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ShadeTreeMech · 05-22-2009, 10:05 PM

Fuel economy instrumentation? I do have one very important one, espacially for a vehicle with an automatic tranny that loves to downshift-a tachometer. according to revised epa estimates for my van, I should be getting 17 mpg mixed driving, while I'm getting 21-22 mpg fairly regularly; a 25% increase. My wife and I not too long ago were getting 19 mpg out of a 91 ford explorer, so driving economically is not foreign to us.

While a mpg meter would be nice, I've had one before, and I know get into top gear and staying there is the key, as well as gentle application of the throttle and keeping the revs as low as possible nets the best fuel economy. And letting the van coast in neutral on the downhills brings up economy. I know this because I idle @800 rpms while I coast at much higher rpms.

Remember, I live in hilly country, so the 2 tons of steel come into play more than in flatter country.

I think part of the reason I'm pressing on the aero issue is that the average speed limit for this van's regular route is around 50 mph. That may not be 70, but that is a consistent amount of higher speed, and from experience I know the van struggles to maintain speed while staying in overdrive when even the slightest hill is introduced. That and some of the factory plastic "belly pan" under the radiator has since been misplaced on the highway somewhere, leaving a flat brick right in the way for the wind to hit. So I suppose I'm wanting to restore the original aerodynamics and maybe improve upon it a bit.

I know this may be an aero thread, but I appreciate other comments. I plan on getting a ScanGauge when finances permit, and I'm planning a 4400 mile trip in the future, so anything I can do beforehand to save me a buck is money in the bank. I know the earliest version of the villager had a partially blocked grille, because it had a light bar in place of the wide open grille I have now. As much as finding that older version of the grille is desireable for maintaining a stock look, a mod of my current grille is likely to be cheaper. I like basjoos's philosophy: I won't do it unless I can earn the money back fairly soon in gas savings. And unfortunately, even the open source mpg meter mentioned on this site is around $60 to buy, and right now that is 2 weeks worth of gas.

05-22-2009, 10:05 PM	#20 (permalink)
ShadeTreeMech Basjoos Wannabe Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Arkansas Posts: 870 The Van - '97 Mercury Villager gs 90 day: 19.8 mpg (US) Lyle the Kindly Viking - '99 Volvo V70 90 day: 25.82 mpg (US) Thanks: 174 Thanked 49 Times in 32 Posts	Fuel economy instrumentation? I do have one very important one, espacially for a vehicle with an automatic tranny that loves to downshift-a tachometer. according to revised epa estimates for my van, I should be getting 17 mpg mixed driving, while I'm getting 21-22 mpg fairly regularly; a 25% increase. My wife and I not too long ago were getting 19 mpg out of a 91 ford explorer, so driving economically is not foreign to us. While a mpg meter would be nice, I've had one before, and I know get into top gear and staying there is the key, as well as gentle application of the throttle and keeping the revs as low as possible nets the best fuel economy. And letting the van coast in neutral on the downhills brings up economy. I know this because I idle @800 rpms while I coast at much higher rpms. Remember, I live in hilly country, so the 2 tons of steel come into play more than in flatter country. I think part of the reason I'm pressing on the aero issue is that the average speed limit for this van's regular route is around 50 mph. That may not be 70, but that is a consistent amount of higher speed, and from experience I know the van struggles to maintain speed while staying in overdrive when even the slightest hill is introduced. That and some of the factory plastic "belly pan" under the radiator has since been misplaced on the highway somewhere, leaving a flat brick right in the way for the wind to hit. So I suppose I'm wanting to restore the original aerodynamics and maybe improve upon it a bit. I know this may be an aero thread, but I appreciate other comments. I plan on getting a ScanGauge when finances permit, and I'm planning a 4400 mile trip in the future, so anything I can do beforehand to save me a buck is money in the bank. I know the earliest version of the villager had a partially blocked grille, because it had a light bar in place of the wide open grille I have now. As much as finding that older version of the grille is desireable for maintaining a stock look, a mod of my current grille is likely to be cheaper. I like basjoos's philosophy: I won't do it unless I can earn the money back fairly soon in gas savings. And unfortunately, even the open source mpg meter mentioned on this site is around $60 to buy, and right now that is 2 weeks worth of gas.