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Old 10-06-2011, 11:39 PM   #1 (permalink)
Cyborg ECU
 
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Coastal Southern California
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Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe
Team Honda
90 day: 66.42 mpg (US)

Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike
90 day: 3671.43 mpg (US)
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New high: 65.64mpg

I have gone alternator optional. Adapted to no alt with an Odyssey deep-cycle motorcycle battery + on-board specially designed Odyssey 6amp charger. I plug the car in at night now. I also have slowly installed LED and HID lights. I am hitting new highs at a time I should be seeing declining FE: morning temps are in the 50s/60s, nights are longer, and I'm encountering some rain. It is not Minnesota, but it is not ideal, either. Things are working nicely. But I had hoped to hit 70mpg this tank. Still, I'm hopeful I might get to a 65mpg three-tank or 90-day average yet this fall.

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See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.




Last edited by California98Civic; 10-07-2011 at 09:28 AM..
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Old 10-07-2011, 04:10 AM   #2 (permalink)
Pishtaco
 
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Mean Green Toaster Machine - '06 Scion xB
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90 day: 48.92 mpg (US)
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Give some credit to your aerodynamically better vehicle, too.
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Boycotting Exxon since 1989, BP since 2010
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? George Carlin
Mean Green Toaster Machine
49.5 mpg avg over 53,000 miles. 176% of '08 EPA
Best flat drive 94.5 mpg for 10.1 mi
Longest tank 1033 km (642 mi) on 10.56 gal = 60.8 mpg
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Old 10-07-2011, 10:19 AM   #3 (permalink)
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta Canada
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redyaris - '07 Toyota Yaris
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90 day: 45.54 mpg (US)

Gray - '07 Suzuki GS500 F
Motorcycle
90 day: 70.4 mpg (US)

streamliner1 - '83 Honda VT500 streamliner
Motorcycle
90 day: 75.63 mpg (US)

White Whale - '12 Sprinter 2500 Cargo Van
90 day: 22.01 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by California98Civic View Post
I have gone alternator optional. Adapted to no alt with an Odyssey deep-cycle motorcycle battery + on-board specially designed Odyssey 6amp charger. I plug the car in at night now. I also have slowly installed LED and HID lights. I am hitting new highs at a time I should be seeing declining FE: morning temps are in the 50s/60s, nights are longer, and I'm encountering some rain. It is not Minnesota, but it is not ideal, either. Things are working nicely. But I had hoped to hit 70mpg this tank. Still, I'm hopeful I might get to a 65mpg three-tank or 90-day average yet this fall.
Very nice, congrat's my 90 day average projection for the next refuel is 61.14mpg and falling due to colder weather wind and rain. I thought I had you, but you sliped into a zone I won't be able to reach until next summer.
However you should see me in your "ecomodder mpg" rear view mirror at my next refuel.

Last edited by redyaris; 10-07-2011 at 10:30 AM..
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Old 10-07-2011, 11:58 AM   #4 (permalink)
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PaleCivic (retired) - '96 Honda Civic DX Sedan
90 day: 69.2 mpg (US)

PaleFit - '09 Honda Fit Sport
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Very nice! Glad to hear the alt-optional mod is working. What does the battery voltage do over the course of a drive?
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Old 10-07-2011, 12:53 PM   #5 (permalink)
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Very nice. Next summer you'll be sure to hit 70!
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California98Civic (10-08-2011)
Old 10-07-2011, 01:44 PM   #6 (permalink)
Cyborg ECU
 
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Coastal Southern California
Posts: 6,299

Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe
Team Honda
90 day: 66.42 mpg (US)

Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike
90 day: 3671.43 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2,373
Thanked 2,172 Times in 1,469 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by redyaris View Post
I thought I had you, but you sliped into a zone I won't be able to reach until next summer. However you should see me in your "ecomodder mpg" rear view mirror at my next refuel.
Excellent. Hey, did you notice the car at #3? I was just checking your position and started looking at others fuel logs... the Metro at #3 ... the owner stops recording fuel data in late summer early fall and does not pick up again until mid/late spring! Hahaha!!
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See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.



