What are your tricks?

[Sodium Duck]

These are my tricks and things I do currently:

-Coast as much as possible (DFCO)
-Drive 55MPH on the highway
-Coast to stop signs and lights
-Slowly and smoothly accelerate during starts
-No A/C or heater use yet (waiting till winter)
-Windows cracked open about an inch to prevent fogging
-Monitor fuel consumption religiously
-Try to drive as close to 50MPH as possible when not on highway (within reason)
-Turn car off as soon as I come to my destination, then do everything else (put in park, put windows up, etc.)
-Let car idle only for 30 seconds to warm up, otherwise none

I can't think of anything else. Let's get this FE section bumpin'!

[dvlnblkdrs]

hasnt it already been debunked that a/c does nothing to alter mpg???

[DFA]

In the real world, it doesn't take more than ~1.5MPG per tank.

When you think about it, it's not that much of a big expense for being sweaty all the time (At least for me, living under the equatorial heat. That, and I sweat alot.). Not for me anyway. I guess it comes down to everyone's individual priority.

[dvlnblkdrs]

i am bad for mpg.. i do windows down + a/c full blast when i feel necessary.. i only have windows up with passengers in the car.. now that im carpooling to work, thats more often tho...

[DFA]

O.o

Why would you have the AC on full blast and the windows down?

[dvlnblkdrs]

i like the tunes on full blast and the wind in my hair.. plus it makes me look cool.. lol jk on the last one.. i dont usually run a/c unless its over 90, heat if its under 40, both it rarely is where i am.. so unless i drive up to where garm is, i dont really need it much

[TheRealEnth]

Same as dvlnblkdrs, by myself i have the windows down and ac on, so i can listen to my music full blast and the wind. When you get red lights or such it gets hot, so u need the ac on till you start moving.

[dvlnblkdrs]

if it makes up for it, usually only do ac on feet, not both.. air doesnt make it down there well

[Sodium Duck]

Windows down + A/C.................... Is there a gas leak or something in your car? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of in my life. Flame the crap out of me for being rude, I deserve it. But seriously... I'm speechless.

And no, it hasn't been "debunked" that A/C doesn't affect MPG. Ask the scangaugers -- it does hurt fuel economy. What has been debunked was having your windows wide open on the highway VS A/C. Windows down is better.

This post is about what you do to help your fuel economy -- not blatantly disregard it... Let's get it back on topic.

[DFA]

I either do one or the other... There are virtually no stops on the way from home to college, but there's usually REALLY heavy traffic so I'm usually idling-stopping-and-going all the time.
I use the AC when traffic sucks, windows down and full blast metal (on stock speakers :thumbdown:) when I can freely glide across the city streets.

[dvlnblkdrs]

Windows down + A/C.................... Is there a gas leak or something in your car? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard of in my life. Flame the crap out of me for being rude, I deserve it. But seriously... I'm speechless.

And no, it hasn't been "debunked" that A/C doesn't affect MPG. Ask the scangaugers -- it does hurt fuel economy. What has been debunked was having your windows wide open on the highway VS A/C. Windows down is better.

This post is about what you do to help your fuel economy -- not blatantly disregard it... Let's get it back on topic.

sorry, didnt mean disrespect.. i just swear i saw something on mythbusters bout that.. that is all...

[Sodium Duck]

Where I am, I have a pretty clean shot to where ever I need to go. I'm on back roads where the speed limit is around 40-50mph, then I'm on the highway where I do 55mph. Probably only 10-20% of my commutes to places are in traffic. =]

[TinyGiant]

-Turn car off as soon as I come to my destination, then do everything else (put in park, put windows up, etc.)


the car uses 7 seconds worth of gas startng. so if the light is red for longer than 7 seconds its worth shutting the car off.. if its quick its not worth it

[Sodium Duck]

That's a cool fact/figure. I would shut my car off at lights, but I don't want to hold people up behind me. I like to pseudo-hypermile, I do as much as I can without interferring with other peoples commute.

[TinyGiant]

you can watch the other lights to see when yours is going to change. and turn the key to start the car when the light before yours turns yellow..

seems to work fine for me :)

[DFA]

Well, back on topic. Here's what I do.
- Crack my windows down whenever I'm not stuck in heavy traffic.
- Try to use DFCO as much as possible
- Keep my tire pressure at max rated pressure.
- Pulse and glide like hell.
- Avoid rabbit starts and stops.
- Coasting. To stops, to lights, to traffic.
- Turn the car off whenever I stop to do anything. (Except stop lights, I tend to get distracted at lights, so whenever I turn it off I take like 3-4 seconds to get moving and piss everyone off).

