Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks
07-03-2003, 07:33 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St Hyacinthe, Qc, Can
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks
<U>BEWARE, THIS IS A LONG READ</U>
I see every once in a while threads discussing what kind of gas mileage people get out of their cars, and many people really get bad mileage, realize it, and ask what is wrong with their cars.
I realize HT is a lot more about power-oriented performance, yet, when times come when gas prices rise up to disproportions, some people start worrying about fuel economy. For others like me, it is more because we travel more than average, are on a budget for fuel spendings, and need to watch the way we consume gas. And for others, it's just for the kicks of statistics, or knowing how far they can push fuel economy on their cars.
For every of these people, here is probably where I can help the most, since driving is a major part of my daily worktime, and I use my own car for work. Since 1994, I have accumulated 550,000 miles of driving experience with my Hondas.
So I will try my best and share all the little tricks I know about to make your car as fuel efficient as its potential will allow. Some things are obvious, and some others are very minor details, but still, they have a role to play.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most of us already know this, but we as Honda owners are lucky to benefit from cars built by a manufacturer whose priority is fuel efficiency and emissions control. These two go hand in hand. And Honda is a leader in this type of car, so as a result, most of us own a car that has great potential so far as fuel economy is concerned. If you don't have enough money to pay gas to drive a Honda, it probably means you can't afford driving at all.
That being said, the popular belief says that if you want to have a truely economical car, you will go the diesel way. That belief is false, though I will not expand on this, if you take into account the added costs of buying a car with a diesel engine, maintenance and repair costs, the little actual fuel economy you will gain over a Civic will be completely overweighed by those added costs. And when VW says that you can get 775 miles with one tank of diesel on their TDI's, what they don't mention is that you have to drive at a constant 44 mph to attain this number, which is unrealistic.
So this post will address fuel economy on gas powered cars in general, but most basic principles can apply to diesel engines as well.
To well understand what needs to be done to achieve full economy potential on our cars, we need to know what factors can hinder fuel economy. There are 3 major areas to watch out for:
1. Driving Methods, namely, in accordance with our driving environment
2. Physical / Environmental Factors (outside of the car)
3. Mechanical Factors
Each of these themes will be addressed with as much detail as I can think of.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<U>1. Driving Methods</U>
When we look at car stats, there are two levels of fuel economy shown, one for highway, and the other for city driving.
For both types of driving, it is important to keep those basic principles in mind:
A) To achieve good consumption, it is important to drive <U>smoothly</U>, so you must avoid accelerating hard, and braking hard. Also, you must avoid overrevving the engine.
B) Curbs are to be taken as wide angled as safely possible, in order to lose the least speed possible while steering. This will require knowing how to use your apexes.
C) Make good use of the car's energy by making the most of its inertia. Instead of relying so heavily on the brakes, anticipate a slow traffic area, and coast down to a slower speed in neutral. (I know some will say it is not good for the tranny, well I have never experienced any transmition troubles of any kind, so I believe if there were any damages made, they were so minimal they didn't show.) If you arrive to a stop sign from 55 mph, you can drop it into neutral from as much as a mile away, and coast down without being a disturbance for the traffic. But you need to use common sense; if doing this is dangerous in a certain area, for God's sake, don't do it. If you need to decelerate quicker than neutral, downshifting will be good too, since when you do this, the injectors close, and there is no gas that is used. As much as possible, use your steering instead of your brakes. Try losing the least inertia possible when something comes up, either by steering your way around when it can be safely done, or by coasting down. Braking is wasting inertia.
D) Weight is your enemy. Keep your car as empty as possible, don't carry more that you need to carry.
E) When you have the choice, choose to drive on highways that are made of concrete, rather than asphalt, it is less abrasive, and you will see on average a 10% increase in your gas mileage.
Highway Driving
-Obviously, on highways, fuel economy = reduced speed. On most cars, the optimal speed for fuel economy ranges between 50 and 60 mph. Usually, 55 mph is the precise optimal speed.
-It is always slightly better to drive at that speed without using the cruise control, because you can modulate and adapt to changing environments like hills, which will need to anticipate and increase your speed before climbing uphill so that you don't end up needing to WOT and/or downshift at the middle of the climb because the car is slowing down too much.
-As said, anticipate what is coming before you, and make good use of your car's inertia, it will make you travel for free, since hardly any gas is used. On a long trip, this can save you a few dozen miles.
-Another trick, (although truckers don't like this) is following them at a safe distance, in the areas of 125-150 ft behind and try taking advantage of their draft. This can save you up to as much as 30% gas, but I doubt any trucker will let you stick to his *** for more than 15 minutes without trying to get rid of you, lol.
Same goes for cars, following cars is always better than leading as far as air draft is concerned.
-Also, if someone is drafting on you, it is not a good thing, because you are dragging him aerodynamically, thus consuming more gas.
City Driving
It is possible to make great gains in the city.
-Accelerate as smoothly as possible; usually, I try not to rev past 2500 rpm, and with quick shifts, I remain in the traffic.
-Slow down as smoothly as possible, anticipate, and coast in neutral as much as you can.
-When turning, try to avoid going back to first gear, 2nd will keep the car smooth, but also devour less gas. Actually, always use taller gears when you can.
-In stop and go traffic, you can make things a lot better by keeping your distances, and acting as a shock absorber would. When the car in front of you accelerates, anticipate and start accelerating before him (without hitting him), smoothly, and let him floor it if he wants. Let the distance build, then as soon as he starts slowing down, coast back to him in neutral. This will save you gas, clutch and brake. This way you can be more than twice more fuel efficient.
