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Old 07-13-2010, 01:21 AM   #13 (permalink)
JellyBeanDriver
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: So. Cal
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Programmed the chip, installed it this past weekend.

Today was the first day of driving with an MPG meter in my face, and boy was it a learning experience.

Taking off in each gear I learned something that wasn't obvious to me before - higher gears get better gas mileage!
Seems obvious but I discovered it a different way. Watching the 'instant' MPG readout, if I hold the gas pedal steady at about the same throttle position in each gear, the MPG is ~ 7-8 for 1st, 15 for 2nd, 24 for 3rd, etc. This is when the engine is loaded and not just cruising in a gear. Thought the MPG in 1st and 2nd was low until I figured out why. Duh!

Found that drafting works! And I don't have to be that close to the trailer in front of me.

Coasting, even at low low speeds, gives me GREAT mpg's! Coasting in gear I can see the injector cutout working as the MPG meter registers 99999 when it happens.

Slight inclines up and down in the road, slight throttle changes, all are reflected in quite large instant MPG changes.

Drove a LOT mellower today - trying to see how high I can get the MPG up on this tank of gas. Don't know if I'm calibrated yet but regardless this device is working and giving me instand feedback on my driving.

Display is easy to read even in reasonably direct sunlight. I'm using a STN (supertwist) display so the characters are crisp and dense and has a wide viewing angle. Trippy to look at it when the sunlight is coming in as the characters are hovering on a clear piece of glass.
__________________
1992 Geo Metro, 1.0L 5spd, 435,000 miles on the original engine and trans!
- knuckles/hubs/brakes/13" wheels from a 2000 Metro
- running 175 70R13
- averaging 51.7 MPG, 56.9MPG best tank.
- self built MPGuino
- http://www.dschmidt.com/MPGuinoJBD.html
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