All that and I'm getting the shitty mileage on my sig.... In a 1.3

[Sodium Duck]

I forgot about that, upping the tire pressure. I figure during the winter I'll want a nice wide footprint, but come summer they're gonna be right at 44psi.

I'm also going to switch to 5W-20 Amsoil full synthetic at 5K. But I think I remember someone saying they don't make it, they only make a 0W-20 which is the same thing apparently to Amsoil -- in which case, I'll just use that.

[TheUnGroomed]

All I do is coast to red lights, and stick to the speed limits. I also have the tires(Stock Eagles) at 44 psi.

I am experimenting with 0w-30 Mobil1. The only difference I've seen is that the engine warms up quicker.

As for the A/C. Looking at my scangauge, turning on the A/C will increase the gallons per hour slightly.

[Sodium Duck]

Interesting that you haven't noticed a difference thus far. Everyone else reported at least a 3MPG gain. Do you soley use your scangauge, or do you calcuate your MPG yourself?

[1NZYaris1]

i am getting on average an extra 55km's per tank (now 670km's per tank) since
i installed the NST pullies , but then again my yaris is only a 1300cc,
not 1500cc like the US models :bow:

[TEHxFALLEN V1.2]

Here's my secret to filling up my car about twice a month..

My work is less than a mile away.
My school is less than 2 miles away.

Leisurely driving is done in my CRX.

[PETERPOOP]

you should be riding a bike to work!

[TEHxFALLEN V1.2]

But I'm better off flaunting the Yaris...

"When you're driving the Yaris, You Are Riding In Style"

Someone once said that somewhere on the forums.. Can't remember who.

[natethegreat38]

hasnt it already been debunked that a/c does nothing to alter mpg???

I recently bought a PLX Kiwi and was looking at the sensor diagnostic info that was being displayed. I played with it a little bit to see if the it did anything. Using the A/C puts more strain on the engine (doing approx. 10-15% more work), so while it may not directly affect the MPG, it is causing your engine to work less effectively and thus causing worse gas mileage.

[dvlnblkdrs]

oh, ok.. makes sense i suppose.. thanks for actually explaining it.. i dont use my ac much since im in the oc.. but for those times i do.. i'll def rethink it.. :thumbup:

[natethegreat38]

yeah, I was along your lines of thinking- I am around HB (in Lakewood), so AC isnt really that necessary. I didn't think it made much of a difference, but when I just sat in the garage idling, and saw how much more work the engine needed to do with the a/c on, i was like "DAYMMMMM!!!!" :)

[dvlnblkdrs]

ur going to the meet tonight, right :biggrin:

[natethegreat38]

what meet? I'm a fairly new Yaris owner and haven't really found car clubs yet... More info please??

[Forrest]

These are my tricks and things I do currently:

-Coast as much as possible (DFCO)
-Drive 55MPH on the highway
-Coast to stop signs and lights
-Slowly and smoothly accelerate during starts
-No A/C or heater use yet (waiting till winter)
-Windows cracked open about an inch to prevent fogging
-Monitor fuel consumption religiously
-Try to drive as close to 50MPH as possible when not on highway (within reason)
-Turn car off as soon as I come to my destination, then do everything else (put in park, put windows up, etc.)
-Let car idle only for 30 seconds to warm up, otherwise none

I can't think of anything else. Let's get this FE section bumpin'!

I do the same as you have posted. Even when I pull up to an ATM I turn the car off. When I get in the car, I put on seatbelt first before starting the car.
As far as ac usage, only use when really hot, mostly drive with window open a little and not into heating season yet, but that is coming quickly with frosted windows.

[AznGouki]

Does heater affect the MPG?

[DFA]

If the AC does, I'm guessing the heater does as well

[Sodium Duck]

+2 Anyone with a scangauge wanna share?

[Packrat]

One important tip for the road is to avoid tailgating. On a recent road trip I stayed at least 6 cars lengths away from the car in front of me and found myself braking and re-accelerating a lot less when I was 2-3 car lengths away. Anticipating lane changes on the highway was something that took a bit of time to get used to. All this coupled with driving the speed limit got me my highest MPG yet (44).

