Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Hypermiling / EcoDriver's Ed
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 06-14-2008, 11:23 PM   #1 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Colorado springs, CO
Posts: 2

Cavalier - '01 Chevrolet Cavalier
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Good in-town mpg a challenge

I have a '02 Chevy Cavalier 2.2l rated at EPA 23/33, and have been trying all of the hypermiling techniques, in an attempt to improve my mileage. The sad thing is I use my car for only very short in-town trips, and it never gets any highway miles.

I have always recorded my mileage and gallon usage, so I have that historical data. Typically, my city mileage has been 18-24 mpg average per tank.

My hypermiling techniques include very conservative acceleration, really watching the throttle, coasting or engine-off down hills, engine-off at long stop lights, going slower than the speed limit, 44 psi in my tires, Lucas gas treatment, new plugs and wires, new oil change, new air filter.

So, here's the results of my first hypermiling (town driving) tank: 22 mpg. Sad, isn't it?

Real depressing. I am going to invest in a locking gas cap.

I received my ScanGaugeII yesterday, and have been having fun with it.

I took the car out for a drive on the little highways out east in the prarie last night, to see what my hypermiling techniques would do in that situation. The highways had a 45 mph speed limit.

I was very surprised, I got 38 mpg!

So, I have concluded that there is not much you can do in town stop-and-go driving that will result in a big mpg payback. I wonder if I should consider having a mechanic go over my engine to see what can be done to improve my city mileage.

Really wish I had hybrid technology in my car for town-driving. A bolt-on solution would be cool - the auto industry should look into this, and engineer some technology that they could sell to us.

So, regarding city driving, what do you all think?

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 06-14-2008, 11:31 PM   #2 (permalink)
ECO-Evolution
 
Lazarus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 1,482

Iron Horse (retired) - '97 Iron horse Intrepid

Ninja - '08 Kawasaki 250R
90 day: 76.23 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 44 Times in 33 Posts
Look into a engine block heater that should help a lot since the car never really gets warmed up and make sure to consolidate as many trip in one outing as possible. Route selection is critical and any chance of delaying to miss rush hour traffic? Where are you located and any chance of using a bike or something for the really short trips?

Welcome to the site!
__________________
"Judge a person by their questions rather than their answers."


Last edited by Lazarus; 06-14-2008 at 11:51 PM..
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2008, 01:09 AM   #3 (permalink)
Dartmouth 2010
 
SVOboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hanover, NH
Posts: 6,447

Vegan Powa! - '91 Honda CRX DX
Team Honda
90 day: 66.52 mpg (US)
Thanks: 92
Thanked 122 Times in 90 Posts
Send a message via AIM to SVOboy Send a message via MSN to SVOboy Send a message via Yahoo to SVOboy
Sometimes the city can suck, but I would say to look into route planning and trying to anticipate lights/traffic. Takes practice and getting used to, but it works.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-15-2008, 01:33 AM   #4 (permalink)
EcoModding Apprentice
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 117

GMC Sonoma - '94 GMC Sonoma
90 day: 36.97 mpg (US)
Thanks: 0
Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by rschoolf View Post

Really wish I had hybrid technology in my car for town-driving. A bolt-on solution would be cool - the auto industry should look into this, and engineer some technology that they could sell to us.
There is a bolt on solution but I think it is around $3k if I recall. Sorry, but I don't remember the company name but what they have is wheel hub electric motors that go on the rear wheels of your gasoline or diesel car.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-16-2008, 12:13 PM   #5 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
FastPlastic's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Ames, IA
Posts: 419

98 Cherokee - '98 Jeep Cherokee
90 day: 17.18 mpg (US)

ZX7R Ninja - '99 Kawasaki ZX7R Ninja
90 day: 42.45 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4
Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lazarus View Post
Look into a engine block heater that should help a lot since the car never really gets warmed up
Your driving sounds a lot like what I do on a daily basis. I put around 15-20miles on in town with 4-8mile trips. The block heater is a good idea but can be costly to run. I'd suggest a grill block. After installing my partial block I found the Jeep would warm up to full temp in about a mile or so (summer temps anyway). Use to never get all the way up. There easy to do and also a really cheap one time cost.
__________________