-Try steering your way around things. Don't waste your car's inertia.
Mountain Roads
Same principle heres.
-If you make good use of your car's inertia, and anticipate climbs by accelerating before you start climbing, you will not have to WOT halfway up, and use more gas than you should.
-Also, you can use inertia while going down a hill. Why use gas to ride the car down the hill while it can go down on its own weight in neutral. And nothing wrong with going past 55 mph, you're not using any gas, so the higher the speed you get going down, the longer you can coast on neutral back on the flats.
-After having coasted in neutal, rev-match to get back into 5th or 6th, that way you will not compress the engine while you let go of the clutch. It takes more gas to reaccelerate that 3 or 4 mph you just lost than a small kick on the throttle with no load on the engine.
Doing this can help you do as much as be even more fuel efficient than driving on flatlands. I have experienced this time after time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<U>2. Physical / Environmental Factors</U>
We get all sorts of weather all year round, and varying weather can greatly influence fuel economy for a car. Here are a few ways to make best of different weathers.
For all weathers, heat needs to be kept under the hood as much as possible. Heat being energy loss from mainly the engine, you want to use it while you still have it.
All parts that are lubricated work better with some sort of heat. This is especially true during winter. When these parts are cold, they will start producing their own heat. Why not use the one that is radiated from the engine to keep all other accessories warm, except for the battery.
The battery needs to be as well insulated from the engine bay's heat as possible, since it will hinder it's performance, and force the alternator to compensate, thus creating additionnal drag on the engine.
To keep the heat inside the hood, it is good to insulate it (see cold weather section). This is especially true with most Hondas since they have engines that don't produce much heat. Keeping the engine bay hot will let parts like the exhaust and cat do their job right, the O2 sensor will be able to command a more favorable air/fuel mixture. Also, and this goes against the laws of performance, but the more the intake air is hot, the less dense it is, so the ECU will adjust the air/fuel ratio and use less fuel also. You will slightly lose power this way, but also save up on fuel.
A good insulated engine bay will also keep the heat inside longer, hopefully reducing the amount of cold starts, which are pretty hard on gas. This especially helps in winter, where more engine starts are cold starts.
Hot Weather
Aside from the above principles, if you can exempt yourself from using the A/C, you should automatically do so. But which is better? Windows open, or A/C? Honestly, I don't know, but I would believe a good use of A/C would be better on the highway, and windows open in the city would be better.
Using the A/C: Try using the A/C when at highway speed, or when decelerating. Avoid using it while accelerating, since it robs the engine of about 15-20lb-ft, costing that much more of gas.
Another small trick that works really well, especially on hot days: If you are going to fill up your car, do so <U>in the morning before hitting the road</U>. Gas in the reservoirs is at much lower temperature than the outside temperature. When you fill the car up, the gas will slowly heat up, and expand inside the tank, and it can give you up to 5% more volume once at the outside temperature. So then you hit the road, and for the first 50 miles or so, the gas expands, and keeps the tank at the same level, full! If you do so later in the day, after you've done driving, the gas will expand, overfill the tank and spill, and will be a loss.
Rain and snow
Try avoiding puddles of water and sludge. Try driving on drier parts of the road, or parts that are free from snow accumulation. This will reduce resistance for the tires. To illustrate this, once, when I was driving in Saskatchewan, I hit a blizzard, and when trying to pass a truck, I found myself in the left lane in about 10 inches of fluffy snow, thick enough so that some would go over the hood, and I just couldn't make the pass, I was floored in 3rd at 60 mph, and couldn't accelerate, because the snow was dragging me down. That was with my Accord 95 EX. It is extreme, but it shows that snow or water can offer resistance, and add load to the engine.
Here the cold gas trick doesn't work, actually it works against you when temperatures go down below 35°.
Cold Weather
This is when a good insulated hood is really useful. Especially in the Northern US, and Canada. Hopefully your engine bay will be well insulated enough that you won't do a complete cold start ½ an hour after you last stopped the engine. To do this, you may want to restrict the area of your radiator that is exposed to airflow, in order to keep the engine warmer. And I'm talking in case the temperatures go well below 25°F. Try adding a fireproof insulation to the inside of the hood. For cars with K-Series engines, I believe this is already done, so no worry. You will keep more heat trapped in for a while longer. This will save you a lot of gas.
Now I know this may be a shocker for some of you, but freezing your *** for 5 minutes because you don't preheat the car saves you a lot of gas. You can start your engines and leave right away even when it's -40°F/C. It will not damage anything, and there again, I have experience to back this up. I have never used a blockheater, never or rarely preheated my cars (except for the wife), and lasted my last Accord to 385,000 miles. Think about it, what is the difference between cold idling at 1500 -2500 RPM or driving away at 2500 RPM? Also note that the drivetrain doesn't heat up until you start driving, so double the waste of gas.
Windy Weather
There is no magic formula if you must drive against the wind except to try and make the most of other vehicles' air draft. If you can stick behind trucks, it will help you greatly.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<U>3. Mechanical Factors</U>
This is the part where we can waste a lot of gas unconsciously, because so many parts are involved in good fuel efficiency. There is a good maintenance that can be done, but also some mods can be made to enhance fuel economy.
