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I had a 1992 Ford Ranger with a broken gas gauge. As a result of the broken gauge I used the Trip OD in place of the fuel gauge and got in the habit of filling every 300 miles or less. The Ranger's range was perhaps 350 miles so filling at 300 miles was prudent.

Now I realize that my hybrid can go 3 times as far as the Ranger on one tank of gas but it still makes me nervous to let the trip meter go much over 300 so I usually fill the hybrid after 300 miles. Ole RJ has suggested that a longer tank would be harder because it would require a prolonged effort and in a way I agree. With that in mind I'm gonna let this tank get up around 900 miles or so before filling.

So far so good.....

http://www.greenhybrid.com/share/files/5/7/8/85.1mpg.jpg

85.1 & 406.4/ Looks like you can do it. :bananajump:

Go Big-Dog. :D

tiger

Stay after it lakedude!

Hi Lakedude:

___No problem ;)

___Longer tanks mean less time and waste heading to the gas station although you will have to carry around a few more gallons of fuel for a greater period. I would suggest a top off as RJ has seen a 16 gallon cap on the non-PZEV versions. Doing the math and you should see maybe 1,400 + miles?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Wait until the gas light comes on. That means there is still another gallon and a half or so. In theory you could probably go another 100 miles when the light goes on.

Don't worry about having one or no bars of fuel, thats just the signal to get gas sometime in the next trip or two ;) The car can go well into empty without running out.

At your current rate you will probably get over 1025 miles on this tank.

I think I read somewhere that you can go about 9 hours after the add fuel thingy goes off. Where did I read that? Um I think it was for a HCH but then again maybe it is for that other hybrid, I keep forgetting the name, Yaris or something.

Go LD!:xena_banana:

Lakedude you're amazing. I remember when you first posted at GH about the accomplishment with your Vette before you had your HCH and knew you were someone special.

You make me really really really really really really really wish I had a MT!

-Steve

Thanks for the encouragement! Topping off makes me nervous. I won't do it unless I understand that whole vapor recovery thing better, to be sure when it is safe.

Thanks Tom for the heads up on the fuel gauge/gas light. I'll fill up a little after the light comes on....

Lakedude you're amazing. I remember when you first posted at GH about the accomplishment with your Vette before you had your HCH and knew you were someone special.

You make me really really really really really really really wish I had a MT!

-Steve

Steve,

So what are you trying to say to lakedude? You Want or Wish you had a What? MT, does that stand for Motor Trend? :Banane13:
tiger

HG

I've learned a lot since those early days, mostly from the very folks responding to this thread. Thanks guys! I'm very happy with the mileage from the Honda but I'm still no Wayne or Dan, those guys are amazing! Just when my head is getting a little big Wayne or Dan will post a pic that just makes me sick and shrinks the old head back to normal size.

I am flattered that youse guys are lumping me in with Wayne, but at HF2006, Wayne clearly separated himself from the pack, leaving me in the dust. I hope you don't mind if I lump myself in with you HCH guys, after all I am driving the original HCH-0 (Honda Civic Hatchback with lean burn VTEC-E and 12V PbA battery pack). So far this tank, 200 miles, 75.x MPG. :D

I am flattered that youse guys are lumping me in with Wayne, but at HF2006, Wayne clearly separated himself from the pack, leaving me in the dust. I hope you don't mind if I lump myself in with you HCH guys, after all I am driving the original HCH-0 (Honda Civic Hatchback with lean burn VTEC-E and 12V PbA battery pack). So far this tank, 200 miles, 75.x MPG. :D

Well I was happy that I did a 55 mpg, 42 mile segment today in my EX.

Big head spattered all over the place. :rolleyes:

Today was pretty good except that the road I normally travel is GONE!! Looks like road construction is going to be the norm for the remainder of the tank.

While it looks like I picked up a tick to 85.5 I'm still "only" at 84.7 measured at the RTP (Round Trip Point). My house is at the bottom of a big ole hill that must be climbed to get gas. 85.5 is not really where this tank sits....Still it makes for a nice pic...

http://www.greenhybrid.com/share/files/5/7/8/85.5after505.jpg

Coasted by some important bottom of the hill stop lights and didn't get slowed down too much by road construction. Offically picked up the tick, 85.1 at the RTP. Thank you stop light gods....

http://www.greenhybrid.com/share/files/5/7/8/85.1atRTP.jpg

so on your way home and on your way to work you get downhills all the way? lucky!

No silly not down hill both ways (I wish!). There are a several major hills and a couple have stoplights at the worst possible spot. It makes a huge difference in mpg if I get lucky and don't hafta stop.

Lakedude, I just look at your mpg and I'm flabbergasted! :eek: Here I am, just hoping and trying to break 60 on this tank (I've gotten it up to 55.7 after 200 miles. my overall mpg always climbs as the tank gets lower.) and here you come with your HCH-0 and blow the doors off!!! Keep on going, I need the inspiration. :woot: Between yourself and Krousdb and the VX, I'm wondering if the MT version of the '06 may have been the way to go after all...

I'm wondering if the MT version of the '06 may have been the way to go after all...

If only they made one! The only way to get a '06 Civic Hybrid is with your CVT.

Lakedude, I just look at your mpg and I'm flabbergasted! :eek: Here I am, just hoping and trying to break 60 on this tank (I've gotten it up to 55.7 after 200 miles. my overall mpg always climbs as the tank gets lower.) and here you come with your HCH-0 and blow the doors off!!! Keep on going, I need the inspiration. :woot: Between yourself and Krousdb and the VX, I'm wondering if the MT version of the '06 may have been the way to go after all...
Thanks, I'm really not that good. Two people are way ahead of me over at GH. RJ is doing a bang up job with his MT. As has been mentioned the MT was only available in the "gen zero" as you put it.

