Mileage Wars!
Laced with Sarcasm
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,280
RE: Mileage Wars!
^Is your car a stick? If so how is she driving it?
I am working on getting a new figure for my gas mileage since the turbo went on. I know it's gotten a LOT better, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that I'm only pushing as hard as I can without touching boost. Either way, should make for some impressive numbers.
I am working on getting a new figure for my gas mileage since the turbo went on. I know it's gotten a LOT better, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that I'm only pushing as hard as I can without touching boost. Either way, should make for some impressive numbers.
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 123
From:
RE: Mileage Wars!
ORIGINAL: MccM
My mom has been driving my car this week and i just calculated the gas milleage. With AC full blast in my 98 dx hatch going about 70 on the highway it is getting a whopping..... 28 mpg. This is the first time ive calculated mpg before. Is the AC really killing mpg that much? How much more mpg can i expect without AC full blast.
My mom has been driving my car this week and i just calculated the gas milleage. With AC full blast in my 98 dx hatch going about 70 on the highway it is getting a whopping..... 28 mpg. This is the first time ive calculated mpg before. Is the AC really killing mpg that much? How much more mpg can i expect without AC full blast.
Also, you can't do the full throttle and shift at 2500-3000 rpm technique with an auto, like you can with a manual. From what I read, fuel injection works most efficiently at full throttle, but when you move into the higher rpm ranges you are of course, burning a lot more gas. Thus, the full throttle/shift at 2500 rpm trick. You can't do this with an auto.
What I noticed when my wife drove the auto EX, she tended to wind it out in every gear until she got to her cruising speed (yes, she has a lead foot, too). The MPG dropped noticeably when she drove it. My daughter drove like a little old lady, and got noticeably better MPG.
Also, I've found that using AC constantly knocks anywhere from 3-6 mpg off my mileage, depending on how "spiritedly" I drive with it on.....
28 mpg sounds pretty low, though--has it been tuned up lately (oil change, tire pressures, air filter etc)?
Thread Starter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 123
From:
RE: Mileage Wars!
ORIGINAL: Forty04
^Is your car a stick? If so how is she driving it?
I am working on getting a new figure for my gas mileage since the turbo went on. I know it's gotten a LOT better, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that I'm only pushing as hard as I can without touching boost. Either way, should make for some impressive numbers.
^Is your car a stick? If so how is she driving it?
I am working on getting a new figure for my gas mileage since the turbo went on. I know it's gotten a LOT better, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that I'm only pushing as hard as I can without touching boost. Either way, should make for some impressive numbers.
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 772
From:
RE: Mileage Wars!
ORIGINAL: civicstealth
I see it's an auto--my daughter had an 03 EX auto (until she totalled it) and I drove it for about a month once--I averaged 32 MPG on one tank and 34 mpg on another. I think that, although the auto will return high (38 mpg?) numbers while cruising, it does suck a little parasitic energy away fromt he car when you are accelerating.
Also, you can't do the full throttle and shift at 2500-3000 rpm technique with an auto, like you can with a manual. From what I read, fuel injection works most efficiently at full throttle, but when you move into the higher rpm ranges you are of course, burning a lot more gas. Thus, the full throttle/shift at 2500 rpm trick. You can't do this with an auto.
What I noticed when my wife drove the auto EX, she tended to wind it out in every gear until she got to her cruising speed (yes, she has a lead foot, too). The MPG dropped noticeably when she drove it. My daughter drove like a little old lady, and got noticeably better MPG.
Also, I've found that using AC constantly knocks anywhere from 3-6 mpg off my mileage, depending on how "spiritedly" I drive with it on.....
28 mpg sounds pretty low, though--has it been tuned up lately (oil change, tire pressures, air filter etc)?
ORIGINAL: MccM
My mom has been driving my car this week and i just calculated the gas milleage. With AC full blast in my 98 dx hatch going about 70 on the highway it is getting a whopping..... 28 mpg. This is the first time ive calculated mpg before. Is the AC really killing mpg that much? How much more mpg can i expect without AC full blast.
My mom has been driving my car this week and i just calculated the gas milleage. With AC full blast in my 98 dx hatch going about 70 on the highway it is getting a whopping..... 28 mpg. This is the first time ive calculated mpg before. Is the AC really killing mpg that much? How much more mpg can i expect without AC full blast.
