Project MPG
 

This is my first time ever trying to save gas in my whole 17+ years of driving.
I have been known to have a heavy foot and love racing mazda rotary cars, which suck gas like a V-8 but it's a small 1.3 liter. Since I do not have any running rotary vehicles right now I will start my daily beater, driving slower, keeping my RPM below 2500rpm and feathering the throttle. I know with an attitude adjustment of my right foot and if I can just fight my addiction for acceleration and speed I should get decent mileage.
What we have here is a 1990 Toyota Corolla SR5 Coupe 4 speed Auto.
154k miles and I just filled a full tank up today with the idea of seeing how many maximum miles I can get out of one tank.
This car is original and un-modified. Dead struts which I will replace after I get a decent read on the car's current fuel efficiency just the way it is and on a full tank with my regular driving habits.
The fuel tank is about 13.2 gallons max or 50 liters.
If I am driving properly and squeeze about 25-30mpg i should see about 300+ on a full tank.
I know the car needs spark plugs/wires, I recently gave her some Castrol GTX but will switch over to synthetic across the whole car once I finish High MPG testing and Normal MPG testing.
I do not go on very many long trips, averaging about 10-15 miles max a day but 20 dollars would last me 1-2 weeks sometimes but this is actually the first time I am paying attention to my MPG.

Here is a list of what I have planned.

New iridium plugs and nice performance wires with an addition of MSD or some type of spark enhancing device.

Good set of tires

Lowering vehicle with some springs and tokiko struts

Under body paneling

Removing Wipers for non rainy days

Removing mirrors and moving inside the car

Weight reduction

Front lip

And more as we go.

Here is a photo of the mileage when I got my full tank of gas at $4.219 a gallon. I only needed 8 or so.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1315889303
Still costs 4 times more then when I started driving so I guess it is time to pay attention to my footprint!
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1315889303

VEHICLE DIMENSIONS
Specification 2-door coupe
Wheelbase, in. 95.7
Overall Length, in.172.2
Overall Width, in. 65.6
Overall Height, in. 49.6
Curb Weight, lbs. 2414
Fuel Capacity, gals. 13.2

Frontal Area: 18.53 sq ft

This cool calculator helped me figure out all my ratings and drag
Vehicle aerodynamics

That is a fun calculator but it helped me to already know what the Cd of the car I inputted was.

I use to have that problem too.

You could also try running taller tires. I think pretty much every one who has tried it saw good results.

Just a couple things i thought of while reading your post:

1. Feathering the throttle is a typical rookie mistake, it's the brake pedal you need to learn to avoid. (There are threads about how to accelerate).

2. Unless you have a misfire, boosting the ignition system isn't going to give meaningful improvement. (That includes exotic plugs)

3. Increased tire pressure should be on your list, it's cheap, easy, and effective.

And welcome.

Thanks for the pointers, I was already reading hypermillers coast and circle or find a spot you can coast into. I used to own a bmw with one of those MPG readers so I had an idea, feathering the throttle is not a rookie mistake but part of saving gas. I can just use a light throttle all day and brake as I wish and will still be saving gas compared to my normal driving which includes putting the pedal to the metal! lol

I believe any improvement is a good improvement, . Bigger bang at any current throttle position will give much better combustion and cleaner possibly?
I am not doing anything right now except giving it light throttle and yes, it causes me to use the brakes less and catch the lights here in Oakland, CA.
I am taking the same trips, 70% city 30% highway and just using less throttle and brakes. Maybe I didn't mention that but you should know that goes hand in hand typically.

And the tire pressure Idea I will put into effect once I burn this tank of gas off. thanks for the pointers tho. I actually need to buy a whole new set for the rainy season, if it ever comes.

When you need power - as when accelerating - it's good to make that power as efficiently as the engine will let you.
Strangely enough, you don't get that by feathering the throttle, but by accelerating at the best Brake Specific Fuel Consumption - BSFC - where most horses are fed using the least fuel.
This usually means giving it a good go, say 80% load, at low rpm.
It's how pulse and glide becomes more efficient than steady state driving.

