Lets improve our MPGs

[Jade Dragon]

I know the issues of fuel efficency has come up lately. but one thing that is bugging me that even when i dont "drive it like i stole it" i still get sub 20. this las week i hit my best at 18.7mpg. I think it would be a good point for us to find ways to improve efficency. I love the feel of power, but until gas comes down a bit more, ill be fine with sipping my tank.

[intelisevil]

Sounds like you have a problem.

My '92 Ebony with binding issues (bad solenoid C or transfer clutches) is averaging a hair over 22 mpg in the 5,800 miles since I got it on Dec. 1st. That's on Winter gas, having fun in the mountains and daily driving about 50/50 hiway/in-town.

100% 'Premium' 91 octane. Cruise control whenever possible. No, I don't always agree with the posted speeds . . .

I need to punch the numbers for the wife's '92 Teal and see how she's doing. It has been driven closer to 15,000 miles since mid August.

Dan

[dcarrb]

Depends upon what sort of driving you do. I get <20 MPG in routine daily driving over hilly terrain and figure the low number is due to the fact that my torque converter doesn't hook-up for about 10 miles and by that time, I'm there. On the other hand, I've driven to and from Atlanta twice in recent days (over 600 miles) and averaged better than 27 MPG, and that's at comfortable (for the SVX) freeway speeds with some red-light boulevard cruising and a couple of stop-and-go traffic jams thrown-in, at 90+ degrees, with the A/C blasting. I once got a tick over 30 MPG on a pure Interstate run. Since I started charting my car's consumption last September, my overall average fuel economy is close to 22 MPG.

If you don't do much open-road driving, "sub 20" is probably about the best you're gonna do.

dcb

[Earthworm]

I filled up this morning and recorded 28 MP(IMP)G+. This is without the "pill".

400 miles on this tank.

[shelfy]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

I filled up this morning and recorded 28 MP(IMP)G+.

how many mp(us)g is this?

[Earthworm]

Originally Posted by shelfy

how many mp(us)g is this?

28 MP(IMP)G = 23.3 MS(US)G

This was 50/50 city/highway.

[Tcat55371]

Gets around 22mpg also. It may do better once I get a new transmission in it but I think thats pretty close to it.

My 86 XT Turbo gets 25 with my foot into the turbo alot. 28/29 if I turn the speed alarm on and dont let it go off. (man thats hard to do, it sounds at 60mph)

[SomethingElse]

The best I got with 75% highway was aboot 22.25 mpg. thats with the auto. Im still curious to see what i get with a 5 speed. but im all city now what are some other 5 speeds getting?

[Earthworm]

5spd will help mostly with city driving. Auto's get the best mileage with the torque converter locked. Using a 5spd is like driving an auto with the torque converter locked in every gear

[NikFu S.]

I'm trying to break 20mpg all city on 90 octane with hilly terrain, ****e roads, snow tires, and wasted rear transfer, >70 temps.
I came really close last tank.

[Beav]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

5spd will help mostly with city driving.

Except very few shift early/often enough. Admit it, when in traffic how often do you shift to the next highest gear? I'll wager I'm not far from the majority when I say that in traffic, I search for the gear that I can leave the tranny in longest, usually first or second. If I can hit third, I'm not in traffic, I'm making a Xanax commercial for back-seat drivers and voicing opinions faster than Rush Limbaugh in San Fran with a fresh set of batteries.

New debate in autodom is how mpg is affected by 'the length of time accelerating in any one gear'. The best philosophy I've read recently is "... using the least energy possible enroute to the next point of deceleration...".

[nipper]

Actually per hp your doing better then my 97 outback, which has two less cylinders, and gets 18-22 around town (18 a/c stop and go) and 27-28 on the highway.
I may get a svx just to have more power and the same mileage. The ob is getting a new clutch pack, if anyone wants to know thats 875.00 in downstate NY.
Two things affect mpg the most, your tire pressure, and your right foot.

nipper

[Jade Dragon]

i have my tries up to pressure, and i have been driving very with a light foot. All i do is city driving, but its very little stop/go. i hit green about 75% of my trips around town. For about the past 2 months, i have been haveing an o2 throw a code, but it only last about 10 sec, then its gone. I know an o2 throwing a code affects my efficency. but i havent had this happen for about 3 weeks. If i had the $ to get a new o2, i would but im broke as hell.
I remember a while ago, someone did some testing of MPG improvement by adding acitone, has there been any longterm improvement data. i cant stand going through gas so fast. GAH!

[svx_commuter]

My MPG has improved over last year. I am getting about 27mpg in my commuting. I was getting around 23 last year. Four items I think that have helped.
1. Xcel-Plus engine additive reduces engine friction and has products that clean out the combustion chamber and fuel system. I used the higher mileage recommendation. In my opinion this is good stuff and works. I plan to use on my other cars as well and add to the gear boxes.
2. Driving downhill or on level ground when the engine is cold with the engine at slow speed as close to idle speed as I can get until the engine/AT warms up. I do not let the car sit and warm-up any more than 1 minute in the cold weather and about 5 seconds in warm weather. I get zero mpg when the SVX is running and not moving. I changed my route so that I not going up a hill when the car is cold. Now I go down a hill and then on a level road.
3. Anytime I go down a hill I take my foot of the gas and coast as long as I can. The SVX just loves to coast. I am amazed at how easily the SVX will coast and maintain speed. I keep the car moving and out of 1st gear by planning ahead, braking at higher speeds and then coasting waiting for the light to turn green so that I do not have to stop. It takes a lot of energy to get the car moving from a stop. I make space in front of the SVX for coasting. The SVX is not made for sitting still it wants to move.
4. Tire Pressure 40psi front and 36psi rear.

I can also get the usual 22 mpg with my car. This is easy to do. I start it up after it’s been sitting all night, so it’s cold and drive about 15 minutes to a store, go inside for about 10 minutes, come out and restart and drive about another 15 minutes and go to another store and wait at traffic lights while driving. I make about five stops in stores and then go home. Heck the transmission is not even warm yet and the engine is just getting there. The SVX does not get good mpg with this type of driving. The engine runs rich until it warms up. I think a permanent engine block heater and transmission heater would certainly help. Keeping the SVX warm overnight in cold weather would be great, such as in a garage. Wow it sure would be nice to have a garage.

[dcarrb]

Originally Posted by nipper

Actually per hp your doing better then my 97 outback, which has two less cylinders, and gets 18-22 around town (18 a/c stop and go) and 27-28 on the highway.

I saw a new Outback ad bragging about its 28 MPG rating and thought, geez, if my SVX can do that running at the legal limit+ (as opposed to the EPA's 45 MPH-with-a-tailwind testing), something's wrong. A four-banger wagon 15 model years removed ought to do much better.

Originally Posted by Jade Dragon

I remember a while ago, someone did some testing of MPG improvement by adding acitone, has there been any longterm improvement data.

Nothing you dump into or bolt onto a properly maintained car will significantly improve fuel economy.

dcb