'07 tC Daily Driver - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

pinoyFMtC · 03-09-2009, 11:37 PM

Hi, I've been lurking on here for a couple weeks. Thought I'd introduce myself.

I drive an '07 Scion tC manual, and its use is mainly for my 50 mile round trip commute to college every day. It's mostly highway miles, and with the help of a scanguage and good driving habits I'm getting around 33-34 mpg out of it.

I have some mods done to it: Tein lowering springs, Tokico HP sports shocks, short-shifter, HKS exhaust and lightweight wheels (5Zigen FN01R-C) for summer. I take it to Bandimere Speedway a couple times a year and run 1/4 mile drags, and I also might autocross with it this summer. It's not that fast of a car, but I think It's a good balance between performance and economy.

Here's a pic of it with the stock wheels on for winter.

It's nice to get some tips to squeeze the most mileage I can out of my commute

NeilBlanchard · 03-09-2009, 11:57 PM

Hello & welcome to EM,

I'll bet a flush upper grill block would help a lot (and those "brake cooling" intakes, too!), and if you had some steel wheels, smooth wheel covers would help a lot. Do you have a ScanGauge or the Kiwi gauge?

pinoyFMtC · 03-10-2009, 02:10 AM

^Yes I have a Scanguage.

SVOboy · 03-10-2009, 03:46 AM

Welcome to EM! What goals do you have for the car?

cfg83 · 03-10-2009, 04:14 AM

pinoyFMtC -

Welcome to EM! The tC is a gorgeous little car. If they had offered the original xA/B drivetrain I would have been verrrrryyyyy tempted.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fvOg13V5mI

If you are racing, I wonder if you have thought about a fuel controller (not cheap!!!). I'm only asking because I think you've got a lot of tuner culture to leverage with the Scion. I don't have any experience with fuel controllers.

CarloSW2

pinoyFMtC · 03-10-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Welcome to EM! What goals do you have for the car?

This summer, I might do a road trip or two and I'd like to try and break 40mpg highway. I've gotten 35-36mpg on a road trip last year.

Otherwise, I'm pretty pleased with my daily mileage. Might just try and slowly keep raising it.

pinoyFMtC · 03-10-2009, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfg83

pinoyFMtC -

Welcome to EM! The tC is a gorgeous little car. If they had offered the original xA/B drivetrain I would have been verrrrryyyyy tempted.

If you are racing, I wonder if you have thought about a fuel controller (not cheap!!!). I'm only asking because I think you've got a lot of tuner culture to leverage with the Scion. I don't have any experience with fuel controllers.

CarloSW2

Nice vid haha. If the tC had the 1NZ-FE 1.5L from the xA/xB, I don't think it would be as well suited for my trips to the track haha. It would be good for mileage though.

Most people with tCs use piggyback engine managment to tune fuel when they go forced induction. Naturally Aspirated, tCs don't make much power with a piggyback or any other NA mods. Therefore, power wise forced induction is the only cost effective way to make power on these engines. However, I wonder if a piggyback could help mileage wise?

Our ECUs are not too piggyback friendly either, the ECU likes to "fight" it. The best solution is standalone engine management, and that is big $$$.

cfg83 · 03-10-2009, 08:39 PM

pinoyFMtC -

Quote:

Originally Posted by pinoyFMtC

Nice vid haha. If the tC had the 1NZ-FE 1.5L from the xA/xB, I don't think it would be as well suited for my trips to the track haha. It would be good for mileage though.

Most people with tCs use piggyback engine managment to tune fuel when they go forced induction. Naturally Aspirated, tCs don't make much power with a piggyback or any other NA mods. Therefore, power wise forced induction is the only cost effective way to make power on these engines. However, I wonder if a piggyback could help mileage wise?

Our ECUs are not too piggyback friendly either, the ECU likes to "fight" it. The best solution is standalone engine management, and that is big $$$.

Oh well, that's a shame. I think there was this "sweet spot" in early OBD I/II controllers where the ECU was "dumb enough" to fool.

I like to ask this because there was this dude with a first gen Mitsubishi Eclipse with an Apex'i type of fuel controller. He could go to the track on the weekends and race, but manage 40+ MPG on his weekly commute. Best of both worlds, thanks in part to his low-IQ ECU.

CarloSW2

pinoyFMtC · 03-10-2009, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cfg83

Oh well, that's a shame. I think there was this "sweet spot" in early OBD I/II controllers where the ECU was "dumb enough" to fool.

I like to ask this because there was this dude with a first gen Mitsubishi Eclipse with an Apex'i type of fuel controller. He could go to the track on the weekends and race, but manage 40+ MPG on his weekly commute. Best of both worlds, thanks in part to his low-IQ ECU.

CarloSW2

Nice, that would be very useful!

taco · 03-14-2009, 12:53 PM

biggest thing the tc needs is another gear in both auto and manual, high rever in top gear... we use to get 33-35 mpg in my wifes 06 model auto tc(not trying).

an upper grill block might help, the car has a decent under tray under it already, it already has small tire deflectors.

the 2az ijust is not that fuel sippy.