If you can find a BSFC chart for the engine, you can see where it makes its power most efficiently.

For (more or less) steady state driving, feathering the throttle is OK.

I just donated and got my MPGuino on the way!

Thanks man! I actually learned something new! and I am not being sarcastic!
I guess getting the MPGuino will help me better understand and observe.
So it's ok if I use up to 80% throttle before my set 2500rpm limit, get to my coasting speed sooner and coasting longer = more MPG if I am understanding you properly? Thanks

This may come as a shock to you, but the throttle actually has positions in between! And one of those positions is the optimum.

What causes you to have to use the brakes, is not pushing the throttle too far down, but not having the sense to let off in time.

It may come as a surprise to you, but I already knew that.

So why did you make a post that indicated that you didn't?

Ok, moving on now, ;)

I am already noticing a change in driving technique is making a difference, I am at 29 miles and the needle is still above the full mark. I even used the pulse and glide method today. I even glided into the parking lot and into a parking space where I can just pull straight out! Pretty fun saving gas, a lot more to think about while driving to keep me busy. Maybe I will make a video of my drive so everyone can give me some good pointers, jakobnev, STAY AWAY! lol Kidding :D

Waiting for the MPGuido to come in, does anybody know how long they take after donations?

Before proceeding I think we need a pic of your E90. I do like that bodystyle!

It is fun to try to plan your fuel consumption and coast around... almost as fun as hitting apexes haha. It's too bad it's not a manual- I don't think engine off coasting would go too well with an auto.

Here is a shot from a few months ago, E90? I guess there other names for this chassis but I call it a AE92, going by chassis code. That's my 90 GTU RX7 in the background I sold already but I have 2 others. and I been having ideas of a high mpg rotary vehicle which is going to be fun, they get pretty decent mileage but if you compare it to it's 1.3 displacement 22mph is not great.
Yes this car handles pretty light since it weighs nothing almost.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316044060

As you can see, I like white cars and black.
Yea, It isn't as bad but Manual would be easier.
I shift into Neutral first then shut off the engine with key.
Fall about 10mpg then engine on and back into D and pulsed up.
Worked like a charm. I just saw one on craigslist you guys have to check it out:
1990 Toyota Corolla SR5 coupe with goofy paint - OBO
What a beauty she is huh! lol
I offered the guy $500 so I could use the transmission and engine for a swap later but he wouldn't budge from 700.

What Sven7 meant is engine off coasting with an automatic transmission is usually not a good practice. The pump in the transmission is not turning with the engine off so bushings,bearings,hydraulics are not getting the line pressure that they are designed for while output shaft and whatever is coupled to it is turning while you are coasting. So tranny is not happy. With an auto trans it's better to leave the engine on (idle) while neutral coasting.Still getting very good MPG as long as the coasting speed is reasonable. (say not slower than 25 MPH just as a guide)

Thanks for telling me before I kill my trans but that would have been a good excuse to get a manual! lol

Yeah, E90 is the code for the generation, including sedans, wagons etc. I know my Corollas up to the AE86 and then... well, FWD happened. lol

That CL ad is amazing. Any car with Audrey Hepburn on the hood is OK by me! I just emailed a fine arts friend, asking for some paintings on the Anal Probe. :D

Yeah I didn't know for sure, but figured it couldn't be good for the tranny.

Oh, and your photo didn't work for some reason? :confused:

Humm weird, I can see my own picture?
link here
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316044060
You can also click on the link of my garage.
IDK I would not be caught dead in that red corolla but I would strip it for transmission/motor for a full rebuild and eco mods?I been thinking could I possibly add a fuel control module like a piggyback safc and mess around with the injector bandwidths for idle and driving and get better mpg?
Still waiting on my MPGuino or MPGuido how long do they take to send shipping confirmation?

