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just wanted to say whats up to everyone on the board-

i'm a beginner hypermiler i guess you could say...i mostly just do close drafting to semi trucks, trying to keep it at >70mph on the highway, staying out of boost and driving without brakes in the city

i can't believe the **** i get on the road for not driving 85mph like everyone else...it's stressful trying to save gas:rolleyes: and i just love how people accelerate towards red lights, swerving around me because i want to coast through to hit green...and they get stuck at the light while i cruise by haha

i drive a 05 Impreza WRX STi, with some nice heavy 18x8 rotas:rolleyes: that can't be helping my MPGs, Cobb catless TBE@stage II for mods

i had a hell of a time trying to get some decent gas mileage out of this car...went from around 20MPG HWY, then to 24, and now at 27MPG when i keep my speed in check on the highway (85% of my driving) i couldn't believe the difference dropping 5-10mph on the highway had on my fuel economy...although i don't always have the patience to deal with people acting like idiots around me because of my 'slow' driving

my highway commutes were around 120 miles round trip 2-4 times/week, and 300 miles round trip once/month...which was killing me with a car that sucks down 93 like a thirsty bum with a bottle of MD 20/20...thank god for coming home for summer to stay with the parents and being closer to my 'work'

anyone know about the DCCD and if adjusting it all the way back (green) will offer any better gas mileage? or anyone tried using a hydrogen/oxygen generator on your subaru?


-Adam

Welcome!

Have you read "Beating the EPA" available on the homepage? It is an excellent intro.

27MPG in an STi is good, but slowing down to 60-65mph and backing off the drafting is much better as it'll give close to the same FE while significantly increasing your life expectancy.

We want to save gas, but not at the cost of losing a life.

Other than that, pump up your tires, poke around, and welcome to hypermiling.

Best,
Marc

Welcome to CMPG,
i couldn't believe the difference dropping 5-10mph on the highway had on my fuel economyKeep spreading the word about this little hidden gem. If more people did this it would make a HUGE difference.

Hello and welcome to the club. as stated above you should start with this article, "Beating the EPA" (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1510) if you haven't already read through it.

Also, make sure your tires are aired up to the maximum pressure indicated on the tire’s sidewall.

thanks for the link...i had scanned through that article, now going back to read some of the 'advanced' techniques

i'm not that bad with my drafting...i keep a somewhat safe distance when behind semi trucks-

not as much distance as i would give a car on the highway since i'm very weary of getting close to cars and keep at least several seconds behind (cars that is) just because most drive very erratically on the highway

and i always back off if the truck driver doesn't approve with what i'm doing...but for the most part i find they don't mind as i try to ride the ridge of the road and they can see me in their mirrors

If you can already get to 27mpg, you should be able to get to 30 pretty easily if you start doing pulse and glide. I know, it sounds dumb and also sounds like it wouldn't work. But whatever speed you're driving at down the freeway now, try going up to 5mph higher than that, put the car in neutral and coast down to 5mph lower, and then repeat. When you accelerate don't floor it, try and stay out of the boost. This works the best if you have your tires aired up to their max sidewall pressure.

I had a tank at 37mpg doing just that, but I was going from 60mph to 50mph over and over, also I don't have 18in tires, and I've just got the 2.0 wrx motor.

Doesn't driving an STI automatically make you look like you're going faster? Those things look like they're speeding even when they're parked. But I guess the motorists on your highways don't particularly agree.

I have to throw my lot in: close drafting is bad news. You won't even have a chance to regret trying to save gas if you rear-end a semi and end up crushed by your engine. Back off to a safer distance for diminished FE but a longer lifespan.

And even though most of your driving is highway, don't overlook city driving techniques to keep from wasting gas unnecessarily when you get caught in traffic. Cut the engine at long lights (ones that you are familiar with and can predict), and familiarize yourself with DWB and DWL.

Or when (not "if") a truck throws an alligator across your
windshield...
.
_H*

Or when you have a fuel tanker cut you off before slamming on the brakes at a stoplight.

Happened today. Tanker weaved around me coming to a light and if I hadn't backed off when he did, I would've been a news story instead of stopping 2' away. On the plus side, the 1-800-complain number was REAL easy to see.

Hi! In another Subaru owner's topic I posted this - [Hi! I grew up in a Subaru family before the Awd came in and it was
"Flip on the fly, four wheel drive!" Anyway in the Awd Subaru's there is a fuse in the upper left area of the engine compartment that if it is taken out makes your car only front wheel drive. (I have never owned an Awd Subaru so this is more anectodal allthough I have seen the fuse) I would see a 4 or 5 mile increase when I wasn't using 4 wheel drive in my old Subarus. Good luck.]

I would really like to know if pulling this fuse makes the difference. Some of the taxicabs here in Anchorage are Subarus and ever since they were put on there are some drivers taking the fuse out for summer driving and putting it back in when it was winter.

Good luck!

Hi Frozenroadrunner:

___Sounds like an interesting tip for the Subie owners that are stuck w/ AWD. Have you looked into or heard about any other safety functions that may be disabled or limited without the fuse installed?

