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I got inspired after reading the profile of Wayne and the hypermiling movement in Mother Jones and had to come take a look! What a great resource this site is.

As a total and complete noob, I've got a question about the P&G technique. Last week I rolled through a stop sign after a FAS (lost power brakes) so I've taken to gliding in neutral instead of shutting down. This drops the RPM from 2000 or more to between 900 and 1100. That's still worth something, right? (I still do a FAS at stoplights.)

Also what about short shifting to stay under 2000RPM? Sometimes this can cause the engine to lug a bit in higher gears. I wonder if it is promoting better MPG or not?

I'm glad to have found you guys here and thanks for any help!

Hi Coaster and Welcome aboard!

Sounds like you are off to a good start, but there is always room for improvement.

If you don't like losing your brakes, coasting in neutral is still saving some MPG's. Just how much? You need a ScanGuage to help you.

I wouldn't lug your engine, try to be just above that point. But you have the right idea.

And I'm sure Wayne has inspired many of us, and continues to do so.

I got inspired after reading the profile of Wayne and the hypermiling movement in Mother Jones and had to come take a look! What a great resource this site is.

As a total and complete noob, I've got a question about the P&G technique. Last week I rolled through a stop sign after a FAS (lost power brakes) so I've taken to gliding in neutral instead of shutting down. This drops the RPM from 2000 or more to between 900 and 1100. That's still worth something, right? (I still do a FAS at stoplights.)

Also what about short shifting to stay under 2000RPM? Sometimes this can cause the engine to lug a bit in higher gears. I wonder if it is promoting better MPG or not?

I'm glad to have found you guys here and thanks for any help!

Hello and welcome to cleanmpg.com! We a very glad to see you. Wasnt that Mother Jones artical something. :) Waynes a joy to be around as long as your not in the drivers seat and he's in DI Sargent mode. ;)

That Civic should show you some good mpg love with little to no effort. I didnt see if it was a AT or MT. I hope its a 5MT.

At this point I wouldnt worry to much about fas'ing and coasting.

I would work towaords making sure your car is in great shape.

Then add some air in the tires. this little move will cut the rolling resitance some. Most of us around here recomend slowly getting them up to atleast max sidewall psi. You dont have to make the big psi jump all at once. A few psi a week will make it a comphy transition.

Short shifting is a great idea! 1500 to 2000k rpm is a great area to work within. Dont lug the car around but work to get it in the highist possible gear as fast as you can. Prompt quick shifts work great and are easy to do when in low load.

Next play with some load driving. When coming to a hill. Hold the throttle steady. Dont gas it up the hill unless its a minor mountain. Then as you crest the hill back out of the throttle ever so lightly. The speed will come back to you. As you adjust to load driving you will find yourself practicing it on the slightist grade changes. Its a very useful tool that leads one into P&G, coasting and fas'ing.

As for fas'ing to stop signs and lights. Get out somewhere safe and by your self and play with the brakes and steering. Test yourself and the car! And be safe doing it. Find yours and the cars limits. If your loosing your power brakes on a fas to quick. Check for a vacume leak.

Shut the engine off at lights if you can. Thats a very easy one to get down pat.

With just a few of the suggestions mentioned above your mpg should start coming up. Its always hard to start in the winter months and for some (like me) driving in a large metro is horrible. Others do very well with it.

Also see if you can get yourself a scangauge. The SG as we call it around here will show you your improvements real time. Its a great tool for the FE driver.

If there is anything we can do for you,,, post up! lets us know how your doing. Not only regaurding your victory's but problems and failures also. This is a very supportive group of people. Dosent matter what they drive,,, or what you drive. Its all about the mpg.

Good Luck
psy

Thanks for the VERY helpful replies, guys.

I noticed something discouraging this AM as I made a quick run to 7-11. I had the ICE on very little, coasting down a long hill from my house and another one to the store. Alas, the tripmeter in the Civic doesn't register any mileage when the key is off!!:eek:

This seems to mean that these "free" miles are lost when I do any mileage calculations at the next fill up. Am I right? What a bummer! My only hope is that the miles are being counted by the odometer, but I haven't coasted for a mile yet!:D Nor have I noticed it flipping over when the key is off...suggestions?