Keep in mind that I've been hypermileing (getting progressively more serious) since 1997 and that we serious hypermilers go to lenghts most drivers would consider crazy.

A few examples:

It has been at or near 100 everyday for weeks and I don't use the AC at all.

On the way home at night around midnight (no traffic) I slow down to 20mpg at hill crests (DWL) on a 5 lane highway with a speed limit of 55mph.

My car is off nearly as much as it is on because I FAS all the time as the SOC allows.

lakedude,

85mpg is impressive, esp. in a Civic! ;)

lakedude,

85mpg is impressive, esp. in a Civic! ;)
Thanks, the 85 figure may be displayed but the pump will in all likelyhood be closer to 80 even. I'll be posting the calculated figure in the database, not the displayed figure.

Got screwed by the wind and the stop lights so I lost a tic:

http://www.greenhybrid.com/share/files/5/7/8/604MILES.JPG

unbelievieable how many extra miles you get when you pass a certain mpg number........

those are numbers I dream of myself.

lets play guess the miles for the tank. I say 1200

Today was great, got back the tick I lost plus an extra on to boot.

85.5 at RTP!

http://www.greenhybrid.com/share/files/5/7/8/661MILES.JPG

If lakedude goes the whole tank, I'll predict 1050 total miles.

Warning: Question from someone who is uninformed. How big is the tank he is using?

13ish gallons

What is the conversion factor from "ish" to gallons? :p

13+rand(10)/10

I would say 1180 miles if you let it go bone dry. Since that's not a wise thing to do, I'll say between 1170 and 1175 miles.

I'm planning on filling fairly soon after the fuel lamp comes on.....I'm guessing around 1000 even....Remember I didn't "overfill" at the beginning of the tank.

Of course guessing low is unfair because I control when I refill the tank.

It is hilly were I live and I'd hate to be going up a hill (which could cause the gas in the tank to shift away from the pickup) and be suddenly out of gas.


Has anyone run out of gas?
Will a gallon get the car going again?
I ran out gas in an early fuel model and something about it made it not want to start again after it ran out of gas. It took several gallons to get the car to run again which required several walks to the gas station. Anybody know why a single gallon would fail to get a car running again?

A gallon used to get me going in the early to mid '80's but then again it was with cars like a '71 AMC Hornet, a '74 Hornet, and a '76 Pacer.:D Don't know what it would take today though.

man just be happy with 1000 miles!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :P

Update

85.9 mpg displayed after 850 or so miles....4 bars of gas left.

Hi Lakedude:

___4 bars is an easy 150 miles + some reserve. I wouldn’t even sweat it.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Thanks xcel, Hope you are doing alright. Get well soon, don't over do it!

The latest:

890 miles with 3 bars.......at 85.9mpg. Going to town now to return a video...900 trip is in my sights...

UghtOh down to only 2 bars of gas at 917 miles!!!

The good news is I picked up a tick to 86.2 displayed at the RTP thanks to a quick round trip to town. I normally suffer a wind disadvantage and a cool down in between trips to and from work. By making a quick round trip there was no time for cool down and no time for the wind to screw me. I had been losing ground on 85.9 but 86.2 is now solid.

How far is 2 bars of gas going to get me?

Strange major re-cal screwed me up today. The display showed 2/3rds charged but my car died completely in the middle of the road just after a long FAS. It wouldn't re-start after the FAS. The gauges started flashing and the FE display disappeared. The display went from 2/3rds to completely dead in a few seconds. I was going to try to push start the car but I think the 12V system kicked in and the car finally started after about 10 tries. The car then acted normal and charged itself up but I lost a tick to the charging.

Currently 85.9 mpg at just under 950 miles with 3 bars of gas left?? Yesterday was only 2 bars??

That's not the first time I've heard of a HCH-I just dying on the road for no apparent reason. There have been a few posts at GH about that in the last month or two.

1000 miles, 89.5 mpg running on empty, gas warning on.

http://www.greenhybrid.com/share/files/5/7/8/1000miles.jpg

Congrats! :Banane35:

Thanks!

I lost another tick due to some in town driving. Final results for the tank:

17,351od, 1005.4 miles trip, 85.5mpg displayed, 65.8mpg lifetime displayed, 12.297 gal, $35.89, $2.919/gal, 81.76mpg calculated, personal record distance.

With a fillup of 12.297gal how much gas was left?

Hi Lakedude:

___I would be guessing but from a std. first click, maybe .6 gallons was still left in the tank? Nice finish for your personal best and I cannot wait to see what you do next w/ one of the 16 gallon monster fills sometime in the future (hint – hint ;)). I bet it gets even better as you push even harder for that one!

___Congratulations on your best tank ever. It was along time coming and you most certainly deserve the recognition for the work as I know how hard it was pushing day after day after day as you kept us up to date with your progress.

___Good Luck and thank you for not giving up.

___Wayne

Thanks Wayne but any kind of fancy record is going to wait till next year. That last tank stressed me out a bit. I was very nervous about running out of gas and that crazy mega re-cal really didn't help my blood pressure one bit! Also the weather is going to get cold soon so a mega tank would be much better at the beginning of next summer.

BTW the car is acting completly normal after that non-start re-cal. As soon as the car gave up on trying to start with a dead main pack the 12V system kicked in and the car started right away. It was horrible to watch the main pack go from 2/3rds charged to completely drained in under a minute!

Do you think the car has a problem or I'm I just too much of a FAS-master?

Lakedude, I'm guessing you had a little over a gallon left.

time to buy yourself one of those portable jump starters just in case lakedude so you can fas without worry ;)

heck even another fresh battery on board! congrats man 1000 miles... man what a nice number in real world conditions....