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Old 10-07-2011, 02:49 PM   #7 (permalink)
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Join Date: Aug 2010
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2006 DaCivic Hybrid - '06 Honda Civic Hybrid
90 day: 45.16 mpg (US)
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Great job. Congrats on you new Best MPG!

Just wondering what is the lowest morning startup temps that would justify the hassle of adding an engine block heater?

I am considering adding one to my HCH II.
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Old 10-07-2011, 11:55 PM   #8 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta Canada
Posts: 744

redyaris - '07 Toyota Yaris
Team Toyota
90 day: 45.54 mpg (US)

Gray - '07 Suzuki GS500 F
Motorcycle
90 day: 70.4 mpg (US)

streamliner1 - '83 Honda VT500 streamliner
Motorcycle
90 day: 75.63 mpg (US)

White Whale - '12 Sprinter 2500 Cargo Van
90 day: 22.01 mpg (US)
Thanks: 81
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Quote:
Originally Posted by California98Civic View Post
Excellent. Hey, did you notice the car at #3? I was just checking your position and started looking at others fuel logs... the Metro at #3 ... the owner stops recording fuel data in late summer early fall and does not pick up again until mid/late spring! Hahaha!!
For this winter I have bought a 4 amp 'Inteligent' battery charger that I will mount in the engine bay and plug in with my block heater at home and work, because of EOC in the dark, morning and evening. I will also try to install some form of solar panel battery charger. The problem I have had in the past with solar panel battery charging, is that the battery discharges at night through the solar Panel. I think that by instaling a charge controler I can avoid the discharging. The task at hand is to minemise the affect of winter on FE...
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Old 10-08-2011, 01:59 AM   #9 (permalink)
Cyborg ECU
 
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Coastal Southern California
Posts: 6,299

Black and Green - '98 Honda Civic DX Coupe
Team Honda
90 day: 66.42 mpg (US)

Black and Red - '00 Nashbar Custom built eBike
90 day: 3671.43 mpg (US)
Thanks: 2,373
Thanked 2,172 Times in 1,469 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by redyaris View Post
For this winter I have bought a 4 amp 'Inteligent' battery charger that I will mount in the engine bay and plug in with my block heater at home and work, because of EOC in the dark, morning and evening.
My experience suggests: battery charger good. Even better when alt is disconnected. Experiment. See what works for you.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MorphDaCivic View Post
Just wondering what is the lowest morning startup temps that would justify the hassle of adding an engine block heater?
Well, here is a study summation cited in the wikipedia entry for "block heater": http://www.hydro.mb.ca/your_home/hom...ck_heaters.pdf.

But more directly to your question maybe is this graph from MetroMPG's great site:

http://www.metrompg.com/zoom_image.h...20watt%20graph

It would seem to suggest a real benefit is engine warm-up time, even when starting from relative mild winter freezing temps.

And here is his data for engine warm-up and fuel consumption:

http://metrompg.com/zoom_image.htm?H...m%2Dup%20graph
__________________
See my car's mod & maintenance thread and my electric bicycle's thread for ongoing projects. I will rebuild Black and Green over decades as parts die, until it becomes a different car of roughly the same shape and color. My minimum fuel economy goal is 55 mpg while averaging posted speed limits. I generally top 60 mpg. See also my Honda manual transmission specs thread.




Last edited by California98Civic; 10-08-2011 at 02:31 AM..
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Old 10-08-2011, 09:58 AM   #10 (permalink)
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Cobalt XFE - '08 Chevrolet Cobalt XFE
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90 day: 41.1 mpg (US)

'05 Malibu V6 Tow Vehicle/Track Car - '05 Chevrolet Malibu LS V6
90 day: 23.12 mpg (US)

'08 XFE average for 2013 - '08 Chevrolet Cobalt XFE
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What size battery do you have an how far can you drive before needing a charge?

I have been thinking about an alternator and A/C delete but was scared or limiting my range. I do 70 miles round trip for work and have no way to charge it while at work.

You going to do a write up on your install or did you follow somone elses write up?

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