yesterday. 64.x today.

Going to be doing a more driving than usual this month because I'm watching a house for friends who are spending Feb in FLA.

[zpiloto]

First fill in the Daewoo-woo. 37.7 MPG. This include a lot of short hops to the auto parts store for part and tuning. Running a good dose of acetone for next couple of tanks to clean things up a bit, should see more of a improvement after that. Still got a few issues to iron out but well on the way to the top 10 list again.

[skewbe]

Well it's probably a fluke, only time will tell. I stopped overfilling though and have a standard fill procedure going forward. Even maintaining this reading wouldn't get me hypermiler status.

Scangauge said 46.2, so I'm most likely moving in the right direction anyway. Either one isn't too shabby given how cold it is.

Gonna move the scangauge to the sw2 (auto) as that is likely the next productive area (got 18mpg on last fillup)

[diamondlarry]

Since we are under a blizzard warning here, I decided I better go out and get some supplies before it got ugly. The wind is coming out of the SW at 15-20 mph with gusts as high as 41 and the temp is 6F. On the trip there, I was travelling generally north and east(tailwinds ) and had 55.0 by the time I pulled into my face-out spot. On the way home, I was travelling into the winds . By the time I got unstuck from the drift in front of my garage and got into it, I only had 39.8.

[GasSavers_Jack]

Originally Posted by zpiloto

Wouldn't you want the boggie speed? More pedal same rpm more effeicent? Unless it interfers with lean burn mode.

Ok let me try to explain what I ment there. On my normal commute there are a few hills that are long (1+ miles) and at quite a grade. If I am to hit the bottom of one of the hills in 5th gear at say 60mph even giving it more gas the speed will drop back to 50ish (even flooring it in 5th it cant even maintain speed) So the only choices are downshift and gain speed or give it more gas to keep it at 50. (speed limit is 65 here and the slow people are doing 70+) So really 50 is not very safe when you have 18 wheelers coming right up to your rear bumper with the highbeams on.

But if I hit the same hill in 5ht gear at 65 I can maintain it without any addional throttle. Worth it really just not to get run over but seem to help out on the gas usage too.

I know I know I really need to get myself a SuperMID. Until then I have to use my seat of the pants Dyno.

[cfg83]

Hello -

NEW personal best today on the way to work. Here's the info :

MPG : 56.4 (old best was 53.8, so a 4.83% increase)
Route : 10 West -> 710 South -> 105 West -> 405 South -> Exit Freeway
Miles : 26.9
MPH Avg: 46
MPH Max : 65
RPM Max : 2738
Gallons : 0.5
IAT Reading : Hot Air Intake led to Input Air Temp readings of 130 to 140 degrees F.

Net Elevation Change : ~210 feet drop

Weather : 84.5 degrees F, clear, 12.5% Humidity, 27.5 degrees F Dew Point
Time : ~10:30 AM to ~11:00 AM, ~30 minutes

Recent Car Changes : Reduced tire pressure from 40 PSI to 37 PSI cold (need new tires soon, trying to increase traction for rain later in week). Hydrogen Booster NOT running because I want to make sure that a new hydrogen delivery line will not come loose or melt in the engine bay. I disabled my DRLs (Daytime Running Lights), which reduces my daytime electrical load by up to 10 Amps max (Saturn DRLs are the hi beams).

Question : Could reducing PSI increase my stated MPG? I can't get my head around this. Lower PSI implies smaller tires, which implies more revs per mile, which implies ... ?!?!?

Hypothesis : IMO two things led to this, the weather and the traffic. A nice hot/dry summery day and just the right flow to the traffic. An almost empty freeway is actually worse for MPG because you get more people "pushing" you to go faster than you want. Going South on the 710 probably helps me to get "drafting for free" in the sense that I am surrounded by trucks going to Long Beach Harbor. I don't make an attempt to draft, but when I don't time my pulse right, I can end up maybe 2 car lengths behind a truck for a short period of time before I lose enough MPH to fall back.

PS - I was listening to a Violent Femmes tape that I got in a Thrift shop for $2. Could that have something to do with it?

CarloSW2

Originally Posted by cfg83

Hello -

NEW personal best today on the way to work. Here's the info :

MPG : 53.8
Route : 10 West -> 710 South -> 105 West -> 405 South -> Exit Freeway
Miles : 27.7
MPH Avg: 45
MPH Max : 65
Net Elevation Change : ~210 feet drop
Weather : 78 degrees F, clear, 15% Humidity, 27 degrees F Dew Point
Time : ~9:30 AM to ~10:10 AM, ~40 minutes

... snip ...

[CO ZX2]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Hello -

NEW personal best today on the way to work. Here's the info :

MPG : 56.4 (old best was 53.8, so a 4.83% increase)
Route : 10 West -> 710 South -> 105 West -> 405 South -> Exit Freeway
Miles : 26.9
MPH Avg: 46
MPH Max : 65
RPM Max : 2738
Gallons : 0.5
IAT Reading : Hot Air Intake led to Input Air Temp readings of 130 to 140 degrees F.

Net Elevation Change : ~210 feet drop

Weather : 84.5 degrees F, clear, 12.5% Humidity, 27.5 degrees F Dew Point
Time : ~10:30 AM to ~11:00 AM, ~30 minutes

Recent Car Changes : Reduced tire pressure from 40 PSI to 37 PSI cold (need new tires soon, trying to increase traction for rain later in week). Hydrogen Booster NOT running because I want to make sure that a new hydrogen delivery line will not come loose or melt in the engine bay. I disabled my DRLs (Daytime Running Lights), which reduces my daytime electrical load by up to 10 Amps max (Saturn DRLs are the hi beams).

Question : Could reducing PSI increase my stated MPG? I can't get my head around this. Lower PSI implies smaller tires, which implies more revs per mile, which implies ... ?!?!?

Hypothesis : IMO two things led to this, the weather and the traffic. A nice hot/dry summery day and just the right flow to the traffic. An almost empty freeway is actually worse for MPG because you get more people "pushing" you to go faster than you want. Going South on the 710 probably helps me to get "drafting for free" in the sense that I am surrounded by trucks going to Long Beach Harbor. I don't make an attempt to draft, but when I don't time my pulse right, I can end up maybe 2 car lengths behind a truck for a short period of time before I lose enough MPH to fall back.

PS - I was listening to a Violent Femmes tape that I got in a Thrift shop for $2. Could that have something to do with it?

CarloSW2

Nice going, Carlo. Gives a little better attitude when things go right, doesn't it? It's good that you are analyzing and trying to explain it to yourself. Just put it in the bank.

I doubt that 3 psi would make a measurable MPG difference. Repeat your run a couple times before changing anything else. That way you will know for sure what you have. CO ZX2