Also, you can't do the full throttle and shift at 2500-3000 rpm technique with an auto, like you can with a manual. From what I read, fuel injection works most efficiently at full throttle, but when you move into the higher rpm ranges you are of course, burning a lot more gas. Thus, the full throttle/shift at 2500 rpm trick. You can't do this with an auto.
What I noticed when my wife drove the auto EX, she tended to wind it out in every gear until she got to her cruising speed (yes, she has a lead foot, too). The MPG dropped noticeably when she drove it. My daughter drove like a little old lady, and got noticeably better MPG.
Also, I've found that using AC constantly knocks anywhere from 3-6 mpg off my mileage, depending on how "spiritedly" I drive with it on.....
28 mpg sounds pretty low, though--has it been tuned up lately (oil change, tire pressures, air filter etc)?
Laced with Sarcasm
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,280
RE: Mileage Wars!
ORIGINAL: civicstealth
Sounds pretty interesting--I think you're right! Plese let us all know when you have some numbers (I'd also like to hear how expensive/labor intensive it was to go turbo, and what kind of performance gain you got).
ORIGINAL: Forty04
^Is your car a stick? If so how is she driving it?
I am working on getting a new figure for my gas mileage since the turbo went on. I know it's gotten a LOT better, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that I'm only pushing as hard as I can without touching boost. Either way, should make for some impressive numbers.
^Is your car a stick? If so how is she driving it?
I am working on getting a new figure for my gas mileage since the turbo went on. I know it's gotten a LOT better, but a lot of that has to do with the fact that I'm only pushing as hard as I can without touching boost. Either way, should make for some impressive numbers.
As for the second part of that question.. I have about $1600, and countless hours wrapped up into my boost project. The next time I do one of these, it won't take me nearly as long, as now I know all the little tricks.. I do not suggest doing this install on a Daily Driver if it is your only mode of transportation. I was without a car a few times, and had to share Lori's. Which meant coming to work an hour early, working for an hour, leaving to take lori to work, then coming all the way back here. Then, I got home, tinkered for 45 minutes, and had to go pick her up from work. IT SUCKED!
As for the performance gain, hopefully I'll have a better answer to that later tonight. I've got an appointment with the tuner at 6:00. If all goes well I'll have a much better idea. Wish me luck!!
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 85
From:
RE: Mileage Wars!
ORIGINAL: civicstealth
More data vis-a-vis AC/windows closed vs no AC/windows open:
308 miles, 7.1 gallons, 43.4 MPG
90 percent highway driving, 65-70 mph, medium to no traffic, NO AC, windows open.
I accelerate at near full throttle but upshift at about 3K rpm at the most when entering the highway.
So far, this seems to but the lie to the idea that aerodynamic drag with windows open is less efficient than AC on with windows closed. of course, this is only for the Civic--for more aerodynamic cars with larger engines this may not hold true.
More data vis-a-vis AC/windows closed vs no AC/windows open:
308 miles, 7.1 gallons, 43.4 MPG
90 percent highway driving, 65-70 mph, medium to no traffic, NO AC, windows open.
I accelerate at near full throttle but upshift at about 3K rpm at the most when entering the highway.
So far, this seems to but the lie to the idea that aerodynamic drag with windows open is less efficient than AC on with windows closed. of course, this is only for the Civic--for more aerodynamic cars with larger engines this may not hold true.
I've never tried the full throttle acceleration with shifts at 3k or so. Might give that a try and see what happens. I'm not topping it off any more. It hasn't made any difference in my mileage. The numbers are working out to be the same, always somewhere in the 31 to 32 mpg range. About the only difference I see is that I'm not making it quite as far down the road before needing to fill up again. It's been around 30 miles different. Not a big deal in local driving. I've yet to have an excuse to take the car on a road trip yet so I don't know what it'll do on strictly freeway driving. Might have to just take a weekend trip to see how it does! 
Thanks for posting your results, Civicstealth.Drive Safe,
Steve R.
Laced with Sarcasm
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,280
RE: Mileage Wars!
ORIGINAL: Pete
I got 56mpg on a tank going on the interstate @ 65 mph. Obviously not hitting boost, cuz then the gas chugging begins lol
I got 56mpg on a tank going on the interstate @ 65 mph. Obviously not hitting boost, cuz then the gas chugging begins lol