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Economy modding my Chevrolet Astro work van (diesel 5-speed conversion) JB3 is after maximum effeciency while still achieving maximum usability in his 1989 Astro work van, so he's swapping in a 4-cylinder 5-speed drivetrain from a 1980 Mercedes. Early results showed 29 MPG, where previously the van would do at best, 19 to 22 MPG, and 16 while towing. By JB3 - 69 replies In forum: EcoModding Central

Honda Insight Tail Extension Project What happens when you start with one of the most aerodynamic production cars ever sold and add a custom-crafted tail to make it even more efficient? Initial testing showed an improvement in fuel economy of 10.3% at 56 mph, or tentatively around an 18% reduction in aero drag. With this tail and other aero modifications in place, the car is regularly returning 100+ MPG tanks in every day use in warm weather. By 3-Wheeler - 524 replies In forum: Aerodynamics

1939 Studebaker + Geo 1.0L drivetrain swap = Studeo What do you when your Studebaker restoration leaves you with a spare parts car at the same time you also have an extra 1.0L Geo Metro drivetrain on hand? Why, you mount the Geo running gear in the rear of the spare Studebaker, of course. This thread documents the on-going "eco-classic" project. By StudeChamp - 42 replies In forum: EcoModding Central

Drive by Wire Throttle tune = ~3 MPG gain & more Ever_green remaps the electronic throttle in his automatic Subaru Impreza with good results: "The factory throttle mapping for my Subaru was always a pain in my butt. Unwanted acceleration, a jerky drive and a fatigued foot were causing problems (when trying to drive efficiently). I really feel sorry for owners who are stuck with crappy factory tuned DBW throttles." By ever_green - 29 replies In forum: EcoModding Central

2000 Dodge Neon aero mods 2000neon says: "My mileage started out around 28 mpg (US), and driving technique took me to about 33-34." Since most of his driving is on the highway, he has been experimenting with a number of aerodynamic modifications, and recently achieved a personal best tank of 45.7 mpg. The latest project is an aluminum frame Kammback hinged above the rear glass to permit access to the trunk. By 2000neon - 126 replies In forum: Aerodynamics

3 wheel Honda Insight boat tailed EV: Another mystery solved! It's an Electric Honda Insight with a Lithium pack and 100 mile range! Thats better than bringing back the the EV1. (And the owner also sometimes pulls a trailer with solar panels for charging.) By sheepdog 44 - 16 replies In forum: Fossil Fuel Free

Best Mod to Date - Trans Swap (1997 Civic HX) PAFirefighter's 1997 Honda Civic HX had an SI transmission in it when he got it, and his fuel economy was worse than he expected. Since swapping back to the "taller" stock transmission, fuel economy has gone up significantly, even as winter conditions are setting in. By PAFirefighter11 - 43 replies In forum: Success Stories

Project 1977 F100 - New radiator + electric fan! Australian bobo333 has been fixing up a 1977 Ford pickup with LPG (propane) conversion to use as a shop/tow vehicle, and this project thread documents general repairs as well as efficiency modifications. Construction of an aerodynamic bed cap starts at post #48 and early results are in: his first fill up since adding it was a record best. By bobo333 - 156 replies In forum: EcoModding Central

Lean burn Honda Civic sedan: 93 Civic d15z1 swap into LX 4 door (VLX) 4-door efficiency: slownugly is buttoning up this project where he took the lean burn engine from the iconic Civic VX and swapped it into a sedan body. "Goals: 50 MPG average while maintaining stock appearance. It will be the economy sedan Honda never made in this generation." By slownugly - 181 replies In forum: EcoModding Central

A new record MPG for Ford F150 with aerodynamic cap! By bondo - 39 replies In forum: Success Stories

Cruising at 60+ mpg @ 60 mph Continued modding & diligent driving has this 1998 Civic DX coupe close to the "60 @ 60" milestone. "Averaged 64.x mpg over 250 miles, and my speeds varied from 55-60 mph. With a few more good aeromods, maybe my long sought goal of cruising at 60 mph and 60 mpg is almost in reach." By California98Civic - 46 replies In forum: Success Stories

Tested: The Most Efficient Way To Accelerate With An Automatic (Toyota Matrix) mechman600 has been doing some pondering, and some testing: "The question that has plagued me for a while is, what is the most efficient way to accelerate this automatic transmission up to 60 km/h (37 mph)? Slowly? Quickly? Today I finally got around to executing a test using my ScanGauge-II. What I found was quite surprising..." By mechman600 - 57 replies In forum: Hypermiling / EcoDriver's Ed

P&G EOC gains 20% mpg on the highway PaleMelanesian did some quick testing to see how much fuel he saves with the advanced "pulse and glide" driving technique on the highway vs. driving at the same average speed using cruise control in his 2009 Honda Fit. By PaleMelanesian - 30 replies In forum: Success Stories

neighborhood going to the tails (spotted a 2nd gen. Prius with a boattail on my road) Another boat tail project - this one is notable for its cost (about $100) and clever mounting arrangement. And it shows yet again that a proper design on the rear of a 2nd generation Toyota Prius can return a 10-12% improvement in fuel economy at highway speeds. By Weather Spotter - 37 replies In forum: Aerodynamics

"Short-shifting" a Jeep Patriot & Audi A4 CVT (forcing early "upshift") saves gas Does your car's automatic transmission have flappy paddles? What about a manual shift gate or shift buttons on the steering wheel? If so, you may be able to save fuel by wresting control from the computer over your upshifts. MetroMPG shares his experience in a Jeep and an Audi. By MetroMPG - 7 replies In forum: Hypermiling / EcoDriver's Ed

Under two liters for the first time (That's 121.07 mpg US @ 54 mph avg. speed) Vekke has accomplished the significant goal of beating 2L/100 km on the open road. Fill up showed 1.94 L/100km @ 86.9 km/h average speed. That is 121.07 mpg (US) at 54 MPH avg speed. By Vekke - 34 replies In forum: Success Stories

Getting the most out of lean burn (Honda) Honda engines with lean burn capability can return seriously impressive cruising fuel economy numbers. Greasemonkee has been modding his Civic VX to expand the lean burn "window" and now he's getting lean burn earlier & more often under a wider variety of conditions. By greasemonkee - 54 replies In forum: EcoModding Central

Golf cart based electric motorcycle build. The Goal: Build an electric motorcycle that can reach 60-65mph for under $1,500. By Ryland - 104 replies In forum: Fossil Fuel Free

Prius 15's are better than aftermarket 17's! (Wrong wheels/tires can wreck your MPG) They may look nice, but... Prius owner Wyatt was shocked to discover how much worse his fuel economy was with aftermarket wheels and tires, compared to the factory ones. Both sets had practically the same circumference, so he attributes the MPG penalty to increased aero drag and rolling resistance. By wyatt - 107 replies In forum: Success Stories

MG Midget + Geo Metro 3cyl = MGeo This ambitious fabrication project starts with a '71 MG Midget receiving a Suzuki 1.0L G10 engine (from a Geo Metro). Additional mechanical and aerodynamic mods follow, including a focus on weight reduction. The Midget is a very small and light car - stock is only 1500lbs. The goal is to get weight to ~1200 lbs and aim for super high MPG. By nimblemotors - 250 replies In forum: EcoModding Central