Hello, my nickname is American Viking

[American Viking]

And I'm addicted to independent mobility.
I'm involved in alternative fuel and energy transportation.
Last year (Actually it was 2012, My brains still has not caught up with it being 2014) I bought two VW jetta's (just the 2.5L I5 gas engine base versions with 5 speed manual trans, not the coveted TDI's) to complement my two Honda VFR800 motorcycles. One VFR has an HHO fuel booster on it (best tank while SPORTtouring - 63.5 mpg) and the other is getting converted to run on Biomass-ethanol with another HHO fuel booster.

The prior family car was a Lincoln LS V6 automatic that was perfect example of how not to design and program a modern car for mileage. It suffered terribly in town getting suv like mileage thanks to poor programming of the transmission (even in so called SelectShift mode), power-train computer, high mechanical drag and an overly aggressive stability control. Currently it sits, waiting for either funds to arrive to convert it to an electric car (ala Tesla S) or to be sold in a divorce.

I'm no superman when it comes to getting great mileage, my family all are heavy people (the lightest is 250lb), I pack too much all the time, and I'm not a particularly patient individual, but I do well enough at coasting, anticipating traffic, smooth brisk acceleration to hit or better epa Highway numbers and generally be close to city mpg rating.

I've mostly been concentrating on the efficiency of the engines up to this point. Trying to get the most out of a gallon of gas without having to drive like some right lane wall flower.

ex. my VFR800 - Most riders I know, on the same model bike, get about 40-45 mpg when touring with about 70lbs of luggage. My last trip, I was carrying about 140 lbs of luggage, and managed 63.5 mpg. The run wasn't even a good example as the booster tank cracked and leaked out before the end of the tank. Without my booster working my mileage dropped into the upper 30's/low 40' that the bigger guy's I know were getting.

I'm thrilled with the numbers I'm getting on my bone stock (98,000 mile) Jetta right now. I have plans to fit a booster, get it a custom tune, sort out the suspension a bit (it sits nose high with the family on board) and then maybe a few aero tricks. My goal is TDI or better mpg's for it in this first stage.

I look forward to learning and sharing knowledge in this community.

[ecoTex]

Welcome Viking , I think I can speak for everyone here in saying we are anxiously waiting to see someone prove the value of an HHO system!

[elhigh]

Howdy,
I am of Scandinavian descent but never made much of it until about ten years ago, after my father guided an impromptu tour of the Smithsonian's Viking exhibit.

I too would like to see someone back up the HHO with hard numbers. As far as I'm concerned it's snake oil. If you're a hypermiler it's too easy to modify your behavior in such a way as to significantly improve your mileage, but then attribute those gains to the HHO.

That said, a big guy touring an 800 with 140lbs of luggage (seriously?) is hard to hypermile on the highway. I'd want to see what a non-HHO bike (not a friend's, yours) delivered under similar circumstances.

[deejaaa]

i have an 02 jetta, tdi, and added air shocks to the rear. might help your ride with the added weight to get some.

[American Viking]

Originally Posted by elhigh

Howdy,
I am of Scandinavian descent but never made much of it until about ten years ago, after my father guided an impromptu tour of the Smithsonian's Viking exhibit.

I have been reminded all my life that I'm of Norwegian descent, but I've always considered myself American first, so American Viking.

Originally Posted by elhigh

I too would like to see someone back up the HHO with hard numbers. As far as I'm concerned it's "snake oil"

I'll have to review that article. What I have found is that too many of these so called guru magazines, just want to slap a cell on a vehicle and expect miracles.
If you do not adjust the fuel mixtures, then the cell may clean up the emissions, but it won't add any mileage or significant increases in power.
I did not see any gains on my Honda with the cell until I installed the PowerCommander V with its wideband o2 sensor plus autotune module and started adjusting the Air Fuel Ratios.
Since the PC V takes miles to "learn" the trims when you set a new tune, it takes time and mileage to get the best results. In fact that 63.5 mpg tank was not the peak of the tune, instead it was just starting to really come in.

