the "Daily Drive" thread - March 2008

[RH77]

Originally Posted by s2man

Ugh, just had another average fill up. Dogonnit, SG was reporting good numbers all week. Very disappointing.

...

It has been windy though. Maybe the WA helped me maintain status quo. We'll see...

I've had the same problems in Kansas City.

I drive to the airport against the wind, then back home against the wind.

I set up a warm-air intake for frigid outside temps and it warms up outside -- creating a HOT air intake (140F = not good). Then it rains like crazy! At least this time, the WAI is a good, solid attachment.

According to the SG, I should be getting 33-34, but I end up with 31-ish at the pump. Ugh.

I need to set up a variable intake temperature system of some sort (talked about it for a long time). As it gets warmer, I'll have to move the source from the exhaust header to somewhere else or the engine will ping itself to oblivion.

That has been the hardest part about this car -- finding cold air (for both the engine and cabin). The cowling next to the battery has a removable partition that might be a good source of cool air. I may affix some sort of scoop to direct air to the airbox. It'll take a hit in aero, but I predict that the correct IAT will outweight it.

The "Vent" setting for the cabin draws air basically from the engine compartment (the hood sweeps over the vent intake and sucks hot air most of the time -- good for Winter, really bad for Summer). Avoidance of the A/C definitely will outweigh any scoop aero. We'll see what develops...

RH77

[Who]

I've been running with the gas warning light on for a while waiting for a break in pricing. Gas here in the Toronto area is around $1.09 a litre (3.785 litres per gallon). There were only about 400 KMs on the trip odo when the light came on so this tank will probably be somewhere around 16 mpg. It is totally indicative of all the short cold drives since I've managed to keep my right foot out of it in all this snow that we've had.


Who sells electric wheel bearing warmers? I can't even roll backwards down a clean driveway onto our street like I can the other 3 seasons...

[RH77]

Welp, I had another Pontiac Vibe this week -- 63 miles of lots of cold-engine operation. Location: Columbus, OH. Came in on the tail of the record 20" snowfall. The car did great.

Back in town: Airport to Home. Cool, dense air -- the BEST!

Teggy was dialed-in. I kept the TPS around 21% on the highway and let the rolling hills serve as load (with some technique at the hilltop).

The dense air, meeting up with the WAI @ 110F gave the engine everything it needed to make power and economy. It hasn't ran this nicely (and efficiently) in a LONG time. No wind either!

Distance: 53.6 Miles
Avg. Speed: 47 MPH
Max Speed: 76 MPH (downhill)
Time: 1.1 Hours
IAT Avg. 110-115F
Max Coolant: 220F
FE: 39.7 MPG!

Take that, Winter

RH77

[s2man]

Originally Posted by RH77

I need to set up a variable intake temperature system of some sort (talked about it for a long time). RH77

Shoot. I thought you already had that working. I want it too. I've been noodling it - got to take some measurements this weekend and work on those pesky details.

Nice cruise from the airport

[RH77]

Originally Posted by s2man

Shoot. I thought you already had that working.

I really researched it a while back and actually got started on it. The hardest part was finding cool air high-enough in the body of the vehicle to avoid the potential of sucking-in water. I got busy with other projects and gave up

I'm half-tempted to remove the passenger-side high-beam a-la racer style . I've heard of trimming the turn signal to allow an air inlet. The problem is the plumbing for the A/C and coolant lines are all in that area.

Instead of a complex, electronic system, I might develop some sort of manual, in-cabin cable system to change or mix intake air.

RH77

[krousdb]

This past week I have had the Integrity's back on and have had some nice commutes. Last Friday night I broke both the previous constant speed and trip record. At 75F and a 13 mph tail wind, the new CST record is now 69.1, previously 66.9. The new trip record is now 70.8, previously 68.2.

[MetroMPG]

Nice, Dan. And this is at 60 mph, right?

[krousdb]

The constant speed test is at 60mph indicated, 59mph actual for 37 miles on cruise control. The trip is 50 miles highway at 59 actual and another 18 miles of 25-45MPH speeds.

[Bearleener]

Finally EOCed up to my favorite gas nozzle today and I did it: 5.73 l/100km = 41.02 mpg! That's better than the 6.0 l/100km limit I had hoped to break. In the summer I should be able to beat 5.5 l/100km (43 mpg), which means my car already meets the European CAFE for new cars of max. 130 grams of CO2 per kilometer, to go into effect in 2012! Compared to the 247 VW Golf III drivers (mostly sedans, a few wagons) with 75-hp engine registered on www.spritmonitor.de, I'm ranked #14 (min = 5.12 l/100km, median = 7.95 l/100km, max= 12.69 l/100km). But now I'm pretty maxed out in terms of technique, until I buy or build an FE gauge to do more optimization.

[LostCause]

Just noticed something today while driving: people are predictable.

While coasting to red lights cars zoom around me, hit their brakes to stop, and instantly look into their rear view mirror when I pull up behind.

I know they must be thinking, "Who the hell is driving so slow? Grandma?" Only to be surprised to see a college kid..while all I can think of is the absolute pointlessness of zooming past me to stop.

At almost every long red light I hit, two people are always wondering why the other is acting so dumb. ...happens every time.

Originally Posted by beerleaner

In the summer I should be able to beat 5.5 l/100km (43 mpg), which means my car already meets the European CAFE for new cars of max. 130 grams of CO2 per kilometer, to go into effect in 2012!

I wonder if that law becomes retroactive (i.e. applies to all cars made before 2012) if you could convince them it actually passes.

- LostCause