Got a new UFO*: 2000 Honda Insight 5-speed (ailing IMA hybrid battery pack)

[MetroMPG]

Interesting.

Even if CVT had been offered here, I would have taken a pass on the UFO had it been so equipped.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by bwilson4web

My studies of the Honda CVT approach didn't not excite me as I keep seeing too many friction losses and moving parts. I really think good 4+ speed, manual or semi-automatic, 4+ speed gear box is much more efficient than the Honda sliding-cone, CVT. I don't have any direct, hands-on experience with the Honda CVTs but just from my looking at the approach.

Let's see what CVT equiped Insights do, and what the 6 speed manual CR-Z does :

Insight II :
Overview: Honda - Insight - Spritmonitor.de

CR-Z
Overview: Honda - CR-Z - Spritmonitor.de

The best of the CR-Zs is not beating the best CVT-Insights.

[dcb]

per fueleconomy.gov
Honda Insight 3 cyl, 1.0 L, Manual 5-spd, Regular
48 city 60 hwy

Honda Insight 3 cyl, 1.0 L, Automatic (variable gear ratios), Regular
45 city 49 hwy

average mpg from users is 16mpg higher for the stick

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Let's see what CVT equiped Insights do, and what the 6 speed manual CR-Z does :

Insight II :
Overview: Honda - Insight - Spritmonitor.de

CR-Z
Overview: Honda - CR-Z - Spritmonitor.de

The best of the CR-Zs is not beating the best CVT-Insights.

Unfortunately, the 6-speed CR-Z isn't geared correctly for fuel economy. It's a sporty car that happens to be a hybrid, not the other way around.

[dcb]

I do not trust the motives of the automakers for not putting a taller top gear in their manual transmissions.

[MetroMPG]

dcb: you should try a gen 1 Insight - or for that matter a Corvette Z06 - http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...05-a-9841.html . You'd be pleasantly surprised.

I think they're rare, but good examples of what happens when engineering wins over marketing (when it comes to top gear).

[gone-ot]

...so! you've found the secret recipe for making bread out of buttered-toast!

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Let us know how dirty your EGR manifold was. Mine was cruddy, but not blocked.

Took it apart this evening: very cruddy. Lots of carbon/coke, and some wetness in there too. ( Oil? ) I'd say the passages were ~50% blocked, or worse.

Anyway, I'll get some pics of the passages, clean it up and put it back together on the weekend probably.

Hopefully that fixes the engine "bucking" problem I experienced under light load at cruise.

[SwamiSalami]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

Unfortunately, the 6-speed CR-Z isn't geared correctly for fuel economy. It's a sporty car that happens to be a hybrid, not the other way around.

Is it possible to tune the crz in a manner that would optimize fuel economy?

It seems as though the size of the crz would be pretty great if it was "geared correctly".

[mswehx]

mine was so dirty on my 97HX civic it caused misfireon cyl. #3 as that was the only port that was open,so now i clean them every 100k 45-50mpg and 361,200mi and counting.