35 MPG tank average!

[brucey]

Well, maybe 34.95. But thats close enough for me.

I've been shooting for 40 mpg with this car since as long as I've been hypermiling. I know its possible under ideal conditions, but I'm yet to get a tank average that high.

It really seems to like I-77/I-26/I-95 between charlotte and jacksonville as usually when I go through that area even with cruise control on I get excellent mileage. North or South. Speed isn't nearly as big of a killer as the air conditioning is. I was kind of playing with it, and at least in those conditions, the AC was dropping it by 3 or 4 mpg simply by hitting the button. Car didnt seem to mind travelling with the windows down either, although it was really more like simply cracked.

Once I got back home though, and travel through my mountains, without major ing the mileage goes back down. I dropped from 34 average to 30.

Oh well, I still can't complain, the EPA is 25 highway.

[Fr3AkAzOiD]

That AWD has to be limiting you.
The roof rack probably isn't helping much either.

I'm sure with a few mods and better conditions you will hit the 40 mpg mark no problem.

I love Subi but I just wish they had a 2wd version of the Outback.
Seems to me that would drop a fair amount of weight, raise the mpg by at least 1 city and 2 highway as well as bring down the price a good $1,500.

[bgd73]

nice to read of the sube.

I got a glimpse of my 87 from a distance... it really needs to hide. I try to ignore how much work I have done, pretend it is a piece of crap. It is getting to be way too late for that now..
Looking at newer subes and knowing the facts, I could drive an old carbed 87 forever. Funny today the higher temp vacuum gadget kicked in with a whiff of fuel vapor, annual event...my 13 th year...now in for the summer 40s mpg...all summer. hard throtttle or not.

Outback is the next gen for the gl,

I do not read much of gaining fuel mileage for them, glad to read this. I may go for one more generation of sube.

[brucey]

I wouldnt want a 2WD version of the outback. It's saved my butt many times. I just had to help get my grandmothers minivan out of the beach last week and mine didnt have a problem, even with the tires at 51 psi.

I know I should get rid of the roof rack, but its a real hassle to and I do use it about once a month. I try not to drive the car unless I need it, so I walk or bike most places. But when I need to pick up drywall or anything that comes in 4X8 (doesen't everything?) its the only place I can put it.

Honestly, I think its the gearing thats limiting me. 2750 rpm at 65 mph is a bit much. The new outbacks have a CVT and are EPA rated at 29, even though they're bigger than mine (thats rated at 25)

I wonder how hard it would be to put a modern CVT in (:

[brucey]

38 mpg tank average! I think this one might be a bit off though. The pump stopped sooner but I thought for sure it needed more so I put a few more 1/10ths in and still marked it.

Scangauge was calibrated last tank and was reporting 38.9 tank average.

[brucey]

Hills aren't really a problem. Mountains are though.

As long as you can get to the top in 4th with the torque converter still locked (assuming you have an auto) It averages about 20 mpg. And if the hill is that steep, then it will coast down it again in neutral for sure, and maybe in gear with fuel cut off. If so that averages to 40 mpg total.

But If it has to drop to third to make it up a mountain at anything close to the speed limit, the average for climbing to the crest would be about 8~12 depending on how steep. Which would then only average out to 16~24

I hope I didnt over complicate that. (:

[ShadeTreeMech]

I think some aero modding up front would help a bit, especially considering how tall it is.

[brucey]

Aeromodding how? Other than the mirrors I'm not sure theres a lot of improvement up front.



I know I could remove the roof rack, but with the crossbars out I dont feel its in the way too much.

I'm also now considering a kamm of some sort too.

But it would seem that the 38 mpg was no fluke. I made an identical trip in very similar conditions and got 37. Might have been more, but once again the pump shut off and I Felt like it needed more gas, but it simply didnt. It might have been closer to 40 really.

[brucey]

43 MPG tank average!

Although I think it might be a fluke right now. I'll wait and see if I can consistently get that out of it.

Either way, it and the previous tank averaged 36 mpg.

[bhazard]

I think you should look into coilovers for the suspension, drop it down for the highway and bring it up for trailin. You can probably build your own coilovers with stock struts. Shouldnt cost more than a few hundred.