Bolt on fuel saving device and mechanical cruise control (throttle stop w/ override)

[elhigh]

This is a bit like Honda's including their "Eco Assist" driver training aid on their other vehicles than just the hybrid. It encourages thriftier behavior. Or in the case of the specific example in the top video, it makes wasteful behavior a bit more difficult to do, and humans are lazy.

[Maco]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I would say so - like the previously mentioned block of wood, but with a failsafe for power when you need it.

Maco - you will discover that the majority of the forum members here are extremely attentive in their driving habits.

Still, on a long drive on mostly flat roads, I could see the attraction of something like this. (Speaking as someone who doesn't have cruise control.)

Actually this device works well in town too it works in every gear right from pull away and you can use the gears to achieve different set speeds in different speed zones if top speed is set to 110km/h it will do some thing like 90 in 4th and 70 in third.
I cant remember the exact speeds as I haven't driven a petrol or diesel for over a year now.I have converted my Smart for Two to pure electric DC battery power and to pull less amps to improve range I designed around max rpm on the motors to cruise at 60 km/h the cost to charge up after a full discharge is $0.22 (52V down to 48V) and the range is 20km at this stage will go to 25km when I up it to a 60V system so it costs me $1.10 per 100 km which makes me smile a lot, sitting at traffic lights in absolute silence is some thing I dont think I will ever get used to.
I am also going to carry a small 2.2kW generator on board so I can go further and not have to ask strangers to plug in its not an efficient method but its ok I dont drive long distances often and if I have to go really far I rent a car for the day.

[Baltothewolf]

I'm not in a position to look at the video and won't be for several hours, so I'll just ask. Can you limit how much throttle you can apply before it gets difficult? If so, then this device is something I would definitely consider as it would help my city driving. I could focus more on driving and less time making sure I don't go over 31% throttle while accelerating.

[Maco]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

I'm not in a position to look at the video and won't be for several hours, so I'll just ask. Can you limit how much throttle you can apply before it gets difficult? If so, then this device is something I would definitely consider as it would help my city driving. I could focus more on driving and less time making sure I don't go over 31% throttle while accelerating.

The short answer is Yes

There is around 5 to 10 mm clearance under the devices rod, between the rod and the floor. When you put your foot down the accelerator moves down and the stainless steel shaft hits the floor and the mechanism gives the impression that your foot has bottomed out and has hit the floor. In this state in top gear your vehicle will achieve the set speed as the stainless steel shaft has M8 threads on it so you can fine tune the set speed. When you apply a very small additional force the mechanism releases the black plastic housing from the main plate and you can apply full throttle in an emergency or for overtaking. Lift off completely, mechanism rearms automatically re apply throttle gently and the vehicle will slow down to the speed limit, if you have just overtaken another car on a single lane road.
In an automatic car you just rest your foot on the accelerator and it does every thing for you until you at the speed limit. In a manual car stick shift you rev the engine until it maxes out at around 3000 rpm then change gear - you dont have to do that in first gear you only start in second as there is a bit too much grunt in first gear so you use less than the provided stop in first gear. I have posted more than 5 posts here so I can now post web links - here is the link to my website - on the home page there is a photo on the right hand side if you move your mouse over it there is a "press play" icon this will give you a slide show of how it works which is actually more clear than the youtube video
http://fuelsavingdevice.webs.com/

[Frank Lee]

In this state in top gear your vehicle will achieve the set speed as the stainless steel shaft has M8 threads on it so you can fine tune the set speed.

I'd think that "set speed" would be different all the time- constantly varying grades, winds, temps...

[Baltothewolf]

I don't see a pricing anywhere? Maybe I'm just blind O.o.

[Maco]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I'd think that "set speed" would be different all the time- constantly varying grades, winds, temps...

Yes you are correct this statement is only valid on a flat road with zero head or tail wind.

From my own experience driving with this I have never noticed the difference from wind alone, but I dont live in a very windy part of the world I am sure you would notice it at the coast. When you go up a slight incline it will loose 5 km or so, you get it back on the down hill side though if you willing to allow it to happen. Only on a massive incline like when you go into the mountains then you have two choices either:
1) Change down and maintain the setting on the accelerator or
2) Just apply more accelerator, in most cases applying more accelerator doesnt actually feel very impressive compared with the optimal set position, this applies to small engined cars, by adding more fuel you mess up the 14:1 fuel air mixture and the power doesnt feel proportional to the accelerator input you get a bit more but not much if you dont change down.
Of course on the bigger engines things do happen, I fitted a 400 cubic inch 6.9L Chevy into a 1988 Toyota Supra it had gas flowed heads, 10:1 compression, racing cams, and was statically and dynamically balanced.
At 160 km/h if I stomped on the accelerator the bonnet used to lift up 4 inches..... it was a beast.
That vehicle used to consume 25L per 100 km or 9.4 miles per gallon if I was in a hurry. I changed the diff ratio to 2.9:1 and fitted one of these fuel saving devices and I got it down to 12L per 100km or 19.6 miles to the gallon at at a set speed of 140km/h or 87 mph it wasn't fuel injected it had a big Holley double pumper on it. For a big engine like that I was happy with the fuel consumption as it was comparable with a 3 Liter standard car.

[Maco]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

I don't see a pricing anywhere? Maybe I'm just blind O.o.

Its $100 excluding delivery to your front door.

I am keeping the price as low as I can as the planet is not getting any greener with the global warming thing going on.

In addition, to help spread the word, if you want to, you automatically become a distributor and you can sell them for what ever price you like.

This video scared me a bit, the CO2 levels are almost double what the planet has seen in the last 400 000 years so fitting one of these fuel saving devices could possibly cut emissions as well, so you will be a little more eco friendly too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHzADl-XID8

[Maco]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

I don't see a pricing anywhere? Maybe I'm just blind O.o.

Thanks for pointing it out, it was buried in the description in the youtube video and not in an obvious place, you had to expand the text to find it.
I have updated my websites home page and put in the first 3 lines in bold.
So if you go back into the website and see it on the front page larger than life - don't think you going crazy I have changed the webpage to make it easier to find. Thanks.

[spacemanspif]

I think this is a great alternative to hand throttles that are popular on here. Instead of an extra throttle and other junk cluttering up the driver's area, this little gadget can be set to the throttle position you want for constant throttle while driving on the highway. Assuming the spring is robust enough to act as a throttle stop that your foot can rest on while driving it will enable you to gain and lose speed while going up and down the hills which is where we lose MPG while using cruise control. Neat idea Maco, if I had $100+ laying around I'd think about trying one out.