More mileage?

[opendriver]

Ok, right now, im getting 15 MPG average. 10 in the city and 20 on the highway (at 70). That small test was run on 89 octane, I can go about 330-360 miles on a tank. Im having to fill up about every week and a half, and about $60 a tank, I need some way to increase my mileage so I dont go broke

If it helps, I have a 92 Montero with a 3L EFI V-6


Thanks!

 

[JCE]

Keep your foot out of the accelerator. When at a stop do slow easy throttle starts, and brake more smoothly while in the act of braking. Another thing that might help is give your car a tuneup, oil change, and a fresh set of tires. The easiest way to increase MPG is still to go easy on the throttle.

 

[Philly]

Wow. 10. That is really low. JCE has the right idea. Basically, you want to be as smooth as possible. And you might also find it beneficial to look for routes that leave you on long, straight non-stop roads. That can easily bring average mileage for a trip from around 17 to 25. I also convinced people to let me corner fast saying that it involved less accelerating afterwards.

 

[Thatman]

I also convinced people to let me corner fast saying that it involved less accelerating afterwards.

LOL:tup: I do the exact same thing!!!
but on topic you can also go somewhere and ask if they have a complete fuel injector cleaning. And yeah your basic tune-up of engine parts as JCE said.

 

[Joey D]

Make sure the tires are properly inflated, keep a clean air and fuel filter in the vehicle, clean the injectors, and drive as easy as possible. Other then that, buy something more efficient.

 

[Duke]

Tire pressure is critical. Even a small amount of underinflation can seriously deplete your fuel economy. I like my tires stiff so I tend to inflate them a few pounds over the recommended pressure on your door plate. For most cars the recommended pressures are going to be in the 30-32 psi range. I usually run 36-38 cold, but you should run at least the recommended pressure.

 

[retsmah]

Sell the car and buy something else?

A giant 4000lb car is not a good starting point for good fuel mileage.

 

[moaibob]

on the highway find a truck and drive in its slipstream (is this the right word?)

 

[1X83Z]

Keep your foot out of the accelerator. When at a stop do slow easy throttle starts, and brake more smoothly while in the act of braking.

Simply doing this sort of thing returned me 16.6mpg in city-only driving - only 1.4mpg below my EPA rating of 18, which is pretty spectacular considering the ridiculousness of those EPA ratings.

 

[moaibob]

ah, my dear 2K tiny cheap 6-geared Jetta TDI.... 41.12 MPG combined

 

[opendriver]

Tire pressure is critical. Even a small amount of underinflation can seriously deplete your fuel economy. I like my tires stiff so I tend to inflate them a few pounds over the recommended pressure on your door plate. For most cars the recommended pressures are going to be in the 30-32 psi range. I usually run 36-38 cold, but you should run at least the recommended pressure.

Ill be filling them up with my nitro tank in a few hours 👍

Sell the car and buy something else?

A giant 4000lb car is not a good starting point for good fuel mileage.

Ill get right on that, the car was a gift and its my only means of transportation right now. Im trying to make the best of the situation

on the highway find a truck and drive in its slipstream (is this the right word?)

Drafting a Semi is a good idea, but I think you have to get within a few feet to get some sort of increase

In the future I plan on getting a K&N filter and a cat-back exhaust system with either a flowmaster or spin-tec. I think that might ad a few MPG since its giving the engine more room to breathe

Thanks again guys 👍

 

[JCE]

Mythbusters did a test with an 18-wheeler and slipstream and it actually would surprise you how much of an increase they got by drafting it.

 

[Famine]

An engine is at its most efficient at wide-open throttle.

Fuel-saving tips:
1. Correct tyre pressures (covered).
2. Do not coast to a stop - leave the car in gear as you decelerate.
3. Aircon -> opening windows. Strange but true.
4. Clean the insides of your windows - it prevents misting, so you don't have to use the demister.
5. Empty out everything you don't need from the car. Weight kills economy. Shave if necessary. Everywhere.

Also, don't bother with a K&N filter.

