Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - How to use scanguage to accellerate? Which guages?

rmay635703 · 07-01-2009, 01:35 PM

I finally broke down and bought a $124 scanguage from JCWhitney.

I know that accelleration is a tough one but since I now drive mostly city and rarely highway (opposite of my former life) I can't figure out how to bloody accellerate without terrible FE.

Anyway the 3 vehicles that I usually end up with (depending on what the other folks here are doing) are a
1. 2002 TDI Jetta 4sp auto
2. 1998 3.8Buick 4sp auto
3. 2001 Dodge Ram crew 5.2 auto
(I love to drive electric but since I drive much less now the electrics are usually out and about without me

I have figured out the dodge mostly, I just accellerate harder than normal to get to speed than coast and carefully monitor the throttle to keep high fe, this one is the easiest to improve I can defiantely see how hard I can push before MPGs drop.

The buick is a little tougher but it seems like again push harder than normal, let off to coax a shift, push harder than normal, repeat. Once up to 3rd I gradually let off the accelerator during accelleration and the MPGs actually move up rapidly as compared to the low gears that stay terrible all the time.

Now the one I don't Get the 02 TDI jetta seems to be impossible to accellerate, my mileage is always in the dumps even SLIGHT accelleration causes the MPGs to drop in half, the harder I accelerate the worse the FE but any accelleration cuts FE in half. Low gears cut FE in half. Its like a rock and a hard place I just can't get the car up to speed without a huge FE hit and I don't drive long enough stretches to get FE up.

Any ideas what guages or x-guages might help me make heads or tails as to how to drive these in town? I just can't seem to figure out a pattern or method to accellerate without having very low mpg's. In other words with or without the guage at least in town I haven't been able to improve FE significantly, although for long trips its worked wonders, I should have had one of these years ago.

I know about coasting, the sad part is the Jetta coasts about as far while DOWNSHIFTING as it does in Neutral which is not very far. These blasted autos coast like a brick without wheels.

THank You
Ryan

07-01-2009, 01:35 PM	#1 (permalink)
rmay635703 home of the odd vehicles Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Somewhere in WI Posts: 3,891 Silver - '10 Chevy Cobalt XFE Thanks: 506 Thanked 868 Times in 654 Posts	How to use scanguage to accellerate? Which guages? I finally broke down and bought a $124 scanguage from JCWhitney. I know that accelleration is a tough one but since I now drive mostly city and rarely highway (opposite of my former life) I can't figure out how to bloody accellerate without terrible FE. Anyway the 3 vehicles that I usually end up with (depending on what the other folks here are doing) are a 1. 2002 TDI Jetta 4sp auto 2. 1998 3.8Buick 4sp auto 3. 2001 Dodge Ram crew 5.2 auto (I love to drive electric but since I drive much less now the electrics are usually out and about without me I have figured out the dodge mostly, I just accellerate harder than normal to get to speed than coast and carefully monitor the throttle to keep high fe, this one is the easiest to improve I can defiantely see how hard I can push before MPGs drop. The buick is a little tougher but it seems like again push harder than normal, let off to coax a shift, push harder than normal, repeat. Once up to 3rd I gradually let off the accelerator during accelleration and the MPGs actually move up rapidly as compared to the low gears that stay terrible all the time. Now the one I don't Get the 02 TDI jetta seems to be impossible to accellerate, my mileage is always in the dumps even SLIGHT accelleration causes the MPGs to drop in half, the harder I accelerate the worse the FE but any accelleration cuts FE in half. Low gears cut FE in half. Its like a rock and a hard place I just can't get the car up to speed without a huge FE hit and I don't drive long enough stretches to get FE up. Any ideas what guages or x-guages might help me make heads or tails as to how to drive these in town? I just can't seem to figure out a pattern or method to accellerate without having very low mpg's. In other words with or without the guage at least in town I haven't been able to improve FE significantly, although for long trips its worked wonders, I should have had one of these years ago. I know about coasting, the sad part is the Jetta coasts about as far while DOWNSHIFTING as it does in Neutral which is not very far. These blasted autos coast like a brick without wheels. THank You Ryan