Team Challenge Results: What did you learn about FE?

[Bill in Houston]

Originally Posted by Lug_Nut

Reverse is almost an identical ratio to 1st. The diesel compression puts a lot of stress on the C/V and clutch. Third (at about 10 mph) is less stressful and allows continuing to roll forward once running. Bumping in reverse still requires stopping (in the street) before moving forward.

Ah, diesel. I did not think about that. Even then I would not have thought diesel would make a difference. All that said, I wouldn't want to regularly bump start my car in anything lower than third, like you said.

Originally Posted by Lug_Nut

Drafting is less effective than I thought. Drafting a tandem UPS trailer set (long length and lower than most) last night had an instantaneous mpg of 75 mpg at 65 mph at about one car length. Dropping back to one second (about 100 feet) returned 65 mpg. Two seconds returned 60 mpg. A steady 65 mph with no lead returned about 55 mpg.

Hmm, 10% is nice, but still not great. Driving boxy vehicles, I have seen greater improvements. Maybe the Camel is less-good for drafting, since it is already a nice shape.

[omgwtfbyobbq]

I learned that going 65mph, I have people on my *** longer than at 55mph. Setting the cc at 53mph shows an expected but slight improvement, and I doubt I'll ever hit 50mpg round trip w/o a manual trans and a .5-.6 OD ratio. Maybe 40mpg if I'm lucky, but that's about it...

[MetroMPG]

Great thread so far.

Common to other drivers: I'm generally just trying harder. Being more extreme - wringing more out of P&G (used it a LOT on a 120 mi trip today where normally I would have just driven with load). Results: 81.3 mpg indicated, round trip.

Another example mentioned earlier: getting out and pushing the car when I came up short on a glide to a stop sign at the crest of a little hill. (I've never pushed the car on the street before - in the driveway is another story).

I also reverted to alternator-less driving probably a little sooner in the season that I would have otherwise.

And my tire pressure is up a few more lbs.

[CO ZX2]

DRW.

What do you think you're doing? Don't you know you're in California? Colorado is s'posed to be only place with hills (downhills, that is).

Seriously, you have made gigantic gains in a month. Really good to see that in a car that probably wouldn't be considered by many to be a great FE machine. And besides that, it runs good in the quarter mile. Congratulations.

Before the Challenge I had a number of items that needed to be on my car but I had not got around to. Cold starts and ensuing poor mileage for miles had been on my mind. The second week GasMisers5 was in, it was cold and snowed most of the week. I finally made room in the garage for Old Reliable and installed my block heater. Also had a hose water heater, put that on at the same time. Decided to put an oil heater I had gotten for the trans on the engine oil pan for now. Took my alternator off to check for a way to put a field switch. I had the thing all apart and my neighbor called and said he could help with my trans gears Saturday. Heaters were done and I rigged a piece of inner tube to drive the water pump. I had decided to leave the alternator off for the 6.2 miles to his place. Air conditioning compressor and power steering were left disconnected also.

Friday night I got ready to go. I started thinking I should do something to hold the heat from the block and water heaters overnight. Garage not heated yet. I had rolls of R30 insulation and used 3 batts fender to fender between the engine and the hood. I had plenty of insulation left and covered the space between the floor and the car body all around.

Saturday morning 7 AM, 16 degrees F. When I got in the car I almost rolled my window down it was so warm. I drove about a quarter mile and the car was in closed loop. Usually takes at least 4 miles for that to happen. I didn't get far down the road before I began noticing drastically improved MPG readings on ScanGauge. When I reached my neighbor's place I had 122 MPG registering. He had the garage door open, I just coasted in. Before, every time I drove by his place, SG would show 80-82 MPG. That difference will wake you up.

I may not have done these things even today except for the Challenge.

[DRW]

CO ZX2 wrote: 'I may not have done these things even today except for the Challenge.'

Aren't you glad you did? I know I'm happy with the stuff I learned from the Team Challenge. I just filled up tonight-my first tank after ending my stint in the TC. I drove normally this week, sometimes kinda fast. Guess What? my mileage didn't drop like a rock! I got 42.6 mpg. I'm still using the skills I picked up from the TC, and it doesn't seem like so much work anymore. I really didn't expect to get such good FE out of this tank. I wonder if Gremlins are pushing my car around and adding miles while I'm asleep?!

[rh77]

Originally Posted by DRW

CO ZX2 wrote: 'I may not have done these things even today except for the Challenge.'

Aren't you glad you did? I know I'm happy with the stuff I learned from the Team Challenge. I just filled up tonight-my first tank after ending my stint in the TC. I drove normally this week, sometimes kinda fast. Guess What? my mileage didn't drop like a rock! I got 42.6 mpg. I'm still using the skills I picked up from the TC, and it doesn't seem like so much work anymore. I really didn't expect to get such good FE out of this tank. I wonder if Gremlins are pushing my car around and adding miles while I'm asleep?!

So does this mean you're coming back to the Challenge?

[DRW]

Originally Posted by rh77

So does this mean you're coming back to the Challenge?

Yeah, I think I will.
Eventually.

[Peakster]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

used it a LOT on a 120 mi trip today where normally I would have just driven with load

What does driving with load mean (it's not in the glossary)? Does it simply mean driving with a steady throttle?

[MetroMPG]

DWL isn't in there?

It's where you let your speed vary over changes in elevation, rather than pushing harder and harder on the go pedal to maintain speed on the way UP and then lifting off to maintain speed on the way DOWN (which is how most people - and cruise controls - drive).

[Peakster]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

DWL isn't in there?

Not that I can see.

It's where you let your speed vary over changes in elevation, rather than pushing harder and harder on the go pedal to maintain speed on the way UP and then lifting off to maintain speed on the way DOWN (which is how most people - and cruise controls - drive).

Ah, thanks! So basically it's like choosing a certain GPH to drive at (I usually like 0.8, but sometimes 0.7 works!) and let my car travel from 41mph - 50+mph. I wonder why it's more efficient doing that than the cruise control keeping a steady speed (wouldn't you think that the MPG loss going up hills be compensated by the large MPG increase doing down slopes)?