Official Thread for posting daily FE updates

[diamondlarry]

Originally Posted by Jack

Do you have a DIY for the injector kill switch? I need one of those too. Was it hard to install?

It was relatively easy to install. On my Saturn, there is a common wire that supplies power to each injector. The ECU turns the ground off and on to control the pulse width. What I did was: Cut all 4 wires going to the injectors that were the same color. Then you strip the ends and combine all of the wires that are attached to the injectors. Next, combine the wires that are coming from the wiring harness. I then took a 5-pin relay and wired the injector-side wires and the wiring harness-side wires to the set of contacts that are normally closed. Take the wire that energizes the relay and connect it to the hot/wiring harness side of the injector wires. Take the ground wire for the relay energizing circuit and run that inside the car to a switch. Run a wire from the switch to a ground. When you flip the switch, the relay is energized and switches to the un-used set of contacts on the relay and the injectors quit working since they have no power. I should note that before permanently sealing the connections you should try to start the car. If it doesn't start, you have the wires on the wrong relay contacts. The relay and switch can be bought for a few $'s at most auto parts stores. I hope this helps. Good luck.
Edit: Matt, if this would be better off in a different thread, feel free to move it.

[GasSavers_DaX]

I finally broke the 500 mile barrier on a single tank of gas in the Civic. Woohoo!

[MetroMPG]

Hey, congrats Dax.

[diamondlarry]

The cooler temps are definitely taking a toll on my numbers. This morning's trip to the wife's work was 33.5. From there to my work was 56.4. This afternoon's trip back to pick up the wife was 58.3 and from there to home was 51.2.

[krousdb]

It's has been awhile since I have posted daily numbers, mainly because they have been consistently in the 70-75 MPG range at 55MPH target speed. But something happened today that just boggles my mind.

As I merged onto I-40 Southbound to start the highway leg of my 70 mile drive to work (90% highway) I found myself merging in front of a semi that was quickly approaching. As he passed I noticed that it would be a great drafting target so I sped up to match the 70 MPH speed. I followed him onto I-95 all the way to work at a 2-3 car length distance. The Air Speed Indicator was bouncing between 40-50MPH while the speedo showed 70. After coasting into my parking spot, I noticed that the SuperMID showed 32 km/L or 75.2 MPG! This at 70 MPH speeds and 60F temps. Normally I would see 72 MPG at 55MPH under those conditions but since everyone was passing me, I really couldnt benefit from drafting.

Now the drive home really blows my mind. The temp was 85F and I found another nice target just after entering the highway. I watched the trip ave spike as I drove 65-75 MPH, matching the drafting target's speed. The air speed indicator was bouncing between 30-40MPH. When I pulled into my garage, the SuperMID showed 39.60 km/L or 93 MPG! The whole drive felt like I was riding in a vacuum.

So what just happened? I averaged 84 MPG over a 140 mile RT at speeds ranging from 65-75 while drafting at 2-3 car lengths. And I cut 40 minutes of of my drive time to boot!

I see more drafting in my future....

[MetroMPG]

Impressive numeros, Dan!

I've changed a lot of my driving habits/techniques for improved FE, but drafting remains a last holdout - even with the ***-kicking I am dealt at freeway speeds in the Blackfly. The former driving instructor in me still objects too loudly when I get too close to another vehicle.

[kickflipjr]

84mpg! How close were you drafting?

The time I got 50mpg in my car I did do some drafting (but not too close).

[kickflipjr]

I will fill up tomorrow It is going to be a combined tank. I am expecting bad results, I drove above average stop and go. + I did do a few redline shifts (I guess even I can't break away from my past compleatly).

perdiction 34-35mpg

[theclencher]

Re: drafting

I know it was very, very naughty but a couple years ago on my way back from the Sturgis motorcycle rally I got behind a gal driving a pickup pulling a horse trailer on the North Dakota interstate. I figured she would go real smooth and careful with that horse in there and all I potentially had to worry about was a panic stop on her part- not likely out in the middle of nowhere, with almost no other traffic. I'm sure she had no idea I was back there. She was really hauling a-- I mean, horse, too, going about 75-80 mph. I was on my V-Max and I knew I was really in "the bubble" when I saw the temp gauge starting to climb! (Also it smelled like a horse barn in that bubble!) I suppose I was 10-15 feet off the back of that trailer. Broke the drafting off as we approached Fargo and there I topped off. Don't recall the exact FE figure but it was over 50 mpg while in normal circumstances and at slower cruise speeds it usually gets 42 or so.

Yes drafting is a powerful tool but I was white-knuckling it the whole tiime. The safety aspects of it just don't make it worthwhile.

[Compaq888]

hit half tank at 290miles. When I first got the car it was 250 miles at half tank. I mostly stay in the #2 or #3 lane on the freeway. I go 55-65mph depending on traffic. Half of my tank is still on the streets.

Anyway If I would get up earlier I could go in the right lanes and drive at slower speeds and probably get 42-45mpg tanks.

I'm hoping this tank will be 40.xx-41.xx