Maintenance of mechanical parts
Make sure:
-Tire pressure is to factory specs (eg: Michelin recommends 32 PSI cold)
-Must have the OEM tire size (less than spec may also help, ex: Accord 95 EX: recommended: 195/60R15, but 185/65R15 will create less drag)
-alignment must be optimal
-OEM front end (No aftermarket lips, as longer lips increase the Cx)
-Use the right octane rating gas. ( EX, for TSX, it is 91, for Accord EX 95, 87 is okay, 91 would be a waste)
-Make sure fuel filter is not clogged
-Make sure air filter is not clogged
-Make sure O2 sensor is clean
-Make sure ThrottleBody is clean
-Make sure catalytic converter is not clogged
-Make sure you don't have exhaust leaks
-Use OEM sparkplugs, service them at factory recommended intervals
-Use OEM plugwires as well as distrubutors
-Make sure all grounds are clean
-Make sure battery poles are clean
-When battery loses efficiency, replace, if not the alternator will get easily overloaded
-Make sure PowerSteering and Brake fluids are full
-Change oil at factory-recommended intervals.
-Use 5W30 oil or 5W20 when allowed by Honda. This oil was designed to help improve gas mileage. I know for a fact my TSX won't take it, though
There are other factors, but they don't come to mind just now, but I'd be more than glad if you could add your input.
Modifications to enhance fuel economy
-Weight is your enemy. Strip your car of things that are of not use for you, as if you were to strip it for racing. Just don't touch any parts that would negatively affect its aerodynamism.
-Lightweight Flywheel & Clutch assembly
-Underdrive pulley set
-Higher compression internals will improve thermodynamic efficiency, but it will not be worth the cost unless you have something else in mind, like the occasionnal night at the tracks.
-A flat aluminum bottom will help improve a lot on the Cx, but you will need to take into consideration the cooling of the engine, how you will evacuate all the air gulped in by the radiator.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a conclusion, I'm sure other tricks can be added, and I would love it if you could contribute that way.
Many of the tricks stated above will help minorly, and you will not be able to account them individually, but adding them up is where you will get results.
Also keep in mind that there are no such things as ideal conditions on the highway, so you will never know for sure the true potential of your car. If you can and do try all these things, I think you are nuts, but more power to you, and you will get excellent mileage to the gallons, as much as 10mph over the EPA rating for your car.
I hope this (long) post will have helped at least some of you! Good evening and
!
Jeff
Modified by sauceman at 11:53 PM 7/3/2003
Modified by sauceman at 11:58 PM 7/3/2003
I see every once in a while threads discussing what kind of gas mileage people get out of their cars, and many people really get bad mileage, realize it, and ask what is wrong with their cars.
I realize HT is a lot more about power-oriented performance, yet, when times come when gas prices rise up to disproportions, some people start worrying about fuel economy. For others like me, it is more because we travel more than average, are on a budget for fuel spendings, and need to watch the way we consume gas. And for others, it's just for the kicks of statistics, or knowing how far they can push fuel economy on their cars.
For every of these people, here is probably where I can help the most, since driving is a major part of my daily worktime, and I use my own car for work. Since 1994, I have accumulated 550,000 miles of driving experience with my Hondas.
So I will try my best and share all the little tricks I know about to make your car as fuel efficient as its potential will allow. Some things are obvious, and some others are very minor details, but still, they have a role to play.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Most of us already know this, but we as Honda owners are lucky to benefit from cars built by a manufacturer whose priority is fuel efficiency and emissions control. These two go hand in hand. And Honda is a leader in this type of car, so as a result, most of us own a car that has great potential so far as fuel economy is concerned. If you don't have enough money to pay gas to drive a Honda, it probably means you can't afford driving at all.
That being said, the popular belief says that if you want to have a truely economical car, you will go the diesel way. That belief is false, though I will not expand on this, if you take into account the added costs of buying a car with a diesel engine, maintenance and repair costs, the little actual fuel economy you will gain over a Civic will be completely overweighed by those added costs. And when VW says that you can get 775 miles with one tank of diesel on their TDI's, what they don't mention is that you have to drive at a constant 44 mph to attain this number, which is unrealistic.
So this post will address fuel economy on gas powered cars in general, but most basic principles can apply to diesel engines as well.
To well understand what needs to be done to achieve full economy potential on our cars, we need to know what factors can hinder fuel economy. There are 3 major areas to watch out for:
1. Driving Methods, namely, in accordance with our driving environment
2. Physical / Environmental Factors (outside of the car)
3. Mechanical Factors
Each of these themes will be addressed with as much detail as I can think of.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<U>1. Driving Methods</U>
When we look at car stats, there are two levels of fuel economy shown, one for highway, and the other for city driving.
For both types of driving, it is important to keep those basic principles in mind:
A) To achieve good consumption, it is important to drive <U>smoothly</U>, so you must avoid accelerating hard, and braking hard. Also, you must avoid overrevving the engine.
B) Curbs are to be taken as wide angled as safely possible, in order to lose the least speed possible while steering. This will require knowing how to use your apexes.