Hi Coaster:

___Yowza! Let us hold on to the basics before jumping into the advanced stuff. You always want to reboot the electronics as it is not just the odometer that doesn’t register but your ABS, Air bags, the ability to steer and who knows what else is armed when the key has been placed back to IG-II. Not started in IG-III and then returned to IG-II but simply moved from IG-I (shut down) to IG-II (booted up) and coast on in. It is extremely important that you reboot immediately upon ICE shutdown. Also, it sounds like you have already pushed your automobile beyond vacuum so as to lose your brakes entirely. You do not want to go there if you can help it. You should have at least 3 or 4 good hits of the brakes when ICE-Off before you are to the point of having to really step into them and/or using the E-Brake on the rears only. If you have needed to touch your brakes 3 or 4 times in a FAS, you came into a traffic situation way to hot. Even a normal driving routine would use the brakes maybe twice before coming to a complete stop so make sure you have read, practiced and mastered the technique(s) as well as opened up those buffers before FAS’ing at will. Please Please Please be very careful here. Begin using the advanced techniques only after you have mastered the basics like setup, slowing down, DWB, DWL, Anticipation and driving the limits while RR to name a few.

___Now let us start from the very beginning. Have you read any of the articles along the far right of the home page yet? The first 4 or 5, even though Hybrid-centric are filled with the knowledge you will need to move up the ladder without hurting yourself or more importantly, someone else.

___Not to be to harsh but you literally scared the hell out of me and I was nowhere near your windscreen! Again, please be very very careful out there for all our sakes. We are here to help but let us start your Hypermiling Boot camp w/ the basics. A new recruit with a locked and loaded M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank at his disposal might cause a wee bit of damage vs. handing him an M1 Carbine out on a tightly controlled shooting range w/ a drill instructor next to him watching his every move so as to not shoot someone if you know what I mean ;)

___Just remember we are not on a mission to save the planet at the expense of others if we can possibly help it. You may in fact begin to enjoy our company as we teach and encourage you from this day forward. After that, it is up to you.

___With that, welcome to CleanMPG and please, no FAS’ until you know exactly what your car is going to do and you are prepared for it. When I read you rolled through a stop sign with no brakes, it scared me half to death and I have a pretty high tolerance for adventure as well!

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Sorry to scare you, Wayne! I guarantee I scared myself more.:o I understand now that I was running before I knew how to walk! Thankfully, there was no one coming in either direction at the intersection, and I didn't roll COMPLETELY through, but my nose sure was hanging out there to be taken off!

The stop sign is at the bottom of a long, steep hill, and I had glided down about 3/4 of the way to a point above the sign, pulled over to the side of the road to make a 10 minute phone call, and then proceeded to the sign (all with ICE off). Altogether that added up to more vacuum than I had. :eek:

It hasn't happened since, and I've learned that one light but steady application of the brakes is best.

I've read your "Beating the EPA" piece and will be sure to look at the others. I missed the distinction in ignition positions. Thanks for that; I probably should have been able to figure it out myself. :rolleyes:

just keep pounding us the questions and we'll answer them to the best of our ability :) that's how I started out at least, good luck man and hope you have fun in the process as well. I know I did when I see drivers wasting all that gas and then ending up being in the same place at the same time!

What's your transmission by the way?

just keep pounding us the questions and we'll answer them to the best of our ability :) that's how I started out at least, good luck man and hope you have fun in the process as well. I know I did when I see drivers wasting all that gas and then ending up being in the same place at the same time!

What's your transmission by the way?

Thanks for the encouragement, Phil! I am starting to marvel at the jackrabbiters and speeders; feeling the need to evangelize!:D

I've got the 5MT in the Civic.

Welcome! There isn't much for me to add, as you have already received loads of good info. I can only second the suggestions to take it easy at first and just get used to the basics before you worry about advanced stuff. Driving for fuel economy requires a different mindset from what you are used to, but once you get that down all of this stuff will be second nature. Let me tell you, there's nothing more rewarding than your first really, ridiculously good segment while comfortably doing your thing in the driver's seat :D.

And yes, instrumentation is important. A ScanGauge (a one-of-its-kind device) is incredibly valuable since you get real-time feedback about what works and doesn't work. Just make sure to look at the road first and insrumentation second ;) . Good luck and keep us posted!

Thanks, Tim.

Indeed, I have some serous SGL (ScanGauge Lust)! A new acronym for the glossary...? :D

I'm wondering if they cut out too when you drop down to IG-I before rebooting or can they draw continuous power through the connection cable?

I'm wondering if they cut out too when you drop down to IG-I before rebooting or can they draw continuous power through the connection cable?

nope, only cuts off if you completely key down to IG I, you can set it so it stays on in IG II and IG III