Spreading the word...one car at a time...

[mcrews]

In 30 days, Jan 20, 2010, I will be driving to Dallas Texas from Sacramento California. I will be in Texas for 10 days and then will drive home. I have made this trip 8 times in the last 3 years. Twice in a 1999 Jag Vaden Plas and 6 times in the 02 Infiniti Q45. both cars got better that 26mpg just by adjusting the nut behind the wheel.

I stubbled on this site and instantly realized I could improve my mileage even further.
I have done the following on the 02 infiniti Q45:
255x45x18 (stock is 245x45x18)
run 44 psi on the road.
x-pipe on exhaust, removed rear muffler (there are already two mid mufflers)
Grille block
full underbelly pan
ordered scan gauge II
I have bought 2 rolls of gaffer tape to seal all exposed seams
I plan on weighing the car before I go and trying to remove any unessecary stuff. (But I'm not going to gut it.)
I would love to do a clear wheel cover for the front. I am thinking about a clear rear wheel fender cover.

My goal is to get 31-33mpg over the 1800 miles over 4 days and average 60 mph. EPA is 23mpg. 30mpg would be 30% over epa and 33mpg over 40%. I want to be able to 'seem' and 'drive' like a semi-normal driver and achieve exceptional mileage. I do coast. ( if I can get 35mpg I'd be extatic)

I realize that to some of you 33 is not a big deal. But for a large 4 door flagship I think that it could really make a statement.

The car has a 2.76 rear end ratio, 4.5liter V8, rated 340hp. it' turning about 1800 rpms at 60mph. and weighs 3801lbs

I would welcome any input on what else I can do in the next 30 days to maximize every possible advantage.

I run quaker state 5w-30 oil. THe V8 likes a little oil with it's gas but I would concider synth or 0-30 if someone can make a recommendation.

The ecu trains itslef to the driver's style so the week before my trip, I'll unhook the battery and reset the ecu. I wont do ANY hard accecleration or WOT so the ecu is set at an economy mod.

PS
(I WONT DO TURNDOWNS FRANK LEE, madisonMPG & Christ)

Also, I would like to catch dinner with anyone in LA, Pheonix and an unnamed 3 city and of course the Dallas area. We might be able to generate some media. I'm thinking about some of the weekend car talk shows on the radio.
I plan on having a poster size sign that explains hypemiling / mpg etc.
I have also thought of posting a sign on the rear passanger windows that says something like :"I got_____mpg w/ the a/c on yesterday!
or "you coulda had a V-8" (if you drove right!)
something catchy.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Christ]

Rear skirts are easily do-able.. front fender skirts will be much more difficult, and you'd probably be better off making clear wheel covers, if possible.

Not to wreck the party, but I don't see 35MPG without lots of practice and some extreme modding. If you want to get results without obviously altering the vehicle, a Q&D belly pan will help you get there. Remove the passenger side mirror, or at least fold it in, if you don't need it.

You probably won't get too much weight out without removing large parts of the interior, frankly. You could replace your spare tire and tools with a small pump, can of fix a flat, and a AAA card, if you have their service.

Cleaning up the seams on the front of the car will also help out in some minute way. Frankly, the only way you're going to increase your mileage by 35-40% is driving technique. Get that SGII, work your ever-lovin' ass off, and make some good numbers.

I have to mention, of course, that some of the mods you've currently done probably aren't doing much, if anything, for you, unless you drive in the "normal" percentile, then I suppose it's possible.

I've mentioned before that the one thing I find difficult about the hypermiler mentality is that maybe, at times, something that doesn't work for us, might actually work for someone else, because the driving styles are completely different, and that could play some small factor in whether or not a mod will work for a given person/vehicle combination.

Of course, that's not saying you're going to get 10% from a turn down. It just don't work that way.

As for why you've got 80+ views with no responses, well, that's the breaks, kid. Roll with the punches, not everyone is ready to jump for a reply all the time. Eventually, someone will chime in.

[mcrews]

Christ,
Thanks for the input.
The under belly pan and grill block increased mpg about 3mpg. I am at 29mpg on 7 mile test runs at 62mph.
The scangauge should be here this week.
I am focusing on the wheel covers and rear skirt.
Since the Q45 rotors 'tend to warp' I want to creat a semi-perm attachment so I only use the wheel covers on longer road trips. someone had done velcro?

THe rear skirt will come together after I spend some time standing in the 'fastener' isle of the local ace hardware!!

Thanks for your input!

[Christ]

See Darin's rear wheel skirt thread. You'll find a quick, easy, useful attachment clamp made from copper tubing. It's freakin genius.

[Arragonis]

Jag Vanden-Plas - you sir, have my deep respect.

[mcrews]

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Jag Vanden-Plas - you sir, have my deep respect.

Thanks.....I had needed a second car because I had an office in Texas.
I paid $8k for it and had it for 2 yrs. sold it for $5k last yr.
Luck me, I never had one problem with it. It ran like a top and got decent mileage on the road.
I'm 6'3" 235lb and would have liked the driver seat to go back 1 more inch.
I like to say that you didn't seat in a jag, you wore it like a glove. I did 2 13 hours day and felt tired but not worn out.

[rgathright]

Originally Posted by mcrews

Thanks.....I had needed a second car because I had an office in Texas.
I paid $8k for it and had it for 2 yrs. sold it for $5k last yr.
Luck me, I never had one problem with it. It ran like a top and got decent mileage on the road.
I'm 6'3" 235lb and would have liked the driver seat to go back 1 more inch.
I like to say that you didn't seat in a jag, you wore it like a glove. I did 2 13 hours day and felt tired but not worn out.

Ok... you never told us if you added a K&N air filter yet.

Seriously, this will actually help because it will require less effort for your engine to breathe.

Now, you have done everything that I did to my 2004 Dodge Dakota 4.7L V8. My goal was to get speed and stability. I went from 18 MPG on the interstate to 26 MPG all while doing 85MPH speed runs on I-10 in Texas. All of that said, if you can stay off the pedal, the car should give you good MPG.

[bgd73]

v8 hypermiling. nice.

After all the babble of what one can claim to be techly evolution...

the rear gear ratio said it all.

the 30s is quite amazing...it must have a tall transmission to go with it.

take it back to the dawn of v8s, and slap in the same ratios, imperfect oil, bad gas, leaky carbs on a tight downdraft...

it would be right there with the same freakin numbers, and even better because of realtime function.

do not focus on the car brand in other words, as some superhero.

step one into hypermiling...

[beatr911]

Nice job getting to just under 30! You've done the easiest aero stuff, hopefully the rear skirts will get you just past 30. For the trip, the aero is where good mods are. Beyond that it's all driving technique. Work the hills, drive with load, all that stuff.

Billy cracked a 50.1 mpg trip average from Washington to Arizona. This was in a Ford Ranger with ~600lbs of stuff in the back. Truck was stock except for LRR tires. It's all technique man, all technique.

Be sure you are up on your maintenance. Not sure what your spark plug change interval is but if you are close to being due, change them a early.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by rgathright

Ok... you never told us if you added a K&N air filter yet.

Seriously, this will actually help because it will require less effort for your engine to breathe.

Here we go again! Please search this site for K&N filter threads before advocating them to other members as a fuel economy modification.

Let's not go over this yet this again in this thread.

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mcrews: one benefit the MPG has going for it (maybe not you) is the number of consecutive hours at full operating temps. You probably already know that many miles + minimum cool down/warm up cycles = peak performance. I think you'll be happy with the results.