Man you are getting 39+mpg put of a ford probe! That's pretty cool!
I am still on my first tank of gas since I joined the forum and I only travel 15-25 miles a day so it might be a week or two more for my MPG estimates. I hope to get the MPGuido soon so I can calibrate it and get better figures and see my driving habits and places to improve. I guess getting a vacuum meter is next on the list. Hey I think my 1989 BMW 525i had one of these right? the stock ones ran off vacuum also if I'm not mistaken.

And yes, today I did not shut my car off and tend to do more coasting from 70 and coast about a 1/4 mile *est and need to use the brakes very little or not at all. during my 20 mile'ish trip i make about 4-6 times. Today there was traffic but I was able to coast till I only used the brakes for the stop sign. Some Mercedes behind me got impatient and started tailgating me i just ignored him since I was going faster then the speed limit of 30. I was doing 38mph and coasting before my pulse of acceleration.

Here are a few pics of the ole' beater i just snapped with my phone cam, I already see what I will do with those mud guards. Remove and fabricate them for wind deflection in front of the tires! They are rubber and flexible, no wonder they didn't fall off already from bottoming out.*I need struts*. Before all that I need to fab an under body after I burn through about 3-4 tanks of gas I will starts the mods once I can get a base MPG figure and have the MPGuido!
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316129183
I am sure just by removing all 4 of them I can get an extra 2 MPG or so on the freeway! From the looks of it if I remove them and switch sides in rear, put them in front of the tires they can deflect some air from hitting the tires. The body tapers inwards at the bottom and leaving more of the tire/wheel hanging out to catch air in the back :mad: I will have to try it out but the front looks alright, so I may just have to do this for the rear and remove the fronts then get some MPG figures later.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316129183
Under body is not to bad but can use some paneling in the future.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316129183

Now looking for shocks and lowering springs.

So it's been 4 days since I filled up and I haven't been doing much driving but I can already tell I am getting much better MPG then my driving habits before.
51.4 miles and still above Full line! usually it was about 25-30 miles before it tipped the full mark.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316211476

The side-rear, underbody and tire shots work now! Hmm. I'd recommend keeping the mud flaps on. They could help you build a rear fairing and help a wheel skirt clear the tire in plan view (that was a problem with the Probe)

Here are some sketches I just did to help explain it. Looks like you're doing good so far and good luck in the future!

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/...412243b1_b.jpg

Later :)

YEa I might just leave them and get some GTS side skirts
http://www.toyotanation.com/photos/d...1990_GTS_2.jpg
I was thinking the same thing about the rear mud flaps, just leaving them there and building onto them while retaining the stock mounting locations.
For now I plan on using smooth wheel covers and just some stock skirts, and with the skirts it would help me since I won't have to tape it up. I do have composite and molding experience so I should be able to fab up something pretty cool with some epoxy, Fiberglass and Carbon fabric I have laying around.. I just wanted an easier way to block that ugly view of the rear tire from the front of the tire with what's available. and I believe next year front and rear wheel skirts!
I want to go in stages and test each and every mod per tank, so every fill up I will do something new once my MPGuino gets here and I can calibrate it.
Are there any local people here in the Bay Area CA who can help me? I do not see many custom MPG cars around here.

Sounds great! I'm interested to see what you'll come up with.

Do you ever see any, ever? haha :p

I actually only see a bunch of hybrids but nothing special with any custom mods really. I guess "EcoModders" are hard to find in California, It's interesting because I thought out state was green.

So what should be my first mod, I am thinking taking off one mirror and start plugging up some of the grill intakes with tape slowly to figure just how much air I can actually block before getting to hot. I don't plan on removing AC or PS until the very end. I am looking for some GTS skirts and a front lip right now!

That is a disconnect I have observed every where for years.
A lot of people say they are "green" but almost no one is willing to do anything different.
I don't count buying recycled paper towels and buying a prius as a change in behaviour or personal sacrifice.

