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Old 07-30-2008, 08:22 PM   #11 (permalink)
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Hi,

Some aero mods involve a little duct tape; that's it.

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Old 07-30-2008, 08:52 PM   #12 (permalink)
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yeah, I agree. grille block and scangauge should help you beat your boss. By the way, I wouldn't recommend using 4 donut tires. First, it is not safe. Second, the engine needs to reviv higher rpm, which hurts mpg. Buy 4 LRR tires and pump to 50psi. Learn EOC. That would give you 45mpg easily.
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Old 07-31-2008, 12:34 AM   #13 (permalink)
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Here's my two cents: Changing your wheel diameter might make it look like you beat your boss on paper, but it's making your mileage readings inaccurate. So if you want to beat him by cheating, that may be one way.

If you really want to set about this the honest way, I would recommend studying and practicing some hypermiling techniques. That's the first thing I did to start getting better mileage in my Tundra. I would highly recommend getting good at pulse and glide. If you have a stick shift, there may be some places where you can do some engine off coasting. Obviously, study your local laws to see which techniques are legal (or at least, don't share your techniques with the local police). Also, I would recommend checking mapquest to try to find the most efficient route to work. The highway may be faster, but if there is a more direct rural route with few traffic lights and light traffic, it will give you better economy.

If you don't mind parting with a little money, buy a Scan Gauge. It will help you monitor what you are doing. Call them up and you can get the ecomodder discount, it's pretty sweet. If you set up your gauge properly and use it wisely, it will eventually pay for itself in fuel savings. If you are looking at wheel covers, try the salt-racing moons. I've seen them on ebay for not much. Or you can make your own out of pizza pans like AndrewJ did. Also, if you go to Walmart, you can find beaded seat covers for $8.88 or so. They help by making hot temps a little more bearable, and if you run windows up and AC off while it's sunny out, it will get pretty hot in your car. Remember that running with your windows open will cause aerodynamic drag.

I don't know if disconnecting the AC compressor will be more work than it's worth. I'd recommend keeping it, but just not running it. If you really want to disconnect things like that, the alternator would prolly make a bigger difference, but there's that whole thing about needing electricity to run the engine and recharge the battery. AndrewJ has some solutions to that on his build page.

There's a lot you can do, but hypermiling techniques are prolly the easiest and most effective way work yourself up there. Just by using some hypermiling techniques, and increasing my tire pressure to 40psi, I've been able to get slightly better mileage out of my Tundra than my mom gets out of her Legacy Outback. Granted, full time AWD doesn't help her, but still, her engine is at around a liter and a half smaller than mine and the car is a lot less massive than my truck.

Thus concludes my two cents...
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Old 07-31-2008, 01:02 AM   #14 (permalink)
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Oh, the Honda Fit is a beast I must say.

Good Luck!
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Old 08-01-2008, 04:53 PM   #15 (permalink)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lazarus View Post
Here's a thread on the tires.
Looks like Peakster took off his video after MetroMPG showed his results.
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Old 08-01-2008, 05:19 PM   #16 (permalink)
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Oh, the Honda Fit is a beast I must say.

Good Luck!
I dont know about being a beaste. I find it hard to beleive that as time goes on cars MPGs only get a little better. Didnt the FORD Model T get 28 MPG.

Car Mileage - 1908 Ford Model T: 25 MPG, 2004 EPA Average All Cars: 20.8 Miles Per Gallon

1st Hybrid Electric car: 1901 Porsche. I guess we all got use to cheap gas and wanted a car with more balls.
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Old 09-12-2008, 09:42 PM   #17 (permalink)
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Crappy Gas Pipe - '84 Mercedes 300D Turbo 230k Miles
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And the winner is....

The Nissan takes 1st prize. Yes the Nissan got 41.889 MPG ,10.69 gallons/447.8 mi. trip.
The FIT put up a good fight with 39.9 MPG
I opted out of using donut tires and just over inflated them to 37 lbs not 32.
The bulk of the 30.9% gain came from "Coast Engine Off Thechniques" (CEO) that I learned from you guys. thanks all.

Next dual will have acetone in the equation.
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Old 09-12-2008, 11:54 PM   #18 (permalink)
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The model T had a top speed of 45 mph, 20 hp under the bonnet. with those specs a 100 mpg would be a doddle for any manufacturer but most would not buy the resultant car.
Oh and there is some debate about the T's fuel consumption being markedly lower.

EDIT
From Fords own site:
"The Model T was equipped with a 20-horsepower, four-cylinder engine with a top speed of about 45 miles per hour, weighed 1,200 pounds, and achieved 13-21 miles per gallon."

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