Why the Civic VX is a superior highway FE machine

[krousdb]

The Metro might be better with pulse and glide, but I don't know for sure because I don't have an opportunity to P&G.

[MetroMPG]

When you did the Insight marathon, were you able to pulse in lean burn mode? Would the VX?

[basjoos]

I wonder if you could turn the Metro into a decent highway cruiser if you gave it the full aero treatment to bring its.Cd down to a low value so its engine wasn't having to struggle to maintain normal interstate speeds. you could attach the boattail to the back of the hatch so it lifts up out of the way as you open the hatch.

As I have been adding more aero mods to my Civic, its engine is becoming more relaxed when cruising at speeds in the 70's and 80's. One of these days I'm going to have to see how extactly how much my maximum speed has increased due to the reduced drag from the aero mods.

[MetroMPG]

Oh yes. The same aero mods you've done have been on my to-do list all along. You've just been faster at implementing them! Plus I'm more obsessive about testing - I indulge my curiosity to find out how much each thing contributes, which slows things down overall.

The mods I've tested so far: passenger mirror delete, grill block, rear skirts, partial Kamm back, & belly pan have improved my FE in the neighbourhood of 12% @ 85 km/h. There's definitely more yet to do.

Regardless, I'll always be playing catchup to the VX on the highway.

[The Toecutter]

As I have been adding more aero mods to my Civic, its engine is becoming more relaxed when cruising at speeds in the 70's and 80's. One of these days I'm going to have to see how extactly how much my maximum speed has increased due to the reduced drag from the aero mods.

What size tires do you have, what are your gear ratios, and by chance do you have a power curve for your engine?

If I had to guess off the top of my head, I'd say 140 mph. But I don't know whether your gearing would really allow that.

[GasSavers_Jack]

My VX however had not faired near as well as "The VX" I still can not get it to run right. Although I only have about $1600 into it total I cant even get up to EPA rating despite careful driving.

I still have a very erratic idle. And car mysteriously looses power when I give it more gas. I really have no idea what else to do.

Since I got it I have replaced: belts, dizzy cap & rotor, plugs and wires, air filter, fuel filter, o2 sensor, oil and filter. I also seafoamed it.

It still has a major hesitation when I hit the gas. Some times it actually bogs down so bad it slows down. It only does this sometimes. I am not throwing any codes (I had a o2 sensor code but swapped that but didnt help much). It also has a bounce in the idle 1000 to 1500 and back over and over but not everytime.

So good luck on your VX shopping. So far I am not totally happy with mine. Many a day I think I should have just kept the CRX.

[MetroMPG]

Jack: aside from the mystery problems, do you know if you're even getting into lean burn?

Didn't Dan install a DMM to monitor that? (Looked for his post, but couldn't find it). I think that would be one of the first things I'd do if I had a VX.

[onegammyleg]

This Metro blows all the VX's in the world away at a couple of cents per mile.

http://www.electricvehiclesusa.com/p...o%20sample.htm

[MetroMPG]

Unfortunately, a lot of EV builders/owners don't report battery costs in their cost/distance calculations. Batteries are consumables in EV's - analogous to having to replace your ICE car's gas tank every 20-30k miles, at a cost of roughly $900 (in the case of the above-pictured Metro with twelve T-125's @ $75 ea.)

Whereas the cost of gas to go 20-30k miles in a VX @ 75 mpg @ $3/gallon is $800 - $1200.

Of course it's never that cut and dry (and I didn't account for either electricity or ICE maintenance). But you get my point. EV's aren't as cheap to own/run as would appear at first glance.

[GasSavers_Jack]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

do you know if you're even getting into lean burn?
.

No idea... I guess I will have to take a look for that info. Thanks.