This Midwesterner always had an image of green granola-eating bicycle-riding Californians too- it was a shock to find their many roads and highways clogged with mudtrucks and other stupid stuff I thought were the province of rednecks. :confused:

Tell me about it, I thought eating "Organic" was green but only my **** turned that color! lol

Yea half the darn cars on the roads here are hummers and large trucks and this applies a lot more to Southern California, which I detest very much.
But I did drive a fire breathing 1990 RX7 Turbo and other gas guzzling 1.3 liter Wankel motors with really bad pollution, I guess it's time for me to make up for it but I will always race at the track and love speed.

Maybe it's the legislature that likes appearing "green". ;)

They like to appear green.
I like how they generally refuse to build power plants instate.
But have no problem buying from out of state. They like to forget or just don't realize the losses associated with transmitting power long distance, which can be up to 10%.

So there for any "green" efficiency boosting rules or laws they mandate will never make up for the power transmission losses they self inflicted.

What spark plugs is everyone using?
The 2 I been looking at are
NGK Iridium IX or G-power
or
Bosch Platinum +4
And has anybody used these?
I searched around the forums and was wondering what everyone is using. I think I am getting the NGK Iridiums

Not using anything fancy.
Over all bosch platinum +4 and other high end doda plugs are a waste of money.

Here is one for you.
Ever hear of indexing spark plugs?

Yes, I came from 15+ years of racing cars on and off track but funny thing I never had to index them or choose any other brand but NGKs in my rotary cars:D pointless pretty much in a Wankel motor due to plug design but now I may have to get a set of washers for my FE!:thumbup: Time to learn some new things about plugs and piston motors. I have used a set of Bosch P4 in my old E34 BMW with success and noticeable difference but maybe because she was old and always used normal plugs but I noticed better low end TQ in the M20 motor.
What's up with,
"Pulstar I-Series Iridium - Pulstar Pulse Plug"
Brand Information
Tested Benefits:
Greater engine torque up to 9%
Greater horsepower up to 7%
Quicker throttle response
Better fuel economy up to 10%
Lower emissions across the board reductions
Enhanced driving experience.
Manufacturer Information
Pulstar® is a high powered spark plug replacement. Pulstar® Pulse Plug with "pulsed power" technology include over 1 million watts of ignition power. Over 1000 amps of discharge current. Flame front propagation more than twice as fast as a conventional spark plug. Precise ignition relative to crank angle. Plug and Play, no modifications/adjustments necessary. More power, less fuel guaranteed."
Is this for the unicorn corral?I think so!

All the independant tests I've read of Pulstar plugs agree....they are Unicorn pellets.

Actually the independant tests also seem to say no fancy iridium, platinum, etc plug will give you better fuel economy, they're all about extended service life.

The general rule of thumb is, use whatever was OEM. NGK for Japanese cars, Bosch for Euro cars.

Plug indexing may be worthwhile for racing, but I'm pretty sure most of us wouldn't notice the difference driving for FE.

The rule of thumb for Bosch Platinum plugs is: Take a hammer to them, throw them in the garbage, and then get some decent spark plugs. The QC on them is lousy; they like to foul and the little tiny speck of platinum likes to fall out of the plug. And I know at least one friend who blames the loss of an engine to the ceramic electrode breaking up inside the cylinder and scoring the cylinder wall badly.

The "+4" and "+2" plugs are the same junky cheap platinum plugs with one or three extra outer electrodes added on. They're still crap IMHO.

Bosch actually does make good platinum plugs, but they're quite expensive and not usually something you'll find in a normal parts store. Their silver and copper plugs are just fine, in my experience.

As are NGKs and most other decent quality brands; I have yet to have a problem with an NGK plug in my CRX.

Those "pulse" plugs appear to be very expensive plugs that perform about the same as regular plugs.