C) Make good use of the car's energy by making the most of its inertia. Instead of relying so heavily on the brakes, anticipate a slow traffic area, and coast down to a slower speed in neutral. (I know some will say it is not good for the tranny, well I have never experienced any transmition troubles of any kind, so I believe if there were any damages made, they were so minimal they didn't show.) If you arrive to a stop sign from 55 mph, you can drop it into neutral from as much as a mile away, and coast down without being a disturbance for the traffic. But you need to use common sense; if doing this is dangerous in a certain area, for God's sake, don't do it. If you need to decelerate quicker than neutral, downshifting will be good too, since when you do this, the injectors close, and there is no gas that is used. As much as possible, use your steering instead of your brakes. Try losing the least inertia possible when something comes up, either by steering your way around when it can be safely done, or by coasting down. Braking is wasting inertia.
D) Weight is your enemy. Keep your car as empty as possible, don't carry more that you need to carry.
E) When you have the choice, choose to drive on highways that are made of concrete, rather than asphalt, it is less abrasive, and you will see on average a 10% increase in your gas mileage.
Highway Driving
-Obviously, on highways, fuel economy = reduced speed. On most cars, the optimal speed for fuel economy ranges between 50 and 60 mph. Usually, 55 mph is the precise optimal speed.
-It is always slightly better to drive at that speed without using the cruise control, because you can modulate and adapt to changing environments like hills, which will need to anticipate and increase your speed before climbing uphill so that you don't end up needing to WOT and/or downshift at the middle of the climb because the car is slowing down too much.
-As said, anticipate what is coming before you, and make good use of your car's inertia, it will make you travel for free, since hardly any gas is used. On a long trip, this can save you a few dozen miles.
-Another trick, (although truckers don't like this) is following them at a safe distance, in the areas of 125-150 ft behind and try taking advantage of their draft. This can save you up to as much as 30% gas, but I doubt any trucker will let you stick to his *** for more than 15 minutes without trying to get rid of you, lol.
Same goes for cars, following cars is always better than leading as far as air draft is concerned.
-Also, if someone is drafting on you, it is not a good thing, because you are dragging him aerodynamically, thus consuming more gas.
City Driving
It is possible to make great gains in the city.
-Accelerate as smoothly as possible; usually, I try not to rev past 2500 rpm, and with quick shifts, I remain in the traffic.
-Slow down as smoothly as possible, anticipate, and coast in neutral as much as you can.
-When turning, try to avoid going back to first gear, 2nd will keep the car smooth, but also devour less gas. Actually, always use taller gears when you can.
-In stop and go traffic, you can make things a lot better by keeping your distances, and acting as a shock absorber would. When the car in front of you accelerates, anticipate and start accelerating before him (without hitting him), smoothly, and let him floor it if he wants. Let the distance build, then as soon as he starts slowing down, coast back to him in neutral. This will save you gas, clutch and brake. This way you can be more than twice more fuel efficient.
-Try steering your way around things. Don't waste your car's inertia.
Mountain Roads
Same principle heres.
-If you make good use of your car's inertia, and anticipate climbs by accelerating before you start climbing, you will not have to WOT halfway up, and use more gas than you should.
-Also, you can use inertia while going down a hill. Why use gas to ride the car down the hill while it can go down on its own weight in neutral. And nothing wrong with going past 55 mph, you're not using any gas, so the higher the speed you get going down, the longer you can coast on neutral back on the flats.
-After having coasted in neutal, rev-match to get back into 5th or 6th, that way you will not compress the engine while you let go of the clutch. It takes more gas to reaccelerate that 3 or 4 mph you just lost than a small kick on the throttle with no load on the engine.
Doing this can help you do as much as be even more fuel efficient than driving on flatlands. I have experienced this time after time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<U>2. Physical / Environmental Factors</U>
We get all sorts of weather all year round, and varying weather can greatly influence fuel economy for a car. Here are a few ways to make best of different weathers.
For all weathers, heat needs to be kept under the hood as much as possible. Heat being energy loss from mainly the engine, you want to use it while you still have it.
All parts that are lubricated work better with some sort of heat. This is especially true during winter. When these parts are cold, they will start producing their own heat. Why not use the one that is radiated from the engine to keep all other accessories warm, except for the battery.
The battery needs to be as well insulated from the engine bay's heat as possible, since it will hinder it's performance, and force the alternator to compensate, thus creating additionnal drag on the engine.
To keep the heat inside the hood, it is good to insulate it (see cold weather section). This is especially true with most Hondas since they have engines that don't produce much heat. Keeping the engine bay hot will let parts like the exhaust and cat do their job right, the O2 sensor will be able to command a more favorable air/fuel mixture. Also, and this goes against the laws of performance, but the more the intake air is hot, the less dense it is, so the ECU will adjust the air/fuel ratio and use less fuel also. You will slightly lose power this way, but also save up on fuel.
A good insulated engine bay will also keep the heat inside longer, hopefully reducing the amount of cold starts, which are pretty hard on gas. This especially helps in winter, where more engine starts are cold starts.
Hot Weather
Aside from the above principles, if you can exempt yourself from using the A/C, you should automatically do so. But which is better? Windows open, or A/C? Honestly, I don't know, but I would believe a good use of A/C would be better on the highway, and windows open in the city would be better.
Using the A/C: Try using the A/C when at highway speed, or when decelerating. Avoid using it while accelerating, since it robs the engine of about 15-20lb-ft, costing that much more of gas.
Another small trick that works really well, especially on hot days: If you are going to fill up your car, do so <U>in the morning before hitting the road</U>. Gas in the reservoirs is at much lower temperature than the outside temperature. When you fill the car up, the gas will slowly heat up, and expand inside the tank, and it can give you up to 5% more volume once at the outside temperature. So then you hit the road, and for the first 50 miles or so, the gas expands, and keeps the tank at the same level, full! If you do so later in the day, after you've done driving, the gas will expand, overfill the tank and spill, and will be a loss.
