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northstar2k · 07-13-2008, 09:27 AM

I live in a mountainous region, nothing real high, highest around me 2300', but I try to use them for maximum advantage. One thing I do is once I leave my house, I have a 2.5 mile stretch that is mostly downhill. I leave the drive, get up to speed quickly the coast over a smal hill before the down. At two different points the down is a little steeper and I put it in neutral, not to save fuel but to increase my coasting speed. I never coast more than 10 seconds, because coasting in an automatic for long stretches cannot be good for it. This allows me to coast and keep my speed up. With a cold engine I get close to 40 for that 2.5 mile stretch and a warm engine nets me close to 50. I have also found that when you accelerate to speed, if you let up off the accelerator for 2-3 seconds your instant reading will go to high 30 low 40 and then gently (very gently) press on the accelerator and keep your speed. I find that I can actully increase my speed this way and keep the instant reading near 40. It's a matter of pedal pressure and how you train yourself to keep it smooth and gentle. Thoughts?

07-13-2008, 09:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
northstar2k DE teacher Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NE Pennsylvania Posts: 5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	nothing new but a twist I live in a mountainous region, nothing real high, highest around me 2300', but I try to use them for maximum advantage. One thing I do is once I leave my house, I have a 2.5 mile stretch that is mostly downhill. I leave the drive, get up to speed quickly the coast over a smal hill before the down. At two different points the down is a little steeper and I put it in neutral, not to save fuel but to increase my coasting speed. I never coast more than 10 seconds, because coasting in an automatic for long stretches cannot be good for it. This allows me to coast and keep my speed up. With a cold engine I get close to 40 for that 2.5 mile stretch and a warm engine nets me close to 50. I have also found that when you accelerate to speed, if you let up off the accelerator for 2-3 seconds your instant reading will go to high 30 low 40 and then gently (very gently) press on the accelerator and keep your speed. I find that I can actully increase my speed this way and keep the instant reading near 40. It's a matter of pedal pressure and how you train yourself to keep it smooth and gentle. Thoughts?