___TheProphet, I suspect you will be a lot closer to 35 before the moth is out of you are going to really push it. I have the feeling a WRX will glide like the wind once she is setup ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

The best I could find was this - (Actually the person had a problem that they were hoping going to FWD would fix)

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Auto-Parts-3319/2008/1/disconnect-wheel-drive-Subaru.htm
"By removing the fuse and effectively disabling the AWD (yes, it is that simple), the vehicle will ONLY function in the FWD mode. Removing the fuse however, only disconnects the rear axle-to-hub locks. This disconnects the rear drive wheels from the axle assembly which is what is receiving the power output from the transmission. The axle assembly will still be fed with power from the output side of the transfer case/transaxle assembly. So the drivetrain is still engaged but the wheels won't be"

I really don't know if the fuse would make a difference or not. It seems like it would since there is no power to the rear wheels and it would act as if the rear was in "neutral".

Frozen - The fuse trick only works with subies with automatic transmission. I'm not sure if you mentioned that.

Prophet - Welcome to the club. Listen to Bomber, he's getting some wild mileage with his bugeye WRX. He's my new hero. I've been on here for a few weeks now, and my best mileage on my stock WRX is almost 34 mpg. I tried pulse and glide and it actually dropped my mileage... I was probably doing it wrong though. Have you bumped your tire pressure up to the max for the tire? Once you do that, the car will seem to coast forever below 40 mph.

Have fun and drive safe.

Nice car by the way.

Ken

Ken, thanks, I didn't know about the auto tran vs man on the Subaru's. I am real interested in anything you are able to get with these. Oh yeah, I agree, Awsome care Phophet!

WOOT WOOT ! we need a subaru subsection ( if im allowed to sneek in :) )

alright, i've been trying to learn the P&G thing...but i haven't done enough hwy driving to notice a big difference as of yet...only a few trips

it reminded me of a thread on another car forum where the question of idling in neutral v. decelerating in gear and what effect it had on gas mileage (as in when coming to a stop, not moving though)- thinking of that thread made me wonder about P&G driving bomber991 was talking about...like you said man, it sounds like it wouldn't work.

i'll try the pulse and glide thing with a 300 mile hwy trip i have coming up soon...i know just by staying out of boost i can do 30mpg no doubt (last time i got 27mpg i was still beating on the car a little) with how i've been driving on the highway, hopefully i can get a few more MPGs from P&G

my car seems to slow down really quick though when 'gliding'...i guess it's just the fact that its full time AWD

i guess theres always RWD conversion and what is it...a R-200(?) rear end that i'd have to swap to handle the HP...it would be nice ust to be able to swap back and fourth

____


for you subaru owners-

do you guys every take your car off-road? i've owned a few 4x4's and have always loved off-roading...so it wasn't long before i had to test out the capabilities of my car like i would any other vehicle...
my STi has been through some serious terrain and i've been lucky with not breaking anything serious yet...only a few scratches and broken air dam

i think this topic deserves it's own thread though...

In my younger days I used to do some very spirited dirt road driving with my first WRX and quite a few auto-x, rally-x, and TSD rallies also... now that I've kids, I don't have the time or money to do that though.

anyone know about the DCCD and if adjusting it all the way back (green) will offer any better gas mileage? -Adam

Yes, setting the center diff to manual/ full open will prevent the clutch pack from transferring any additional power to the front beyond the default 65r/35f torqe split. Most have experienced better fuel economy in this setting.

Yes, setting the center diff to manual/ full open will prevent the clutch pack from transferring any additional power to the front beyond the default 65r/35f torqe split. Most have experienced better fuel economy in this setting.

i've been driving with the DCCD in the full rear posititon, mostly just because i like the way it behaves more like a RWD car on the street/off road...i suspected it might offer some kind of better fuel economy without the center diff doing its thing in AUTO mode while turning, accelerating, ect.

good to know it is known to help fuel economy, especially in city driving i would think...



______


it seems my mom just bought a 2008 KIA Sportage 4cyl/FWD a few hours ago...i think it's rated at 25 MPG HWY....hmmmm, i think i can beat that:D

i'm driving her car on my nice long HWY trip i have next week...i think that car can do 30+MPG with just a few little things. i'm anxious to see what i can pull out of it...especially with the way the new EPA ratings are lower than they were. i foresee maybe even 35 mpg with my slow driving!

either way it's cheaper to do the 300 mile round trip w/a car that will get 30MPG on 87 octane than my 27 or so MPG i'm getting now with 93 octane in the subaru

Dang, I am starting to feel like a crappy hypermiler with all kinds of Imprezas either matching my FE or beating it.

Although, in my defense, my engine is only now fully broken in, and my mileage is starting to increase.

Dang, I am starting to feel like a crappy hypermiler with all kinds of Imprezas either matching my FE or beating it.

Although, in my defense, my engine is only now fully broken in, and my mileage is starting to increase.

yea, if the engine is not broken in it you won't get the best MPG

it took me 1000+ miles to start getting better FE with my previous new cars i had before the subaru (which i got used)

to get 27 mpg in the subaru, it was mostly HWY and i was drafting too close to semis...