 

[JCE]

I agree about the weight issue, I can't believe no one's brought it up until now. And as for the K&N filter, the filter by itself on some cars makes a tiny bit of difference--if it is the PERFORMANCE variety. There are K&N filters that are essentially OEM replacements that don't do squat for you other than to stick a sticker on your car and say "i've got teh kandn filter". And leaving it in gear while slowing down absolutely can't increase mileage, I'm going to need to see scientific proof of that. Putting it in neutral would as the RPMs would drop to idle and there would be zero load on the engine.

 

[Roo]

Not true. The wheels would be turning the engine, so the engine would be doing just as much work - valves still opening, fuel still being ignited... or something like that.

I know it sounds daft, but is there anything you don't use in your car that could be gotten rid of, along with what Famine suggested? I'm thinking rear seats, unecessary bits of trim, etc.

Go on a diet? You'd be healthier and you'd get better fuel mileage.

 

[Famine]

And leaving it in gear while slowing down absolutely can't increase mileage, I'm going to need to see scientific proof of that. Putting it in neutral would as the RPMs would drop to idle and there would be zero load on the engine.

Not true. The wheels would be turning the engine, so the engine would be doing just as much work - valves still opening, fuel still being ignited... or something like that.

When you dip the clutch, the engine drops to idle - 850rpm or so. The engine must still consume fuel to prevent itself from stalling.

If you leave the car in gear and brake down to a standstill the wheels drive the engine and, on a modern fuel-injected car, the ECU cuts the fuel supply. The engine consumes no fuel at all.

Burning fuel = poorer fuel economy
Not burning fuel = greater fuel economy.

 

[Duke]

RE: coasting to a stop vs. leaving in gear: I disagree with Famine. If the throttle is closed, the throttle is closed, and the car is receiving "idle"-level amounts of fuel per injector pulse. They don't stop fuel delivery completely until you hit the rev limiter; a car is not a golf cart. BUT if the clutch is in and the motor is sitting at 900 revs, that is a lot fewer injector pulses than if it is being driven faster than idle speed by the wheels. The ECU is going to fire the injector every other cycle per given cylinder, and if each cylinder is turning three times as many revs, then it is going to be pumping three times as much air and fuel through, even if it is actually being driven by the wheels.

 

[Famine]

It was discussed on - I concede not the most factual of programmes - Top Gear. Reference the episode where Mr. Clarkson attempts to drive to Edinburgh and back (starting at London) in a V8 Audi A8 on 1 tank of fuel.


It has also made an appearance or three in Cars in General before...

 

[Duke]

I'm asking some experts elsewhere. I'll see what the consensus is there. I think that a car manufacturer would not risk the car stalling or going lean under those conditions, and would keep fuel going to the injectors. As far as I know the only time fuel is cut completely is at the rev limiter.

 

[Thirdeye]

I could've sworn I read somewhere that when you let your foot off the gas, the fuel injectors stop pumping gas into the engine. Don't quote me on that though, but I was under the impression that's the way it was in my Integra.

 

[neanderthal]

as long as the engine is running, fuel is being injected. period.
its just enough to keep the engine running if the clutch is engaged.

the engine isnt designed to be driven by the wheels. bad for bearings. everywhere. engine. gearbox. diff. etc

just like using engine braking to brake can achieve retardation of speed, it can also lead to increased engine wear.

theres plenty of fuel economy stuff here. just do a search
*keep windows and sunroof closed
*coast to stops as much as possible. if your car is a manual stick it in neutral.
*anticipate braking and accelerating. maintaining your momentum is the key to increasing fuel economy.
*avoid using AC if you can. but using it sparingly is better than opening windows
*tuneup
*tires inflated.
*remove as much detritus from the vehicle
*accelerate on the downhill if theres an uphill following.

basically accelerating and high speed kill fuel economy when you are actually driving. so if youve done everything else thats where you get your best returns.

bottom line
as hamster already intimated, driving a 4000lb upright tall box is not going to mean any decent fuel economy gains. you could do all the stuff weve said and gain only a decimal fraction of economy. i read an article a long time ago about a land rover defender that was towing during a magazine test, and its fuel economy only dipped by about 1mpg coz its Cd was already so bad.

