I spent some time yesterday working on a couple of rattles, so I guess I also one of those obsessive types. My wife and pop (now 87) think so.
One of the real annoying rattles turned out to be what I think was one of those dealer sabotage jokes that stupid mechanics play on each other at the customers expense.
Someone had popped out the access plug to the back end of the rocker panel and dropped in an old Proto 5/16-1/4 drive socket, which would roll around in the cavity in the rocker panel when you went around a turn. The second was the glove box. Honda had installed a shock absorber on the box which had a loose pivot on one end. The glove box rattled when you drove at low rpm. Now I have no more annoying rattles when I use low engine speeds.
I learned clutches a long time ago, but when I first drove a Z car with the old SU carbs the throttle response was so instant I learned to keep my heel on the floor when working the clutch. I can engage the clutch completely at 200 rpm above idle.
All this may seem irrelevant but be patient, I'll get there.
I bought my VX in March this year, did the second oil change yesterday.
Filled the tank, also another local tank at 55 MPG. I have driven this car long enough to be able to closely estimate the mileage based on the fuel guage itself. Not precise or instantaneous but it doesn't cost me a dime.
Basically my mileage is 55 in local traffic, 60 in low speed highway (55MPH) and 65 at 65 drafting big trucks at three stripes distance (I believe that is legal everywhere, as well as fairly safe).
In my previous 84 Del Sol the best mileage I ever got was 47, the average was 42-43. Thats over 10,000 miles. Worst was 36 at 75-80 MPH, about 39 at 70.
I dont do engine off coast, the amount of attention it requires in the sometimes very heavy traffic here is detrimental to my situational awareness.
In 42 years of driving no person has been injured while riding in a car with me. I would like to think that is priority number 1 for every driver.
The VX required a change in driving tactic to achieve the mileage I currently manage. The first two tanks were 50 MPG. I was actually somewhat disappointed compared to the difference in the EPA ratings of the two cars.
Reading this forum especially the links to VX info by Tom O with the article by one of the Eco marathon hypermilers (probably some of the best anywhere) I learned that the VX is difficult to hypermile. Lean burn does not work for 30 seconds after engine off coasting. Lean burn is difficult to maintain on acceleration, not possible at greater throttle opening positions.
To allow the vehicle to obtain max mileage averaging better than 56, required different driving tactics from those I have used for several years. It takes a while (about 3000 miles) to reprogram my old brain.
When they build the right engine powertrain combination hypermiling will be ineffective. which is the basis of my powertrain and engine designs. When that is done (whether its my idea or someone elses) hypermiling will fade into history because the worst driver will have a hard time driving stupid enough to be uneconomical. At present it takes the smartest driver to accomplish maximum mileage (not necessarily the smartest person-just one who drives smart
).
The specific changes in driving my VX for max mileage (remember no engine off) are:
Pulses are much more gradual, with significantly lower throttle openings specifically to try to stay in lean burn. If lean vurn didn't exist I would use much larger throttle openings, but the much higher AF ratio cancels out the advantage of larger throttle openings (just my opinion)
P&G cycles are therefore much less perceptible to other drivers, probably unnoticeable to many.
P&G full cycle times are shorter with a speed variation of only 5 to 7 MPH in traffic. Call it stealth P&G, most of the drivers around me are probably unaware that my minor speed variations are intentional (or they just think I am a jerk who can't maintain a constant speed LOL). It does discourage tailgaters.
Deceleration is accomplished with transmission downshifting to maximize fuel shutoff time, Since almost every red light ahead of me has cars waiting for it to change I try to downshift to keep engine speed above 1100 rpm for as long as possible. Ideally I match the speed of the traffic as it accelerates away from the light in the correct gear at just above 1100 rpm (eliminating all idle losses).
I have to loose some efficiency to accelerate enough to keep the lights timed properly due to the way they are timed here. In most cases if you go the speed limit you will catch every one, three miles over the limit and you catch almost none of them. It works against efficiency to a degree but thats just the way it is, and if you get caught at every light you loose a lot.
I draft whenever its possible. The traffic here can be very heavy and I use that fact to my advantage, instead of allowing it to aggravate me. Every time a SUV pulls over one car lenght in front of me it's a drafting oportunity. It used to be a source of aggravation.
I strategically plan my routes (40 years local knowledge) to minimize thraffic lights and left turns. In one instance a left turn can result in waiting 1 minute 45 seconds for the light to change. When that happens I take an alternate route. My average speed in local driving is about 38 MPH, which is exceptional when you consider that route has 56 lights in 40 miles, with speed limits in the 45 mph range, except for a 4 mile stretch at 55 mph. Maintaining the highest possible average speed (to a reasonable point) minimizes idle wastage, especially combined with in gear deceleration which is the same as engine off without killing lean burn potential.
Sorry about hijacking the thread. It would be nice to be able to have an instant fuel economy reading to further improve my technique. Instead I have used the knowledge available here to accomplish the same.
My driving technique also has another advantage in that it is prioritized to preserve my vehicle without creating situations that would accelerate wear and tear on components. My goal is to drive this car another 8 years (I will be eligible for Medicaid) until the manufacturers have resolved their design issues to the point where it will no longer be necessary to hypermile, because the vehicle itself will do the hypermiling and the driver will not have to be the real brains of the system.
regards
gary
I think there's enough info in this thread that it's no loss anyway.
Linear Mode
