|
Responses to all
What do I drive most often: Well, I mix it up so everything gets used fairly regularly. Certain vehicles dont see rain or salt, though.
What type of driving do I do: A good mix of local, s&g commuting and superslab.
What mods have been done to my 4x4 truck:
Larger diameter tires inflated to 45 psi, replaced mechanical fan with variable-speed dual electrics, punched louvers in hood for better air flow (reduces need for fans when moving) and to vent high-pressure air under hood (hopefully reduced aero drag), custom chip, removed air pump (parasitic drag), low restriction intake and exhaust, custom ignition, higher temp thermostat, warm air induction, dual deep cycle batteries, hi-po gear reduction starter (to withstand frequent restarts when coasting), 0-30W synthetic, synthetic in diffs, probably some other stuff I forgot about.
Stock mileage was 14. With normal driving (no shutdowns, coasting or other special techniques) I see north of 17 for an almost 25% improvement. This is a 5000 lb vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick. I would like to see over 20 for local driving where engine shutdown and coasting can be used. This might not be feasible without sacrificing the utility of the vehicle, but we'll see.
One of my previous projects was a 12 cylinder Jaguar XJ-S. These cars normally run in the 8 to 14 mpg range. Mine consistently delivered 23 mpg, with no special driving techniques and the stock TH400 automatic. However, there is a tremendous amount of low-hanging fruit - courtesy of odd design decisions by Jaguar - so my achievements here are not due to black magic as much as thoughtful modifications to implement features other automakers take for granted.
|