Speed Racer trying to become Fuel Saver . . .

[Daox]

Welcome to the site. You are in good company here.

I would start with our two lists. The hypermiling tips will go a lot farther than the mods unless you decide to go absolutely crazy with mods.

100+ Hypermiling / ecodriving tips & tactics for better mpg - EcoModder.com

65+ Vehicle modifications for better fuel economy - EcoModder.com

[elhigh]

Welcome!

I didn't read the second page so someone may have said it before me, but it bears repeating: Adjust the nut behind the wheel.

Driving style has a huge, immediate effect on your fuel economy and costs nothing but a change in your habits. Look around on these pages for this very topic for lots of good pointers.

If you have a dyno chart on your engine, you may also have a BSFC - Brake Specific Fuel Consumption - chart, which shows exactly where and under what kind of load your engine is at its most effiicient. Spend as much of your time in that zone under that load, and as much of the rest of the time as possible coasting, preferably with the engine off. How achievable that is is dependent on your conditions, I see you're in NoVa which might also be Baja Washington or some similarly dense suburb. I grew up there, I know the traffic. Engine-off coasting might not be advisable.

Start a garage page to keep track of how you're improving.

[1slw4dr]

That's a lot of confusing **** lol I'm looking for the dumb down stuff for now. If I could reach 400 to a tank to start that would be great and then go from there. Last night I tried putting the car in neutral and turning off the motor when I seen a red light ahead. If it turned green before I got to it I could just pop it in gear and "pop" start it.

[BLSTIC]

Ok I'll dumb it down considerably.

More throttle (say, half pedal), change up before 3500rpm and whenever the car can handle the next gear and still torque it's way through whatever you are trying to do.

When getting off the gas, don't stuff about, take your foot all the way off the pedal. Get off the gas early enough to drop 5-10mph (in your cruise gear) before you start braking for lights/stops/turns/whatever and you'll save a decent amount of fuel without pissing off other traffic.

Keep your tyres inflated to proper levels, leave the bar weights at home, make sure the engine is running correctly.

[Fat Charlie]

Keep it simple in the beginning, leave the engine on. But when you're not actually accelerating, do you really need to be in gear? You'll be surprised at how far you glide without losing so much speed that you affect traffic.

You'll see 400 miles without even trying hard.

[elhigh]

If you have any kind of skill as a racer at all - I mean, any - you're going to surprise yourself. The same skills you use as a racer you use as a hypermiler - situational assessment, looking ahead to corners, etc. The only difference here is that you aren't trying to maximize your speed or minimize your time, you're trying to conserve your kinetic energy, trying not to spend more energy or throw any away. Once you've internalized that one small change of your goals, the rest comes pretty naturally.

Subscribed.

[1slw4dr]

Alright well for my first major modification I'm changing cars. My step brother likes my Prelude and I found a '97 Civic HX Coupe that I plan to make my daily commuter and start my whole new ECO journey. Is there a specific section you guys post "build" threads? I'd be willing to detail everything I try in hopes of helping others. Also I tried the whole Accelerate and Coast thing and my car seems to slow down quickly so I only felt like I was benefiting from letting it roll down hill in neutral.

[mcrews]

Welcome!!!
1. Get a sacgauge device. (see sig for link to threads)
2. Adjust nut behind wheel. (having #1 helps immensely)
3. Concider taller tires at next purchase, at least a 5% increase in diameter.(several very good threads here)

[1slw4dr]

Originally Posted by mcrews

Welcome!!!
1. Get a sacgauge device. (see sig for link to threads)
2. Adjust nut behind wheel. (having #1 helps immensely)
3. Concider taller tires at next purchase, at least a 5% increase in diameter.(several very good threads here)

ya with the HX Civic I can use a Scangauge. Also the altering of my driving habits is a slow fix but I'm sure I'll get there.

[mcrews]

I know it's hard to break old habits! The mpg gauge in the q45 really got me started... Kept trying to beat the 'video game' on long trips...it became addicting!!! Then I found this site and it was all downhill (a pun!! Lol)