Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post

minispeed · 02-19-2012, 09:10 PM

Hi all,

I finally took the plunge and joined this site after using it as a reference several times. About a year ago I got a 2006 prius and started hypermilling, at first my avg tanks were about 5.0l/100km but I soon got that down to 4.4 and then by the end of the summer I was getting some 3.9 tanks. The best sustained period I had was 3.4 for about 70km but I couldn't keep that up for the whole tank. I did a few modifications including: stubby antenna, motorcycle side view mirrors, top grill block (added a lower block for winter too), lip spoiler at the trunk edge as my version had the smaller spoiler, rear wiper delete (summer only), LRR XI2 winter tires (which actually improved vs the non LRR falken tires). So far my lifetime avg is 4.88 for 19369km, winter tanks tend to be around 5.1-5.4 and my worst where I tried to drive moderately aggressive was 6.18.

I love my prius, I even convinced my dad to get a new prius V which is funny because my last car was a Saab 95 wagon and he bought one for my mom a few months after I got one. However with our first child on the way the wife and I decided she should drive the prius due to the higher seating and easier loading hatchback (for the stroller). Since we have a miata that hardly ever gets driven I will use that as my work commuter and we will turn in her lease to save money for the eventual day where we need to haul two kids + and I get my prius back and hope to convince her the highlander hybrid is the best car for her.

So with all the fun I've been having saving gas I've started to think of some planned projects for the miata. It's a 93, 1.6l 5spd with 195/60/14 performance Hankook RS2 tires, just purchased a hard top, no AC.

Planned mods are:

Skinnier tires, looking at fitting 155/80/13 on steel wheels and if I find they handle well enough then getting Honda VX rims. If they don't handle well enough then 175/65/14 on the stock 12lb miata rims. - Fitted 155/80/13, 60% tread for $50 on steel rims, great deal off kijiji
air dam - one of the miata problem areas is the exposed front tires which I'll have to address
skid plate/undercarrage Coroplast extension to stock undertray
motorcycle mirrors - Complete, no passenger side mirror
tire spats - I'm thinking about mounting to the suspension arms to get them really low integrated to the undertray, coroplast so it's low and if it hits it won't cause any damage
diffuser - I don't think this will be easily accomplished
kammback
projector HID lights inside turn signals (i'll keep the pop up head lights for legality but use the projector lights in the city) H3 (non projector) lights plus LED DRL
possible alternator disconnect switch
de power steering rack belt removed, if it's a good enough benefit I'll loop the lines and remove the pump. I may even remove the rack and convert it to a manual (flyin miata for details)
grill block (partial) complete
ignition advance (this is very easy on the miata and I already did 8 degrees I think, I'll try a few increments on the various fuel grades to see which is best. If I can use premium at a cost neutral level I will because we can get 0% alcohol premium at shell.
maybe rear wheel skirts
max tire pressure - 38psi
warm air intake - this is very easy since there is already a cone intake I'll put some pipe from the exhaust side over to the cone - complete, removed the heat shield on the header and supported the cone intake right over top
0w20 engine oil and a change of trans and diff oil too (haven't looked into what type yet for them) mobil 1 engine oil, don't think I'll do the trans/diff as the cost would probably not be recovered
vac gauge
I'll try a single wiper arm but may just go with 2in smaller drivers, 3in smaller passenger side went with 2in smaller drivers, 3in smaller pass side
stubby radio antenna

and that's the starting point.... I havn't driven the car for normal commutes in a few years but when I was younger and avg about 140km highway I was getting 9.5 and found that by slowing down to 110 I could avg high 8s. Based on fueleconomy.gov the avg for all years of 1.6l cars is 7.9 so I'll be shooting for 6.9 pre major mods and I would be very happy if I could get it down to 5.0 but realisticly I think 5.9 may be the lower limit.

