All time worst mileage on first tank with EOC!!!!

[Christ]

Well, not exactly.

Let's make this one right, shall we?

I filled up, and unless there is a huge variation, I don't pay too much mind to the tank numbers, other than keeping them in mind for my average. I haven't updated my fuel log in awhile, because I'm not driving normal tanks. I'm hauling alot of stuff and making very short trips, but I"m still averaging 26-27MPG usually.

This last tank, I started EOC for long distances in Cara. I don't care about the transmission anymore, I finally got my wife's car fixed, so the Van is just a second vehicle, basically. Back on topic:

So I started EOC for long distances in Cara. I turn the key to "ACC" position after putting the transmission in Neutral, and coast until I've dropped a good bit of speed (up to 20 MPH, at times) but I don't go below 45 in the 55MPH zones. If I know I'm coming up on an area that I'll have to slow down more than a few MPH, I shut 'er down and coast down. For instance, coming back into town, I can coast over 2 miles while slowing down from 45 to 25MPH. I shut 'er down for that.

So after all this coasting I do, I'm hoping to see a 29-31MPG tank... I fill up, and what do I get?

22.1MPG!!!!!
THIS IS BULL****!!!

Ok, so it wasn't really that bad, though. I realized that even though my ODOMETER is still ON while the key is in ACC, it's not WORKING. That's right, not recording mileage. So, over a 400+ mile tank, I coasted for god knows how long, which made my mileage probably closer to 29... can't be sure, though. This tank, I'm turning the key back to "on". We'll see if this works out for me. At least the Odometer is recording the mileage, now. I can lose up to .1 miles per key-off, though, waiting for the engine to die completely so it won't restart when I turn the key back on.

[Daox]

Yeah, you should always have the key back to "ON" when EOCing. My Matrix did the same thing with the odometer.

[Piwoslaw]

Also, keeping in 'ON' lets you bump start without messing around with the key, unless you have to use the starter anyway.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Also, keeping in 'ON' lets you bump start without messing around with the key, unless you have to use the starter anyway.

Not in my Minivan, man... It's a 3rd gen Caravan.. there was never an option in the US for manual transmission, only Europe, and they also came with Diesel over there.

I'm EOC'ing an automatic, here.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Daox

Yeah, you should always have the key back to "ON" when EOCing. My Matrix did the same thing with the odometer.

TBH, I never even paid attention. It always just seemed like since the ODO was still on, that it was still reading mileage off. Turns out that the PCM isn't on, so it's not reading the VSS and OSS sensors to determine mileage, so it doesn't update the ODO. I dunno how many miles I lost in the last tank, and all the time that I've been coasting up to red lights and stop signs, etc.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by Christ

At least the Odometer is recording the mileage, now. I can lose up to .1 miles per key-off, though, waiting for the engine to die completely so it won't restart when I turn the key back on.

A good reason to make an engine-off button.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

A good reason to make an engine-off button.

I still haven't even sourced a switch for the TCC lockup... you think I'm going to find a momentary contact switch, and the correct circuit to make to cancel ignition so I can shut the engine down w/o turning the key?

Him don't know me very well... LOL.

I had made, at one point, a micro-controlled circuit that would start the engine, and then, when pushed again, would shut it down by grounding the ignition circuit. You didn't have to hold the button to start the engine, just push it and it would crank for a preset number of milliseconds. I think I had it set to 1500ms or so.

It ended up burning up, though. I had something not wired correctly, I guess. I never made another one, because I lost interest in it.

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by Christ

I still haven't even sourced a switch for the TCC lockup... you think I'm going to find a momentary contact switch, and the correct circuit to make to cancel ignition so I can shut the engine down w/o turning the key?

Radio Shack sells a bag of four switches for $2 or so, and the power distribution box from a Taurus has loads of five pin relays, already mounted and wired for you.

[Christ]

Do I need a relay? I didn't figure the solenoid drew more than a couple amps, if even that...

Kinda planned on wiring it direct, honestly.