Rain and snow
Try avoiding puddles of water and sludge. Try driving on drier parts of the road, or parts that are free from snow accumulation. This will reduce resistance for the tires. To illustrate this, once, when I was driving in Saskatchewan, I hit a blizzard, and when trying to pass a truck, I found myself in the left lane in about 10 inches of fluffy snow, thick enough so that some would go over the hood, and I just couldn't make the pass, I was floored in 3rd at 60 mph, and couldn't accelerate, because the snow was dragging me down. That was with my Accord 95 EX. It is extreme, but it shows that snow or water can offer resistance, and add load to the engine.
Here the cold gas trick doesn't work, actually it works against you when temperatures go down below 35°.
Cold Weather
This is when a good insulated hood is really useful. Especially in the Northern US, and Canada. Hopefully your engine bay will be well insulated enough that you won't do a complete cold start ½ an hour after you last stopped the engine. To do this, you may want to restrict the area of your radiator that is exposed to airflow, in order to keep the engine warmer. And I'm talking in case the temperatures go well below 25°F. Try adding a fireproof insulation to the inside of the hood. For cars with K-Series engines, I believe this is already done, so no worry. You will keep more heat trapped in for a while longer. This will save you a lot of gas.
Now I know this may be a shocker for some of you, but freezing your *** for 5 minutes because you don't preheat the car saves you a lot of gas. You can start your engines and leave right away even when it's -40°F/C. It will not damage anything, and there again, I have experience to back this up. I have never used a blockheater, never or rarely preheated my cars (except for the wife), and lasted my last Accord to 385,000 miles. Think about it, what is the difference between cold idling at 1500 -2500 RPM or driving away at 2500 RPM? Also note that the drivetrain doesn't heat up until you start driving, so double the waste of gas.
Windy Weather
There is no magic formula if you must drive against the wind except to try and make the most of other vehicles' air draft. If you can stick behind trucks, it will help you greatly.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<U>3. Mechanical Factors</U>
This is the part where we can waste a lot of gas unconsciously, because so many parts are involved in good fuel efficiency. There is a good maintenance that can be done, but also some mods can be made to enhance fuel economy.
Maintenance of mechanical parts
Make sure:
-Tire pressure is to factory specs (eg: Michelin recommends 32 PSI cold)
-Must have the OEM tire size (less than spec may also help, ex: Accord 95 EX: recommended: 195/60R15, but 185/65R15 will create less drag)
-alignment must be optimal
-OEM front end (No aftermarket lips, as longer lips increase the Cx)
-Use the right octane rating gas. ( EX, for TSX, it is 91, for Accord EX 95, 87 is okay, 91 would be a waste)
-Make sure fuel filter is not clogged
-Make sure air filter is not clogged
-Make sure O2 sensor is clean
-Make sure ThrottleBody is clean
-Make sure catalytic converter is not clogged
-Make sure you don't have exhaust leaks
-Use OEM sparkplugs, service them at factory recommended intervals
-Use OEM plugwires as well as distrubutors
-Make sure all grounds are clean
-Make sure battery poles are clean
-When battery loses efficiency, replace, if not the alternator will get easily overloaded
-Make sure PowerSteering and Brake fluids are full
-Change oil at factory-recommended intervals.
-Use 5W30 oil or 5W20 when allowed by Honda. This oil was designed to help improve gas mileage. I know for a fact my TSX won't take it, though
There are other factors, but they don't come to mind just now, but I'd be more than glad if you could add your input.
Modifications to enhance fuel economy
-Weight is your enemy. Strip your car of things that are of not use for you, as if you were to strip it for racing. Just don't touch any parts that would negatively affect its aerodynamism.
-Lightweight Flywheel & Clutch assembly
-Underdrive pulley set
-Higher compression internals will improve thermodynamic efficiency, but it will not be worth the cost unless you have something else in mind, like the occasionnal night at the tracks.
-A flat aluminum bottom will help improve a lot on the Cx, but you will need to take into consideration the cooling of the engine, how you will evacuate all the air gulped in by the radiator.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As a conclusion, I'm sure other tricks can be added, and I would love it if you could contribute that way.
Many of the tricks stated above will help minorly, and you will not be able to account them individually, but adding them up is where you will get results.
Also keep in mind that there are no such things as ideal conditions on the highway, so you will never know for sure the true potential of your car. If you can and do try all these things, I think you are nuts, but more power to you, and you will get excellent mileage to the gallons, as much as 10mph over the EPA rating for your car.
I hope this (long) post will have helped at least some of you! Good evening and
!Jeff
Modified by sauceman at 11:53 PM 7/3/2003
Modified by sauceman at 11:58 PM 7/3/2003
07-03-2003, 07:56 PM
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St Hyacinthe, Qc, Can
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (Accord94DX)
I don't believe engine inertia is necessary to achieve good gas economy. The lighter flywheel will require less internal effort to rev up to speed. You will also feel a way better torque feeling with a lightwieght flywheel. I sooo miss my UR for that. I thought it was the most worthwhile mod I did to my 95 EX.
07-04-2003, 11:13 AM
#5
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (sauceman)
Nice write-up Jeff. W/ all the driving you've done, your a road warrior "veterano". 
I'll definately consider the lightened flywheel as a cost-effective bang-for-the-buck mod on my next clutch change.
