I hate winter
 

OK, so winter has set in with a vengeance here in North East Ohio and my MPG has dropped like a stone. :mad:

Not only is it cold (we'll drop to 17 tonight! :eek: ), dark (both to and from work I have to run headlights and the heater fan, and that won't change for the next 2 months) and snowy (that won't change for at least 3 months), I've had a sharp increase in city driving to haul my two sons back and forth to basketball practice. That, and I think my station has changed to winter blend (how do you find out? :confused: )

So with all that, I didn't even make 19 MPG last tank, and I was seeing upwards of 24 just a couple of months ago. That's a 20% drop! This stinks, even with fuel back down to $1.75/gal.

What can I do to help my MPG? I keep my tires at sidewall max, coast in neutral when I can, DWL when I can't, and work hard at timing lights. I'm working with a 12-year old automatic with 200K+ miles, is there anything I can do or is this it? (Cardboard-and-duct-tape mods are not an option, for she-who-must-not-be-denied would not approve. :rolleyes: )

A grill block will let the car warm up faster, which not only helps FE, but it also warms up the cabin faster too! That's a reason everyone in the household will approve.

A grill block attached to the backside of the grill is just as effective, so you don't have to harm the appearance of the car.

lol tell me about it, managed 26 in a s-10 driving home from college (4.5 hours at 55-65) headwind/side wind whole way...not to mention was like a high of 32...

last time i went down i got 32 when it was warm sunny and no wind

filled up the chevette today to get 25mpg part of that is due to short trips/my dad driving it while i was away, now the cold isnt gonna help anything

i am very fond of being able to drive 250+ miles and fill up full for $20 lol

Unfortunately, there's not much more you can do in the winter that you couldn't have done in the summer.

Grille blocking, as mentioned above, can be done stealth-style behind the grille or directly against the radiator (the latter I described as "radiator blocking" to differentiate since I did it mainly to test cooling in preparation for my grille block). WAI could help too.

Another thing that might help is to pre-heat the interior. I've been thinking of putting a space heater in the car and an extension cord going to the inside of my house. In the morning I'd plug it in and leat it heat the interior so that when I get in I won't need to use the fan and I won't be cold. Of course, that brings up huge fears of causing a fire.

Stealth aero mods include better hubcaps, removing the FM antenna (improves reception with an FM transmitter on your iPod and you can still pull in local or strong stations), and a belly pan.

I removed my FM antenna and installed an inline FM modulator on my radio for my MP3 player. The MP3 player works great through the radio, and stations transmitting within ~20 miles are listenable w/o too much objectionable static. There are about 3 or 4 stations that come in perfectly clear, even with no antenna on my truck.

-Jay

block heater/ make me love winter

Not much you can do. Move to Florida for 3 months. Just get outa there before you have to have the a/c set on full blast all the time.

What I personally noticed is that if I park in the garage it usually doesn't get below 32 in there since I insulated it real good. The vehicle warms up quick. I don't let it sit around ideling as all that does is warm the motor. The rest of the drivetrain is stone cold. I just drive and that way the entire drivetrain warms up together and is more efficient faster thus useing less fuel.

If it is real bitter cold where you live you could get an engine block heater installed. You'll use more power off the grid but less fuel. Kind of a catch 22.

The sooner you can get your vehicle to normal operating temp the less fuel you will consume.

One other thing....don't use your defroster setting for longer than you need it. It runs your a/c to dehumidify. All vehicles do this. So if it's 30 degrees out and you have the defrosters on un-necessarily, you are running your a/c. Once your windows are defrosted switch it to floor or floor/vent. I also installed "in-channel" vent visors ao I can run with the windows cracked and not hamper my aerodynamics.

Just my personal experiences.

I thought most vehicles had a defroster cut out temp where if ambient temps are under 38F the compressor doesn't run. Chances are if its 30F outside your compressor isn't running.

-Jay

Most, but not all. My VW doesn't, and that's one of the features I really like. It's great for melting ice off the windshield, or just providing diffused air rather than blowing air at face/feet -- though the VW also has a diffused vent that can be routed instead of the dash vents.

I wonder how hard it is to prevent the A/C from coming on with the defroster on most cars? I'd love to do that in my GMC.

A $2 toggle switch from Radio Shack and about 10 feet of 16 gauge wire should do it. Mount the switch to the bottom of your dash. Connect one end of the switch to a good ground. Cut the ground wire to the compressor clutch. Splice in your wire from the dash switch. When the switch is off the clutch will not activate.

-Jay

D'oh! Of course, there's always the obvious and easy way. :D

I am a real fan of simple solutions. Sure I could build a circuit with all sorts of relays, but the simple solution is just install a switch on the ground...


;)

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to look into the radiator block - I think even I can manage that one.

I'll also look into ways to pre-heat. My limited mechanical ability will get in the way there, but I have a good, trusted mechanic so I may have to make more use of his skills.

I already don't run the defroster any more than needed because I had heard it runs the AC to dehumidify.

Would removing the FM antenna actually make a measurable difference? Doesn't seem possible...

I doubt that the difference is measurable.

No the title should be "I love winter." Why? Because the cost of fuel always drops. I am happy to take a mpg hit to see fuel prices fall!!!

I LOVE WINTER!!! Why?

Yes gas is cheaper

With winter comes snow so opportunities to do 2 things I love come up... Skiing and using my 4wd.

