Dropping wot by 50% idea

[stovie]

I was trying to see if anyone has done it on here and could find anything, so a new thread!! I was wondering if you could drop the throttle range to about 50% if that would help increase mpg more because it gives you a wider range to better meter how much pedal to use?!? Has anyone done it, and did it work??

[LittleBlackDuck]

Sounds like what we all do by using a light foot. It also would preclude using larger throttle openings that can reduce pumping losses.

[Magician]

Also, if you have a Scanguage or MPGuino... and if you have a vacuum gauge...you can effectively determine how much to press the gas pedal, which is very sensitive, but with a tiny bit of practice you can curb fuel consumption quite a bit. Quite simple and very effective.

[freebeard]

If you put a block under the throttle pedal, like parents used to do with their teenage drivers, you might not reach the BCFS sweet spot.

If you move the throttle to a 2ft tall 'emergency brake' handled hand throttle, you could increase the precision.

[stovie]

Something I forgot to mention is I'm also looking to do that as a means of controlling the vehicles max power so it's kind of like swapping out a smaller engine but by throttle instead?? For example having a 250hp engine and adjusting the throttle range to only allow say 75hp??

[Daschicken]

Originally Posted by stovie

Something I forgot to mention is I'm also looking to do that as a means of controlling the vehicles max power so it's kind of like swapping out a smaller engine but by throttle instead?? For example having a 250hp engine and adjusting the throttle range to only allow say 75hp??

That's not how it works, you are still stuck with the extra friction of the bigger engine and the increased pumping losses of the engine not having to work hard. Just recently I really started taking advantage of road conditions to allow serious engine on pulse and glide, and it has really helped out mileage.

You can essentially accomplish what you are describing here by using pulse and glide. Accelerate at a good amount of throttle(engine is working efficiently, no matter its size) to above desired speed, pop it into neutral, coast down to below desired speed, and repeat. Obviously you can't do this with people anywhere near behind you, but when you can, it REALLY WORKS!

Automakers attempt to offset the mileage penalties of larger engines by using lean burn, atkinsoning, cylinder deactivation, ect to reduce instant power output, requiring more throttle(less pumping losses) to produce the same amount of power. But again, you still pay for the friction of the larger engine, and these strategies are not always active.

[2000mc]

https://goo.gl/images/fgYQ2M
I'm thinking you want a progressive throttle, I think there are a good number of vehicles that already have them, you're just wanting a more extreme version than anything factory.

[RedDevil]

I need full throttle, or close to that, at least about 3 times a week when I need to join a busy road at a T junction.

Sure, I can wait until there's a gap big enough to get into and accelerate moderately without frustrating the drivers on the main road. But that will frustrate the line of drivers behind me on the secondary road.

[freebeard]

Nitrous Oxide?

[Fat Charlie]

P&G is the best way to reduce overall throttle usage. A little WOT and a lot of idling (or just plain shutting off) averages out to a lot better than maxing yourself to 50%.

Cruising at 60 mph in neutral, once the engine settles down to idle I get ~300 mpg (and ∞ with the key off). That brings average mpg up a lot more than simply limiting the amount of gas I allow myself to give it.