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Here it is, my 1991 Mitubishi Mirage, or you can call it the plymouth colt, or the dodge colt, or the eagle summit, all the same car really. it is the slowest car in Minnesota! (edit...second slowest actually, Sean called me on that, and proved it quite well with a little cruise in his insight hybrid :D) and it is just barely a car too! feels more like a go kart with a shell. it also makes lots of scary noises too! but it sure can get great mileage... as long as i don't go over 50 mph and pulse and glide a lot... ;)

3 month challenge
http://tinyurl.com/5nn7f5


http://tinyurl.com/6aqzuk

http://www.cleanmpg.com/garage/images/cha1853.png


MPG accomplishments so far...

just about 50 mpg average since i first started logging mileage a year ago. should be over 50 after this next tank.

winner of the fall 08 cleanMPG fe run B division 1708.7 miles on 29.21 gallons for 58.5 mpg and 194.99 % epa.

Best tank 605.4 miles on 9.46 gallons for 63.99 mpg (probably a short fill, more like 60 probably. i am now careful to top off good to avoid that problem)

MPG Goals...

Keep it running without spending too much money :o

Get my MPGuino installed

finishing above 200% epa in the cleanMPG summer fe challenge and avoiding another last place showing in the A division

getting 60+ mpg tanks

here are the pics!:rolleyes:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/sultanofslow1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/sultanofslow2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/sultanofslow8.jpg


my sunpro tach and gauges

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/sultanofslow6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/sultanofslow3.jpg

the evil electric motorized seatbelt! because us silly americans are too lazy to reach up and pull it down ourselves I guess!:rolleyes: thanks Mitsubishi!:rolleyes:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/sultanofslow7.jpg

Actually i think those silly seatbelts were a government mandated item IIRC
I had a 1990 Summit. I loved that little thing! Only bad thing was it was an automatic, but it still got almost 40mpg. It was black with gray interior and looked great. It was my wifes DD for years, and was very reliable. Great car!!

I also had an 89....I got like 40 all the time

Hey, Michael -- good pics!

I have to dispute the "slowest car in MN" though... ;)

Hey, Michael -- good pics!

I have to dispute the "slowest car in MN" though... ;)

Sean, what's the max speed on your current tank in Blue Swayed?:confused::p

43mph. ;)

Hey, Michael -- good pics!

I have to dispute the "slowest car in MN" though... ;)


mmmmmmmm:eyebrow: mabye....I would say you have the most efficient car.
i am pretty slow though hehe, that little jaunt to walmart doesnt count, i was in a hurry hoping to be able to get that ifcd in before dark!:p:p:p

MPG Goals...

Keep it running without spending too much money :o

Get my MPGuino installed


Hey Michael

You picked up a MPGuino? ! Cool.

if your OK splicing into a wire or 2 (4 wires) install is actually not to bad, hardest part is figuring how you want to Mount it.
for wireing the hardest thing to find the speed sensor wire, your service manual should list that.

let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

Hey Michael

You picked up a MPGuino? ! Cool.

if your OK splicing into a wire or 2 (4 wires) install is actually not to bad, hardest part is figuring how you want to Mount it.
for wireing the hardest thing to find the speed sensor wire, your service manual should list that.

let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

Hi Allen

I was at Seans and he found out what wire it was, but we couldnt find the ECU because I forgot my service manual :rolleyes: and we didnt know where to look.
when i got home i took a look and found where it was, then looked and found the wire right away, it is the white and yellow.
the mpguino is at seans still so we will give it a try, but if we get stumped, i will have you look at it! thanks :flag:

here it is.....

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/yellowwhitewire.jpg

Actually i think those silly seatbelts were a government mandated item IIRC


hmmmm another case for less government in business? :D :p thanks Blackbelt!:flag:

Sounds like your set for wiring.

Here is how I spliced in my wires, found these at radio shack.
I liked the fact i then did not have to cut any wires.
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/wire_tap.JPG

your going to really like the MPGuino.
since it doesn't need to query the ECU it is Very quick.

But then.... since it doesn't query the ECU it also can't report things like Temp, Load, Volts. after getting my MPGuino setup i thought I would let my Wife try the Scangauge, but I just don't want to give up the Temp and Load dispaly...

Note on the setup of the MPGuino. you need to do a calibration tank just like Scangauge. once setup it will hold the settings even if power is cut.

Important! It looses all trip data (tank and current) when power is cut, so do NOT allow power to be cut until you have it calibrated OR you loose your tank data for calibration and need to start the calibration process over.

