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Old 12-16-2008, 11:11 PM   #50 (permalink)
KJSatz
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: USA
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Civics Lesson - '08 Honda Civic LX
Team Honda
90 day: 40.53 mpg (US)
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We all know that the force of drag is not influenced by mass. By Newton's second law, having increased mass with the same drag force leads to less acceleration.

HOWEVER, increased mass (--> weight) would increase other "hostile" forces, most notably various frictions.

Even if that weren't the case, I'd still think increasing weight for the sake of having a longer glide would always be counterproductive because the ICE is not 100% efficient, and to say that increased weight in a P&G situation is "a wash" in terms of FE change would also be incorrect. More weight decreases fuel economy.

I fill my fuel tank up all the way. It lets me get a good read on my MPG during the tank that I couldn't get except for very extended averages if I just filled it up 5gal each time. Then there are the other effects people have mentioned--evaporation, fuel usage going to the station more often, etc.

So that makes everyone wrong, especially me!
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