-soD

Yea I figured, it's pretty funny seeing how everyone markets their cr*p.
I been using strictly NGK for 19 years in my RX-7 and I used the bosch +4 on the BMW once and never checked them. Cousin blew the motor on my E34 from gear holding and over revving.
Before they always had normal bosch platinum plugs from my own experience . It just looks more like a breq9/7 plug that came out of my rotary so i figured what the heck. I would never buy them again because the price. I am a big fan of NGK esp because they make the best wankel plug, so if it can take the torture of a rotary motor it can handle any piston for sure. I was changing plugs every oil change *2500-3000miles* due to my 10,000 rpm redline full throttle use of the motor. Thank god I have a economic car, I been shopping around for Honda Insights 00-04 and found a nice green 02 I may pick up in the next week or two!
Look what EcoModders did to me! lol

:DSo i went about 134 miles and the gas meter is falling drastically, I am down to almost half where it moves the fastest. it slows down in it's sweep to low around 1/4 tank but it seems like it's draining quick.
I hit 155k miles yesterday tho!
I am going to run my car till she runs out of gas to get an accurate reading in my MPG estimate. When I get really low I will carry a small tank of gas around with me.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316931587

I was checking this1995 EG6 Honda Civic HB CX 5-Speed out today, the guy was asking $1000, he claimed a clean title with 5 years back reg and 94,000 miles. We started it right up, had really dirty thick oil, I removed the oil fill cap and smelled but no gas or burning smells.Had Aftermarker headers and a pipe to the cat. It has a broken passenger door glass and cats have started to make nest on the pass floor. I would like to get this car out before the rain comes but want it for a little cheaper. It is missing tons of parts like the whole intake and some of the lights/signals. It also has a cone filter attached right at the TB intake manifold with no intake pipe! lol
Can anyone check out the title or carfax for me?
This could be my next project.
I checked under trunk carpet and front radiator support and no visible accident damage and the paint looks original with some dings and dents.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316932273
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316932334
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316931961
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316932651
http://ecomodder.com/forum/attachmen...1&d=1316932273

The headers might not hurt.
The Cone filter on the TB might be a bad idea, shouldn't there be a MAF sensor on there?

Be sure to look out for some of the retarded low buck to no buck mods the tuners do to ruin these cars.
It appears they did something to damage the fuel economy. The car looks like its at normal hight but make sure the springs have not been torched (heating springs with a torch to lower the car, very bad idea).

I noticed a lot of headers are set up to block flow to the main oxygen sensor, to make the engine run richer for more power.
I have done a mod like this to trick the 2nd oxygen sensor into reading that a catalytic converter was still installed. It normally works.
Blocking flow over and through the oxygen sensor makes it read exhaust as leaner than it really is.

The Civic was pretty decent condition but I would totally swap in a Lean Burn =D
He would sell the the shell for $350 without the motor and I keep the transmission, which is the same as the VX. I am going to offer him $350 tomorrow and see what he says. It is very low miles tho and the motor sounds great, now where did that AFM go? I never owned a honda but i found plenty of pictures of them with intakes and they do not run a big AFM like most cars, maybe one of those heated sensors?
I am not looking for a civic to rice out but restore as close to OEM VX motor and possibly just stripp it to lighten it up and push the MPG barriers, ya know! Maybe I will just try to wheel and deal to get it cheaper with the motor and see how long this motor lasts before it blows. Or try selling it before it goes but it does only have 92k miles on it!
Here is a different engine bay photo i found when searching google for " OEM 1995 CX engine bay" It just looks more normal with a stock air box
http://www.fileden.com/files/2006/9/...c/IMG_0008.jpg
http://hondaswap.com/gallery/data/50..._bay_D15B7.JPG
After looking at the picture the engine bay dosent seem to be missing to many things =D

If you are looking for MPGs I say rebuild your own engine.
I have had terrible luck buying used motors.