How do YOU Pulse and Glide?

[Xringer]

I don't drive much (being retired and lazy), but since I'm been doing some part-time work, (5.3 miles away).
I decided to try some P&G with my Escape (6sp AT), without doing any shifting into 'N' etc.

It seems to work okay on the flats. I was easily able to get 24 MPG both ways today, driving on 20 to 40 mph back streets.

I normally get around 24 MPG on trips short trips around town, (if I don't speed etc).
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...filetowork.jpg
With the hills going to work, it's very easy to get 20 MPG, just by not paying attention to my driving.
So, I didn't expect to get 24 MPG on my first try at P&G, not using 'N' or other P&G tricks.

Hitting the gas harder than I normally would, I figured it would go badly.
But, I was happy to rack up 24 MPG..


If I can improve on my Lazy guy P&G technique, perhaps I can do better than 24 MPG.?.

The instantaneous MPG SG2 display showed me that I need a grill block,
so I might install one this weekend and try some more Lazy guy P&G next week.

[Chopper]

I don't declutch when I glide. This would cause the engine to idle, and thus use fuel. I leave it in gear and just let the engine over-run. In this state the injection shuts down for emissions purposes on my car and uses no fuel.

[bestclimb]

Originally Posted by Chopper

I don't declutch when I glide. This would cause the engine to idle, and thus use fuel. I leave it in gear and just let the engine over-run. In this state the injection shuts down for emissions purposes on my car and uses no fuel.

And provides braking, significantly shortening the glide, making you have to spend more time in the pulse.

[Chopper]

With the minimal engine braking offered by my tiny 3 pot the difference to the glide is minimal. I've tried it both ways and running it on the over run gives better results in this car than idling with the clutch in.

That's also hard work in the clutch cover and release bearing, and at £600 a pop to replace them in my car I doubt is ever save enough fuel to pay for them, so I have to exercise a little common sense.

[bestclimb]

Cool, most cars I have driven (mostly 4bangers) the engine braking is significant. Glad it works for you.

[Chopper]

Tiny bores, relatively low friction. 3 pot, one less bearing on the crank. In fact the engines a marvel - the lightest production car engine in the World, small enough to sit on a sheet of A4 paper.

Not sure about you stateside boys but its illegal over here to select neutral while the car is still in motion, although I'm not sure how they'd ever prove it.

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Chopper

Tiny bores, relatively low friction. 3 pot, one less bearing on the crank. In fact the engines a marvel - the lightest production car engine in the World, small enough to sit on a sheet of A4 paper.

Not sure about you stateside boys but its illegal over here to select neutral while the car is still in motion, although I'm not sure how they'd ever prove it.

How does it compare to non-pulse/glide? If it's actually better, then I'm jealous. I call voodoo magic :P

[Chopper]

I can't be 100% certain as I'd need to run many more comparisons and average them out, but the few times I've been disciplined enough to use on method for a week, and the other method for the next week etc (same working week, identical journeys, roughly comparable weather and traffic) had me doing 67 MPG imperial to 65. I've been cycling a lot more lately so haven't had the opportunity to do more work in this.

The difference in rolling distance isn't all that much, being a light car with relatively little inertia. We also have a 4x4 and I've tried it once or twice in that and clutch-in it rolls much further, but on the wee 107 the difference isn't nearly so marked.

[radioranger]

Where i drive is all long hills so I come up the hills at a steady throttle and let the car slow down till almost the downshift point at the top, letting it lug down a bit. then if there is no one behind me I am going about 15 mph below the speed limit and let the car or truck accelerate down the hill, as I've started at a speed below the speed limit I'm pretty safe to let it fly, , I just let it coast until I would have to go into third gear if I let it slow more, sometimes can coast a mile or more ,one hill about 2.5 miles, that's why I need to rig up an aero brake so I can control speed without wear and tear, luckily not too much traffic when I go to work at 5 am and come home late, so easy to experiment best Ranger MPG so far was 30 with new O 2 sensor and fresh oil change, etc, pushing around 27.5 now with grille block and this technique,

[F8L]

I don't pulse and glide unless I am in an area with no traffic or in a residential area with multiple stop signs. In the former situation I:

Accelerate to 45mph and keep RPM right around 1500-1800RPM (3/4 of my HSI indicator) then glide down to 25mph. Repeat over and over.

I've done this for over 62miles at 35mph average speed and got 109+mpg. I got bored one day and did this for 6 hours which included a 50 mile freeway trip at 60mph and I ended up with 95mpg over 233 miles.

This is the best way I have found to pulse & glide in a GenIII Prius.