I'll definately consider the lightened flywheel as a cost-effective bang-for-the-buck mod on my next clutch change.
07-04-2003, 11:22 AM
#6
B*a*n*n*e*d
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Bouncing off of the city bus in Saigon
Posts: 11,712
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
i can sum all this up in about 5 seconds....don't drive like an *** and that will do the most to save you gas....
1. keep your foot out of the throttle
2. keep your tires inflated to proper pressure
3. change your filters on a regular basis
4. repair any damage to suspension parts
5. do not use the wrong type of fuel.........
1. keep your foot out of the throttle
2. keep your tires inflated to proper pressure
3. change your filters on a regular basis
4. repair any damage to suspension parts
5. do not use the wrong type of fuel.........
07-04-2003, 06:39 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St Hyacinthe, Qc, Can
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: (YeuEmMaiMai)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by YeuEmMaiMai »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i can sum all this up in about 5 seconds....don't drive like an *** and that will do the most to save you gas....
1. keep your foot out of the throttle
2. keep your tires inflated to proper pressure
3. change your filters on a regular basis
4. repair any damage to suspension parts
5. do not use the wrong type of fuel.........</TD></TR></TABLE>
LOL, obviously, yes.
The reason I posted such a long and detailed topic was that I felt this subject had never (to my knowledge) been deeply and completely explained, and since I know more than a few tricks, and always seemed to score best at the "how much mileage do you get out of your car thread", I thought I could maybe help at least a few members...
1. keep your foot out of the throttle
2. keep your tires inflated to proper pressure
3. change your filters on a regular basis
4. repair any damage to suspension parts
5. do not use the wrong type of fuel.........</TD></TR></TABLE>
LOL, obviously, yes.
The reason I posted such a long and detailed topic was that I felt this subject had never (to my knowledge) been deeply and completely explained, and since I know more than a few tricks, and always seemed to score best at the "how much mileage do you get out of your car thread", I thought I could maybe help at least a few members...
Trending Topics
07-05-2003, 06:43 AM
#8
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Caracas, Venezuela
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (sauceman)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sauceman »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> -Use 5W30 oil or 5W20 when allowed by Honda. This oil was designed to help improve gas mileage. I know for a fact my TSX won't take it, though
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Ok about this, i use 15W-40 SL engine oil (i use mineral), but what quality engine do you guys use (well, mineral oil guys at least) SF?? SJ?? SH??
I'm curious about this, my oil is a lil heavy but driving down here is made up in 80% traffic and the weather is around 95 degrees all year long
Sorry if this is highjacking jeff, not my intention
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Ok about this, i use 15W-40 SL engine oil (i use mineral), but what quality engine do you guys use (well, mineral oil guys at least) SF?? SJ?? SH??
I'm curious about this, my oil is a lil heavy but driving down here is made up in 80% traffic and the weather is around 95 degrees all year long
Sorry if this is highjacking jeff, not my intention
07-05-2003, 09:08 AM
#9
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St Hyacinthe, Qc, Can
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (GZERO)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GZERO »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Ok about this, i use 15W-40 SL engine oil (i use mineral), but what quality engine do you guys use (well, mineral oil guys at least) SF?? SJ?? SH??
I'm curious about this, my oil is a lil heavy but driving down here is made up in 80% traffic and the weather is around 95 degrees all year long
Sorry if this is highjacking jeff, not my intention</TD></TR></TABLE>
Not a problem, Gus.
Do you actually really need such athick oil? Normally you shouldn't unless you have sealing problems along the cylinder walls, or have main and rod bearing about to go. But anyway, I would check with your dealer to see what they recommend. One thing is for sure, 5W20 is not recommended for 5th gens unfortunately...
Ok about this, i use 15W-40 SL engine oil (i use mineral), but what quality engine do you guys use (well, mineral oil guys at least) SF?? SJ?? SH??
I'm curious about this, my oil is a lil heavy but driving down here is made up in 80% traffic and the weather is around 95 degrees all year long
Sorry if this is highjacking jeff, not my intention</TD></TR></TABLE>
Not a problem, Gus.
Do you actually really need such athick oil? Normally you shouldn't unless you have sealing problems along the cylinder walls, or have main and rod bearing about to go. But anyway, I would check with your dealer to see what they recommend. One thing is for sure, 5W20 is not recommended for 5th gens unfortunately...
07-05-2003, 09:34 AM
#10
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Caracas, Venezuela
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (sauceman)
15W-40 is the thickest oil i can get without overpaying, that's my problem. My car doesn't smoke a thing, but that might not be too good.
Next oil change i'm considering mobil one syntethic or Motul 4800 (i think that's the syn.) but i know i probably will end up paying for syn since is the thinnest oil down here.
But about the oil clasification, the one i'm using right now is API SL, SL is the best mineral oil (not sure if syn. use this clasification), it's what new cars recommend and blah blah, what are you guys using?
and what does the accord manual recommends for F22B2 5Gen??
Next oil change i'm considering mobil one syntethic or Motul 4800 (i think that's the syn.) but i know i probably will end up paying for syn since is the thinnest oil down here.
But about the oil clasification, the one i'm using right now is API SL, SL is the best mineral oil (not sure if syn. use this clasification), it's what new cars recommend and blah blah, what are you guys using?
and what does the accord manual recommends for F22B2 5Gen??
