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Old 05-27-2009, 03:44 PM   #6 (permalink)
skyl4rk
Coasting Down the Peak
 
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: M I C H I G A N
Posts: 514

Toyauto Pickup - '94 Toyota Pickup 2WD
90 day: 36.32 mpg (US)

Versa Base - '09 Versa Sedan 1.6 Base
Team Nissan
90 day: 41.69 mpg (US)
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I frequently use EOC'ing with small hills. One of the goals of EOC is to limit the number and duration of power pulses, so accelerating uphill is a quick way to gain potential energy and get your speed up so you can coast on the downhill, all in one power pulse.

It seems like it is efficient to accelerate going uphill as long as you keep your rpms high enough and don't let the motor dog down. My car seems to like the 2500 rpm +/- 200 range for acceleration, it gets better mpg both on the flats and hills while accelerating in this range.

I generally hit the bottom of a hill at maybe two/thirds or one half cruising speed (cruising speed is 45mph) and accelerate as needed to approach cruising speed and keep rpms where they should be, although I do not necessarily try to reach cruising speed on the hill. This usually means running in 4rth gear so my desired "start motor" speed at the bottom of the hill is about 2300 rpm in 4rth gear (maybe 30 to 35mph, not sure). I don't like to run in 3rd because the mpg is lower, but sometimes you have no choice.

If I don't know what is on the other side or if there is another hill shortly after the first hill, when I approach the top of the hill I shut off the motor to just make it over the hill at a slow speed and then continue the EOC as far as possible. If I know the downhill side is long, I might crest the hill at a higher speed to extend the coast as far as possible but prefer not to exceed cruising speed, even on the downhill run.
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