 

[Orion]

*avoid using AC if you can. but using it sparingly is better than opening windows.

No a/c at all=better. Trust me, I drive for a living. Also slowly gradually increasing the acceleration (up to a certain point) made me go from 11mpg tp 15mpg. And don't be jumpy with the throttle, hurts fuel economy too.

 

[niky]

As long as oil goes through the engine, it's okay. You're not going to see significant wear from engine braking unless you're either: a.) Towing the car in gear or b.) engine braking near redline on the racetrack.

As for whether the engine is using more fuel at idle or in gear as it coasts to a stop, it depends on the EFI programming. Some earlier EFIs were programmed to shut off the injectors at zero throttle on coast-down... but a lot of current EFIs still burn gas at coast down to prevent lean conditions which increase emissions. In fact, those with ECTs (electronic throttles) don't even close the clutch when you let off the gas.

-----

I think one great way of increasing your economy is using your Montero's characteristics to your advantage. Tall vehicle = good view of the road = perfect for planned routing. You can see potential obstacles and slowdowns earlier than other drivers, so you can pick your way to the freest flowing lane (not needing to slow down = less wasted gas speeding back up) and you can start your coast down sooner when you have to come to a stop.

 

[Famine]

I think one great way of increasing your economy is using your Montero's characteristics to your advantage. Tall vehicle = good view of the road = perfect for planned routing. You can see potential obstacles and slowdowns earlier than other drivers, so you can pick your way to the freest flowing lane (not needing to slow down = less wasted gas speeding back up) and you can start your coast down sooner when you have to come to a stop.

This is genius and has been posrepped accordingly.

It should also be pointed out that the driver who plans ahead is not only more fuel-economical but safer too.

 

[opendriver]

I think one great way of increasing your economy is using your Montero's characteristics to your advantage. Tall vehicle = good view of the road = perfect for planned routing. You can see potential obstacles and slowdowns earlier than other drivers, so you can pick your way to the freest flowing lane (not needing to slow down = less wasted gas speeding back up) and you can start your coast down sooner when you have to come to a stop.

Thats what ive started doing, I drove for about 20 miles like that (in the city) and didn't see my gas gauge move at all. This seems to work only when im not in rush hour traffic, where there is space to move from lane to lane.

Thanks niky

 

[Perfect Balance]

No a/c at all=better. Trust me, I drive for a living. Also slowly gradually increasing the acceleration (up to a certain point) made me go from 11mpg tp 15mpg. And don't be jumpy with the throttle, hurts fuel economy too.

A/C is better than opening the windows after 50mph, they tested it on Mythbusters. Below that, open windows is the way to go.

 

[Orion]

A/C is better than opening the windows after 50mph, they tested it on Mythbusters. Below that, open windows is the way to go.

But then again they had the A/C on full blast... Unless they when over that myth again and I missed it.

 

[Perfect Balance]

But then again they had the A/C on full blast... Unless they when over that myth again and I missed it.

I don't think that makes much difference, I think it's either on or off, and the speed is just how fast the fan blows it at you.

 

[neanderthal]

I don't think that makes much difference, I think it's either on or off, and the speed is just how fast the fan blows it at you.

correctamundo.

the AC being on means the compressor is engaged and causing parasitic losses to the engines output. compressor only has on and off.

aero raelly comes into play at speed above 40, so below that opening the windows is better. as already stated.

more importantly try to avoid the stop start nature of city driving. i drive an extra 3 miles going on the freeway to go to/ come from work, but get 5mpg more freeway than urban. also, that start stop driving is harder on your tires, brakes, suspension, transmission, cooling system etc that droning along on the freeway at the speed limit

also consider avoiding traffic at all. one time i used to go to the gym near work early in the morning and avoided the traffic as a consequence.

another tip for when driving on the freeway. stay in the lane the truckers drive in. they maintain spacing better than regular traffic and you wont get that stop start effect as much.

 

[nk4e]

Isn't it when you take off your foot from the pedal, its called Engine Braking?