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Old 08-21-2008, 04:57 PM   #3 (permalink)
orange4boy
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Location: The Wet Coast, Kanuckistan.
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The Golden Egg - '93 Toyota Previa DX
90 day: 31.91 mpg (US)

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Yeah, That's probably right. The spark may be cooler. I have not been able to find out how much difference it makes but my ultimate plan is to have 2 8v deep cycle golf cart batteries in series for 16v (cars are designed to be able to handle a wide voltage range)

The alternator disconnect savings is real though.

"Even more to the point, the U.S. Corporate Average Fleet Efficiency (CAFE) standard prescribes a maximum fuel consumption rate for cars sold in the United States. The Federal government assesses a penalty of US $5 for every 0.1 mile per gallon (0.04 kilometer per liter) below 27.5 mi/gal (8.55 L/100 km) on every car the manufacturer sells. A 200-W electrical load accounts for about 0.4 km/L in the FTP 75 cycle test; so, if a manufacturer is delivering 25-mi/gal (9.41 L/100 km) cars, for example, it can justify spending more per vehicle on components to improve electrical efficiency."

IEEE Spectrum: Automotive Electrical Systems Circa 2005

I could also install a higher voltage aftermarket coil which would take care of the problem right there.
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