How to increase my mpg?? (98 civic LX 5-speed, AC always on)

[Gealii]

Chances are those civics are either taking advantage of the lean burn function or they are engine off coasting. Shifting sooner if your shifting under 3000 try lower if you can shift up and not lug the engine its a plus.

Civics are probably using a device of some kind thats aftermarket whether its a scangauge or mpguino. Mpguinos are popular on civics because they give the fuel readouts during leanburn

[mattrich67]

Thanks Gealii

I'm not saying 32 mpg is bad. But if I can drive regular with out paying 90% of my attention to how I drive and get 29 mpg or close to it I don't know if its worth that much attention. And effort. But if I can do this and get 35++ then yeah it's fun and beneficial.

I'm looking to get a scan gauge here in the next couple weeks. So we will see what increase I get.

[PaleMelanesian]

Shift sooner. Keep it under 2000 until you get to cruising speed and the gearing won't allow you to go that low. When you're accelerating, go ahead and use the "poor" vacuum reading and keep the rpm low. (Autospeed article explaining BSFC)

AC. Consider using it less. I live in Texas. I don't need it in the morning (with kids on board going to school). In the afternoon I wish mine weren't broken - I'll give you that one.

Coast in neutral - actively look for places where you can. There are a lot more than you'd think, once you start looking. The engine is idling at ~800 rpm instead of 2000+, so it uses less gas.

Oh, and I second and third the idea of getting a gauge. With calibration, they can be VERY accurate. And it will open your eyes as to what works and doesn't work for mileage. Minute-by-minute feedback is so much better than trying to guess from the fuel level.

[bestclimb]

Originally Posted by mattrich67

Wow!!

The best way to calculate fuel mileage is how much fuel you use on gas gauge. And if I only go 150 miles on a half a tank I know I'm not getting but more then 30-35 mpg. If I got like 200 miles on half a tank I know I'm doing right.

Anybody can trick a on board computer. I do it all the time in my scion xb. I can get that to read in the 30 mpg range but when you do the real math and calculate the miles to gallons and read 24 mpg not 30 then you know you can't fully trust a on board gauge.

that works and I have done that but an instantaneous fuel usage gauge is orders of magnitude better. Ultra Gauge, Scan Gauge or MPGuino. I am partial to the Ultra Gauge for it's display and lower price point than the Scan Gauge. The mpguino as stated is the one to get if your car has lean burn.

The aftermarket ones have the capacity to be calibrated. a built in one that is incacurate is still a good indicator if you calibrate your head to it.

Originally Posted by mattrich67

3rd
When my civic is supposed to get 28 mpg city only that's what I expect on a average driver. Now since I'm driving slower at takeoff, coasting to a stop, shifting under 3000 rpm, and driving the most efficient as I am able to do. I would think that I could make at least 5-8 mpg better.
Also my 32 mpg is 40% freeway

Fourth : thanks for that advise

You may be taking off too slowly. I am kind of a fan of moderately heavy acceleration (at a lowish RPM). you use more fuel quickly but are up to an efficient cruising speed sooner.

The biggest gains as long as you are not lugging up to speed or flooring it and winding it near red line before shifting is made in how you slow down. try not to use your brakes.

and you are welcome.

Originally Posted by mattrich67

Fifth :
I have seen over and over civic owners non hybrid getting 40- 50 mpg with only changing driving habits and maybe a grill block.
That's why I am asking and if they can get 50 mpg why can't I get 40 mpg.

OR are they going by a scan gauge readout!?

And yes the ones I saw did go 60-65 mph on freeway.

OR

Are these people live in a town that's all flat ground no hills just smooth drive nice wheather

This is the stuff I am asking.

I think most of us go by miles traveled divided by the fuel put in the car. Our guages are calibrated pretty closely (my MPGuino was within 1% of the tank)

Hills are a good thing. up using a high load (less throttling losses) and down at nearly no fuel. for instance my flat and level 50mph consumption is 40mpg. Up hill I can get 25mpg. Down the same hill I am not using any. RT fuel for the hill is 50mpg (this is in my escort. My civic was about 10mpg better for all the values)

Good luck

[California98Civic]

Get an Ultra Gauge because it is cheaper than the ScanGauge and simpler to install and possesses more abilities than the MPGuino. When you get it, I promise that if you are driving a manual Civic we'll be able to show you how to improve your numbers. The UltraGauge will pay for itself in 3-10 tanks, depending on how effectively you use it.

Pulse and glide technique works best with a good gauge and the practice of coasting (where safe!) with the engine off. Pulse and glide is the best MPG move on the whole list, if you learn to accelerate in the best load range and if you learn the art of coasting with the engine off.

In the mean time, shift around 2000 or 2200 rpms instead of 3000. And slow down a little more even: 60mph on the freeway is perfectly legal and not an obstruction and it's a mile per minute!

james

[kennybobby]

i don't know if a BSFC curve is out there for your engine, but after looking at all of them that i could find and making CALCULATIONS of fuel consumption for various acceleration profiles up to a given speed--i found that the best acceleration technique is to rev it on up at the more-efficient highest power and torque region rather than prolong and drag out the acceleration for a longer time period at a lower power level (grandpa mode).

For example using 100 hp vs 60 hp to accelerate up to 60 mph used ~30% less fuel to cover the same distance. This works because you are using the fuel most efficiently, albeit at a higher rate, but for a shorter time.

i tested this on my BA van and mileage went up from 13's to 16's. i tested it on my VFR750 motorsickle and mileage went up from low 30's to low 40's. i'm also using coast in neutral, and staying off the brakes, which is probably the biggest factor, but it's definitely made it more fun to drive...i used to accelerate like grandpa, like there was an egg under the pedal--not anymore, i get on that thing hard at WOT when accelerating up to cruising speed.

What this means is that you want to get down into 1-4 on the vacuum gauge when accelerating and rev it on up to where the engine is making it's most efficient torque. If you are then at cruising speed go ahead and double or triple shift it up into highest gear. Try it you might like it and be surprised at the results.

[mattrich67]

Now these are the responses that I have been trying to get. This helps me and probably a lot of others to realize and understand.

I also was thinking I was accelerating to slow and dragging out the gear to long rather then getting to the desired speed and then pulse and glide or coast.

I have been shutting off the a/c when I am pulling a hill or needing to speed up like getting on the freeway. And it helps.

My last civic was the same year make model and I remember getting 280-320 to the tank averaging 32-38 mpg and that was just driving however now I have this civic and I am trying to get the best gas mileage and I get the same as I would with the old civic without trying. Haha

[mattrich67]

What gauge do you guys recommend

Scan gauge 2

MPGuino

Ultra gauge

I get so excited reading these posts and replies I just want to go drive around Vegas and see how much I can improve tank to tank

[MetroMPG]

Please put your car in the garage and start a fuel log so we can watch your progress:

Your Garage: [ Add new vehicle ]

[bestclimb]

Originally Posted by mattrich67

What gauge do you guys recommend

Scan gauge 2

MPGuino

Ultra gauge

I get so excited reading these posts and replies I just want to go drive around Vegas and see how much I can improve tank to tank

any are good. I have used a MPGuino in my civic (sold the car kept the gauge) I currently use an Ultra Gauge.

I like that the MPGuino reads the raw data from the VSS and injectors, so it's accuracy (once calibrated) can be very very good.

I like that the UG and SG give more than just fuel and speed information such as trouble codes raw sensor and what not. and they are accurate enough in the MPG department for my uses.