[TheUnGroomed]

Using the heat without running the a/c compressor does not have a noticeable impact.

I think that I have not seen any changes after switching to 0w-30 because of my unpredictable commute. Some days I can get home in 15 minutes, other days it takes over an hour.

[TLyttle]

Personally, I find coasting makes me feel noot in control. In fact, in some jurisdictions, coasting is illegal.

You missed one mileage maker, and it's a good one: inflate the tires past the recommendations. Even 5lbs makes a big difference...

[Mikeb Yaris]

My "Tricks"

1) Look for every opportunity to take your foot off the accelerator (DFCO)

2) Tires @ max pressure (44psi)

3) Drive Speed Limit or slightly under

4) Shut off engine at construction zone lights (long lights)

5) Put AT in N at short lights (idle w/o load)

6) Back off accelerator while attempting to maintain constant speed (attempting "Hang Time" w/o scangauge)

7) Cycle AC off and on - on for the shortest period of time necessary to be comfortable

8) Avoid drive throughs like the plague

Currently averaging just under 42 mpg - high tank 43, low (first tank 38).

One thing I observed - driving for best mileage is very difficult on roads you aren't familiar with. We took a trip this past weekend through missouri hills and I was in a constant state of mpg panic! I was trying to DWL, but I think I failed. Yielded 41. I had hoped for much higher considering the amount of highway miles on this trip! :(

I asked this before the hack - when do you cross over from "cautious driver" into "hyper-miler"?

[Mikeb Yaris]

Just calclulated it again...must have hit the wrong button cause I actually got 43 this weekend....I'm better than I thought! lol

[natethegreat38]

My "Tricks"

1) Look for every opportunity to take your foot off the accelerator (DFCO)

2) Tires @ max pressure (44psi)

3) Drive Speed Limit or slightly under

4) Shut off engine at construction zone lights (long lights)

5) Put AT in N at short lights (idle w/o load)

6) Back off accelerator while attempting to maintain constant speed (attempting "Hang Time" w/o scangauge)

7) Cycle AC off and on - on for the shortest period of time necessary to be comfortable

8) Avoid drive throughs like the plague

Currently averaging just under 42 mpg - high tank 43, low (first tank 38).

One thing I observed - driving for best mileage is very difficult on roads you aren't familiar with. We took a trip this past weekend through missouri hills and I was in a constant state of mpg panic! I was trying to DWL, but I think I failed. Yielded 41. I had hoped for much higher considering the amount of highway miles on this trip! :(

I asked this before the hack - when do you cross over from "cautious driver" into "hyper-miler"?

I'm not one to tell people what to do, but you may want to re-consider inflating your tires to the max pressure; sure you'll get better MPG, but you will wear your tires prematurely down the center of the tread and will have to replace them much sooner than normal. By having to purchase tires sooner, you will be eliminating all the savings that you have accumulated. Just my $0.02 :smile:

[Mikeb Yaris]

"I'm not one to tell people what to do, but you may want to re-consider inflating your tires to the max pressure; sure you'll get better MPG, but you will wear your tires prematurely down the center of the tread and will have to replace them much sooner than normal."

I've seen that argued for folks who go over max on the sidewall. Understand I am still within the limit set by the tire manufacturer. I think it was on cleanmpg that I read a big argument on this topic, so, as a non-expert, I'll only say that from my perspective it is yet arguable either way. I'll watch it, since the tires are obviously brand new, and report if I see any excessive / uneven wear.

[natethegreat38]

Yeah, please keep me informed! :)

I work for Yokohama Tire and see this time after time. With good intentions of getting the good gas mileage, people over-inflate their tires to the max pressure listed on the sidewall and wear the tires out early, then call to complain that the tires wore out early. I would be interested to know if your tires yield a different result.

[Mikeb Yaris]

It should be easy enough to spot, I would think. I pay pretty close attention to tire wear and my wife is a real tire wear hawk - insisting that I replace tires much earlier than I would on my own. I do a little over 1,000 miles per month, so it may take a few, but uneven wear on brand new tires should be a no-brainer.

[Mikeb Yaris]

P.S. Of course, my own experience won't prove anything to anybody but me! lol Results not typical and mileage may vary yaknow.

[natethegreat38]

haha!