02-19-2012, 09:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
minispeed EcoModding Apprentice Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Burlington, ON Posts: 158 minispeed-Insight - '00 Honda Insight 90 day: 82.15 mpg (US) MDX - '01 Acura MDX Touring 90 day: 22.29 mpg (US) the wife's car - '13 Toyota Prius Plus 90 day: 45.99 mpg (US) leaf-one - '15 Nissan Leaf SV Thanks: 4 Thanked 36 Times in 26 Posts	planned miata project Hi all, I finally took the plunge and joined this site after using it as a reference several times. About a year ago I got a 2006 prius and started hypermilling, at first my avg tanks were about 5.0l/100km but I soon got that down to 4.4 and then by the end of the summer I was getting some 3.9 tanks. The best sustained period I had was 3.4 for about 70km but I couldn't keep that up for the whole tank. I did a few modifications including: stubby antenna, motorcycle side view mirrors, top grill block (added a lower block for winter too), lip spoiler at the trunk edge as my version had the smaller spoiler, rear wiper delete (summer only), LRR XI2 winter tires (which actually improved vs the non LRR falken tires). So far my lifetime avg is 4.88 for 19369km, winter tanks tend to be around 5.1-5.4 and my worst where I tried to drive moderately aggressive was 6.18. I love my prius, I even convinced my dad to get a new prius V which is funny because my last car was a Saab 95 wagon and he bought one for my mom a few months after I got one. However with our first child on the way the wife and I decided she should drive the prius due to the higher seating and easier loading hatchback (for the stroller). Since we have a miata that hardly ever gets driven I will use that as my work commuter and we will turn in her lease to save money for the eventual day where we need to haul two kids + and I get my prius back and hope to convince her the highlander hybrid is the best car for her. So with all the fun I've been having saving gas I've started to think of some planned projects for the miata. It's a 93, 1.6l 5spd with 195/60/14 performance Hankook RS2 tires, just purchased a hard top, no AC. Planned mods are: Skinnier tires, looking at fitting 155/80/13 on steel wheels and if I find they handle well enough then getting Honda VX rims. If they don't handle well enough then 175/65/14 on the stock 12lb miata rims. - Fitted 155/80/13, 60% tread for $50 on steel rims, great deal off kijiji air dam - one of the miata problem areas is the exposed front tires which I'll have to address skid plate/undercarrage Coroplast extension to stock undertray motorcycle mirrors - Complete, no passenger side mirror tire spats - I'm thinking about mounting to the suspension arms to get them really low integrated to the undertray, coroplast so it's low and if it hits it won't cause any damage diffuser - I don't think this will be easily accomplished kammback projector HID lights inside turn signals (i'll keep the pop up head lights for legality but use the projector lights in the city) H3 (non projector) lights plus LED DRL possible alternator disconnect switch de power steering rack belt removed, if it's a good enough benefit I'll loop the lines and remove the pump. I may even remove the rack and convert it to a manual (flyin miata for details) grill block (partial) complete ignition advance (this is very easy on the miata and I already did 8 degrees I think, I'll try a few increments on the various fuel grades to see which is best. If I can use premium at a cost neutral level I will because we can get 0% alcohol premium at shell. maybe rear wheel skirts max tire pressure - 38psi warm air intake - this is very easy since there is already a cone intake I'll put some pipe from the exhaust side over to the cone - complete, removed the heat shield on the header and supported the cone intake right over top 0w20 engine oil and a change of trans and diff oil too (haven't looked into what type yet for them) mobil 1 engine oil, don't think I'll do the trans/diff as the cost would probably not be recovered vac gauge I'll try a single wiper arm but may just go with 2in smaller drivers, 3in smaller passenger side went with 2in smaller drivers, 3in smaller pass side stubby radio antenna and that's the starting point.... I havn't driven the car for normal commutes in a few years but when I was younger and avg about 140km highway I was getting 9.5 and found that by slowing down to 110 I could avg high 8s. Based on fueleconomy.gov the avg for all years of 1.6l cars is 7.9 so I'll be shooting for 6.9 pre major mods and I would be very happy if I could get it down to 5.0 but realisticly I think 5.9 may be the lower limit. Last edited by minispeed; 03-31-2012 at 10:56 PM.. Reason: updated with my completed items