How do you get the most from your Ultragauge

[SentraSE-R]

Slowing down accounted for about 80% of my mpg gains. Coasting more accounts for most of the rest. I'm completely unimpressed with people who say they want to improve their mpg, but won't slow down. Anyone can beat EPA figures just by setting cruise control to 65 mpg or the posted speed limit, whichever is lower. Those of us who beat the EPA by 50% or more are guaranteed to be driving below the PSL.

[endurance]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

Slowing down accounted for about 80% of my mpg gains. Coasting more accounts for most of the rest. I'm completely unimpressed with people who say they want to improve their mpg, but won't slow down. Anyone can beat EPA figures just by setting cruise control to 65 mpg or the posted speed limit, whichever is lower. Those of us who beat the EPA by 50% or more are guaranteed to be driving below the PSL.

Interesting. I believe it, but that isn't where I've made my gains thus far. Most of my gains are from coasting and some reduction in climbing speed (along with change in technique/gearing on climbs). It's good to know there's even more room for improvement if I can just get my head around dropping below the PSL. It's a battle I haven't given up on yet. My average highway speed has dropped by 10mph already, just not to/below the PSL yet.

Just dropping my climbing speed by 5-7mph made a tremendous difference, probably over 5mpg on the slow part of my climb home. Most days I'm good, but then I get that sportscar in my rear view mirror and I can't control my right foot. I'm trying, I just have 25 years of bad habits to break.

[gone-ot]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

Slowing down accounted for about 80% of my mpg gains.

Those of us who beat the EPA by 50% or more are guaranteed to be driving below the PSL.

...+1,000 on that!

...it's basically a constant-power curve situation, ie: the product of two numbers, MPH and MPG:

CONSTANT = MPH * MPG

...you "trade" one for the other, against the basically 'constant' product of their two values...hence, the slower you go, the better the MPG (up to the point of lugging the engine); and, conversely, the faster you go, the worse the MPG.

...it's a nice smooth curve, from vertically assymptoic MPG down to horizontally assymptoic MPH. Look at those Corvette FE curves that were posted here awhile back!

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by endurance

Interesting. I believe it, but that isn't where I've made my gains thus far.

Which most likely means there's a lot of room for improvement.

If you don't want to give up speed, extreme streamlining a.k.a. basjoosing is the only way to avoid losing good mpg.

My average highway speed has dropped by 10mph already, just not to/below the PSL yet.

Try the PSL for a while and see what improvement that gives.

I'm trying, I just have 25 years of bad habits to break.

Haven't we all ?

I'm driving slower now on the interstate / motorway / highway or whatever you call 'm than I used to drive on the local roads 10 years ago.
Yet I tend to catch up with a lot of the faster drivers as I usually don't slow down for turns, where many a faster driver suddenly becomes an obstacle.

[SentraSE-R]

I used to be an aggressive leadfoot myself, legendary among my friends. When I slowed down, I entered a different zone. The most dangerous drivers are the tailgaters in the high speed conga line, less than one second following distance behind the car in front of them. One stab on anyone's brakes, and you've got a multi-car, high speed chain reaction pile-up. Drivers in the slow lane can enter a zen-like relaxation zone instantly, free of stress, and considerably safer.

[darcane]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

darcane,

You're welcome. What speed do you set your cruise control at on the highway? Slower is always better for FE. My SE-R got 26 mpg at 72 mph on cruise control on the 400 mile drive down to my mom's. I slowed it down to 62 mph with CC and got 33-34 mpg for the 400 miles. Dropping the CC to 55 mph got me 38 mpg and allowed me to skip the gas stop I used to have to make. I just leave an hour earlier now.

Speed limit is 60mph, and that's where I set CC at.

I used to drive quite a bit faster that I do. There is a trade off of speed vs. mpg... but the reality of that trade off is more time vs. money.

With my motorcycle, I can save ~25 minutes on my daily commute by driving with my "normal" habits and it costs me about $0.60 extra in gas. The trade off isn't worth it to me, my time is more important.

With my truck, II can save ~20 minutes on my daily commute by driving with my "normal" habits and it costs me about $3.00 extra in gas. At that price, changing my habits is worthwhile to me.

Mike

[darcane]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...+1,000 on that!

...it's basically a constant-power curve situation, ie: the product of two numbers, MPH and MPG:

CONSTANT = MPH * MPG

...you "trade" one for the other, against the basically 'constant' product of their two values...hence, the slower you go, the better the MPG (up to the point of lugging the engine); and, conversely, the faster you go, the worse the MPG.

...it's a nice smooth curve, from vertically assymptoic MPG down to horizontally assymptoic MPH. Look at those Corvette FE curves that were posted here awhile back!

There is one other important variable in that equation: Gearing.

I used to drive a Corvette, '94 LT1 with a 6spd. Very low Cd and very high gearing in the tranny (0.50:1 OD). It had a very torquey V8, but there is a limit to how low you can get your revs. I usually drove at around 60-65mph, because if I slowed it down to 55mph I had to downshift to 5th and would get worse mileage than at 60+mph. I could get 29mpg in straight hwy driving with that car.

Mike

It is right ahead of your eyes as you drive along and listen to incredible music.

[PaleMelanesian]

Watch the trip average mpg. Keep it moving up. If you do something and it goes down, stop doing that (within reason). If you do something and it goes up, keep doing that. Simple concept, but it has a profound effect.

[EcoDriver1951]

I have found that driving at 60 mph or less on the highway helps the most there - I often drop as low as 55 - this is based on light traffic and 2 lanes in the same direction. I plan my routes to spend max time on back roads where I can vary from 35 to 45 mph. That being said, I drive a 2010 Prius II, which has a dash display showing instantaneous mpg - also use a scan gauge to monitor water temp, leaving the heater off 'till it gets around 170+. My average for the 11,000 miles I've driven the car, since new, is 52mpg. Keep the tires inflated to max sidewall psi and do NOT be in a hurry. :-)