[Sodium Duck]

Since you're in the tire business --

If a person does run at the max sidewall rating, would you still honor some kind of warranty? Technically, nothing wrong was done by the consumer. If you don't want them to run it at 44psi, then reprint your tires with say 35psi on the side.

[aca72]

Try this: Remove your junk from the trunk. If you are daring enough, remove the spare tire.

[natethegreat38]

Since you're in the tire business --

If a person does run at the max sidewall rating, would you still honor some kind of warranty? Technically, nothing wrong was done by the consumer. If you don't want them to run it at 44psi, then reprint your tires with say 35psi on the side.

Sodium,
This is a valid question that we get often. Proper air pressure has already been calculated and is provided by the vehicle manufacturer on the door placard. This calculated pressure takes into consideration vehicle weight, and load capacities of the tire.

The max inflation pressure on the sidewall of the tire is there as reference if you are planning on completely loading your vehicle with passengers and cargo.

Technically the person is doing something wrong: they are not keeping the tires properly inflated- and "properly inflated" will vary; if you are a sales rep and work out of your car and you have it full of product, then you would be properly inflated if you put max inflation. If you drive your car to school, work, etc... and usually keep just a few belongings in the car then you would be properly inflated if you inflate to door placard.

Ultimately, Yokohama honors the warranty depending on an inspection done at an authorized retailer. If you took your tires to one of our dealers and they see uneven wear of any kind (under-inflated, over-inflated, alignment, etc...), they know that it will not be covered under warranty. Now, keep in mind that I am only talking about a drastic difference between tread depths. If you take your tire in for inspection and there is only 1/32" difference between the center of the tread and the rest of the tread, then that's really no big deal. If there is like 3/32" or more, then we have a problem...

[Bob_VT]

My yaris seems to get better mpg on mid-grade gas.

Try it out for at least 2 or 3 tankfulls and I think you will find that out...... at least I did. I figure it is worth the extra 80-90 cents per tank.

[AznGouki]

Spare tire delete on first day. I'm gonna have to check my tire pressure to see if I'm good. I don't have AC on my car, but keep my fan on 1 and heat max(most of the time). I'm sure mpg is not affect by very much at all.

[Sodium Duck]

Some people have pulled out their rear seats. Weighs in around 100 pounds, if that interests you Azn.

[Mikeb Yaris]

Some people have pulled out their rear seats. Weighs in around 100 pounds, if that interests you Azn.

In that case, I'm going on a diet and not allowing my wife to ride with me! :iono:

[GeneW]

These are my tricks and things I do currently:

-Coast as much as possible (DFCO)
-Drive 55MPH on the highway
-Coast to stop signs and lights
-Slowly and smoothly accelerate during starts
-No A/C or heater use yet (waiting till winter)
-Windows cracked open about an inch to prevent fogging
-Monitor fuel consumption religiously
-Try to drive as close to 50MPH as possible when not on highway (within reason)
-Turn car off as soon as I come to my destination, then do everything else (put in park, put windows up, etc.)
-Let car idle only for 30 seconds to warm up, otherwise none

I can't think of anything else. Let's get this FE section bumpin'!

Get a Scangauge. Gives great feedback for your habits.

The heater does not affect mileage. The A/C does affect mileage.

I will not over inflate my tires. Too damn many potholes around here.

If I do not go above 60mph, do not accelerate like an aggressive driver and use DFCO I can routinely beat the EPA estimates for the Yaris. If I'm opportunistic, use pulse and glide and am careful I've made it to 42mpg.

Warmup is usually only necessary when its below 45 Fahrenheit (about 7 Celsius) and to me is only really necessary if you have an AT. I think MTs only require gentle operation for the first few miles. ATs have some issues with clearances and fluid viscosity that only a proper thirty second warmup can address.

BTW NEVER coast with an AT without the motor on. You're ruin the tranny over time.

Gene

[eTiMaGo]

I like to use some hypermiling tricks, but without going the whole hog...

1) DFCO as much as possible
2) As little AC as possible (but it is the tropics here and we get some HOT days...). Only really use it when I have other people in the car, their comfort is important to me.
3) Shut down engine and coast to red lights. Most traffic lights here have a handy countdown display on them, so it's easy to calculate if it's worth it to turn the engine , or even just time yourself to arrive when it turns green, so you don't even need to stop.
4) Shut down engine at other occasions like rolling down an incline to a toll booth, rolling up to my parking spot in front of the house/office, etc
5) I do try to drive at a reasonable speed without holding traffic up. Usually normal road traffic is about 40MPH, and I rarely go over 65MPH on the highway, unless I am really in a hurry!