Cool! I mainly just want it for mpg purposes, my sunpro gauges monitor volts, temp, etc great. what do you mean by cutting power? like disconnecting the battery?

Yep, if it looses power it looses trip data.
so make sure you hook it to a power line that is always Hot, and not a power line that is only hot when the car is on.

the MPGuino needs power ALL the time to keep it's trip data.

Uh oh I disconnect the battery whenI am not using car for a few days, cuz it has a short somewhere that will completely discharge the battery in a couple of weeks if i am not driving it!:rolleyes:

I hope i get the right power line hooked up, because I try to keep the car off as much as possible. I suppose there is tests for that ;)

I used the power for the dome light, they have power even if the car is off.
test... hmmm.... I used a volt meter.....

If you use somthing that you can tell is on (like the dome light) when the car is off, unplug the wire, if the light or what ever goes out you found it.

and once hooked up you will know. the display stays on even when the car is off.
the back light turns off after a few seconds, but you can still read the display

To find you draw follow these steps....

1. unplug dome light, to eliminate draw while working through diagnosis.
2. connect a voltmeter ( an amp meter is better if you have one ) to the battery.
3. pull the fuses one at a time - watch the meter if the volts go up (of amps go down) you have found the circut that has the draw.
4. check all components on that circut for correct operation - some items will always draw power ecm, clock, radio ect. Try to determine what is drawing an excessive amount.

Note: for a battery to lose its charge after a few weeks of not being used probably isnt to unusual. You may want to consider getting a battery disconnect switch that would allow you to cut power to the car, but still give you a point to maintain constant power for your mpguino.

Hope this helps.

Note: for a battery to lose its charge after a few weeks of not being used probably isnt to unusual. You may want to consider getting a battery disconnect switch that would allow you to cut power to the car, but still give you a point to maintain constant power for your mpguino.

Hope this helps.


it is most likely the electric seatbelts, a battery disconnect switch sounds like a good solution. tell me more.
what do they look like, where do I get one.
thanks scott :)

I used to have one of those great 1991 Mitsubishi engines in my old DSM-Plymouth Laser RS (M5 tranny).
It was a real nice ride. Sold it to a buddy back in 2000 and it's still on the road today.
http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f147/Xringer/RedDSM.jpg

The aerodynamics were pretty good until you flipped on the headlamps. :)
I used to have a lead-foot on my 90 mile commute and it still got well over 30 mpg.
If I had put some real pressure in those tires, it would have been better!

I think it's got about 200,000 miles on it now. Might be time for another T-belt.. :eek:


Anyways, it was a 12V current hog. Always drawing too much current. My buddy put his Amp meter (VOM)
in series with the ground and saw about one amp of phantom load.
He started pulling out fuses, one at a time until most of the load disappeared.
He ended up leaving one fuse out, since it didn't effect driving function..

IAnyways, it was a 12V current hog. Always drawing too much current. My buddy put his Amp meter (VOM)
in series with the ground and saw about one amp of phantom load.
He started pulling out fuses, one at a time until most of the load disappeared.
He ended up leaving one fuse out, since it didn't effect driving function..

intersting, What fuse did he leave out?

I don't know what fuse it was. And, I don't think my buddy was even interested.
He was just happy as heck to be rid of the excessive current drain.

Before I sold the car, I had to keep it on a 12V wall wart, so it I would be able to start it,
since I wasn't driving it and keeping the battery charged.

The OEM battery lasted the standard 6 years before needing replacement, so the drain wasn't
a problem for me, doing a daily commute.

I miss that old car, but now I have a new Red Rocket.. There wasn't any color choice in the low price range.. ;)

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f147/Xringer/CRV/Ford011.jpg
My cam made it come out orange, but it's really the same color as a fire truck..

it is most likely the electric seatbelts, a battery disconnect switch sounds like a good solution. tell me more.
what do they look like, where do I get one.
thanks scott :)

I have doubts about the seatbelts being the source - I could be wrong though. The draws tend to be from items that consum or control power with the key off - control units, switches, and commonly a bad ground connection from the battery, follow the neg lead from the battery to wherever it goes and clean the heck out of the connection to the body.

As for the BD switch, pm me with your address and I send you one, the new cars come from the factory with them installed and we remove them as part of the pre delivery prep and toss them out.