I look great in sweaters & overcoats.

Thanksgiving, Christmas, & New Year's

No mowing the lawn.

What's not to love?

I'd rather mow than shovel snow.

Why shovel snow? That's what boots & 4wd are for. I usually just shovel the snow off the porch. Everyting else stays right where it falls.

-Jay

4wd isn't good enough for my steep driveway, and the wife will get hurt trying to walk on snow. :(

Absolutely worth doing even in milder climates. My Escort and Tercel don't even get up to full operating temperature at this time of year for the work commute. A block heater in the Tercel however makes the morning trip downright toasty. I'm close to putting the Escort back into insurance suspense and driving the Tercel again for the winter for this very reason.

A space heater inside is a nice help too on frosty mornings, but I absolutely would NOT do that part without a timer that switches on AFTER you awaken. I setup mine at 750W coupled with the 1kW block heater to come on 45 minutes before I leave.

Do you have a plow for your truck, or a yard tractor w/ a plow?

-Jay

So that's what's going on with the Escort! All of my other vehicles haven't had this switch apparently, and my Escort defrost has yet to work well anytime it's wet out and sub 40F with a cold motor. I thought there was something wrong with it. Perhaps not. :P

I would like the better mileage, but still hate winter!!!!
:eek: :mad:

Tell me more. Where in the car do you place the heater, and how do you protect against burning the interior? I'm thinking if I fold down the back seats in the hatchback and put some firecode gypsum down...

I can't afford a plow for the truck. I have a cheesy plow for the tractor but I've never been able to figure out how to get the stupid chains on the tires. Anyway, I'm not too confident that it would work on my steep driveway, and the tractor isn't dependable. I'm really in a bind and I'll just have to deal with shoveling for a few more years until I pull out of this condition.

My dad had a plow for the dumptruck but sold it, and anyway it cost as much gas to drag that 8mpg truck up here as it does to pay someone to do the job.

YMMV! ;)

I would not use a free-air type for sure, but I've not had any issues with a forced air unit - taking careful note of how hot/close it is to interior trim. I never said it was safe for the record, but I also park it outisde and wouldn't think of doing it in my attached garage.

My car is outside too. If it was in a garage, I'd just insulate the garage and maybe add proper heat. I don't want to burn the car, though...

You have an air compressor? I always let the air out of the tires, put the chains on, then pumped them back up. It was the easiest way to get them on right.

-Jay

I actually have a 12v ceramic forced air heater that plugs into the lighter socket to help warm up the truck interior quickly on cold mornings.

-Jay

I think I tried that. The chains might not be the right size. Maybe I should have tried again during warm weather instead of waiting until it's cold enough to freeze my fingers solid...

Yeah, wait for a (relatively) warm day and put the chains on & park it. That way its ready for when you need it.

-Jay

Winter around here sucks as well. Gas mileage drops, takes forever to warm the vehicle up. Ended up replacing my vehicle because of it. Now I have a car that gets twice the mileage my truck ever did. takes about a mile to warm up on a day like last night where I woke up to +6F. Better for me to warm up the car a few extra minutes or drive the car a those few minutes after scraping the windows?

For fuel economy, it's best to just start it and drive away without idling first (except you should idle a few seconds to let oil circulate). That's also the manufacturer's recommendation written in most manuals.

I wait until the oil has fully circulated through the engine before I take the truck out of Park. Doesn't take long with synthetic 0W30 in it. I start the truck and listen for the valve lifters. When the lifters pump up (I don't hear them anymore - most often this is under 5 seconds, but in really cold weather it can take 10-15 seconds) I then shift into Reverse. I also always wait for the transmission to engauge before taking my foot off the brake and move.

-Jay

I remember back when I used to let the truck warm up for 20 minutes to defrost the windshield. Back in the single digit mpg days lol. Lately I've been trying an electric space heater set on the dash. When I wake up I plug it in and its clear by the time I leave for work.
I have to remember to put a block heater in the engine when I replace my exhaust manifolds.:)

This cold weather is effecting my FE too, the last tank was under 42 MPG with a full grill block.

Tell me more. I have a space heater that I intended to use to pre-heat my interior but I'm very afraid to use it. How big, how many watts, where exactly do you place it and in what orientation, etc...

When I lived in Alaska I used a 1500W ceramic space heater with tipover cutoff. I put it in the passenger foot well and typically plugged the car in 25min before I started it. Block heater, oil pan heater, space heater, and battery warmer, and cardboard blocked radiator (90% of it) all made -45 seem like 25 above to the car. Crazy thing, one time when driving to school the temp gauge showed 195 at -40 outside temp. That's what it ran in the summer at 85! I was happy and toasty warm.

haha truck almost overheated with a full grille block. had the lower opening blocked off then the snow from the hood slid down over the top causing all blocked off...

Very easy. Look at your A/C compressor. You'll notice an electrical plug on it, usually at the tail away from the pulley. Remove it from the compressor, and secure it so it doesn't fall onto something hot and melt, and tape the end shut with electrical tape.

The problem I keep running into is the temperature cutout for the A/C. I'll be using the defroster with A/C assist one day, then the next day if it is below the cutoff threshold and I don't get the assist, I end up with a defroster that keeps blowing tons of humid air even after the motor warms up. I'm thinking that is probably due to a clogged drain in the system, so the humidity the AC takes out is dumped right back into the air whenever it's not assisting.