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View Full Version : 1998 Honda Accord LX 4cyl automatic - highway commute


run2w8s
08-03-2007, 10:20 PM
Have enjoyed reading folks advice on this forum. Have been getting around 30mpg overall in my AUTOMATIC 1998 Accord and looking to make improvements. Have ordered but not received the Scan Gauge II.

Tried a bit of FASing for the first time today and enjoyed it. It is surprising how far it will coast in neutral. Steering sure is heavy with engine off. Perhaps leaving it idling in neutral while gliding would be a good compromise for good steering/AC operation/quick shift to drive for emergency accelleration vs fuel used at idle? Have been "cycling" the AC On/Off. Leaving it on recirculate the whole time and turning the AC compressor off when going uphill. At max sidewall pressure of 35psi. Have 125,000 on it now and had the transmission rebuilt by an independant shop at 90,000 miles.

added: Commute 3 days a week for 40 miles each way. 35.5 miles is currently highway with mostly 55 and some 60 mph speed limits. Could eliminate much of the highway travel if desireable. Currently use Highway 40 from Lake Saint Louis area to Downtown St. Louis.

Looking for advice about what I'm doing now and can do in the future.

psyshack
08-03-2007, 11:41 PM
Welcome....

Keep the speeds down. Load drive. Get rid of the AC use if you can. There is more mpg in your Accord.

psy

mistyz23
08-09-2007, 10:54 AM
Ahhh, my long lost love! I just sold my 98 Accord for the HCHII and I still miss it from time to time. They're amazing cars. I sold it with 220,000 miles and much left to give. I'm interested to see the mileage you are able to pull with a couple of adjustments. I wish I could give some info too, but I'm still a total newbie. :Banane07:

desdemona
08-10-2007, 10:05 PM
My mom has an Accord, which is great fun to drive. I am a newbie at this but have been getting quite a bit better mileage from hypermiling-- though the Corolla is no slouch in the mpg dept. The SG is fun-- I've been using it about a week.

I haven't been able to turn off the a/c this summer (esp. coming into my parked car after all day in the summer!!), but my mileage.

--des

run2w8s
08-11-2007, 10:01 PM
Got 36mpg over the last 300 miles. Anybody out there know (for sure) if I'll hurt my transmission by coasting in neutral with engine off? What about coasting in neutral with engine idling? Should receive the Scangauge soon.

xcel
08-12-2007, 07:17 PM
Hi Run2w8s:

___What does your owners manual say about flat towing (all 4 wheels on the ground)? That should be most of what you need.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

run2w8s
08-13-2007, 01:56 PM
Here is what the owner's manual says about towing with the front wheels on the ground:

If your vehicle must be towed with the front wheels on the ground, do the following for an
Automatic Transmission:

Release the parking brake,
start the engine,
shift to D4, then to N,
turn off the engine.

Improper towing preparation will damage the transmission. Follow the above procedure exactly. If you cannot shift the transmission or start the engine, your vehicle must be transported with the front wheels off the ground.

With the front wheels on the ground, it is best to tow the vehicle no farther than 50 miles,and keep the speed below 35 mph.

If you decide to tow your vehicle with all four wheels on the ground, Prepare the vehicle for towing as described above.

It would be interesting to see if the newer generation owner's manual is worded similiarly.

JP

xcel
08-13-2007, 02:28 PM
Hi Run2w8s:

___It is and you are good to go.

___Please do not begin FAS’ing in heavy traffic as there are some caveats that need to be adhered too and the technique is best learned out on a back country road with no traffic until it becomes second nature. The last thing we need is to have you ICE-Off when a panic situation arises and your mindset has not yet adjusted to the realities of ICE-Off gliding :( You do know about limited amount of brake uses before power brake loss, PS going away plus wear if the re-engagement is not handled as gently as possible, correct?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

run2w8s
08-13-2007, 05:28 PM
Thanks for all the replies everyone.

Wonder if the 98 Accord does "fuel-cut" while coasting in Drive? If it does, the better technique (vs nICE-on) for coming to a stop at the bottom of a hill should be to coast ICE-on in drive because it uses no fuel and saves brake pad wear? (expect Scangauge will incorrectly show worse milage with fuel-cut than N-ICE.)

Should the key be immediately turned back to IGN-II after powering off to IGN-I while FASing? If not, why and how long should I wait?

antrey
01-03-2008, 03:23 PM
I just bought a 99 Accord LX 4cyl auto last week and my scan gauge II is on its way. I hope to be able to share tips, techniques, and experiences with you! How do you currently have your Scan Gauge II calibrated for your Accord? That info would sure give me a head start on getting accurate tanks.

shifty35
01-04-2008, 07:46 AM
The key should immediately turned back to IGN2 after killing the engine. Some important safety systems such as airbags may not deploy if the ignition is turned off.

koreberg
01-04-2008, 01:31 PM
How soon after ign1 can you turn back to ign2? i've been waiting til my speedo goes to 0 but it seems like a lose almost 1/10th of a mile doing that.

Blake
01-04-2008, 01:42 PM
Shift to neutral, let the idel stabilize, key off and back on. Probably less than half a second of off time.

antrey
01-04-2008, 06:06 PM
My focus requires key off time of more than 2 seconds so the engine doesn't restart. The Accord seems to require less than 1 second.

run2w8s
01-05-2008, 10:43 PM
I just bought a 99 Accord LX 4cyl auto last week and my scan gauge II is on its way. I hope to be able to share tips, techniques, and experiences with you! How do you currently have your Scan Gauge II calibrated for your Accord? That info would sure give me a head start on getting accurate tanks.

It seems I have to adjust the gallons used each time I fill up. It is -5.2 at the moment. Speed seems to need no adjustment as it is the same as the GPS unit.

PS:

There are times that I try to restart after a high-speed pulse and glide and find that the car is already running. Pretty sure I don't forget to turn the key off, perhaps the engine is restarting because I do the key off/on sequence too fast?

xcel
01-05-2008, 10:54 PM
Hi Run2w8s:
There are times that I try to restart after a high-speed pulse and glide and find that the car is already running. Pretty sure I don't forget to turn the key off, perhaps the engine is restarting because I do the key off/on sequence too fast?___That happens and you will get the hang of how long your particular vehicle needs to be held with IG-Off before bringing back to IG-II so that the ICE does not spin back up again. If you can, watch the tach. Before long, you will have it down pat and it will happen rarely afterwards.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

antrey
01-05-2008, 11:52 PM
It seems I have to adjust the gallons used each time I fill up. It is -5.2 at the moment. Speed seems to need no adjustment as it is the same as the GPS unit.

PS:

There are times that I try to restart after a high-speed pulse and glide and find that the car is already running. Pretty sure I don't forget to turn the key off, perhaps the engine is restarting because I do the key off/on sequence too fast?

In the Focus it was key off - 1 Mississippi 2 Mississippi 3 Mississippi - key on. In the Accord its key off - 1 Mississippi -key on. It took me a while to get it in the Focus since the delay required is long and I often found myself having to do a second key off when I saw the revs shoot back up to idle. In the Accord its happened only once when the sequence was done in maybe 0.5 seconds. The trip gauge is showing slightly fewer miles than the cars odometer so it seems the speed may need a bit of adjusting in my case. I'll have to verify with mile markers.



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