Thanks for collecting and posting this data. This is motivating me to do a similar test for my car.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG
You can tell from the graph that the shift from 3rd to 4th (with torque converter lockup) happens between 60-70 km/h (shifts right in the middle at 65 km/h or 40 mph, actually).
It's possible to bleed speed down to 60 km/h and then hold 4th gear there, which would have raised that MPG point on the graph quite a bit, but I didn't. The transmission will downshift at the slightest prod under those conditions.
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This sounds just like my car. There is a straight and relatively flat stretch of road about 1 mile long in my daily commute. The speed limit is 35 mph, I try to go just fast enough to get the TC locked and keep it there, which is about 37-38 mph (~60 kph) at just a shade under 1500 rpm. This requires a very delicate touch with the throttle, and careful monitoring of the TPS. On my way to work the car is not fully warmed up yet, usually just hitting the 150*F coolant temp required for lockup, and the road is very slightly uphill in this direction, and I see mpgs in the low 30s. On my way home the car is fully warmed up and has the slight grade working in it's favor, and I see low-mid 40s, as high as 50 mpg in warm weather with summer fuel.