Possible to add idiot light for lean burn?

[JohnHeller]

After nine months of ownership we still don't get the kind of mileage that seems to be common to other owners on this Board. Soaking the EGR valve in liquid wrench has made the best improvement, but it's temporary. I think our driving technique is correct for hyper mileage.

Several guys talk about getthing their Insight into lean burn mode, I honestly can't feel any change and don't know when or if we're getting lean burn. (both are 2000 models, manuals of course)

Is their a circuit that goes high or low, or an armature that moves or anything else on-board that changes state whenever the ICE is in lean burn? If so I could build a circuit to light an LED for the dash, sort of a "don't shift light" if you will.

It also occurs to me that if lean burn is detectible, I also ought to be able to set up cruise control to 'float' up or down a bit to hold the Insight in lean burn within a range of mph.

-John

[fuzzymutt]

hi john
i live in highland park
probably very close to you

what kind of mpg are you getting
i have 64k on my 2000 insight
and im hovering around 70lmpg
inbetween highland park and downtown

ive had my insight for almost 6 months now
and i love it

as far as the lean burn goes
i think im in it when i'm on a level stretch of highway
and my foot is BARELY on the gas and im going about 60mpg
and mpg gauge is hovering around 90

doesn't this ever happen with you?

[retepsnikrep]

Originally Posted by JohnHeller

Is their a circuit that goes high or low, or an armature that moves or anything else on-board that changes state whenever the ICE is in lean burn? If so I could build a circuit to light an LED for the dash, sort of a "don't shift light" if you will.

There must be somewhere and this probably has been discussed on here before, but I am not sure if anyone has located it yet. A recent clue came from another poster with a Scanguage II who noted a consistent change in ignition timing as monitored by the guage when car goes into/out of Lean burn, that might be a start

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum/vie ... php?t=6957

Originally Posted by JohnHeller

It also occurs to me that if lean burn is detectible, I also ought to be able to set up cruise control to 'float' up or down a bit to hold the Insight in lean burn within a range of mph.

Correct, and that would be my ideal cruise control method as well, but it won't be easy to implement. When driving I am not bothered by my actual speed, I strive to mainitain LB with deft thottle control as much as possible for all my trips, I am happy to accept rise and fall in speed according to terrain etc, as long as car is in LB at 100mpg+ on the FCD.

That's the way to get great mpg

Peter

[Dougie]

Originally Posted by JohnHeller

After nine months of ownership we still don't get the kind of mileage that seems to be common to other owners on this Board.

I think a lean burn indicator would be good. But what are your driving conditions?

[JohnHeller]

We have two Insights, both 2000 5spd.

Greysight, 186,000mi, factory replaced battery and latest module installed on Honda's nickle about a month ago; no obvious changes in power or mileage. Leaving a gas station with mpg indicator reset I can get low 70s if I get right on the freeway, stay in the slow lane and work all the hypermileage tricks. But if I have to do any stop and go or local driving, the average drops to very low 50s. When we got her all we could manage was high 40s no matter what, but cleaning the EGR valve a few times really helped.

Redsight, 132,000mi, new factory battery 100mi ago and latest module, all free from Honda. ($5600 invoice at Honda of Pasadena by-the-way) She gets about 43mpg no matter what. Probably should spend $225 on a new EGR valve and see if that helps, but hate to spend money without knowing...

Fuzzymutt, I like how you put it, "I think I'm in lean burn", because we don't really know. Your description is very good, yes I too find if I'm doing a steady 60mph they'll show some charging activity and the bar graph will sit below 50mpg and then I pull my throttle foot back just enough to send the bar graph up into the 100s. But being an idiot, I'd sure like to have a light!

On top of all this, we're looking for a new home for the Redsight as we're expecting twins next week and there's a new non-Hybrid Element in the driveway!