91 Integra eco mods?

[gasman]

background....

I recently bought it off of a relative because she didn't want to put up with a leak it had, and no cruise control (she wasn't even driving it). A tube of caulking, a bolt, and a couple hours work later there is no more leak and cruise control works like new. I wanted it because it gets decent gas mileage (30+ vs my truck's ~19mpg). ... but anyway, problems fixed, so on to fuel efficiency


Anyone have a G2 integra and have any advice? What is the optimal speed for fuel efficiency? (peak)

So far I ripped out seats and whatnot to get to the carpet and remove it (originally to clean it)... but I think I'll leave the carpet out. it's dingy (might be hard to clean thoroughly/reliably) and it weighs a ton, so I've put the driver's seat back in it alone for the time being.

At 55 mph in 5th it's at over 2.5k rpm. I know that's what it's designed for (perhaps to retain acceleration at higher speeds, or to attain higher top speeds), but it seems wasteful to me. Has anyone ever added an OD or other form of gear ratio change?

Any cheap/free mods? Any common mpg sucking problems? (I've changed brake pads, and fixed a stuck caliper).

I don't have any long-term mpg calculations yet, but it seems to get around 33 mpg... I want more Unfortunately, that is with hypermiling (well, the methods that are actually productive). TN is hilly It's like 15 seconds of full acceleration... then 15 seconds of coasting. and repeat for duration of trip. it sucks.

Thanks in advance!

[piers.singer]

First thing would be to get some instrumentation (such as an MPGuino, seeing as your car won't be OBDII) that will give you an instant fuel consumption read-out. Then you can decide for yourself what speed works best to achieve your target fuel economy.

Finding an overdrive for an FWD car (which I assume the Integra to be) is pretty much impossible, if any exist at all, so your best bet would be to substitute a different gearbox with more suitable ratios and/or a taller diff ratio. It might also be possible to swap over a diff only, but due to the compact nature of FWD transmissions, the plausibility of such an undertaking will depend almost entirely on your ability to be adventurous and get away with it.

[endurance]

I had a 1992 and a 1994 Integra and now have a 2002 RSX-S. I was able to consistently get in the 32-34 mpg range with my 1992 and on the highway 37mpg was not unusual with just a smooth pedal and no extreme hypermiling techniques. My RSX wasn't nearly as thrifty, averaging around 29mpg, but with good technique, I'm disappointed when I have a tank under 38mpg and before putting the snow tires on, 41+ mpg was becoming routine. While the little 140hp motor was designed more for power than economy, it is efficient at turning fuel into power, it's just a matter of finding the sweet spots and adjusting the nut behind the wheel. You also have aerodynamics on your side compared to many cars on the road.

My only mods have been to remove the mud flaps and put in a lower grille block to help keep the engine warmer, particularly during the winter. Understand that many of Honda's sportier cars are cursed with the same high RPMs at highway speeds. Fortunately, they still manage reasonable mpg despite this. My RSX is a six speed manual and sits at 2900rpm at 65mph. Heck, it's at 2000rpm at 40mph in 6th gear.

Even with those handicaps, it's a great little efficient car that will save you a fortune over that truck with some simple changes in technique. Keep it out of V-Tec by shifting often and keep the RPMs under 3500 (3000 when you can, but you do need the extra revs sometimes just do merge) and you'll immediately see a large boost. If it starts reliably, consider turning off the engine at stop lights and on long coasts (of course, I have one of the longest coasts on the forum in my daily commute with an 8.5 mile gravity drop requiring me to start for less than 5 seconds the entire descent).

Cheat to win and enjoy the game.

[gasman]

thanks for the info

(ps: yeah, it's a fwd) I hate working in cramped spaced... I really hate it. In my truck I recently did some work. When I was replacing my clutch, I was just sitting down (upright) under the truck doing the work, with no jacks or anything. I dropped a bolt just behind the radiator in the teggy yesterday and I had to lay on the ground to get my arm to fit under the car to grab it lol

I've seen several mentions of that nut behind the wheel... can you please elaborate or post a link?

That MPGuino looks very interesting... and I'm generally a big fan of open-source anything - FOSS (libre/gratis), in particular. I'm def going to do some reading up on that

[endurance]

Originally Posted by gasman

I've seen several mentions of that nut behind the wheel... can you please elaborate or post a link?

In a nutshell, these are the secrets to adjusting the nut behind the wheel. Technique is everything. The more you can incorporate good driving habits, the better your mpg. With a manual transmission, 50% over the new EPA combined numbers is possible with a mix of easy techniques like gentle, smooth, disciplined used of the gas pedal, increased following distances, looking further down the road, "driving without brakes", and DWL (Driving With Load), and more advanced techniques like pulse and glide, EOC (Engine Off Coasting), and turning your car off at stoplights. I don't know any eco-mod that can equal the gains you can get out of having a well rounded arsenal of driving techniques put to use.

Oh, and if you're still not getting it, YOU are the nut behind the wheel.

[twelvevoltman]

It's good to see a fellow G2 Integra owner here. I am in the same boat you are with Tennessee's hill except mine are in the NE section. Most of my route is interstate so I get higher numbers. This past fill up was the first time I've gone over the 40 MPG mark. The only mods I have to the care are I/H/E from back in my ricer days. Before I started hypermiling I was getting 33 MPG. My car is a 5 speed so that may help me some. Also, it is the GS which makes it a little heavier.

[TYPE-R KING]

Im happy I hit 34mpg in my Type-R..that's the best in 3 years...The Nut is your best and cheapest mod. I have the best luck with even tire pressure...I noticed 4 psi diff. Car has to work harder due to lower tire pressure and the uneven pull left or right can hurt mpg.

[some_other_dave]

As for your question about speed:

The best cruising speed is "as slow as you can stand in top gear". So if you're comfortable driving 45 MPH on the interstate, you'll see better economy than at 65 MPH.

If you have an automatic trans, modify the above to "as slow as you can stand in top gear with the torque converter locked up".

-soD

[gasman]

wow, I searched and searched (the internet, as well as physically on the car) for that nut in the integras. As a matter of fact, I was still completely clueless until you actually spelled it out lmao Ohh, well. thanks for helping me find it

I don't have a reference for the integra, but with my f-150 I got 1-2 mpg (5-9%) increase after starting eco-friendly driving techniques a couple years ago. It is just second-nature now. A cross-country drive in a friend's focus (with stock fuel economy readouts) helped a ton as well. It really surprised me about how very small changes in acceleration had a very big affect on my efficiency, especially since I had previously discounted them as insignificant.

Mine is a 5-spd GS as well (no vtec...). How many miles do you have on yours? This one recently topped the 200k mark, but it runs better than my f-150 (@~145k miles)... and my f-150 runs well. It rained today, and when I hopped in it, there was more water in it (different leak... probably sunroof this time). ugh. I'm falling in love with the car, though.

[twelvevoltman]

Mine is a 5-spd GS as well (no vtec...). How many miles do you have on yours? This one recently topped the 200k mark, but it runs better than my f-150 (@~145k miles)... and my f-150 runs well. It rained today, and when I hopped in it, there was more water in it (different leak... probably sunroof this time). ugh. I'm falling in love with the car, though.

I am at the 238,000 mile mark. This is on the original engine and transmission. The main thing to keep maintenanced is the timing belt. If you don't know when it was changed last it would be a good idea to change it and the water pump together. Where is the water in your car? The passenger floor area??? If so, theres a fix that involves removing the cowl and replacing some plugs. Check out Generation 2 Integra Club™ Forum there is a ton of information regarding these cars there.