Hello From Tampa, FL

[SmoothLoafers]

I'm driving a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire and want to get 40mpgs out of it. I found this website about 5 months ago, and started doing mods every chance I had. I am saving about $8.57 per tank compared to EPA! I've gone from about 30mpg to 35. That's Insane! I plan on keeping this car for a long time, so seeing the benefits so fast has been nice.

I ran in to my first problem recently and was wondering if you guys could help me out? It has to do with lighting.

I've recently been putting L.E.D.s everywhere I can (with maybe .02-.03 GPH improvement while night time driving). Finally got to the rear turn signals/brake lights. I have not changed the front signals yet. They work but when I use them as blinkers they blink very fast.

I have read that the power consumption is so low that the car thinks they might be broken so they blink fast. The solution being to add a resistor to add more load. buuuuuut I want to Reduce load lol. Any thoughts?

Go Bucs,
SmoothLoafers

[ksa8907]

Well what you discovered is the down side, the upside is that turn signals are used so infrequently that there is very little energy to be saved.

[lico]

hello SmoothLoafers and welcome on board!
If your turn light flash like they have just sniffed a row of cocaine you need to buy or build a specifi turn light blinker.
Google led turn light blinker relay or flasher relay.

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

Well what you discovered is the down side, the upside is that turn signals are used so infrequently that there is very little energy to be saved.

The thing with the Sunfire is that the same bulb is used for the turn signal as is used for the brake light, so he can't just change out the brake lights and leave the turn signals alone.

[SmoothLoafers]

woah thanks everyone

Yeah my brake lights and signals are the same light, which I didn't know until I switched to led. Seems kinda dangerous lol when I brake and am turning it probably looks weird.


I'm going to research that relay, thanks!

[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by SmoothLoafers

Yeah my brake lights and signals are the same light, which I didn't know until I switched to led. Seems kinda dangerous lol when I brake and am turning it probably looks weird.

Most trucks and many cars have your same light setup. You probably see it every day without noticing.

[19bonestock88]

It’s a decent platform to begin modding... I also have the 2.2 Ecotec and before I parked my car had three tanks up near 50mpg... 40 is plenty doable... do you have the automatic (4T40) or manual trans (F23)?

[SmoothLoafers]

Originally Posted by 19bonestock88

40 is plenty doable... do you have the automatic (4T40) or manual trans (F23)?

Awesome! Its nice to see comparable cars doing the damn thing.

I have a manual, and recently learned about driving with high load and low RPM. So recently I've been cruising at lower speeds, and shifting in to 5th gear at about 35mph

[19bonestock88]

My three biggest tips for saving fuel in our cars...

1. Avoid the freeway. Our transmissions have a 3.84 final drive, which means that even at only 65mph the engine is spinning much faster than it has to...

2. Tire pressure- it should be right at the max listed on the sidewall... car still handles fine, though stopping distances get a little worse

3. Shift RPM needs to be as low as possible, I try and keep the engine close to 1000 RPM as much as possible, as long as low load levels can be maintained, I try not to go over 55-60% until I’m at least running 1300 or so... going through town on flat ground I’m in 5th as soon as 25mph but if I’m accelerating out to 55 I’ll hold the lower gear to 35-ish

[MetroMPG]

Belated welcome to the forum! Glad you found us & you're having fun & success modding your Sunfire.