07-05-2003, 10:45 AM
#11
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St Hyacinthe, Qc, Can
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (GZERO)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GZERO »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">and what does the accord manual recommends for F22B2 5Gen??</TD></TR></TABLE>
5W30
5W30
07-05-2003, 12:58 PM
#12
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Caracas, Venezuela
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (sauceman)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sauceman »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
5W30</TD></TR></TABLE>
That's in the USA, right? cuz the lowest Temp this car will see will be around 60 degrees which is pretty hot, i need to install an oil pressure and temp gauge so i can choose the right oil.
I think 15W-40 is ok since it's soo hot and since i spend 80% driving at like 5 MPH (i know it sucks) but i'm worried about the type of oil.
So, ok you said 5W-30, but what API letters they ask for??
5W30</TD></TR></TABLE>
That's in the USA, right? cuz the lowest Temp this car will see will be around 60 degrees which is pretty hot, i need to install an oil pressure and temp gauge so i can choose the right oil.
I think 15W-40 is ok since it's soo hot and since i spend 80% driving at like 5 MPH (i know it sucks) but i'm worried about the type of oil.
So, ok you said 5W-30, but what API letters they ask for??
07-05-2003, 07:55 PM
#14
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Caracas, Venezuela
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (sauceman)
i do oil changes every 5000 KM or less (Usually less) with 15W-40 API SL oil, i guess i'm ok, i love driving not caring about fuel economy since gas is soo cheap down here. Besides Caracas is really bad for the cars since everything is a mountain or traffic, pretty much like the worst part of San Francisco.
I went trough my helms and found the API grade, i was going to post it but you beat me to it. After the next oil change i'm going to try to start using either Motul or Mobil 1 syn. oil.
I went trough my helms and found the API grade, i was going to post it but you beat me to it. After the next oil change i'm going to try to start using either Motul or Mobil 1 syn. oil.
07-08-2003, 07:19 PM
#16
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (sauceman)
This is my car:
1993 ex-r 5spd sedan
318956kms
semi-non-existan clutch
blown 3rd gear synchro 2nd is starting to follow
burns 1 litre a week of oil
h23a injectors
daily bag driven and redlined as often as neccessary
this is my mileage:
city - 550-600km
highway 800ish @ 125km/h+
how does that make sence?
no i won't convert the numbers.
1993 ex-r 5spd sedan
318956kms
semi-non-existan clutch
blown 3rd gear synchro 2nd is starting to follow
burns 1 litre a week of oil
h23a injectors
daily bag driven and redlined as often as neccessary
this is my mileage:
city - 550-600km
highway 800ish @ 125km/h+
how does that make sence?
no i won't convert the numbers.
07-08-2003, 07:34 PM
#17
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Caracas, Venezuela
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (psyphre)
what does make sense? i would think you get a pretty good mileage, what do you think?
are you going to fix your car or just sell it?
are you going to fix your car or just sell it?
07-08-2003, 09:14 PM
#18
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St Hyacinthe, Qc, Can
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (psyphre)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by psyphre »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This is my car:
1993 ex-r 5spd sedan
318956kms
semi-non-existan clutch
blown 3rd gear synchro 2nd is starting to follow
burns 1 litre a week of oil
h23a injectors
daily bag driven and redlined as often as neccessary
this is my mileage:
city - 550-600km
highway 800ish @ 125km/h+
how does that make sence?
no i won't convert the numbers.</TD></TR></TABLE>
That is pretty good.
And somehow it does make sense, I've had high mileage motors too, and they gradually got more and more economical. It's a pretty wild guess but I figure it's because cylinder walls are getting worn, and there is less friction inside the engine.
But your compression will gradually start coming down, if not already.
1993 ex-r 5spd sedan
318956kms
semi-non-existan clutch
blown 3rd gear synchro 2nd is starting to follow
burns 1 litre a week of oil
h23a injectors
daily bag driven and redlined as often as neccessary
this is my mileage:
city - 550-600km
highway 800ish @ 125km/h+
how does that make sence?
no i won't convert the numbers.</TD></TR></TABLE>
That is pretty good.
And somehow it does make sense, I've had high mileage motors too, and they gradually got more and more economical. It's a pretty wild guess but I figure it's because cylinder walls are getting worn, and there is less friction inside the engine.
But your compression will gradually start coming down, if not already.
07-09-2003, 03:07 AM
#20
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St Hyacinthe, Qc, Can
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (TypeSH)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by TypeSH »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">any estimate on the gains from a lighter flywheel? 1mpg? 2mpg? more? or not even 1mpg?</TD></TR></TABLE>
I don't have numbers. It always depends on how you drive with it. It depends upon too many things. The flywheel is really gonna help you in stop and go traffic, but also, each time you accelerate, since it gives you better torque, without changing anything to the fuel maps.
But I didn't get the chance to observe what kind of economy gains would be made since I put in the flywheel at the same time I made the tranny swap. All I can say is that my Accord was way less hard on gas after I had installed the 5 speed, and with more power.
I don't have numbers. It always depends on how you drive with it. It depends upon too many things. The flywheel is really gonna help you in stop and go traffic, but also, each time you accelerate, since it gives you better torque, without changing anything to the fuel maps.
But I didn't get the chance to observe what kind of economy gains would be made since I put in the flywheel at the same time I made the tranny swap. All I can say is that my Accord was way less hard on gas after I had installed the 5 speed, and with more power.
