Official Thread for posting daily FE updates

[JanGeo]

Took a road trip to Vectrix factory in New Bedford from my house in Tiverton and got 53.6mpg by driving the country roads. Then came back by the highway (I195) and lowered it to about 47.8mpg for the trip after the 3rd gear blast onto the up hill on ramp in New Bedford it really got knocked down. Tank average is up to 43.9mpg at 260miles and half a tank (about 6 gallons used).

[XFi]

Just wanted to post what was going on w/my fuel mileage.

First, just wanted to say that I purchased a new house two weeks ago and it is consuming ALL of my extra time. Have not been able to keep up with reading the threads, hope I haven't been kicked off the island ...will get back in the groove soon!

Have been utilizing Ethos in the past few tanks. Got good results on the first tank with the CAI. Decided to try a WAI and was not happy with the results. The first tank was a lousy 45.02mpg, but I was making a lot of short trips loaded up so I left it on for another tank. The second tank with the WAI was my usual mixed City/Hwy and I still only got 47.49. I hate moving in the wrong direction, but without a scangauge I have to run through some gal. to see the results. Removed the WAI and trying a tank with neither intake. Seems like I may be back into the 50's...hopefully!

Convinced that the WAI does not work well on my XFI (at least in the warmer weather). I will try it again in the winter months.

Checked tire rack and my 145/80r12s are back in stock...will order them and have them installed on my refinished wheels next week. Can't wait to see the mileage results with out the oversized tires, also should reduce the rolling resistance (not as wide). Hoping for a 5% increase.

Lastly, I dropped my rear hatch off at the canvas shop. Shoud have that back next week with a canvas/plastic zip out rear window for the summer!

I will try to post a before and after pick of my car with the new rear hatch, powder coated wheels, new tires and recently purchased swift tail lights (thanks Metro).

Oh well...back to painting the house...

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by XFi

First, just wanted to say that I purchased a new house two weeks ago and it is consuming ALL of my extra time. Have not been able to keep up with reading the threads, hope I haven't been kicked off the island ...will get back in the groove soon!

LOL... I bought a house a year and a half ago and it's still consuming all of my time.

I will finish the basement, damnit... or I'll die trying. Oh, and i"ll finish painting, putting up crown molding, building that wine rack, put a ceiling in the downstairs bathroom...

Yeah, see you guys in a few years.

[diamondlarry]

I just wanted to give an update on my head swap. Since the head was milled, the cam timing was chaged. We spent a good deal of time trying figure out how to re-adjust the cam gear. We basically ran out of time to get it perfectly dialed in. By the time we would have milled the second groove in the cam gear, I may not have gotten home until after midnight; today. Even though it's not yet where we wanted it, I got my best mpg ever on the route to pick up my wife from work. According to Google Earth the distance is 9.14 miles of which 8 miles or so are on a state highway at 55mph. Traffic doesn't allow driving under 55 at this time of day. I was only able to coast with the engine off for around .75 miles. Anyway, my mpg was showing 64.8 mpg when I stopped at my wife's work. The plan now is to go back on Memorial Day weekend and finish dialing things in. We'll have a whole extra day and won't have to remove the head; only the end cover to get at the gear. There is also a noticeable increase in power. Now, if I can keep my foot out of it... :P

[Compaq888]

let the engine swapping, head swapping, ecu swapping, tranny swapping begin!!!!!!!!!!!

[cheapybob]

Originally Posted by diamondlarry

I just wanted to give an update on my head swap.
...snip...

From the sounds of it, considering the cam problem. your results sound promising.

Just out of curiosity, what was the MPG going there, and what was it coming back, and under what kind of conditions, ie speed, temp, and any major winds?

I'm guessing your trip out there was the last time my car will be close to equal... Oh well...

[SVOboy]

^^ Ya rly, someone gimme a clutch,

[thisisntjared]

my next tank is going to be NUTS! i have 350miles on the trip odo and i am hovering right over E.

home depot pcv ftw!!!!

[MetroMPG]

another record segment 99.2 mpg (US)... and this is the LAST time i change something on the car and drive on the "test loop" until i catch up on a backlog of other stuff i have to do. i mean it. seriously.

a beautiful day here - nicest so far this spring: temps 22C / 72F (the sheltered backyard thermometer actually said 80F). and now that i'm a certified FE nut, nice weather arrives and my mind immediately turns to... rolling resistance, air density, warm-up times...

i had already given myself the afternoon off, so i couldn't resist going for a drive. encouraged by the personal best i got after the last mod (86.0 US with a de-belted alternator), i added another mod on top of that: i lightened the car. (or "added lightness", as the lotus people like to say).

i spent 10 minutes and reduced the car's weight by 6.1% - or 112 lbs: passenger seat, heavy rubber (winter) floor mats, cargo shelf, rear seat, spare tire & jack, car tool kit & spares (jumper cables, emergency light, oil, washer fluid etc.)

weather conditions:

- Temperature: 22C / 72F
- Pressure: 101.6 kPa
- Humidity: 41 %
- Wind: NE 10 km/h

- 1/2 hr EBH

- the traffic itself was ideal (little to no pressure to accelerate faster than wanted), but...
- got caught at 5 of 6 (red) traffic lights on the route
- got stopped by a school bus

round trip results: i knew i was in for a record segment when my average topped 124 mpg at my first milestone (104-ish was the previous highest). and 95 at another where i have previously seen a mid-80's max.

round trip results: 99.2 mpg (US) / 2.4 L/100 km / 119.1 mpg (imp)

- 19 mph avg / 40 max

tank so far (this will not last): 77.9 mpg (US) over 51.6 mi.

misc thoughts:

- FYI, my engine-off percentage on this route is about 45%

- a year ago if someone had told me i could *squeeze* 100 mpg (US) from my car in city/suburban/exurban driving, i wouldn't have believed it.

- i think the added lightness was perceptible. i could shift sooner and not lug. of course, that could also be the 10-15F warmer temps, the placebo effect, higher tire pressure (from warmer ambient), etc., etc. the car was definitely noisier inside - can't blame that on anything else.

- this is totally unscientific, and i'm mildly ashamed of myself.

- i can see how power windows could be a FE benefit: i rolled mine up & down a bunch of times depending on my speed to balance keeping cool vs. aero.

and now i'm going outside to set fire to the forkenswift a few more times.

[Compaq888]

I'm sure you'll hit 100+ after you cover all the holes between body panels. Not cauck it but use what the manufacturers are using. I put a thread about it somewhere.