More Questions than Answers

[BearDog1957]

Hey There.

Glad I found this place. Lots of cool ideas that let me start saving right away. Got a question. Hoping someone might share some insight.

99 Toyota Camry 4 cylinder with 157000 miles. 130 mile round trip daily commute. All types of driving conditions, gravel roads, two lane, four lane, a few miles of city driving, but mostly just me and the highway. Averaging over 35 mpg.

First realization was not to run the defroster unless absolutely necessary. It kicks in the air conditioner compressor. Ugh!

Second realization was that coasting without the fan on high adds about 50 rpm versus coasting with the fan on high. That's got me wondering if there might be something mechanically at issue here. Thoughts please.

[jwxr7]

Welcome to the site! What kind of transmission does your toyota have?

[BearDog1957]

Automatic 3 speed, I think.

[jwxr7]

Second realization was that coasting without the fan on high adds about 50 rpm versus coasting with the fan on high. That's got me wondering if there might be something mechanically at issue here. Thoughts please.

That may have something to do with alternator loading by the fan. The fan draws extra current causing the alternator to resist spinning more, thus slowing the engine .

[Bill in Houston]

jwxr7, that is my hunch as well.

[CO ZX2]

I think all of us here have more questions than answers, we just don't know it yet. Welcome to GasSavers.

Others could probably help easier if you would post your garage info and gaslog.

[BearDog1957]

Thanks. I just wanted to be sure. That fits with something I read on another post. Basically it said to run the fan all you want, it won't reduce FE. I'm a firm believer in good maintenance and common sense.

Something I didn't mention was that I coast in neutral with the engine on. At 65 mph, rpm goes from 2400 down to 800 or so, and then back again when I shift into drive. I have several long downhill coasts where momentum takes me up to about 75 mph. I was doing engine of coasting in neutral, but decided to stop doing that for several reasons. When I turn the car off power steering quits, turn signals don't work, day time running lights go off, etc. Also, I have some concerns about transmission lubrication. From what I've been reading here, better safe than sorry. I can't afford to cause a major repair to get a few more miles out of a tank of gas. I'm crossing my fingers that coasting in neutral engine on is relatively safe.

[BearDog1957]

To CO ZX2

Okay. thx

[BearDog1957]

I've added my car to the garage and have gas logs going back through March of this year. I can't find anything in the car's manual about vehicle weight.

[ffvben]

if you were to take off your alternator belt, Eng off, turn the alternator pulley by hand, it would turn with ease. turn on all lights and blower on high, its real hard to turn the alternator pulley, lots of loads makes it harder to turn.

cars weight would be on the sticker on the drivers door opening, it may list front axel/rear and total weight(gvw)