Originally Posted by elhigh

If you're a hypermiler it's too easy to modify your behavior in such a way as to significantly improve your mileage, but then attribute those gains to the HHO.

Well I was riding with another rider on the trip and keeping up was enough to keep me from trying modify my riding for mileage.

Originally Posted by elhigh

That said, a big guy touring an 800 with 140lbs of luggage (seriously?) is hard to hypermile on the highway. I'd want to see what a non-HHO bike (not a friend's, yours) delivered under similar circumstances.

First, Yeah 140 lbs of luggage was a lot. I was carrying my tool kit, a week's worth of clothes, my old laptop, 2 cameras, batteries, a cooler with two cases of drinks plus ice, a small bottle of scotch and a plaque. More than I usually carry, but witnessing a 1997 Honda VFR750 surpass 200,000 miles required extra gear and a few things to celebrate with.

Second, that number was not slabbing along at constant speeds on the highway, it was set running with two then three other riders on fast backroads. The GPS speed average at the end of the day was 64.7 mph.

Now as back to back numbers, the next 5 tanks where run with the same load but no HHO flowing and the tuner set to run an early tune without trimming, net 39.6/35.6/41.5/35.5/39.2...

[American Viking]

Originally Posted by deejaaa

i have an 02 jetta, tdi, and added air shocks to the rear. might help your ride with the added weight to get some.

Currently my car has 98,000 miles on it with the oem base level springs and original struts/shocks. I'm sure that there is plenty of settling sag and wear at both ends.
I was planning on waiting for spring to break before I went ahead and installed new hd struts, poly insulators, hd strut hats and oem sport springs. That should be enough to correct the slight sag in the rear, leveling the ride when loaded with family and their junk, also with a slight nose down attitude when not.
I'm not going with lowering springs or air suspension,.. not yet.

But thanks to an incident in the Tuesday snow storm involving a Mega-SUV driving soccer mom, a steel road plate, 4 inches of snow, a lazy traffic cop, me trying not to be an aggressive pr--k and the curb into the school driveway - I have to repair the front suspension on it.
So, as soon as the snow is really cleared away from the driveway at my father's house, and the parts arrive... struts, springs, insulators, new front bushings, upper strut mounts, ball joint, subframe collars and new tire will all go on.
Then I can check that issue off the list.

I not a fan of sheeple.
Make them arrogant, conceited buggers with money and I really can't stand them.

[American Viking]

@ DeeJaa - I've got a few questions about your TDI's setup.

1. Are those Cooper tires LRR's? I thought about low resistance tires when bought the Continental brand all season tires for my car, but I found so many statements about the vague and/or mushy handling and a even a few accounts of highway hum that I stayed away from them.
2. You list the DRL/foglights, do you need DRL function where you are to stay legal?? Both of our Mk 5's arrived with low beam DRL's, I deleted the DRL function on mine with the Ross-tech VCDS tool, right after I got the car. My son has not wanted me to go near his car's management computer and as a result has replaced 5 low beam bulbs in the little over year since we got them. Since we have police issues with converting the halogen headlights to HID here (read the police are headlight 'color' nazi's), I'm gathering the parts to change the stock halogen bulbs for LED headlights. Once I have all the pieces to install them, my son will have to give up on the DRL's.
3. When you say, front lower bumper pan, don't you have a factory plastic skid plate to start with?
4. What ecm/pcm tune are you using? US OEM program? I'm asking because I hear a lot of talk about the European OEM program as well as see lots of discussions about the aftermarket tuning house programs.

[American Viking]

Hey is there a how to on adding the ecomodd and fuelly mileage links to the bottom of your signature??

[Frank Lee]

Yes.

[American Viking]

Working on two projects today.
#1, An EV SPORTtouring motorcycle, currently bidding on a bike with a tube frame and a blown engine.
#2, Laying out the subsystems that the wife's car will need to be converted to a family sized EV.