1997 vw golf 2.0

[MattySull]

Hi guys,

I am new as you can see I have been looking into the forum the past week and I like what I see. There is a lot of great information. I am still looking into an hho booster but that is more of an interest as of now that something i want to do.
There is a recent discussion on here about the practicality and gains of such modifications. I just havent come across any good info that is honestly reliable and factual.
But anyway My name is Matt and I have a 97 vw golf that normally gets a combined mpg of 32ish which is above epa and this tank of gas I have really done some damage to that mileage. I get a feeling this tank with all my new techniques is going to net me 40mpg or close to it. I have a gaslog and a garage entry with pics if you would like to see my car.
It is slightly modded but I try to keep it OEM because I think that volkswagen makes fantastic cars and not much has to be done to them to get the look I want. I currently have an older 1986 gti i am working on which will get the mpg mods fresh out the gate. I am replacing many mechanical parts to make it as reliable as I can. After all it is a vw that is 1 year older than me.

I have been driving with the techniques I learned from some of you by reading the forum and I can say right now I like it. I have always liked driving but this really slaps some fun on it. It makes things more interesting, it is almost like a game, trying to constantly better myself. Now that I can already see the improvement at just 65 miles into a tank I really do feel bad about even tapping the gas while going up a hill. I like calculating and thinking about when is a good time to pulse so I can glide over the hill and see how far I can glide. I do not plan on getting a scan guage because my 86 gti cannot use it sadly, so i dont want to waste the money even though it is worthwhile.
My garage has all of the techniques and things I am doing so i feel it is uneeded to express them all here right now.

If anyone can give me tips or a link to the pulse and glide technique that would be great.

[theholycow]

The ScanGauge is still a good investment as long as you plan to keep your '97, and don't forget that it can be used on any post-1996 car you get in the future too (well, until they change the standard).

Pulse & Glide tip: Pulse uphill, glide down. It runs your engine more efficiently, and keeps your speed more steady. The engine is burning more fuel, true, but it's producing more work, more efficiently. Keeping your speed steady not only is less annoying to you and other drivers, but it reduces the total amount of energy lost to aerodynamic drag, which goes up as a square of speed rather than directly proportional to speed.

I am scared to turn off car and glide, I will get into it soon it is just that vws have a wheel lock idea so i cannot turn if key is turned fully off

That's called EOC (Engine Off Coasting). I wouldn't want to encourage it for someone who isn't ready, nor for someone who doesn't have a few hundred thousand miles of normal driving experience (which I'd guess you don't, based on your age), but I can answer the technical question: You only keep the key turned to "Off" long enough to kill the engine, then turn it back to "On" but not all the way to "Start". Some habitual EOCers install a kill button so that they do not have to operate the key.

[ihatemybike]

Just viewed your gas log, don't draft trucks close. Several weeks and hundred of miles has shown me that my mileage improves the most about 2.5-3 seconds back (roughly 250 feet). Plenty of stopping distance and you don't irritate the truck driver.

[bodhi_tree777]

[QUOTE=MattySull;112468]Hi guys,

I want. I currently have an older 1986 gti i am working on which will get the mpg mods fresh out the gate. I am replacing many mechanical parts to make it as reliable as I can. After all it is a vw that is 1 year older than me.

[QUOTE]

hey man, I'm also about to begin a l'il VW restoration project on a 90 golf wolfsburg. it last ran about 2 years ago getting 32-33 mpgs but i plan on giving this thing a serious overhaul with an eye towards efficiency. I'd be curious to hear updates on your gti to see what works for you and what doesn't.

[GasSavers_Lincoln]

It is nice to see another Mk3 VW.
I was beginning to think I was the only one.

[MattySull]

Originally Posted by Lincoln

It is nice to see another Mk3 VW.
I was beginning to think I was the only one.

It is nice to see other vws. How is the tall 5th gear treating you?

I am going to put a taller 5th on my 86 gti.

Can anyone tell me if the eoc is bad for your starter or engine. I am gettin good at the clutch starting while rolling but I feel like it harms the engine or it should.
Any insight?

On another note I really think that I may get a little better mpg than 40 maybe 40-42ish. I kinda hope I dont hit it but get close, say 39 or 38 so that I can push to get the 40.

[theholycow]

My 2008 needs a far taller 5th. What use is it on the highway when it's fine for cruising at 25mph and lively above 40mph? I'm buzzing along at 3000rpm like a Honda, but I've got torque like a Chevy.

What's your technique for clutch starting (often referred to as "bump starting")? Another user here, I think PaleMelanesian, has perfected the technique and its description. Basically you just put it in 5th, give the clutch a quick pulse up and then back down without actually fully engaging the clutch, and that's enough to kick the engine over a few revolutions to make it catch. When I do it, it gets the engine halfway up to idle, at which point the engine catches and spins up. Then I rev-match and let the clutch out again (I never have to shift to a lower gear, as described above).

[MattySull]

So I filled up my tank on friday and last tank I got 39.1 mpg!!
It was mostly city driving!
Very nice considering I normally get 32-34.

I am glad I didn not hit 40mpg, because now I still have a goal to shoot for.

Thanks for all the tips guys.

My current tank will be mosty highway driving so we will see what I get. I have a feeling it is going to be less that 39 for some reason.