This translates to an average of 33MPG, compared to sub-30 when I drove without much thought to economy... Kinda low, I know, but most of my trips are pretty short.

[Sodium Duck]

BTW NEVER coast with an AT without the motor on. You're ruin the tranny over time.

Gene

Good point to make. I believe everyone had agreed before that doing this was bad because with the car off the transmission would stop being oiled. Deffinetelly a no-no!

[Woody_Woodchuck]

I have a Scan Gauge and it definitely has helped me to increase mileage. My commute has lots of hills and long slopes. The slopes are long but not steep enough to turn the car off and the hills are too short and steep to make it worth while. Also lots of traffic in the area so I can not fall more than 10 mph below the posted limit or I back up traffic and feel it is unsafe. Made it harder for me to find what is working for max mileage. I’m now getting 44 MPG US tanks and lifetime average (3,100 miles) is 43.15 MPG US.

- Tires to 40 psi – I think the ride really sucks at 44+ psi
- No extra crap in the car (I do still have the jack and spare!)
- Gentle accelerations
- DFCO or coasting to lights, stop signs and turns
- Anticipate stops and turns
- Gain momentum on down hill stretches
- Lose momentum on the up hill stretches
- Lots of distance between the car in front
- Speed depends on traffic flow; keep from 10 over to 10 under the limit

I tried DFCO on the short, steep hills and I now accelerate on the downhill and decelerate on the up hills. Pulse and Glide using gravity! On the long highway slopes I’m finding the speed I need to be at when starting up to make it to the top w/out going more than 10 MPH below the speed limit. Example: On one slope if I am at 62 mph I can make the 1.5 mile slope getting a constant 40 mpg (scangauge) and be at 55 mph by the top. If I start at 60 or 59 mph I will be going less than 55 mph and feel I have to accelerate (getting 30 – 32 mpg readings) to be at a safe speed, therefore getting worse overall mileage.

I found that on my 45 mph speed limit back road section I get better mileage going 50 mph average than I do at 40 or 45 mph.

On the long slight downhill highway slopes I accelerate gently to the needed speed for the next hill. This may take all of the mile or two downhill or only a short portion of it. Experimentation helped me find out which worked better.

I do expect there are techniques to get me better mileage on my commute. I am still experimenting. Voodoo22 is going down with his PALTRY 50 MPG TANKS!!! :thumbsup:

[Mikeb Yaris]

Here's an interesting (I think) observation...

Driving becomes second nature and driving habits truly ARE habits! In two days of my bet with the wife, I have caught myself using DFCO, accelerating very slowly and popping the AT into N at trafic lights. I am having to make a conscious EFFORT to drive "normal"! :biggrin:

[natethegreat38]

I had to do the same. The good thing, is that you get used to it quickly! After only a couple of weeks of driving better, 65mph seems so FAST!

[darthbauer]

I try to slow down.

But i fail.

[TheUnGroomed]

Here's an interesting (I think) observation...

Driving becomes second nature and driving habits truly ARE habits! In two days of my bet with the wife, I have caught myself using DFCO, accelerating very slowly and popping the AT into N at trafic lights. I am having to make a conscious EFFORT to drive "normal"! :biggrin:

Are you saying that you have caught yourself saving gas, and you have to put effort into not saving gas? :clap:

[Mikeb Yaris]

Are you saying that you have caught yourself saving gas, and you have to put effort into not saving gas? :clap:

Bizarre, isn't it?

[duck]

how much gas is saved when turning off car immediately after parking as opposed to waiting to take seatbelt off, roll up windows, etc?

I ask because I left my old car running at a drag strip with the keys locked inside once... for maximum performance, I used race fuel and kept my gas tank practically empty. It idled for a couple of hours before I got back into it and was still able to get me to the nearest gas station many miles away.

[Mikeb Yaris]

I imagine someone with a scangauge can tell us the gph useage idling?

[natethegreat38]

how much gas is saved when turning off car immediately after parking as opposed to waiting to take seatbelt off, roll up windows, etc?

