Hello
this is my first post here although I think I may have been hypermiling since before the internet. First car: 81 Accord 5sp. That thing could coast for miles, I wish I still had it. Anyway on to the topic. My 92 accord wagon is broken for now. That leaves my winter car to drive. A 98 Outback legacy wagon with a few simple mods. I have many questions about this car so if any of this has been covered, please forgive me. I was overwhelmed when looking for specific info. First off it is a 5sp and I live around some big mountains so coasting with the engine off is a good option for me. I have been doing it with my Hondas for a long time. My Subie seems to run ruch when I catch it in gear so my question is this. Is there something going on with the computer that forces it into rich mode when I turn the key? Or when the engine starts? Can I please bypass this? It seems to undo some of the fuel savings of coasting. I need to put in an engine kill switch because the headlights go out when I flick the key. soooo...will that help?
Next question. Is there any way to make a manual Subaru 2wd for the summer? I have heard rumors that they can be switched if you have auto trans but no data on the manual. It seems they are both Awd but work differently.
Last question (for now). Will coasting hurt the AWD with my manual trans. I have heard people say that coasting or bump starting is bad for cars in general but AWD even more so. I dont see any reason why this car can't coast and bump start. It has a neutral gear. It certainly never seemed to hurt my Honda's.They all lasted a long time and died from rust and general neglect around 300,000. Any input would be greatly appreciated. These Subarus are a lot different. Thanks!