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Old 09-17-2012, 05:19 PM   #6 (permalink)
RobertISaar
Master EcoModder
 
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Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: camden, MI
Posts: 324

MC SBX - '95 Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS
Last 3: 29.75 mpg (US)
Thanks: 7
Thanked 55 Times in 46 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
Interesting about that lean burn mode! Probably factory disabled for emissions reasons (raised NOX). The 1st gen Insight handles the emissions question with an additional (read: expensive) catalytic converter for handling NOX. At cruise, the car drops out of lean burn every few minutes to purge the stored NOX and catalyzes it with a richer mixture for a few seconds.
living in a non-emissions testing area(and state entirely, i think).... i don't have to worry about the EPA breathing down my neck about it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
Definitely aero mods for you, then. As far as getting good MPG, that sounds pretty close to an ideal driving environment. Lots of moderate speed cruising.
occasionally, i see some 70MPH travel on the highways for long trips and have a ~550 mile round trip coming up VERY soon that i managed to squeeze 37.6MPG out of in a 1990 grand prix a year ago. i'm interested to see what i'll be able to do with this car on roughly the same route, preferably with some kind of improvements done before it happens.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
As for over-riding the OEM torque converter logic, I'm SURE there are people here who would love to know more about this! We've got one thread here (maybe more) about hacking an auto transmission to electrically take control of the torque converter ( http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tch-10028.html ), but if it's not hard to do it electronically, that would be another great option.
depending on what level of control someone is looking for, you could use something as simple as an arduino with excellent results, assuming it wouldn't make the main PCM think the transmission is acting odd. some like to calculate TCC slip and other things based on what it assumes the gear the transmission is in, along with TCC status. if it goes outside of a boundry it likes, it can make the engine operate differently as well, shut certain things off or force others on.... i'll reread through that thread, i seem to remember skimming though it before.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MetroMPG View Post
re:
http://www.theautochannel.com/media/...e_carlo_ls.jpg

Do you happen to know the car's drag coefficient / frontal area?
Vehicle Coefficient of Drag List - EcoModder

according to that, .36 and 22.6, though i could have sworn the LS was a little less aggressive, like .33. the Z34 model got a front bumper with the air dam extending down a little further to catch more air. i'm not running a spoiler either.
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