I ask because I left my old car running at a drag strip with the keys locked inside once... for maximum performance, I used race fuel and kept my gas tank practically empty. It idled for a couple of hours before I got back into it and was still able to get me to the nearest gas station many miles away.

I have a Kiwi so I will see if it tells how much gas is being used while idling...I would guess that over time, it saves a bit of gas here and there. Probably not the bulk of your consumption, but hypermilers seem to do everything possible to use the least amount of gas.:thumbsup:

[Sodium Duck]

Yea it's probably not *worth* doing, but it feels good to know that however small the amount is, I'm using the absolute LEAST amount of gas possible. It just doesn't make sense anyways, why let your car run while you do things that you could do with it off?

[eco]

The A/C does effect MPG on 4 cylinder engines,the Myth Busters tested this on 2 V8 trucks if I remeber right.They proved that windows down up until 55mph was better then the A/C on below 55mph.Above 55mph,A/C was better then windows down above 55mph.Now that was on a V8 engine,I would say on our engine windows down would be best until about 75mph,then I would crack the windows and still not turn on the A/C.
And I thought our heater was just heat coming from the engine bay,no coils or anything.

[natethegreat38]

What I don't really understand is what some hypermilers do: turn off their engine as they approach red lights, stop signs, etc... I know this still saves gas but the engine starting stresses the engine and the starter, so I don't know why you would want unnecessary and additional stress on the engine/starter :?

[BailOut]

Nate,

On modern, small engine, fuel injected vehicles such as the Yaris the wear and tear and fuel usage of a warm start is equivalent to just 7 seconds of idling. This means that if you will spend more than 7 seconds coasting into and then sitting at a light (or just sitting at a light if you have the AT) it is easier on the vehicle to be turned off and then restarted.


Mike b,

The Yaris consumes 0.2 GPH at an unencumbered idle. While that may not sound like much if you think about how much time you spend idling over the course of a full tank it becomes a significant factor in your overall mileage.


eco,

Several folks on this site with ScanGauges have done extensive testing in the past and we all found the same thing: In the Yaris it is always more efficient to have the windows down than to use a/c, regardless of speed. Unfortunately that thread was lost in the hack.

As for the heater the Yaris does have coils for producing heat on a cold start. Once the coolant temperature reaches a threshold the coils deactivate. Using the heater does affect mileage, by the way, although much less so than using a/c. It steals heat from the coolant and this causes the ECU to run a richer fuel map in an effort to produce more waste heat to reheat it.

[YarisDude]

Drive like you have no brakes. This forces you to take it easy and employ long coasts...with engine off (of course).

For Bailout, I like the bike rack. Quick query, on an old lost thread you discussed the special chains you snap on for snowy conditions. Who makes them and where did you purchase? Thanks!

Ken

[Reddog99]

Using the heater does affect mileage, by the way, although much less so than using a/c. It steals heat from the coolant and this causes the ECU to run a richer fuel map in an effort to produce more waste heat to reheat it. Let's see, by this twisted logic, losing heat from the radiator also increases fuel usage because it causes "the ECU to run a richer fuel map in an effort to produce more waste heat to reheat it." NOT!!! :thumbdown:

Turning on the heater only causes the thermostat to close a little to compensate for the temperature loss that would otherwise occur through the radiator. Any modern (or old) engine produces so much waste heat that there is absolutely no need to make an effort to create more.

[Sodium Duck]

Dude, I am so ready for this battle to begin...

I also really want to know what effect running the heater has.

[BailOut]

Let's see, by this twisted logic, losing heat from the radiator also increases fuel usage because it causes "the ECU to run a richer fuel map in an effort to produce more waste heat to reheat it."

Correct. This is why you see northern truckers and other vehicles block their grille in the cold months. Hypermilers follow suit, many of which block their grilles in the Winter (myself included).

As an example, on a February morning I can climb the mountain I traverse every day with at least one passenger and snowboard stuff and other weight involved, and by the the time we've reached 7,500 feet of elevation the coolant temperature has dropped into the mid 170's F. Without warning my already shitty climbing mileage will dip another 10-20% and by the time we're reaching the summit at 8,900 feet the coolant temperature is back up in the mid 180's and my mileage returns to the expected amount.

Blocking the grille helps the car warm up quicker and helps it to maintain an optimal coolant temperature. With one in place I no longer see those big dips in mileage in the coldest part of the day as my coolant temp stays in the mid 180's.


