50 mpg in an auto ZX2!
 

It finally happened :)

http://s26.postimg.org/hv0bge17d/IMG...814_103247.jpg
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383.0 miles * 1.03 (for the oversized tires, slightly worn) = 394.49 miles driven.

394.49 miles/7.754 gallons = 50.88 mpg!

The SG reported 50.7 mpg, so it was off a whopping 0.35% :)

It has taken me 354 days to accomplish this goal with 3 past fills of 49.xx mpg, so to say I am excited is an understatment :D

Congrats!

Understatement to say that's an impressive feat for a conventional automatic trans.

Awesome results!!! So whats the next goal.:)

Thank you Headmaster :) it is exactly that. Hard to stay humble with these results!

Thank you Russell! The next goal is to get lean burn up and going. Then 55 mpg, 60 mpg, all the way to 75 mpg. I think I can get 200% EPA with the auto, but it will no doubt be quite the task.

Woohoo congrats! Very impressive.

wooooooooooooo

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Impressive... :thumbup:



:)

>

Thank y'all for the for the love :)

I think 51 mpg is maxing out what the car is capable of as it sits right now. 52-54 mpg might be possible, but it would take perfect traffic, perfectly timed stoplights, perfect coasting and no short trips into the city :eek:

I forgot to mention a goal after achieving the 75 mpg is to go after Echo-Troll and Donkey CRX for the top spot here in Overall mpg :thumbup:

Awesome work! Between automatic and no extreme body changes, that is mind blowing. No offense to your vehicle, but you must have really honed your skill as a driver, though your mod list shows hard work there, too. Man, that is awesome.

Congratulations!

Thank you UltArc! No offense taken, my skills have improved greatly in the past year and continue to do so. Old Mech, whatmaycome14 and dirtydave need credit here as they showed me in June that I drive too aggressively in town and cruising. They deserve applause for helping me get to 50. Thank you bunches guys!!!

Here is some photos of the new star of Ecomodder :D:thumbup:
http://s26.postimg.org/5e3b431qx/IMG...815_125255.jpg
http://s26.postimg.org/4pugl5315/IMG...815_125312.jpg

Not shown is the front and rear belly pans.

I really need to make a new spreadsheet showing my speed vs. Mpg. So far it is:
25 mph - 80-82 mpg
30 mph - 75 mpg
35 mph - 68-71 mpg
40 mph - 60-63 mpg
45 mph - 54-57 mpg
50 mph - 49-52 mpg
55 mph - 44-47 mpg
60 mph - 40-42 mpg

looks really really good buddy. I'm surprised you get good mpg under 35 super impressive!!

automatic trans no longer means low mpg!

It is still surprising to me as well! The car can maintain speed decently well at those speeds!

All speeds below 35 are with the TCC unlocked too. The high mpgs are on level ground and smooth asphalt. ANYTHING reduces the mpgs quickly when you're turning 1000 rpm througha slushbox :o

I think a lot of people discredit autos right from the get go and don't try to figure out how to use them to the best. Having to live with mine, I have learned its quirks and its ability to get high mpgs at city speeds. And it is pretty efficient at higher speed cruise, a lot more than the manual that came with the ZX2s (deep gearing for quick acceleration).

I will go manual eventually so i can have a deeper overdrive 5th gear designed that will lower revs more than my auto now. Hopefully the auto will hold up to see 75 mpg eclipsed!

Good job *jealous*

I have a '99 Tracer, 2.0 a/t that I've been trying to hit 50 mpg with. My last few tanks have been 47 to 48 so... it'll happen in time. You beat me to it!

The T-Racer sees mostly highway where I generally cruise at 47 mph. Lately some factors keeping 50 mpg out of reach are using a/c and filling with E85. And at times, going faster.

I just got some low r.r. used Prius tires and am deciding if they should go on the T-Racer or the Tempo. Putting them on the 'Racer might help it over the half-century mark.

Fantastic news!! I'm very happy for you. and the car looks great too!

You should make a garage entry for your T-racer Frank! Those are great mpgs. A slight boost is all it will take for you to cross 50, and those LRR tires should do it. It will improve coasting for sure.

I had 3 out of my last 7 tanks that were between 49 & 50! Talk about being delightfully disappointed!

If your Tracer is similar to my Escort, then try slowing down to 44-45 mph. Idk if the same applies to you, but I lose ~1 mpg for every mph over 40.

Thank you Zach! I'm loving the car's new look and all the attention it gets :D I've working on another 50+ this tank. I'm about 320 miles in and just reached 1/2 tank of a 12.7 gallon tank. SG says I'm at 50.6 mpg for the tank!

Yeah, pretty sure going even slower would net over 50 mpg but even for me there's a limit.

The T-Racer has a frontal area disadvantage vs ZX2 and maybe a Cd disadvantage as well.

From looking on the intranet, it looks like the Tracer is a ZX2 with a different look. Most everything with the specs is the same, so it can get 50 with a lil more work :)

The stock Cd is 0.34, which is a hundredth worse than the ZX2. Frontal area should be around 21-22 ft squared.

I had trips of 55.9 and 52.5 last night and this morning, so my last tank before lean burn should be a 50 :)

Tracer = Escort sedan.

ZX2: 67.4"W x 52.3"H- about 20.81 sq ft; .33 Cd
Tracer: 67.0"W x 53.3"H- about 21.08 sq ft; .34 or .35 Cd depending on online source :/

So there are both frontal area and Cd disadvantages. The chassis should be nearly identical.

I would have sworn just by looking at them (and getting in and out of them) there was a greater difference in height! :eek:

So impressive!! Your in vx and hybrid territory now.

Ah, the sedan, not the coupe! So it has the SPI 2.0? They had better low end torque than the Zetec 2.0 in my ZX2. That alone should give you an advantage over me.

My Cd is about 0.26 :thumbup: do you have any aero mods?

Thank you drainoil! I plan to surpass them all :D

SPI 2.0, grille block/partial front undertray, engine blanket, passenger mirror delete, 48 psi. That's about it.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...psa239b86e.jpg

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Take those mud flaps off, cover the fog light holes and add smooth coroplast wheel covers and you will be over 50 :thumbup: Maybe try 60 psi??

I got 53.0 mpg coming home today. That brought my average up to 50.9 mpg :)