Average Speeds (post it if you got it)

[oil pan 4]

Best tank in the lincoln town car was just over 26mpg with an average speed of 64mph.
Anything less than a 55mph average and MPGs go down fast.

[riva2model64]

Average speed for my commute seems to be from 24 to 33 mph depending on traffic and how well I've timed the lights.

Higher average speed (but probably below 60) is desired for hypermilers, but doesn't tell the full story, as higher average speed can be achieved by driving as aggressively as possible to the destination.

[Diesel_Dave]

Originally Posted by riva2model64

Higher average speed (but probably below 60) is desired for hypermilers, but doesn't tell the full story, as higher average speed can be achieved by driving as aggressively as possible to the destination.

Like you say, it doesn't tell the whole story.

In the purest theoretical sense, lower speed is pretty much always better because aero drag is reduced.

That being said, often low average speed is indicative of lots of idle which, of course, is bad (assuming one leaves the engine on).

Also, if one is unfortunate enough to have an automatic transmission, low speed can mean lots of time without the torque converter locked up.

Also, it's worth noting that 50% 80 mph + 50% 0 mph is much different in FE than 100% 40 mph--even though average speed is the same.

[riva2model64]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

Also, if one is unfortunate enough to have an automatic transmission, low speed can meet lots of time without the torque converter locked up.

I have a torque converter. . the worst is when you pump the gas, the engine rpm goes up, but nothing happens!!

I've been wanting my car to manual, but it's too expensive (almost a $3000 job) and I don't have the knowledge or tools to do it myself. The best I can do is just to get my torque converter locked up as soon as possible (seems to happen at around 45-50 mph for me).

I've been looking at new cars, and it seems that the MPG gap between automatics and manuals has closed. I can only theorize this is so because torque converters lock-up at lower speeds than before and automatic transmissions have more gears then the automatics of yesteryear. Manuals still have a weight advantage, though even that gap appears to be closing.

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by riva2model64

I have a torque converter. . the worst is when you pump the gas, the engine rpm goes up, but nothing happens!!

I've been wanting my car to manual, but it's too expensive (almost a $3000 job) and I don't have the knowledge or tools to do it myself. The best I can do is just to get my torque converter locked up as soon as possible (seems to happen at around 45-50 mph for me).

I've been looking at new cars, and it seems that the MPG gap between automatics and manuals has closed. I can only theorize this is so because torque converters lock-up at lower speeds than before and automatic transmissions have more gears then the automatics of yesteryear. Manuals still have a weight advantage, though even that gap appears to be closing.

Standards and autos have messed up numbers. I want to elaborate more, but couldn't read that post without responding lol

[ever_green]

With my subaru I have really short gearing w/ 4.11 final drive. So i'm cruising at 3000rpm on the highway while doing 70mph. It feels torquey and allows top gear passes, but you pay for it at the pump.

Average Speed vs. MPG from my log:
25mph - 22 mpg
50mph - 33 mpg
65mph - 28 mpg
72mph - 26 mpg

[UltArc]

39.22 mph gets me 39.41 mpg- average speed

[t vago]

Numbers pulled from the Karen-Mobile's fuel log:

20.6 MPG - 33.9 MPH
23.1 MPG - 45.1 MPH
24.6 MPG - 49.9 MPH
24.5 MPG - 50.9 MPH
25.0 MPG - 53.1 MPH
24.8 MPG - 54.1 MPH
24.6 MPG - 55.8 MPH
23.9 MPG - 59.0 MPH
25.0 MPG - 59.8 MPH
23.5 MPG - 74.8 MPH

This also illustrates the point made above, how average speed does not "tell" the whole story.

[slowmover]

Average mph is about engine run time versus distance travelled.

I made a 634-mile deadhead trip back to the company yard yesterday. Judicious choice of roads kept us away from holiday traffic. 12.25-hours total time (engine run time, not just on-road time) gave an average mph of 51.75 mph. Travel time was 10.25-hours, or 61.8-mph. Spent nearly the whole trip at the governed speed of 68-mph. This is quite a high average considering more than one-half the trip was on non-limited access US highways, the balance on two Interstates.

In my signature is the engine total run time versus miles travelled for my personal vehicle. This the average speed over its lifetime.

Average speed over a tank of fuel is a guideline as easy to read after a while as how one uses posted speed limits to a known end. A tool in the box.

.

[betasniper]

GPS Speed graph shows that I average 23 to 25 in the city. Now I dont know the highway value itself, but combined city highway average speed in around 44 to 50 (all units in mph). Max speed is usually under 68mph coasting down to Min speed of 50mph.