2006 Kia Sportage ecomodding begins...

[2000neon]

Good results so far. When are you adding a boat-tail?

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by 2000neon

Good results so far. When are you adding a boat-tail?

LOL!!
THAT aint happen!!! lol

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by mcrews

Drove to Austin from San Antonio on hwy 35 to have Thanksgiving w/ my daughter.
Thru a couple of 'relatively' flat stretches I ran the cruise at a set speed. It was 76degrees outside. low humidity. 40 psi. no mods.
here were the results:

30.1mpg....60mph....2180rpm....17 miles....193watertemp.....700ft
35.1mpg....50mph...1825rpm...15 miles......190warertemp.....650ft

I'll run the same stretches going home on friday and post up.
Also got my first tank to tank fill. (well 1/2 a tank) went back and forth to work about 29 miles 90% freeway. stop and go about 1/3 of trip. And one trip at 70-75mph
The kia trip computer said 25.0mpg, the actually fill up was 23.65 over 198 miles
Need to run a couple of 350-400 mill tanks to get a better feel.
But gas in San Antonio was 3.09 -usually 3.18 - (less 12 cents HEB grocery store card) and I didint want to pass that up!!

I think that the data tells me 2 things.
1. need a lower and probably up grille block to warm up faster. ran the 50 mph AFTER the 60 mph and the water temp dropped (190 was the high. it was 186-188 at times) The 193 for the 60 is also pretty low.
2. The 70 series tires seem a logical next step. Lower rpms will help. maybe I can get down to 1975rpm at 60 mph!

30.1mpg....60mph....2180rpm....17 miles....193watertemp.....700ft
35.1mpg....50mph...1825rpm...15 miles......190warertemp.....650ft

XXXXX.....60mph....2045rpm..........
XXXXX.....50mph.... 1736rpm.........

Dropped about 100rpms with the larger tires.
Remember they are used and I like the ride alot better with the larger tire.
Havent had a chance to test mpg

[mcrews]

Drove from Austin to Dallas for Christmas on highway 35. traffic was light stayed on cruise control the whole time. 45-50 degrees clear day. no decernable wind.
8am to 10am


2006 Kia Sportage EX FWD V6 w/ 104,091 miles

Eco-mods:
1.Lower grill block, particial upper.
2. 235/70/16 tires at 40psi
3. on 3rd tank w/ tcw3

Trip 12-2-2012
(These are avg reading over a hundred miles of the trip)
water temp was in 193 range for 50-70 miles
Then got up to 209 the rest of the trip
61 mph on cruise at 2090rpms
load 31-34 (in flat areas)
hrpower 33-37 (in flat areas)
FIA 78-85 (keep gradually increasing as the morning warmed up)
IGN 31-34
Scangauge MPG 32.9 (yeah)!!!!!
Kia MPG screen 29.9mpg
(Had to adjust the scangauge 9% w/ the new tires, so the kia screen is pretty close to the scangauge w/ the 9% factored in.)
Did not hypermile nor did I ever coast. (pretty flat so no reason to.)

About 1 hr from Lewisville, the temp readding stayed at 209 and didnot drop for several miles. I pulled the partial blocked grill off to see if the reading would come back down.
It did. Dropped to 190-193. For the next 20 miles (still very flat roads) the mpg dropped to 31.5 avg mpg.
Load was 33 and hp was 31.

Needless to say I am VERY pleased with the results.

As a note: I never went over 61. was on cruise 90% of the time I was in North Dallas.
Stayed in Lewisville (hwy 35) went to Richardson on Saterday took Pres George Bush freeway. Drove to Denton on Monday. Back to Lewisville and Back to austin.
NO ONE EVERY RAN ME OVER. No one ever honked at me.
I stayed in the far right lanes.
Did cars pass me? sure.

[mcrews]

follow up on the upsizing tires.
The size I put is the largest diameter possible.
here is a picture of how close the rub is on the driver side with a slight right turn.

[nbleak21]

Wow, that is tight! I'd sure like to get those MPG numbers on my CRV!

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by nbleak21

Wow, that is tight! !

I know....I think new tires would have rubbed!!!!

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by nbleak21

I'd sure like to get those MPG numbers on my CRV!

you at 25mpg w/ 90% city, my city driving is closer to 24mpg. I bet you could get 30+ with highway driving and an upsized tire.

[nbleak21]

I have been very weary of upsizing, as my mpg peaks (according to torque app) at a cruise speed of 72-74mph. (~2800 rpms) right at about 27mpg.

[mcrews]

tHE ONE THING i HAVE DONE ON BOTH CARS, the Q45 & Sportage was to get a baseline of real driving. I would find a 10-15 mile flat stretch of freeway and run up and down at 50, 55, 60, 65 &70.
(I use a scangauge)
I would record the rpms and the mpgs for each.
Then I could determine at what rpm I got the best mpg.

I find it hard to believe that your best mpg is at 2800 rpm
The Q45 was at around 1750rpm
THe Sportage is aroung the same....but that would have me driving 45mph!

THe name of the game is reducing rpms at cruise.