Both ends! - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

DSMHondaGuy · 01-09-2018, 06:54 AM

Hello,

33yr old white male Christian checking in, former U.S. Army field Artilleryman, spent 8 years in the regular army, deployed 3 times, got married, have 3 kids (all with my wife) got out, hunted for a job, found and quit several, finally got back to my home state and am now a TIG welder in a sheet metal fabrication shop. Pretty good shade tree mechanic (father has been a GM mechanic his whole life) And I'm into performance cars. 1990 Eagle Talon TSi making 345 all wheel hp, 5 speed, 2850lb goes like hell!

On the opposite end of the spectrum I just picked up a 1998 Honda HX 5 speed. Slow as balls but sips gas like a fine wine. Currently getting a base line for it's MPG as it stands. Been driving it like there's an egg between my foot and the accelerator, eager to see the results but they're looking promising so far. I expect high 30's. And plan to modify this car for better mileage....How far I'm going to take it, I don't yet know.

So I now have 2 cars at opposite ends of the spectrum. 1 that sips gasoline like a fine wine, and another that's doing keg stands. Though that car IF you keep your foot out of it on the highway gets pretty darn good mileage too! (30mpg) considering it's all wheel drive with relatively wide tires. Doesn't have a very big frontal area though and has decent CD for a factory car.

The 98 Honda HX has been mechanically rebuilt for the most part by the previous owner and runs and drives like a fairly new example. The biggest issue is there's some slop in the bushings on the accelerator pedal assembly which causes a slight stickiness of the pedal at part throttle and makes it irritating to make very fine part throttle adjustments. Going to address that after this first tank of fuel is burned, not making any adjustments to anything until base line is established.

Daox · 01-09-2018, 11:33 AM

Welcome to the site.

elhigh · 01-09-2018, 02:23 PM

Nice.

Look up pgfpro, another member here. You and he should get along fine, he's got a crazy modded Talon that rips quarters in the 9s, then he flips a switch on the ECU to achieve 45mpg for the drive home. Crazy stuff.

oil pan 4 · 01-09-2018, 02:49 PM

More people need to do that, with getting the fun or big vehicle and a little honda.
I my self am looking for a used first gen Nissan leaf.

iveyjh · 01-10-2018, 12:12 PM

"On the opposite end of the spectrum I just picked up a 1998 Honda HX 5 speed. Slow as balls but sips gas like a fine wine. Currently getting a base line for it's MPG as it stands. Been driving it like there's an egg between my foot and the accelerator, eager to see the results but they're looking promising so far. I expect high 30's. And plan to modify this car for better mileage....How far I'm going to take it, I don't yet know."

I have a 1998 HX with over 250,000 mile on it with a few aero mods. When I first got it I got about 40+ mpg until I learned how to drive then it was no problem to get 50+ mpg. Now I get 60+ mpg with a few mods. I think you are in for a pleasant surprise and welcome to the forum.

DSMHondaGuy · 01-10-2018, 12:24 PM

Wow!

This one is at 322,000 on the clock but you wouldn't know it driving it. I can't always drive quite how I'd like too without getting run over. In GA speed limits are more like suggestions lol.

Yesterday when I got home I was 1 needles width below half a tank and had 270.2 miles on the trip meter, eager to see what the base line is.

elhigh · 01-10-2018, 07:26 PM

^^
My experience driving through Atlanta was the speed limit was a stated minimum. I was pretty freaked out by Atlanta traffic.

DSMHondaGuy · 01-10-2018, 07:29 PM

LOL, yeah that's about right. Get on I-85 going out of ATL and try doing the speed limit if you want to die.

Lemmy · 01-10-2018, 07:38 PM

Greetings and welcome from a UK vet, although I still have my hearing

jcp123 · 01-10-2018, 08:19 PM

Greetings! Slow HX, yeah, but like my DX I'm sure it's sweetly smooth and revvy, which frankly makes up for a lot. I'm almost glad I didn't get an HX, what with the pricey O2 sensors and stuff, though I'm also slightly jealous that you got a "better" Civic than I have. Lean burn is finicky but it would be a lot of fun to play with, and I'm sure with its VTEC setup it's still a better driving car than mine. Giving up my Toyota with VVTi for this Civic left a ton of torque on the table.

Atlanta is definitely a rough place to drive. I don't make runs through there as often as I used to, but drivers there treat the freeways like a NASCAR oval!