40 mpg highway in 4-speed Dodge V6 (1997)

[theaveng]

On a trip from LA to San Francisco. I made no mods. Just drove slowly: 45 miles/hour. I kept the RPM at 1600.

The Avenger Coupe has the stock weight & aero package. Same fat tires.

For comparison: A Honda Accord V6 gave me 55mpg on a dealer testdrive, but it also has a 3-cylinder mode (which the Dodge lacks). Ponder: If the Honda is only operating half the cylinders, why wouldn't it get double the MPG (80)? Hmmm.

[2000mc]

youre using half the cylinders, but not driving half a car

(i think theres a dodge joke in there somewhere)

[Frank Lee]

Last fill on the T-Racer (2.0 a/t) was 43mpg; went 45-50mph and even ran the a/c some. No coasting except for a very little at the ends of trips, rolling to the parking spots. Now I want 50mpg.

[ksa8907]

That has the mitsu 2.5 dohc?

[t vago]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

That has the mitsu 2.5 dohc?

Yep. These cars suffer from questionable gearing, which makes them get worse gas mileage when they travel at highway speeds. It was an effort to make them appear to be responsive, to compensate for the downsizing from 3.0L to 2.5L.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by t vago

Yep. These cars suffer from questionable gearing, which makes them get worse gas mileage when they travel at highway speeds. It was an effort to make them appear to be responsive, to compensate for the downsizing from 3.0L to 2.5L.

In 97? Should have used the 3.5 and been real responsive!

[kafer65]

KSA8907 saying its a 4 pot not a V6? IIRK the minivans had a Mitzu and a Dodge 4 cylinder option in the minivans at one point back in the early 90s. I remember the Mitzus being way more peppy than the Dodges. On the cylinder deactivation not getting double mpg would be because the pistons are still knocking around even when no fuel is going to them. They still produce friction with the cylinder walls and some pumping losses as well.

[theaveng]

Originally Posted by kafer65

the pistons are still knocking around even when no fuel is going to them. They still produce friction with the cylinder walls and some pumping losses as well.

Yeah that makes sense. Honda also keeps firing the sparkplugs, so that's a little extra drain on the alternator/engine too. It's actually pretty amazing such an Accord can still keep moving on only 3 cylinders.

The Dodge Avenger had 4 or 6 cylinder options. Pretty much the whole car was built by Mitsubishi based-around the Eclipse platform. The only Dodge part was the transmission.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by kafer65

KSA8907 saying its a 4 pot not a V6? IIRK the minivans had a Mitzu and a Dodge 4 cylinder option in the minivans at one point back in the early 90s. I remember the Mitzus being way more peppy than the Dodges. On the cylinder deactivation not getting double mpg would be because the pistons are still knocking around even when no fuel is going to them. They still produce friction with the cylinder walls and some pumping losses as well.

Nope. I know very well its a v6. Had a couple friends in highschool with them in a sebring and an avenger.