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California98Civic · 08-19-2016, 01:14 AM

The auto constrains you. Fifty+ MPG is probably beyond reach without a lot of really slow driving. You can't coast with the engine off, like we can with the manuals. Weight reduction is a strategy, but before you hack the car... does it get driven in a lot of city or highway conditions? If the former, weiht loss can help because of all the acceleration. If the latter, weight loss matters little.

One of the best places for weight loss is in the wheels. If you have the stock 14 inch steelies, you have a 20lb wheel (excluding tires). If you get 1996-2000 HX rims, you get about 9lbs weight reduction per wheel. But since that is rotational weight, it has the effect of 18-36 lbs per wheel. So youcould count on a 100 lb effect through the rim swap. Cool.

Another option for your car is low rolling resistance (LRR) tires. Get them in a larger than stock diameter, and a thinner than stock width, and you will pick up gearing advantages and aero advantages.

Take off your power steering belt and test the feel of no PS. I go without. NBD. And it will yield an mpg or maybe more.

Your car has deceleration fuel cutoff capability. When you are approaching a hard stop, or need to shead some mph on a freeway, say approaching a far ahead traffic jam, slow down in gear without using brakes until necessary. The computer will turn off the fuel injectors.

Hoping that helps...

james

08-19-2016, 01:14 AM	#5 (permalink)
California98Civic Cyborg ECU Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Coastal Southern California Posts: 6,299 Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe Team Honda 90 day: 66.42 mpg (US) Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike 90 day: 3671.43 mpg (US) Thanks: 2,373 Thanked 2,174 Times in 1,470 Posts	The auto constrains you. Fifty+ MPG is probably beyond reach without a lot of really slow driving. You can't coast with the engine off, like we can with the manuals. Weight reduction is a strategy, but before you hack the car... does it get driven in a lot of city or highway conditions? If the former, weiht loss can help because of all the acceleration. If the latter, weight loss matters little. One of the best places for weight loss is in the wheels. If you have the stock 14 inch steelies, you have a 20lb wheel (excluding tires). If you get 1996-2000 HX rims, you get about 9lbs weight reduction per wheel. But since that is rotational weight, it has the effect of 18-36 lbs per wheel. So youcould count on a 100 lb effect through the rim swap. Cool. Another option for your car is low rolling resistance (LRR) tires. Get them in a larger than stock diameter, and a thinner than stock width, and you will pick up gearing advantages and aero advantages. Take off your power steering belt and test the feel of no PS. I go without. NBD. And it will yield an mpg or maybe more. Your car has deceleration fuel cutoff capability. When you are approaching a hard stop, or need to shead some mph on a freeway, say approaching a far ahead traffic jam, slow down in gear without using brakes until necessary. The computer will turn off the fuel injectors. Hoping that helps... james __________________ See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.