150 miles into this tank and i am still at full! this could be a quite the run if I can keep it up. without a ifcd it is hard to say for sure though

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/full.jpg

Even if you don't grab the VSS wire right away, you should get that MPGuino hooked on an injector for real-time GPH readings - not quite as good, but still useful!

Tank update. ...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/hyper003.jpg

looks good so far, but looks can be deceiving! I need to get 400 miles on before the needle hits the halfway mark to be over 200% of epa, if it kept going the way it is now I would easily make it and some. But for some reason at around 300 miles it starts going down way to fast! :eek: it is going to be close I think!
may the (slow) race continue! ;)

Tank update 1
here I am at 400 miles, guage is still lagging nicley, i would have prefered to have it just above the halfway line than below to assure me of over 200%, but it is what it is, i only have the patience to go so slow...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/fflouting012.jpg

tank update 2

the guage lag has ended, it is sinking like a stone, 500 miles will put me at a quarter tank, 600 will probably be close to empty, dashing any hopes of a 700 miler. i know there is some fuel left after i reach empty on the guage. If I could use my scanguage I could mabye pull it off...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/fallingfast.jpg

Speaking of DSMs I put seatbelts from canada in my 91 talon. They are the same as the conventional seatbelts in most every other car. There was a weight savings of 19lbs too.
Maybe you could do the same for the mirage.

I thought about that. mabye if they stop[ working i will. its not really worth my time now, i dont like them, but they are good enough for now. thanks for tip...

You know you are hypermilin' when you get passed by a go-kart!! I was in a fas, coasting up to a red light when this thing was catchin' up to me, i thought he was going to pass me on my right, but then made a right turn into an alley and disapeared...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/gokart.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/kart.jpg

ok here I sit at 600 miles, and as you can see, though I am not on empty yet, the low fuel light is on :( so I will not be trying for 700. I have driven 100 miles after a low fuel light was on before, but that was in a vehicle with a much bigger tank and an accurately calibrated scangauge.
my plan is to drive over to Seans and get my MPGuino installed hopefully, then fill up.
This will be a new record distance for a tank for me, but no wheres near a record mpg tank. i took my time topping off for this tank, and i will do the same for this fill. i must resist the urge to stop after the first click, it would give me a much nicer number, but that the next tank would be a dud. been there, done that!
I also resisted going on some special "mpg cruising" to boost my tank! I did some of that last year, I was a rookie just learning and wanted to practice away from traffic hehe ;).
But that would not be saving gas though! this tank is all used for going places where i needed the car, and mostly urban streets too, only country driving was once to visit my dad, so i would guess 75 % city, 15% highway, 10% country county roads.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/anoktank.jpg

Sean got my mpgino plugged in! thanks bro!:flag: now just got to get some kind of box for it, and figure out how to work it!
also instead of filling up, I decided to wait til 700 miles, so I should be logging my first 700 miler tonight! :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/mpguino.jpg

Well, I finally got this tank burned, takes forever when hypermilin' and not driving every day!
the bad news for me, but good news for you is I will not be a threat to the top or even the middle of the A div. Top of the B div would be safe too since ricardo raised the bar high there!
The good news is I barely got into the 200% club. Also good news is I am not in dead last place for once, though that will probably change when they fill up. bad news is it only because of the e10 handicap.
but the good news is i did hit one goal for the sultan of slow, a 700 mile tank! whoo hooo!:Banane06:

here it is 701.5 miles on 12.2 gallons. It actually clicked off at around 11 gallons. that would have given me a sweet number, but i kept on filling, been there done that last year only to have my record tank followed by my record worst :rolleyes:
80 % city, 10 % highway, 10% rural county roads.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/700tank.jpg

got my mpguino set up and ready to go. I set it to the same numbers as allens car, since we have the same EPA ratings. looks like it is pretty close. Now to burn a tank for calibration. its gonna be a long 700 miles! :rolleyes: But after that I should have an accurate FCD! whoo hooo. its not a scangauge, but it is still way better than guessing hehe
I also found out I have dfco too! :) my brake pads will be happy about that ;)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v630/Cyberfish8/mt%20pilgrims%20pics/mpg.jpg

Lookin' good, Michael!! Based on prior experience you you should have some idea if it is high or low at the half guess gauge mark. ;)

It was quite low! i went up to forest lake for some fishing, I was at 54 mpg going up with a tail wind, then couldn't get out of the 40s on the way home, tank dropped to 50 mpg at 104 miles, then when i was coasting my mpg all of a sudden started going way up into the 80s, switched to tank, same thing. i accidently reset the tank while switching to another screen!:eek::rolleyes: So now I had to top off and start over:mad:
probably a good thing though, i found it was way under reporting, my mpg today was really at over 58 mpg, 8 mpg difference! it would have been a long 700 miles without knowing that!:rolleyes:

My Summer run is over, I just logged my last two tanks.

