Target driving, what am I doing wrong?

[ssnsvibe09]

Setting aside variables, which are out of your control, wind, temperature, traffic? It seems that your efforts have paid off. If you did not take the care to drive ECO your MPG would have been worse.

Use and manipulate the temperature values in the fuel consumption calculator and you will see the dramatic effects. Then move up the scale to show net wind speed over your hood. Theoretical as the numbers are it will show you how wind and temperature will eat up your mileage.

[doviatt]

ssnsvibe09
I agree completely. The seasonal temperature drags show on my fuel chart. The weekly wind would be a painful reminder on my individual entries. It was very noticeable to drive in wind. The patterns here had me mostly driving in head winds on both legs of my commute during summer time. The times it was calm show up as my peak tanks. Still I always focus on minimal fuel regardless of wind and temp.

spacemanspiff
you are doing a great job. More practice with the elements in mind. The chart doesn't always go up, you just have to keep the average as high as possible.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by JRMichler

When you see a change in MPG with the same driving habits, look first at temperature, then at wind.

Yes.

I tend to use target driving as a main technique, since most of my driving is highway.

So my average driving speed (given a constant target MPG) rises and falls with the seasons/temperature. Faster in summer, slower in winter.

Need more aero mods.

[jakobnev]

What part of this is inaccurate?

Your belief that you went exactly the same speed after lifting off a bit, as you would have without doing so! (My claim here is that you have gone slightly slower that you otherwise would have, you simply don't know it.)

A claim that your engine makes the same torque at the same turning speed with both less air and fuel is not believable, and it would take very rigorous testing to convince a reasonable person of this. Testing, that you have not done!

[doviatt]

Originally Posted by jakobnev

Your belief that you went exactly the same speed after lifting off a bit, as you would have without doing so! (My claim here is that you have gone slightly slower that you otherwise would have, you simply don't know it.)

A claim that your engine makes the same torque at the same turning speed with both less air and fuel is not believable, and it would take very rigorous testing to convince a reasonable person of this. Testing, that you have not done!

I agree with your statement. But, it is not my belief to be challenged.
I never said any of this. When did I imply the word exactly or claim same torque or turning speed? These are your words and completely out of context.

The topic of this thread is target. A target is not exact, it is something you shoot or aim for. Furthermore the target under discussion has nothing to do with speed.
The target is high MPG which can be correlated with vacuum readings, MPGuino readings, etc. Speed has nothing to do with this.

[spacemanspif]

One of these days I need to invest in a MPGuino. I know its only 60(ish) dollars from the member on here but I am not motivated to stand out in the cold and hack into my engine wiring for the inputs...should have done it in the summer.

Filled up again with only 243 miles to the tank but I did a lot of puttering around looking at Christmas lights for about 3 hours. Tank was 34mpg (a new red bar on the graph damn holidays!). Rest of the tank was on cruise control but I think I'm going to give constant throttle another shot this week and see what happens.

[doviatt]

Originally Posted by spacemanspif

... but I am not motivated to stand out in the cold and hack into my engine wiring for the inputs...should have done it in the summer.

This is the reason I haven't hooked mine up to my newest ride also. This is ok as you get lots of base line miles to improve upon once you have more input once you do actually get one.

Originally Posted by spacemanspif

Filled up again with only 243 miles to the tank but I did a lot of puttering around looking at Christmas lights for about 3 hours. Tank was 34mpg (a new red bar on the graph damn holidays!). Rest of the tank was on cruise control but I think I'm going to give constant throttle another shot this week and see what happens.

What has the temperatures been like for your driving lately? Do you do extra warm up time in the mornings before you head out?

I have to say 48% over EPA numbers for your car is nothing to complain about.

[ssnsvibe09]

With respect to going up hill and lifting off the throttle to a point where it does not impact speed is the lively discussion at the moment.

We the eco drivers will not mat the throttle to accelerate up a hill. There is an instaneous torque/ horsepower limit at any engine speed where acceleration is not possible. Opening up the throttle beyond that point is only pouring fuel through the engine without benefit as the ECU will likely go into open loop mode on the A/F management and run rich.

Take a look at the next guy that is passing you on the hill and watch him lean ahead in his seat as he tries to "will" the car faster.... he already has it matted. might actually see black smoke....

[spacemanspif]

Originally Posted by doviatt

What has the temperatures been like for your driving lately? Do you do extra warm up time in the mornings before you head out?

I have to say 48% over EPA numbers for your car is nothing to complain about.

My commute is almost all highway and the baseline that this site uses is the combined rating. The car is rated at 22/32/26 for city, highway and combined so I'm happy to be beating the highway numbers running around town but like all of us, I'd rather be doing better. Temps here are swinging quite wildly; teens at night high 40s during the day but some days staying in the low 30s. If there is frost on my windshield in the morning I start the car, scrape off the windows and then head out for work. Probably doesn't take more than a couple minutes and I like to give it some time to circulate the oil a little before heading out. With the cold mornings I am on the highway before the car reaches operating temp, in the summer I'm at operating temp by the time I exit my development

Just have to keep at it I guess. I'm going to try to steady throttle this tank of gas and see I can do. If it's low again, I'll switch back to CC set to 60mph like I had be doing since I signed up here. Lots of little things I want to do still like sealing around the headlights and the hood gaps; just never got to them in the summer and glue won't stick very well in the cold...