07-09-2003, 02:59 PM
#21
Honda-Tech Member
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (GZERO)
it's getting fixed, the new tranny and clutch go in next week and other stuff soon to follow.
i was just saying that it doesn't make sence about the mileage because i do all the don't and don't do the do's.
i was just saying that it doesn't make sence about the mileage because i do all the don't and don't do the do's.
07-09-2003, 03:04 PM
#22
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Caracas, Venezuela
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (psyphre)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by psyphre »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">it's getting fixed, the new tranny and clutch go in next week and other stuff soon to follow.
i was just saying that it doesn't make sence about the mileage because i do all the don't and don't do the do's.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Well, that is kinda how the motor world goes, nothing is really a constant, meaning some engines react to some thing different than other engines
i was just saying that it doesn't make sence about the mileage because i do all the don't and don't do the do's.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Well, that is kinda how the motor world goes, nothing is really a constant, meaning some engines react to some thing different than other engines
07-09-2003, 06:24 PM
#23
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (GZERO)
funny how a lot of the fuel mileage tips, like driving smoothly, hitting the apex correctly etc are worthwhile to learn if you want to drive FAST as well.
32 psi IMHO is waaayyyy too low. regardless of what the little sticker on the door jamb says, I tend to run around 3psi less than whatever the tires max cold psi is rated on the sidewall.
32 psi IMHO is waaayyyy too low. regardless of what the little sticker on the door jamb says, I tend to run around 3psi less than whatever the tires max cold psi is rated on the sidewall.
07-09-2003, 06:55 PM
#24
Honda-Tech Member
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Caracas, Venezuela
Posts: 1,475
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (jweller)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jweller »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">funny how a lot of the fuel mileage tips, like driving smoothly, hitting the apex correctly etc are worthwhile to learn if you want to drive FAST as well.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Soo true, i guess in a way is like the same rules to learn how to walk are the same rules when you learn how to run, but off course, before you learn how to run you need to learn how to walk.
The smoothest you are while racing the best driver you are, so if you drive smoothly on the street you are actually practicing, interesting, don't you think?
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Soo true, i guess in a way is like the same rules to learn how to walk are the same rules when you learn how to run, but off course, before you learn how to run you need to learn how to walk.
The smoothest you are while racing the best driver you are, so if you drive smoothly on the street you are actually practicing, interesting, don't you think?
07-14-2003, 08:59 AM
#25
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: St Hyacinthe, Qc, Can
Posts: 1,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Re: Getting The Best Fuel Economy Out Of Your Car: Tips & Tricks (jweller)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by jweller »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">funny how a lot of the fuel mileage tips, like driving smoothly, hitting the apex correctly etc are worthwhile to learn if you want to drive FAST as well.
32 psi IMHO is waaayyyy too low. regardless of what the little sticker on the door jamb says, I tend to run around 3psi less than whatever the tires max cold psi is rated on the sidewall. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Yes, there are many principles that are applicable. Anyways, as dumb as it may seem, at some point in time, F1 but also Cart races were becoming more about fuel efficiency than pure racing. Of course, it made the races boring as hell, so some changes needed to be made.
I would just like to add that fuel economy will not be the only benefits you will see out of driving this way. You will save a lot of wear on all of the drivetrain parts, as well as the brakes.
Since it also requires that you keep your car in the best shape possible, it will help prevent other parts from failing prematurely due to other parts that have gone or are going bad.
I have also found in my case that it has solved my road rage problem. I just had to put in my mind that if I was to save on gas, I would have to drive slower, and not push on everyone to get there a few seconds quicker. I guess I am a safer driver now, and especially a lot more relaxed.
So you will be adding up $ with the fuel economy, you will be saving as much money on wear, and energy and most probably speeding tickets also.
All this extra money for more mods or whatever you fancy I guess.
By the way, if any of you tried any of these suggestions, and got some results, can you please post it on here, that would be a very nice thing to see. I am going to try and whip out a good mileage this week with my TSX, and I'll keep you posted. My say, is that 600 miles with one gas tank is within reach. We'll see.
Good luck folks.
Jeff
32 psi IMHO is waaayyyy too low. regardless of what the little sticker on the door jamb says, I tend to run around 3psi less than whatever the tires max cold psi is rated on the sidewall. </TD></TR></TABLE>
Yes, there are many principles that are applicable. Anyways, as dumb as it may seem, at some point in time, F1 but also Cart races were becoming more about fuel efficiency than pure racing. Of course, it made the races boring as hell, so some changes needed to be made.
I would just like to add that fuel economy will not be the only benefits you will see out of driving this way. You will save a lot of wear on all of the drivetrain parts, as well as the brakes.
Since it also requires that you keep your car in the best shape possible, it will help prevent other parts from failing prematurely due to other parts that have gone or are going bad.
I have also found in my case that it has solved my road rage problem. I just had to put in my mind that if I was to save on gas, I would have to drive slower, and not push on everyone to get there a few seconds quicker. I guess I am a safer driver now, and especially a lot more relaxed.
So you will be adding up $ with the fuel economy, you will be saving as much money on wear, and energy and most probably speeding tickets also.
All this extra money for more mods or whatever you fancy I guess.
By the way, if any of you tried any of these suggestions, and got some results, can you please post it on here, that would be a very nice thing to see. I am going to try and whip out a good mileage this week with my TSX, and I'll keep you posted. My say, is that 600 miles with one gas tank is within reach. We'll see.
Good luck folks.
Jeff