For Bailout, I like the bike rack. Quick query, on an old lost thread you discussed the special chains you snap on for snowy conditions. Who makes them and where did you purchase? Thanks!
Hi Ken,

They are called Spikes Spiders (the "Compact" version) and I got them directly from the manufacturer at http://www.spikes-spiders.com/ . I just added the mounting brackets back onto my front wheels last weekend as we've already had our first snow of the season.

Thank you for the compliment on the bike rack. :smile: Just wait... in a few weeks I'll have pictures of the snow sports adapter attached to it and an antenna farm of snowboards and skis sticking up out of it.

[TLyttle]

Drive like you have no brakes? That is why I get good mileage, because most of my previous cars had inadequate brakes, so anticipating stops, not slowing down for corners, etc, became... habit.

[dvlnblkdrs]

but bailout, wouldnt that same issue effect those of us living in warm climates much less if any at all? the coldest it really gets here is like 60 degrees...

[BailOut]

but bailout, wouldnt that same issue effect those of us living in warm climates much less if any at all? the coldest it really gets here is like 60 degrees...

Correct. :smile: Anywhere that doesn't see the colder temperatures won't notice this issue except when the car is warming up from a cold start. It's more an issue for the northern latitudes and/or higher altitudes.

[dvlnblkdrs]

yay i got one right! lol :biggrin:

[natethegreat38]

I guess Bailout is pretty much the MPG authority here on the forum...

[Sodium Duck]

Yes. That took me about 3 hours to figure out, lol.

[dvlnblkdrs]

indeed.. hes the enviornmental guru if you will.. :biggrin:

[eco]

I have several things to add,bailout is well known around here for exactly that,but there are some problems.I have a low pressure thermostat cap,and a low temp thermostat,(I have scanguage2)my old driving temp was 183-186,now its 159-163,I have had no effect in fuel milage,I swear.
And we have talked about turning off the engine at a light,all it does is piss people off behind you,these lights are already to short in my state,GA,to try and always look at the light,turn your engine on,put it into gear,and then go,that takes about 3-5 seconds if your fast,10 seconds if your slow,now imagine if everyone in the line tryed this,maybe 3-4 cars would get past the light,this is a big waste of time,unless your a die hard hypermiler.

[dvlnblkdrs]

indeed, but there is nothing saying that you must do this.. it is worth it to some, not worth it to most. there are so many other ways, most have been mentioned that have a greater effect on ur mpg. utilize those and you will be green and others will envy ur mpg :biggrin: :thumbsup:

[BailOut]

I have a low pressure thermostat cap,and a low temp thermostat,(I have scanguage2)my old driving temp was 183-186,now its 159-163,I have had no effect in fuel milage,I swear.

I'm not sure what to make of that as when my temps are that low all of the rich mixture signs are there (low MPG, high idle, etc.). Perhaps your ECU has relearned the temperature zone you've forced it into? Or perhaps your mileage was already low due to aggressive driving so the dip with the lower coolant temperature wasn't so noticeable? It'll be hard to tell without having your mileage logs from both before and after the thermostat changes available.

turn your engine on,put it into gear,and then go,that takes about 3-5 seconds if your fast,10 seconds if your slow

Whoa. Even with an AT-equipped vehicle that sounds slow, especially if your starting in Neutral. With the MT I've never caused a delay for anyone as if I'm in front I watch the lights to know when to restart and am quite often the first one off the line (albeit at a moderate acceleration pace), or even if I miss the timing most folk's reaction times are so slow that I end up taking off at the same time as the other vehicles. If I'm back in the pack I wait until the car 2 ahead of mine starts moving before I start up and it works out just fine.

[AznGouki]

BailOut, you got some amazing mpg marks by far!! Good tips too. I may try this vent blocking method.

