This was the best of two runs I made of a 12 mile loop through suburban and rural areas around my house. The other run I got 55.0 mpg. I used a ScanGauge to get these numbers.
My car is a basic 2002 coupe with the 5spd and 2200. I run 44 psi in the tires and regular 87 in the tank. I did a few things to the car to get these numbers. First, I took off the brake booster hose and blocked most of it while letting the IAC valve compensate, then I unplugged it, freezing it in that position. Then I put the booster hose back. Before, the car used to use 0.4 gph in a standing idle and 0.6 gph while coasting. Now it uses 0.2 gph during coasting and idling (although the idle is a bit rough). I also changed my driving style a bit:
-Accelerated at about 40% throttle and shifted between 2K and 3K.
-Killed the engine whenever not accelerating.
-When I approached a stop sign or red light or needed acceleration, I let out the clutch in 5th to revive the engine.
I was usually within 10mph of the speed limit and didn't hold up any traffic behind me. With the engine off, everything is available except for power steering. Even the A/C stays cold for a while after the engine shuts down. This way of driving takes more attention, but considering I got more than double the EPA estimate, I can't complain. This even beats my highway mileage at ~43mpg, probably due to less aerodynamic drag.
2002 Cavalier 2200 5spd
Eh, just something to think about if gas ever hits $5-10/gal.
2002 Cavalier 2200 5spd
dude you turn OFF your car while driveing? i just put it in the N and i have the same setup and my car gets @!#$TY MPG i need to work on that
Your car will get worse mileage in neutral than in gear. Next best thing is to leave it in a high gear and coast so that your injectors will stop firing. Even better than that is to stop the engine completely and disengage it from the wheels.
I kill the engine, but the ignition is still ready. All the car's electronics are running and the ECU is feeding data to the scangauge. As soon as I let out the clutch, it's ready for action. If you want to see this method work in real time, buy a ScanGauge II.
The reason this works is because I run the engine at maximum efficiency while it's on and when I don't need it, I shut it off. Just maintaining speed uses about 10-20% throttle and most engines are most efficient around 40-50%. If I'm coming up on a hill, I'll build speed to 50-60 mph pretty quickly, kill the engine, and coast up the hill and down the other side. This is illegal in some states, but it's not like a cop really knows if your engine is turning. Also, the steering is stiffer when the engine is stopped, so keep that in mind.
2002 Cavalier 2200 5spd
why is it worse to have it in N than in gear?
oh ya, and all that great braking you get from your engine not having a vaccumm.
Where do You live? I want to to know so I can avoid any area you might be around.
Only thing you cant account foris a waitind disaster, like a child suddenly running across the road, or another driver on the road not paying attention.
Your also creating alot more wear on the engine turning it on and off so much, espcially in gear.
Ah, a hater. I knew it wouldn't be long. FYI, the booster holds a vacuum for a long time after the engine stops so there is still power braking AND ABS. Even if there wasn't, I could let out the clutch and have full vacuum.
2002 Cavalier 2200 5spd
Anyway you look at it, 57mpg is pretty darn good!!
Well there is a problem here, nonetheless.
You MPG isnt rated for time the car is off. So any real info would be the Average MPG while the car was running. Thats the only way to get a true measurement. Otherwise, if you want to go well past that, you might be able to put a mast and sail on your car and increase the MPG 2 or 3 fold. Or convert your car to electric, 100% electric and then lets see your Miles per gallon for gas?
Do a search on google. Your idea is ok, although unsafe, your logic is not sound in this case.
If your so much want better gas mileage, try:
1) Driving the speed limit
2) Reduce idle times as much a possible, when parked.
3) dont use your AC
4) Dont have a body kit
5) Practice good breaking techniques.
6) Make your car more aerodynamic
7) use no larger then 16" rims
8) nitrogen fill your tires to proper recommended inflation specs.
9) No boost
10) No jack rabbit starts.
11) Let your car warm up before you drive off.
12) reduce unwanted weight.
etc. There are plenty of other ways to increase your MPG and MGT, such as acetone and Propane conversion, and run dual fueled.
So you are saying hybrid cars don't really get better gas mileage?
Hahaha, these so many flaws i dont even know where to start...i mean are you serious?
My dads Prius gets 55mpg on the highway. My Cavalier gets 33 mpg. Tell me how his is worse than mine.
You miss read me. Im trying to tell you that you get better mileage with a full electric then a gas, for obvious reasons. Where did i say it would be worse? Last i looked, i said hybrid cars get better mileage, and i just re read it, and i cant figure out where you guys cant read.
so can some one tell me why coasting in N is worse then being in gear?
Sorry, I was talking to Rosario.
Madison Zanette wrote:so can some one tell me why coasting in N is worse then being in gear?
When in a gear the momentum of the car turns the engine.
When in nuetral fuel is needed run the engine.
"Well there is a problem here, nonetheless.
You MPG isnt rated for time the car is off. So any real info would be the Average MPG while the car was running. Thats the only way to get a true measurement. Otherwise, if you want to go well past that, you might be able to put a mast and sail on your car and increase the MPG 2 or 3 fold. Or convert your car to electric, 100% electric and then lets see your Miles per gallon for gas?"
There is no problem here. We're not talking about electric motors, 100% of the energy used to move my car was derived from gasoline. The scangauge still reads while the engine is not turning. Trip MPG = total miles travelled / total gallons consumed. When the car is idling in place, mpg = 0. When you are moving at ANY speed and the engine is off, MPG is undefined or infinity. The average is not the result of averaged instantaneous MPG readings, it's total miles / total fuel.
2002 Cavalier 2200 5spd
Uh, how exactly is it that your injector stop firing if you leave it in high gear and coast? thats not true at all, your injectors will be operating at a lower duty cycle and thus firing in smaller pulse widths because less load is on the engine but they will not stop firing all together
Quote:
11) Let your car warm up before you drive off.
NOPE
Don't do this in the summer or the winter. The fastest and most efficient way to warm up a car is to drive it. A cold start pisses away half a gallon per hour. Just take off and keep the revs low.
2002 Cavalier 2200 5spd
this is possibly the most ridiculous thread ever
Solid Snake wrote:Quote:
11) Let your car warm up before you drive off.
NOPE
Don't do this in the summer or the winter. The fastest and most efficient way to warm up a car is to drive it. A cold start pisses away half a gallon per hour. Just take off and keep the revs low.
yeah you do that, while i let my motor heat up and let the oil heat up so its properly lubed and properly seated. one of the worst things you can possibly do is in the winter jump in your car and take off. your motor cant take that, your oil is thicker and doesnt get up to the cylinders as fast, i let my car warm up till i see something on the temp gauge. that way i know its ready to go
i would rather spend a 1/2 gallon of gas rather than what it would take to fix the tear on my motor.
