Anyone else mod other than for econmoy.

[meelis11]

I just managed to get 6.36L/100km trip average this weekend
With 2.0L Mitsubishi Eclipse, 110kW

550km, 35L = 6.36L/100km

[jakobnev]

Originally Posted by euromodder

The actual relation between installed power and averaged actual fuel consumption, as averaged from the database of spritmonitor :

Power vs. mileage - Spritmonitor.de.

The cubic root of power is not such a bad fit for either:





Of course you could make better ones, but this one is easy to remember.

[gasstingy]

I was self-diagnosed with leadfootitis some years ago. When I drive a car with an over-abundance of accelleration potential, leadfootitis kicks in. Actually, the car doesn't have to have that much power, it just has to feel like it does.

Allow my two illustrations please. I had a '95 Dodge Shelby Charger. The 2.2L turbo four cylinder far overpowered the chassis it was installed in. I found the true meaning of torque steer in that car and had a great time driving like a maniac.
Later, I had a 1.6L '90 Mazda Miata. One evening {wife riding shotgun} going through town, I drag raced a 4 cylinder Toyota pickup through town from three redlights in a row. I could get about half a fender on him on take-off and then he'd stay even with me. After it was over, the wife asked if I was going to alter the car to make it faster. Heck no!, I replied, I couldn't afford the speeding tickets! I also found the Miata's rev limiter racing a Honda Accord through town.

I can barely keep my leadfootitis in check as it is, modding for performance in the traditional form is hazardous to my drivers license. Driving for economy has its own rewards, both in satisfaction and in keeping more of my money in my pocket.

[kir_kenix]

Seems to me that modding for power may be the greatest enemy to economy as well. Like many of you have already said, we have plenty of examples of high performance vehicles getting sub-par mileage...and plenty of examples going the other way (metro's, miatas, etc).

I think there are probably a few exceptions to the rule however. Any mod that allows the vehicle to put more of its ftlbs to the ground (as opposed to gross hp at the crank) seem to help FE. I'm thinking specifically of removing rotating mass on the engine (AC, pwr steering, fan clutch, crank pulley's etc). These mods all make the vehicle more "lively" (because you no longer have to accelerate this extra mass), but do not provide the vehicle with more gross hp.

On the other hand, most mods that have big gross power gains seem to kill HP (exhaust, compression modification, bore/stroke, head work etc, etc, etc).

Is there a happy medium? Sure, there would almost have to be. The problem is that many people aren't even trying to find it. We have a pretty good list of mods that improve FE (see wiki), and quite a few of them would make your vehicle quicker (aero mods, freeing up hp).

I've been down both the power and economy roads myself recently. Theres a reason my Charger gets 2-4mpg and my little s10 is flirting with 30mpg. Different applications call for different methods...AND YIELD DIFFERENT RESULTS for mpg.

I've been babbling on here for quite a while (Anthropology class is boring), but I guess I just wanted to throw my own $0.02 in with everybody elses. There may be a fine line where you can mod for both power and effeciency, but generally you're going to get to a point where you have to choose between them.

[cfg83]

cleanspeed1 -

Originally Posted by cleanspeed1

Do you know what his name is and how lean did he go?

Here he is (it was a Laser after all) :

90 Laser

CarloSW2

[skyking]

I started out with my Cummins looking for more power to tow the trailer in the mountains we have out west.
Now I'm looking to save fuel while doing it. I hope to get back more economy than I had stock, and keep that improved performance when needed.

[Christ]

I think the power/mpg thing doesn't necessarily apply to diesel engines, since they always use only enough fuel to stay running under a given load... Besides, I've personally seen a 200ish hp (based on track times and some math) Jetta EcoDiesel still getting 50mpg regularlyon tank to tank averages.

[skyking]

I had high hopes for this tank, but I think it will tank
I am still working on the truck, starting it and going across the street to one shop, moving it in and out of my shop. Lots of starting and running but no miles!

I think we will be getting a new economy machine soon. My wife is hooked on her AWD SUV that 5% of the time it is icy, but she'd be happy with a newer economy rig the rest of the time.

[pounsfos]

i mod for power and economy, for example changing the cam (its on the to do list) gives MORE power downlow and better fuel economy, same as a tidy up of the ports.

adjusting my timing is a good one i run 98ron fuel, i run it 20btdc i get 2mpg more and 3.5kw atw (thats a 10% increase in power by the way)

[skyl4rk]

Give me efficient power mods so I can downsize my engine and reduce weight.

Different people use vehicles for different things, people who drive long distance one person commuter vehicles have one perspective, people who drive trucks hauling a load through the mountains are another. Someone who wants to drive at 70mph all day or someone driving across town. All perspectives are valid.