am i taking off too slow?

[bombloader]

I suspect a lot of the no "jackrabbit starts" advice is intended to avoid tire spinning which would waste quite a bit of energy. But that only is a problem for most cars if your trying to drag race

[Christ]

I found in my Van that accelerating at a "decent" rate is optimal. Too slow, I lose MPG... too fast, I lose MPG.

The "optimal" for my van also seems to be just about where everyone else wants to accelerate on calm days.

9 times out of 10, if I'm braking, it's because I'm stopping, and my engine is probably off, at least 200, probably more like 500 feet before I stop. Other than complete stops, I try to adjust the throttle and use terrain/gears to slow down/speed up. I also try not to accelerate on up hills, only on flats and downhills. On nice downhills, I just put 'er in Neutral and let the weight of the van provide the acceleration.

Same with braking. If I need to slow down, and there's a hill ahead, I just let the hill slow me down. If I'm changing speeds with applicable speed limits, I usually coast down to the new limit, or wait to accelerate until I get to a flat/downhill run, if it's feasible and not going to piss anyone else off.

I gave up on driving 45-50 everywhere. I wasn't getting any (noticeably) better economy, and it was driving me insane that I'd always end up with some A-hello behind me, no matter what time of day, how many people I just let go by me, etc... I got tired of slowing down to let people around me... that action alone is probably why I never noticed better FE from the method.

My TCL happens at 38MPH (on the speedo.. more like 36 real-speed) and I lift at that point to let it engage. I can actually accelerate faster with TC lock at the lower RPM than I can in 3rd gear slipping at higher RPM. It's very counter-intuitive, but I don't mind it.

Where the speed limit in town is 35, I try to maintain TC lock at as low a throttle angle as possible while still holding speed.

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted by Christ

.

My TCL happens at 38MPH (on the speedo.. more like 36 real-speed) and I lift at that point to let it engage. I can actually accelerate faster with TC lock at the lower RPM than I can in 3rd gear slipping at higher RPM. It's very counter-intuitive, but I don't mind it.

Where the speed limit in town is 35, I try to maintain TC lock at as low a throttle angle as possible while still holding speed.

I find the same thing with the TC, I climb a steady hill in the morning and once the ECU sees the engine at 58C it engages the TC lock, instant FE drops from 11L/100km to 8 or 9 and I accelerate up to my 100km/h and off I go to work. I think we have the same transmission, as mine will hold TC lock down to the low 30's mph. Its good around town that the converter locks and holds most of the time too, I guess the 3spd autos are good for something!

[MadisonMPG]

I accelerate with everyone else, it keeps me from getting honked at. I decelerate as slowly as I can, and with the most momentum possible. Gas mileage is won without the brakes. You can accelerate WOT and as long as you never touch the brakes you will get better gas than a guy that accelerates smoothly and uses the brakes hard.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by IndyIan

I find the same thing with the TC, I climb a steady hill in the morning and once the ECU sees the engine at 58C it engages the TC lock, instant FE drops from 11L/100km to 8 or 9 and I accelerate up to my 100km/h and off I go to work. I think we have the same transmission, as mine will hold TC lock down to the low 30's mph. Its good around town that the converter locks and holds most of the time too, I guess the 3spd autos are good for something!

I don't have a lower limit for temps before the TCL engages... I can do it on the coldest day, first start up.

We do have the same trans, though. If I can't find a trans from a PT Cruiser for my 5 speed swap, the Neon is the next best choice... unless, by some oddity of nature, I can find one from a C-SRT4 (Caliber) cheaply... 6 speed FTW.

[elhigh]

I've been getting the vibe that my best results are to start in 1 just enough to get rolling, then short shift straight to 3rd - or even 5th if I'm going downhill - and dig deep into the engine. If nothing else, less wasted fuel idling between shifts, and squirted into the barrels by the accel pump when speeding back up.

[orange4boy]

In some carbs you can adjust the accel pump so it's putting just enough gas in to deal with hesitation but not so much that you are wasting it.