High MPG Watermark For 2009

jraynor196 · 10-06-2009, 09:14 PM

Today for the first time in the last 6500 miles (5 months), the average MPG went down. The high value was 58.3 as reported from the MID.

Now that is it getting colder (40s in the morning and 50/60s in the afternoon) I can no longer push 60+ MPG on the MID for a daily trip.

I snapped this image...

Cobb · 10-06-2009, 11:36 PM

Time to insert a piece of card board between the radiator and condensor....

Purplegate · 10-07-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jraynor196

Today for the first time in the last 6500 miles (5 months), the average MPG went down. The high value was 58.3 as reported from the MID.

Same here. Not a big drop so far (1 to 1.5mpg), but I didn't see the magic 60 since a week.

Cobb, if you go forward with your card board/plastic cover project, take a pic or 2 for us please

might give us the final answer. Or may be I will go with the Mugen grill. It seems to fill up almost all the space and block a lot of air.

bish79 · 10-07-2009, 12:15 PM

Sounds like you're complaining....

My MPG sucks when it gets cold outside. My short (1 mile) commute to work kills my MPG even when its warm. I was struggling to keep it above 50 when the temps were 70-90ish. Now that it is 40-60ish in the morning, I'm lucky to get 40 on my commute.

jraynor196 · 10-07-2009, 12:25 PM

I am hesitant on the card board /plastic thing. Wouldn't you need to closely monitor the engine temp so it wouldn't overheat?

I might just go with the garage and possibly the engine block heater. Also, wouldn't the battery take longer to be more efficient because it is cold as well?

I've read the first forum (Gen 1) thread on this and without more diagnostics (scan gauge or simliar), I would be hesitant to do this. Plus, I want to see what the MPG drop is under preventive measures first. If it is really bad, I may resort to more extreme measure(s).

jraynor196 · 10-07-2009, 12:29 PM

Yep, I complaining. I really just need to retire and migrate down to Florida in winter an back to New England in the summer to keep my lifetime MPG up. But sadly, I probably have another 25-30 years of working unless I win to the lotto.

Cobb · 10-08-2009, 12:31 AM

Cant entertain you in wrapping your radiator in duct tape and that spray foam insulation?

Yeah, I wouldnt want to do that either unless I was in a zub zero environment.

I just block off the outer grill and not use ac. When its in the single digits I put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator almost blocking it since I will be using the heat and like my car 85 or so degrees on the inside.

You do need to at least watch your temp, but you do have the fans and the hvac to remove the heat with. I use to love watching my scion xa with the scanguage 2 I had. THe car ran at like 187 degrees unless stopped. THen it crepted to like 197 til the fan came on and it went right down. When I engined braked the temp dropped and in the winter at stop lights it dropped.

I got to work early one day before a snow storm and sat in my car withthe heat on. I watched the temp roll down below 140, the engine had idled up and the cold engine light came back on.

My benz I do not believe the electric fan came on til it was almost 300 degrees as it was a diesel.

What I did was put a piece of a pepsi cola box over the lower grill, leaving the edges open. I just crumple it up for testing as in the photo below.

I got an extra .3 on my way to work . 7 on the way back mpg. It seemed to have more pep. I want to make something to cover both ends leaving an inch in the middle.

Cobb · 10-12-2009, 09:34 PM

Not sure the mugen grill would change anything. THe upper grill is almost solid except for some holes on the drivers side to funnel cool air to the intake horn, then the strip of holes along the bottom edge. There is a diversion guard over the drivers side edge that is removed in the photo.

The second or lower grill is where hte air enters the engine. My piece of cardboard did not last long, so going to make a blocker out of flashing and paint it black to match the grill and give it a try.

Purplegate · 10-12-2009, 09:55 PM

This is a good information Cobb. I actually didn't even notice the half the upper grill was solid...(never removed the front pieces of the car...). The Mugen even seems to have more air holes. There is a set on both side. I wonder if half of them are solid as well...

Your card board is meant to block the lower grill or the upper grill ?

Cobb · 10-12-2009, 10:56 PM

I took that when I installed the fog lamps, I normally do not remove the bumper for photograph purposes.

The upper grill would be best blocked with a piece of 1/4 inch hose along the bottom edge. I plan on leaving that as is and just block the lower grill. This way you have a little air flow and am not using the ac with block.

I tried to block the middle of the lower grill around the lower edge of the license plate, but it blew off. Going to also block the lower grill of my geo metro too while I am cutting some 1/16 inch sheet steel.

The gen 1 guys put the block between the radiator and ac condensor.

Thats something I reserve for single digit or below zero F temperatures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purplegate

Your card board is meant to block the lower grill or the upper grill ?