Altitude Killing MPG

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by ryankalel

I drive 115 miles to work one way, 230 round trip. I live in Southeastern Utah and work in Southwestern Utah.

Maybe this is too obvious, but can't you find a room (or even camp in a tent) near your work, and go home on weekends? 'Cause 8 hours working (+1 for lunch), 5 driving, and 8 sleeping means you aren't really spending quality time at home anyway.

I used to do a similar commute, only it was 250 miles once a week, and that was killer enough.

But for mpg, the "drive 55" doesn't really hold in the mountains. You MAY, depending on gearing and where your car's most efficient BSFC is, get better mpg by going faster on some uphills. Downhill you want to use gravity to go as fast as is reasonable for driving conditions. Coasting in neutral, though, bypasses the deceleration fuel cutoff, so you might actually wind up using more fuel to keep the engine idling...

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by ryankalel

I am just thinking that the constant hills up and down are killing the gas mileage. Along with the lack of air???

Thanks

I get much, much better mileage driving in the hills because it acts like a forced pulse and glide. I pulse to the top, and glide back down. The thinner air will help you get even better mileage with that TDI engine because you will have less wind resistance. The turbo will make sure your engine is fed plenty of air. You don't see black smoke coming out of your exhaust do you? That would indicate your engine isn't getting enough air for the amount of fuel it's dumping into the cylinder.

The best thing you can do is use your clutch or shift to neutral on the downhill portions. If you can't quite maintain enough speed on the downhill, just pulse a little faster than you would like to be traveling and coast until you have slowed a little slower than you want to be going.

[Big Dave]

Its not the altitude but the changes in altitude that is killing your MPG.

In terrain that rugged, you should be ruthless about weight reduction. Not just junk inthe trunk but actual parts you don't use. A good candidate might be your rear seats.

If you have money for a mod, get the lightest wheels that will fit.

All avoidupois you don't have to drag up the mountain.