View Single Post
Old 02-10-2008, 08:27 PM   #20 (permalink)
MetroMPG
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,534

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 57.73 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,082
Thanked 6,979 Times in 3,614 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by donee View Post
There is a discussion on here about having to switch out one's final drive to gain the fuel economy performance lower drag would imply.
You'll have to excuse the tendency here to talk with the assumed starting point of an otto cycle engine & fixed gear (usually manual) transmission. (I'm happy to see a growing contingent of diesel members, and more than a couple of hybrid owners also considering DIY options.)

But your point about diesels not suffering from the part throttle, light load losses to the same extent as regular fixed gear otto engines makes Big Dave's question that much more relevant. Ernie took a New Beetle from its horrid starting Cd to something closer to "average"; what would be even more interesting would be seeing someone start with an "average" Golf TDI, for example, and make it much better than average.

The fact that the Prius, with its smart transmission, can avoid the BSFC problem fixed gear otto cycle engines encounter from lessening aero loads makes the prospect of aeromodding a Prius that much more interesting.
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote