38mpg in 99 ZX2

[tpmjr2004]

And yes, the car is geared high with 70 mph being at 3100 rpms. Another bit of savings....don't go 70 mph if you can avoid it. I try to take roads with a 55 max speed limit. I like the 50 mph speed in these cars, it seems to give me the best FE without taking all day to get somewhere.

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Originally Posted by arrouznatter

When I cruise in gear in my Puegeot 206 the mpg indicator goes up to 999mpg (ie down a steep hill), but if I drift out of gear I only get up to 300 mpg.

Does anybody know if the 999 mpg is a real figure? Seems unlikely to me.

999 will be a maximum representing no fuel used mpg = mph/gph, if gph = 0 (no gas), mpg is infinite.

It means that it will fuel cut in gear, but in neutral it's idling. (IIRC) In neutral rpm will gradually drop and once it reaches a certain point the engine will idle to prevent stalling.

That suggests that you should either avoid NICE-ON at speed or be careful using it. I'll let the experts suggest strategies.

[Right Lane Cruiser]

There is a trade off here -- when coasting in gear you get engine braking so that even though you aren't using any fuel in DFCO (Deceleration Fuel Cut Off) you'll also be throwing away momentum -- a big no-no in hypermiling if you want maximum efficiency because you'll just have to burn more fuel to get it back. If you have to stop or control your speed, use coasting in gear. Otherwise, coast in neutral.

[Tony4]

You're doing the right thing, but city driving is always hard for MPG. Remember, the less you brake, the less you accelerate

[Right Lane Cruiser]

Featherfoot, I drove my Elantra to work this morning on my city commute. The conditions weren't ideal but you should be able to get similar results from your ZX2 -- especially in a warmer climate:

58.2mpg over 14.7mi @ 38F with 17-26mph crosswind

I was over 60mpg just 1.2mi from my house but traffic and wind kept me from hanging on to it. Keep working on your techniques and definitely get a gauge of some sort!! The ScanGauge, UltraGauge, and MPGuino (requires hard wiring in but is CHEAP) will all be able to help you get to that next level.

[featherfoot]

Originally Posted by tpmjr2004

The difference really is made by having the engine off on a majority of the trip. With a 5 speed you can bypass using the starter in most situations as long as you can avoid stopping. You can only optimize your driving so far til it comes down to saving the fuel that you waste while idling. You may not use much fuel by idling per minute, but those minutes add up into big savings over the life of a tank. Like I said I was right where you were at before I got a scangauge and began gliding with the engine off. I believe that you may be just about at your max without a scangauge or turning the engine off. If you are worried about wearing out the starter, the savings from turning the engine off can buy you a new starter several times over. New higher pressure tires will only help a small fraction. Did you look at my fuel logs for my ZX2. The high numbers are possible, it is just a matter of how far you are willing to take it.

i've got power steering/brakes so driving with the engine off is not smart. i used to do it with my 72 pontiac LONG before the word "hypermiling" was coined. there is a stretch of I-20 near DallAss where i could get a full 1 mile coast with the engine off. i'd bump it back on.

i coast often with the clutch in and engine idling.

Another bit of savings....don't go 70 mph if you can avoid it.

i don't.... on the interstate i generally keep it between 60 and 65. this engine could easily accept another gear.

[Right Lane Cruiser]

Power steering really isn't needed at anything over parking lot speeds.

As for power brakes, the vacuum assist is generally good for between 3 and 5 full presses of the brake pedal. The assist is used when the pedal moves so if you just brake steadily you won't run out.

[diamondlarry]

I have to agree with Sean about the power steering an brakes statements. I have driven 2 Saturn SL1's; one with power steering and the other without. At road speeds (turning corners, entering parking lots, etc.) I could tell no difference in steering effort with the engine off in the non-power Saturn than the one with power steering. As for the brakes, I never ran out of vacuum in the booster mostly because I avoided the brakes like the plague but, even in cases where brake use was unanticipated, I still never ran out. I did once run out of boost in my grandpa's '78 F-250 truck but later discovered the booster was defective.

[lxmike]

featherfoot: unless your going around corners your car will steer just fine with the engine off. as for brakes us hypermilers try to minimize useage of them. Your car can do 40+ easily and if you use some of the tips here close to 50 is possible. tpmjr had the same car and he did it and you can too.

[some_other_dave]

Originally Posted by featherfoot

i'm not turning the engine off. ...
...on the interstate i generally keep it between 60 and 65.

i don't see how you can get 50mpg from this car.

I think those statements are related. If you turn the engine off, and you stay at or below 60 MPH, I would bet 50 MPG is very possible. I'm knocking on 50's door in a car that is rated <30 EPA (2008 combined), and that's without any instrumentation!

-soD