475.7 miles burned 8.53 gallons for 55.76 mpg

733.1 miles burned 12.32 gallons for 59.5 mpg

total for summer run 1910.3 miles burned 33.05 gallons for 57.8mpg

I should have my mpguino pretty close to being calibrated now.

I had to do some driving today and filled up.

Minneapolis to Arden hills 41.63 mpg
Arden Hills to Minneapolis 50 mpg
Minneapolis to Burnsville 49 mpg
Burnsville to owatonna 59 mpg
Owatonna to Minneapolis 56 mpg
total for the day 162 miles at 54 mpg

Filled up afterwards, I knew the Mpguino was still under reporting , but it was far more than I thought! I need to adjust it upwards a bit more.
but i will take it! :)

412.6 miles on 6.98 gallons for 59.11 mpg

Very nice, Michael!! :woot:

Well time to put the sultan into hibernation mode. I was going to burn one more tank for the fe callenge, but it would not run well at all in the extreme cold, and now a blizzard is coming, so I got to get it off the street before it gets buried for its long winter nap.
Hopefully I will have her repaired and back on the road next spring! see ya!

I finally got my car going, haven't needed it much since I have done lots of carpooling this year.
got 54 mpg over 15 miles. it was smoking pretty bad when first got going, then seemed to clear up after warming up. but then today i went on a short trip and when i was almost home it started running rough and smoking bad, also the cel came on. this could be the end! :( I will have someone take a look this week!:rolleyes:

Uh oh!! :(

How much would a good overhaul of that engine be? There aren't that many miles on it...

Hi Sean, If that is what it needs, i will find out, just for fun ;) But I cannot justofy spending too much money on it. I can save more gas by car pooling than by pulse&glide (though it is not as fun).
besides the car is kind of a rattle trap, as you well know from riding in it last summer :D
It has got lots of good parts and a rustless body though. If you know anyone that needs a car and works on cars I might be willing to part with it cheap!

Yeah, there were some pretty odd noises coming from the engine bay...

I don't know anybody who would be looking right now but I'll keep my ears open if you decide not to keep it.

The issue could be actually be something relatively minor.
Here are some guidelines.

Black smoke - unburned fuel. Possible bad injector or fuel pump pressure regulator.

White smoke - burning brake fluid. Check the vacuum line from the engine to the brake booster and see if it's wet inside. If it is, brake fluid is leaking from the master cylinder to the brake booster and getting drawn into the engine (brake fluid in rear chamber may be low, too).

Gray smoke - burning engine oil. Possiblly a bad intake valve seal. Could be a bad piston ring in one of the cylinders. Could be getting engine oil through the PCV if the plumbing is clogged and the drain holes that allow oil to return from the cylinder head are sludged up. Check the PCV hose and see if it's wet inside, and check after running the engine that oil hasn't pooled in the valvetrain area. A bad intake seal or piston ring will be easy to spot as one fouled spark plug.

The intermittent nature leads me to think that it could be the brake booster or PCV or one bad intake seal that shrunk back as the car sat for so long. A bad engine would have more severe problems than what you describe, and the parts for the repair are likely not all that expensive. It's the labor charge that makes these older cars impractical to repair, and so the "mechanic's special" is often a car that needs a few bucks worth of parts and a cloudy Saturday to make it roadworthy again.

Thanks Sean

Maxx, thanks for the tips. I agree!
The guy who sold me the car lives next door, he can fix it pretty cheap if it is one of those issues...

The "spare" near me is still there...the one I almost bought ages ago. I bet he'd take $350 for the whole car now...93 Eagle Summit. :D

Want to road trip? :p

haha no thanks :p he would have to give me 350 to take it :D

I am going to sell the car to the best offer. I am kinda bummed, had a lot of fun with it, but I am not using it, it needs repairs, and I can't afford to spend money on it, its got to go :(
So if anyone needs a car that has got good mpg potential, and is able to do work on it, or has the money to keep it going, plus it hads a nice rust free body, custom guages, mpguino, good tires, let me know!
MT

And to think you were doing so well with it too! :(

Any takers on it yet?

I had a couple of offers, too low though...