Adjusted for my driving habits. 80%city/20%Highway.
20mpg city/30mpg highway or bust! Check out my mods so far
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-16-2008, 03:15 PM   #6 (permalink)
ECO-Evolution
 
Lazarus's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 1,482

Iron Horse (retired) - '97 Iron horse Intrepid

Ninja - '08 Kawasaki 250R
90 day: 76.23 mpg (US)
Thanks: 17
Thanked 44 Times in 33 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by FastPlastic View Post
Your driving sounds a lot like what I do on a daily basis. I put around 15-20miles on in town with 4-8mile trips. The block heater is a good idea but can be costly to run. I'd suggest a grill block. After installing my partial block I found the Jeep would warm up to full temp in about a mile or so (summer temps anyway). Use to never get all the way up. There easy to do and also a really cheap one time cost.
I think the fuel saving will easily make up for the electricity unless your rates are really really high. Here's a thread on Block heaters.
__________________
"Judge a person by their questions rather than their answers."

  Reply With Quote
Old 06-16-2008, 03:30 PM   #7 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,513

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

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 60.16 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,058
Thanked 6,957 Times in 3,602 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by FastPlastic View Post
The block heater is a good idea but can be costly to run. I'd suggest a grill block.
I suggest both!

A block heater is only costly to run if used improperly (left plugged in too long), or if your electricity rates are very high. You can max out its heating potential in about 1.5-3 hours. If I use my 350w unit, that's 3.2 cents to 6.4 cents per use at standard Ontario rates.
__________________
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
Old 06-18-2008, 06:00 PM   #8 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Colorado springs, CO
Posts: 2

Cavalier - '01 Chevrolet Cavalier
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I had noticed (with ScanGauge) that my MPG really sucks on a cold engine.
  Reply With Quote
Old 06-18-2008, 06:34 PM   #9 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,585 Times in 1,553 Posts
I'd second Metro's suggestion of doing both the block heater and grill block. I did this for my Matrix which my wife uses to cart around town from place to place to decrease warm up times. It made a noticable difference.
__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2008, 05:01 PM   #10 (permalink)
5.4L Econo Box
 
Jim Allen's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: NW Ohio
Posts: 36

Plugger - '05 Ford F-150HD 4x4 XL
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Another thing to consider is a light motor oil, perhaps a 5W20. Because it's less viscous, it reduces internal engine frictional losses from the cold start and luke-warm running. I concur with the block heater idea. Put it on a timer to come on one to two hours before your commute (depending on how fast it can warm the engine) so you won't waste grid juice keeping it hot all night.

__________________
Jim Allen
The Frugal Four Wheeler and Farmer

My ultimate goal is not necessarily the highest mpg but to make my trucks more efficient configured as I need them.

Old Reliable '86 Ford F-250HD 4x4, 6.9L diesel

Red '00 Honda Accord Coupe, 3.0L V6, automatic

The Plugger '05 Ford F-150HD 4x4, Regular Cab, 8-ft bed, 8,200# GVW, 5.4L V8, automatic, 4.10:1 ratios, 285/70R-17D tires

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Tags
cavalier, chevrolet

Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Finally: 100 mpg (US) round trip in the Blackfly - new and improved: 133 mpg MetroMPG Hypermiling / EcoDriver's Ed 12 11-02-2012 05:08 PM
More fun mpg 93DelSol Introductions 7 08-09-2008 07:04 PM
Question regarding Scangauge MPG readout & DIY device Gregte DIY / How-to 5 05-19-2008 04:58 PM
Review: 2009 Toyota Corolla LE (37.9 MPG) RH77 General Efficiency Discussion 22 05-09-2008 04:55 PM
School teams to compete in cross country MPG Challenge - Possible $1,000,000 prize ericbecky EcoModding Central 9 03-22-2008 09:15 PM



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com