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Old 03-24-2008, 03:58 PM   #28 (permalink)
psmithrt
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Join Date: Mar 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tasdrouille View Post
The way I was thinking about it is that due the the ICE nature to be more efficient at high loads, the fuel cost of an hp at high loads (acceleration) is less than an hp at low loads (cruising).
You're statement about an ICE is indeed true to the best of my knowledge. Ideally I would use you're method and just go WOT between stop signs until I reached a velocity that allowed me to shut engine off and coast to the next stop sign, with a/c and alternator only during that time, it just isn't practical in the real world. I admit that my way is just a workaround to save a little with the way cars are designed today.
I figure coasting as far as I can to a stop sign once doesn't really save me alot of fuel, but do it everytime the oportunity presents itself and it can really add up. Same on the other end, if I relieve my engine of 10hp of work while it is trying to get me up to speed everytime it will also add up.
Honda does it with the aforementioned Civic Hybrid, I believe they call IMA and now even GM has there own little starter/alternator/motor that accomplishes the same principle. The one thing those and even the Prius have in common is they all work to remove work from the ICE during acceleration. For the most part this greatly boost their city numbers. Most of their highway numbers can be beaten with a VW 1.9L turbodiesel.
I don't have the 1000's it would take to re-engineer my little Mazda Protege to work the way these vehicles do, but I figure if I can do at least some of what they do for 80 bucks and some wire that I may actually see my ROI before the car rusts out.
The Mazda is EPA rated for 22 city 28 highway with a 2L auto trans. Mostly through driving technique and a few little mods so far I avg between 29.5 (lowest in winter with winter gas (CNY winters that is) and 34.8mpg my best tank avg I considered accurate. I would just love to break that illusive 35mpg I can't seem to get (w/o royally pissing off other drivers that is)
I did just build one of those PCV condensators. No not the simple air compressor water seperator ones. Pretty neat little device. First day of driving
(40mi or so) collected 4-6 drops of oil. Not bad considering my engine is still pretty tight and only 55k on the odo. I don't believe the MPG claims at all, but if it keeps my engine cleaner and would just give me that 0.3 mpg I need to break 35MPG then it was well worth the 2hrs and $30 for materials.
Sorry so wordy today, but my original question and reason for post was,,,
Has anyone actually used the field coil wire to effectively turn their alternator on/off safely and any idea of the juice involved. THANKS
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