[sbestca]

Hey guys, Canadian here, this is going to be in metric.
Bear with with me, I am just learning the L/100kms system too.
So, 10 L/100kms = about 30mpg(imp) and I have been able to beat that consistantly on a 4300 kms trip (that I am not quite finished, couldn't wait to post).

I am a 52 yr old machinist, Ind mech, and electrical guy. I've converted vans to 4wd and hot rodded just about everything I have ever owned, including lawn mowers. So I bough a Caravan because I liked my 99 and it fits my needs as a truck, camper, sedan, trailer tow-er and has the highests fuelmileage in a big enough vehicle to do the job. Fuel mileage, like power is never good enough, so I am tinkering.

Up to now pretty much base-lining the van. Fuel mileage has slowly risen in the first 16,000kms and seems to be flat lining. Fuel mileage is highly variable, from 8 to 10 L/100kms on typical 100kph highway trip and can drop down to 7 L/100kms at 80kph. Michelin (snow tires!) have lower rolling resistance (coastdown test) than the Yokahama's, but I cannot see it in fuel mileage figures, probably less than 0.2 L/100kms.

On this trip I left Nova Scotia with a basically empty van and went slightly more than 700kms on just under 69L of fuel. Hooray just better than 10L/100kms! But I had to do on average 90kph (55mph) to accomplish it, slowing down to 80kph on hills and up to 110kph on downhills. Pulse and Glide does not work at all with van, as does neutral coast because it shuts fuel off on coast. I maintain constant throttle on hills and gain and lose to see indcated fuel mileage at 8 to 9 L/100kms. Gave about 750 kms to a tank.

First mod during the trip was to saran wrap the upper grill. Engine temp rose from 1/3 to just under 1/2, warm up was faster, Indicated fuel mileage increased into the 7 L/100kms range and I got over 800 kms on a tank at just over 9.2 L/10kms for the tank actual.

The saran wrap shedded in the rain and snow (temps above and below freezing) so I tore it off and sure enough lost fuel mileage on the next Tank.

So, I bought some coreplast and made a grill cover. Same good results as the saran wrap! Not content with just that, I made a lower grill cover 1/4 into that tank. Outside temp is -4 to +8 and temp needle is runnng just over 1/2. Same place it runs in the summer time. The "outside temp guage" is showiing +9 to +30c temps so it must be inside the grill or engine compartment or air intake. Fuel mileage has improved into 7.5 to 8 range at 100 kph. I got 900 kms range on a tank for 8.2 L/100kms with some drafting (2 seconds behind vehicles) through Quebec route 20 and into New Brunswick.

This last tank I followed a heavily loaded cube van at 90kph max down to 80kph on hills. My (inaccurate) gauge was showing 6.2 L/100kms and Showing that I will get over 1030kms on this tank (usually accurate). I am 436 kms ino the tank and still showing over 1/2 tank which is about 74L max that I have ever put in.