OG's VX Build: HyperMile Driving with some JDM Styling

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by The donkey CRX

OG, your lack of performance and MPG could be due to colder weather or wind and rain. Don't panic until you are able to do a commute in clear weather with temps around 50 degrees. Every time I get stuck in heavy rains and wind, I always think something must have gone wrong with the motor because of the lower performance.

I noticed the loss of power with my insight as well in cold weather. Even if I drive around for 20+ miles. I too thought something was wrong until yesterday when it was ~65 and the car ran awesome, was easily getting 60+ mpg where lately, when the temps are ~35-45 I struggle to get 52-57.

[OG VX]

Originally Posted by The donkey CRX

OG, your lack of performance and MPG could be due to colder weather or wind and rain. Don't panic until you are able to do a commute in clear weather with temps around 50 degrees. Every time I get stuck in heavy rains and wind, I always think something must have gone wrong with the motor because of the lower performance.

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

I noticed the loss of power with my insight as well in cold weather. Even if I drive around for 20+ miles. I too thought something was wrong until yesterday when it was ~65 and the car ran awesome, was easily getting 60+ mpg where lately, when the temps are ~35-45 I struggle to get 52-57.

Thanks for the insights fellas. You two are as seasoned as they come, so I hope your exactly right and that nothing is wrong with the old girl. I just figured that since the air was colder, it would perform better. Could just be what's still left in me from watching the first Fast & Furious though...

I'm still going to check the plugs. 3rd gear, in particular, feels hesitate to kick in on the throttle. I put half a bottle of SeaFoam in this morning. Maybe their is a bit of krusties stuck in an injector?

[Fat Charlie]

Originally Posted by OG VX

I just figured that since the air was colder, it would perform better.

It is, just not in the way that you're aiming for. You've got to love performance with all its various definitions.

[Baltothewolf]

I was under the impression that more dense (cold) air only helps under high engine/high RPM situations due to the way dense air reacts with fuel? (more oxygen for bigger boom). Under Light engine load/low RPM ranges, couldn't it cause a problem with ignition by having too much air mixed in with the fuel? Maybe I'm not understanding the way it works, but that makes sense to me-shrugs-

[elhigh]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

I noticed the loss of power with my insight as well in cold weather. Even if I drive around for 20+ miles. I too thought something was wrong until yesterday when it was ~65 and the car ran awesome, was easily getting 60+ mpg where lately, when the temps are ~35-45 I struggle to get 52-57.

Too right! Morning temps are in the 20s around here, the car performs like I'm driving through an inch of slush even though the roads are bone dry. When you don't have much power to start with, giving some up to environmental factors feels like something has gone badly wrong.

[Fat Charlie]

At 30 degrees, there's more air in a cubic foot than there is at 80 degrees. So if you're stomping on it, you're getting more air into the cylinders in cold weather than you are in hot weather. Great for geting up to speed quickly, not so great for getting up to an efficient operating temp quickly or otherwise doing things with less gas. That's why other performance crowds like CAIs while WAIs are popular here.

[OG VX]

Man, thanks for all the insight on my thread fellas! My first winter really watching my mpg's with such scrutiny. I was like "what is going on here?!".

I do believe the fuel pump was about to go out, though, as performance is certainly much better after the swap.

[jedi_sol]

Originally Posted by OG VX

not for pre-OBDII cars. Atleast, it appears not...with this code. ha!

Have you tried the paperclip method to find the CEL code?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bpwfiCxw54

[OG VX]

I have, thanks. But, it won't pull a code for me

[The donkey CRX]

Hey OG, Here is an example of what I was saying above. The last week it has been between 14 and 47 degrees with wind and rain (even a little snow). I was struggling to get between 66 to 70MPG on my commute in the white 94VX. Today it finally turned out clear and got up to 56 degrees. I got 81MPG on my trip home this afternoon.

The VX is supposed to have around 90 foot lbs of torque, but I think when we are in lean burn we are only getting maybe 60 or so. This means any type of "drag", be it wind, rain, or thick cold air has a huge negative impact on the car's performance.