Are people still ecomodding?

[Engine1776]

Originally Posted by Ecky

I had a Del Sol when I was younger. Even with a B series engine turning 4500rpm on the highway, it still averaged around 36mpg. I'd wager the D15 with gearing swap would be mid to high 40's.

Ecky, I am currently getting 40.25 MPG highway MPG over the last 6 months with the D15b7 motor coupled to the 4.025 Final Drive transmission for a freeway cruise speed of 3100RPM at 70mph.
I religiously separate my highway and city miles.
My "city" (rural sprawl area) MPG is much higher due to hypermileing by accelerating from a stoplight or up a hill, and then gliding down the other side with the engine off to the next stoplight. I live on top of a hill, so the first mile of my drive every day is done with the engine off until I get to the bottom.
Just filled up with gas again in prep for a drive on the highway tomorrow. was down to only 2/3 tank remaining.
Over the last two weeks of ONLY driving on the rural roads around here, i have traveled 220 miles on 4.475 gallons of gas for 49.27MPG.
I think it will do a lot better on the highway with a gearing swap.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by Engine1776

Ecky, I am currently getting 40.25 MPG highway MPG over the last 6 months with the D15b7 motor coupled to the 4.025 Final Drive transmission for a freeway cruise speed of 3100RPM at 70mph.
I religiously separate my highway and city miles.
My "city" (rural sprawl area) MPG is much higher due to hypermileing by accelerating from a stoplight or up a hill, and then gliding down the other side with the engine off to the next stoplight. I live on top of a hill, so the first mile of my drive every day is done with the engine off until I get to the bottom.
Just filled up with gas again in prep for a drive on the highway tomorrow. was down to only 2/3 tank remaining.
Over the last two weeks of ONLY driving on the rural roads around here, i have traveled 220 miles on 4.475 gallons of gas for 49.27MPG.
I think it will do a lot better on the highway with a gearing swap.

Fantastic numbers. I was able to pull off a 50mpg trip with a B18B engine and transmission with a 4.40 FD, but it was using every trick in the book and not at all realistic or representative.

With my K24 swapped Insight, ~40mpg was normal in in 5th gear (I didn't have 6th at first), while 6th gear was closer to 45 (+/- 2mpg) when cruising. Taller gearing seems to be the single best mod for highway driving.

[Engine1776]

Originally Posted by Ecky

With my K24 swapped Insight, ~40mpg was normal in in 5th gear (I didn't have 6th at first), while 6th gear was closer to 45 (+/- 2mpg) when cruising. Taller gearing seems to be the single best mod for highway driving.

I'm really surprised you are getting worse MPG in an Insight than I am in a non-hybrid Del Sol.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by Engine1776

I'm really surprised you are getting worse MPG in an Insight than I am in a non-hybrid Del Sol.

I don't have the car anymore, but it was drivetrain efficiency. Prior to the engine swap, ~70mpg averages were normal, whereas after, it was closer to 45. With the original engine I might see 100mpg cruising at a steady 50mph. After, it was closer to 60mpg.

A big part of this was engine load - even geared taller, the K24 was nearly idle pushing the car down the road. If I could have given it a 7th and 8th gear and had it turn close to 1000rpm at 65, I'm certain highest economy would have been more like 75+mpg - although it would have been loaded at a much lower RPM than its peak efficiency was at. From another perspective, the fuel economy with that engine in the Insight was 50-100% better than it was in the car the engine originated in. I found it to be an interesting case study.

I will say, it was entertaining to know that I could do a rolling-at-70mph burnout, or accelerate quicker than basically any car under $100,000. It brought a lot of smiles, and in absolute terms it was still a very frugal car.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Ecky

I don't have the car anymore, but it was drivetrain efficiency. Prior to the engine swap, ~70mpg averages were normal, whereas after, it was closer to 45. With the original engine I might see 100mpg cruising at a steady 50mph. After, it was closer to 60mpg.

A big part of this was engine load - even geared taller, the K24 was nearly idle pushing the car down the road. If I could have given it a 7th and 8th gear and had it turn close to 1000rpm at 65, I'm certain highest economy would have been more like 75+mpg - although it would have been loaded at a much lower RPM than its peak efficiency was at. From another perspective, the fuel economy with that engine in the Insight was 50-100% better than it was in the car the engine originated in. I found it to be an interesting case study.

I will say, it was entertaining to know that I could do a rolling-at-70mph burnout, or accelerate quicker than basically any car under $100,000. It brought a lot of smiles, and in absolute terms it was still a very frugal car.

I enjoyed reading your posts on that, especially since I still have a K24.

It still absolutely annoys me how close the gear ratios are and how worthless 6th is for taming the RPM. Even in the heavy car, 6th has plenty of torque and I almost never need to downshift. Heck, I'm using 6th at 35 MPH going up a slight hill.