[yarswiss]

Here are my two cents with regards to what you posted:

-Coast as much as possible (DFCO)
-If you are going downhill, go into N to build up speed so when you hit an uphill segment, you can bleed off more speed. In fact, even on small downgrades I prefer N over DFCO as DFCO slows the car down much faster. While in N, I get between 50-100 mpg depending on the speed I am going, whereas in DFCO you get infinite MPG, but you will need to accelerate more at the end of the hill, and from my experience, gaining speed in N gets better MPG.
-Drive 55MPH on the highway
-I find 50-53mph is the sweet spot when it comes to MPG figures. While it may be hard to drive this "slow" due to majority of drivers ignoring the speed limit, with a bit of "sang froid" and awareness, you can do this.
-Coast to stop signs and lights
-If you know the behavior of the traffic lights, you can even go into N and turn the engine off while you glide up to the red light. This will take some getting used to.
-Windows cracked open about an inch to prevent fogging
Keeping the air vent open but not on also helps, even if only a little bit.
-Let car idle only for 30 seconds to warm up, otherwise none
I never idle if I can truly avoid it. As soon as my car is on, I am in motion. It is always better to just drive the vehicle, as it will warm up much faster.

Additional things:
Get a Scangauge - you truly cannot maximize your mpg without it.
Visit Cleanmpg.com and read up on their fuel-saving tips.
Pump tires to sidewall max
Remove all unnecessary weight (rear seats, spare tire if you dare)
Partially block upper grill during colder weather, and you can safely block the entire lower grill as well. I will be posting a DIY with a vinyl grill block once I am done to show what I mean.

Sadly, since I have an Auto I am "impaired" by just that much, but my last 6 tanks have been over 48mpg, and my record thus far is 53.7 mpg (440 miles on 8.2 gallons).

[Klink10]

Sadly, since I have an Auto I am "impaired" by just that much, but my last 6 tanks have been over 48mpg, and my record thus far is 53.7 mpg (440 miles on 8.2 gallons).

With automatic?....in my books that's outstanding

[BailOut]

yarswiss is rockin' it! :smile:

[yarswiss]

yarswiss is rockin' it! :smile:

Thanks Brian :biggrin: My MPG goal has been to reach or surpass you figures. Someday I will beat you! :tongue:

[BailOut]

Thanks Brian :biggrin: My MPG goal has been to reach or surpass you figures. Someday I will beat you! :tongue:

Now is the time to do it. :smile: Gone are my days of solo commutes and light weight, and that shows in my trackable mileage.

What that number doesn't show is how utilitarian my Yaris has become. 2 carpoolers 5 days a week, outings with my Little Brother on the weekend, grocery run and most errands by bicycle instead of car (this used to be one of my high mileage times as it's all on the mostly flat valley floor), much fewer highway trips to Sacramento (which was the whole point of me setting up all of the remote tools and equipment down there), carrying 2 mountain bikes or 2-5 snowboards or pairs of skis roughly 300 days per year, etc.

All of that is much more efficient than solo commuting, and totally more efficient than any of it being done with a larger vehicle, but it does hurt the trackable MPG number.

[ChrisP]

Hello I'm brand new to this forum.

I bought my 2004 Yaris D4D (with 110K miles on the clock) six weeks ago and have done about 1800 miles in it. First two tank fulls after I drove the car at "normal" speeds I got 60 and 63mpg. After the third fill up I drove as carefully as I could over a 520 mile range (I couldn't stand driving so slowly any more) and got 75mpg. This was mixed town and motorway with many short journeys. This was just after an oil change, I used Castrol Edge 5W-40 Diesel.

I think it is a brilliant car and I can't believe how you can get such decent performance from such an economical car. Only one little prob, I've had to put some washers and longer bolts on the seat front mounts to tilt it back a bit.

I don't know if I've got a wheel bearing going but there is a very slight "werring" noise which is relative to road speed which gets louder the faster you go. I've jacked up and spun all four wheels but can't find any problems. Any advice about possible causes of this sort of noise would be appreciated.

[ChrisP]

It seems I've made a mistake! I am in the UK, I now realise this is an American forum, so my mpg figures won't compare!! All the best you guys, I'm off to find a UK forum!

Regards
Chris

[daf62757]

If DFCO actually uses no gas, then if you are running your AC when you are coasting, you are not using any fuel so it can't cost any gas to run it.

The cost difference between running the AC and not running it is so small that you really want to be hot.

[STC]

Holy Crap! Thread revival... cool! :biggrin:

Mostly DFCO glides! I love hills... :smile:

Cheers!

[bkrownd]

The cost difference between running the AC and not running it is so small that you really want to be hot.

Depends on the heat/humidity/sunshine in your area. Usually cracking a couple windows and running the fan at 2 is sufficient cooling for my climate.

Another thing you could time with DFCO is when to run the defogger, since it uses the AC.