Can't break 40MPG...

[Loren]

Originally Posted by Sodium Duck

I can get 39.XX, but not 40. I use DFCO constantly down hills, coast in neutral down smaller hills, use DFCO to come into red lights, putter away from stops very slowly, have my tires at about 45PSI (that was the biggest help, about 2MPG), drive 50-55MPH whenever I can, don't use the A/C or defroster settings, keep windows up/cracked a little instead of down, I stay fairly close to big rigs and other large vehicles when I'm on the highway, too.

Does anyone else have more idea's on what I can do?

I assume you're talking about full-tank mileage? And you don't have a ScanGauge? It can be harder to do than you think. Much depends on the conditions you drive in. I know for me, there is one trip I make that I can almost never get more than 36 mpg on. It's fairly close to home, it's just the amount of traffic on that road, a good portion of it slightly up hill, and the way the lights are timed... it all works against me. Anywhere else, I can easily get 38-40, sometimes up to 44 is I'm lucky and/or trying hard.

One thing I notice you said is that you "coast in neutral down smaller hills". Is that a mis-statement? If not, that's part of your problem. Remember, when you go DFCO, you use NO fuel, when you shift to neutral, you're using fuel to idle. The benefit is normally to use DFCO on the smaller hills, just for a few seconds. What I like to do is hold the throttle at the crest of the hill and gain a few MPH before lifting, then DFCO to 5mph (or 10 if there's nobody behind me) below the speed limit. Save the neutral coast for LOOOOONG downhill stretches, that's where it's useful. (it's a technique that I never use, because there simply are no hills that long here)

I think Pulse & Glide is your answer. That allows you to use DFCO more. VERY gently accelerate (and I mean gently... like barely breathing on the throttle) up to 5 or 10 mph over the speed limit (but not over 60... MPG plummets accelerating over 60), then lift and DFCO coast back down to 5-10 mph under the speed limit. Lather, rinse, repeat. Blend this technique with the natural terrain so that you're not trying to accelerate up hills, and you're extending your coasts by coasting down hills. Just remember, "light on the pulsing, heavy on the gliding"!

Give it a shot.

[supmet]

Originally Posted by Loren

One thing I notice you said is that you "coast in neutral down smaller hills". Is that a mis-statement? If not, that's part of your problem. Remember, when you go DFCO, you use NO fuel, when you shift to neutral, you're using fuel to idle. The benefit is normally to use DFCO on the smaller hills, just for a few seconds. What I like to do is hold the throttle at the crest of the hill and gain a few MPH before lifting, then DFCO to 5mph (or 10 if there's nobody behind me) below the speed limit. Save the neutral coast for LOOOOONG downhill stretches, that's where it's useful. (it's a technique that I never use, because there simply are no hills that long here)

I think it really depends on the hill. Some small hills I can gain 5 mph if I go into neutral, or lose 5 mph if I use DFCO... Now is that 10-15 seconds of no fuel vs very little fuel gonna make up for having to accelerate 10 mph? Then again, on a perfect hill I can maintain speed with DFCO, and then I'd use DFCO for sure.