122.2 MPG - What a Day

[atlaw4u]

I got a tip from Excel (Wayne Gerdes of clean mpg.com) to shift from first much earlier than I have been and noticed a definite improvement in my overall MPG during my normal commute. Yesterday the weather was nice so I decided to try all the tricks on my commute home to see what I could achieve from my 2000 Honda Insight 5-speed with warm-air mod, radiator block, and 65psi in the tires.

I decided to drive slower than usual and definitely used FAS more often with longer coasts. The result: I set a new personal record yesterday travelling door to door from my office to my garage of 122.2 MPG covering 31 miles and 935 miles on one tank. I'm hoping this new technique will finally allow me to pull a 1,000+mile tank.

This commute usually has me struggling to achieve 80mpg with a few trips of 90+ and only 1 trip in the last 6 months above 100MPG(104). However, the conditions were near perfect with an unusually warm day with a light wind. I was leaving the office and pulled over before I exited the garage to remove my radiator block as it was probably 85 degrees. However, I decided to leave it in for some reason. As the car warmed up the scan gauge showed the water temp was between 195-197 and the intake air temp was 110-112. My commute is mostly highway with small inclines and I exit early to travle a fairly flat raod for 3-5 miles with only a few stop lights.

However, yesterday was unusual in that there was an accident so I was forced off the highway earlier than usual and found a nice alternative route that let me keep my speeds between 30-40. I noticed on flat ground I could maintain 150mpg for long distances if I kept the speed between 31-35 which I have rarely been able to do previously. I also was using FAS more than usual and allowing myself to coast much further as the traffic was light.

I drove part of the same route this morning with the outside tempeture around 65. Yesterday afternoon with an outside temperatue of 85 I was able to maintain 150mpg and today I was only able to maintiain 100mpg. It goes to show how much weather and temps can dramatically change MPG results. This morning the wind was stronger, temps were about 20 degrees cooler and intake air temp was only 73 as I only drove a few miles and the car had not fully warmed up.

I love the challenge of this car. You are rewarded or punished according to how much you are paying attention to the car, the elements, and knowing how the car likes to be driven. I'm afraid hypermiling is turning into an addiction.

Again, thanks to Excel for the tips.

[weslich]

Know what you mean about Hypermile addiction. I am always conscious of MPG and SOC. I watch the MPG display like a hawk. It's a contest to see if I can exceed my previous record of tank MPG and miles traveled on single tank. I"ve learned to coax over 100 MPG in traffic by leaving a substantial gap, coasting and driving in a higher gear. Problem is people behind me hate it. I've gotten used to impatient drivers. I'm always in the far right and they can go around as far as I'm concerned. I've heard of Insights traveling over 1200 miles on a tank. Working on making that happen some day.

[Dougie]

I only allow myself to count round trips, because my morning commute is uphill.

Tell me more about this "shift out of 1st early" theory! Also, which scangauge do you use? Is it just stock or did you have to do something to get the water temp?

[atlaw4u]

Hello Dougie, I use the ScanGauge II. One of its many gauges measures water temperature.

As for the shifting, I am now accellerating slowly in first and shift around 10mph into second. Previoulsy, I was accellerating faster and holding my speeds in first to 15 or higher before shifting into second. Many believe it's better with the Insight to accellerate quickly to get up to cruising speed faster and thus, in lean burn faster. I had been following this approach but accellerating moderately.

Wayne advised I try shifting at or before 10mph becasue first gear is a real ecomony killer. By doing this I immediatley noticed a small overall MPG gain. I've continued this method and am on my way to a record tank.

Try it and let me know what you think.

[ikhoudvanu199]

i am goin to have to try this shifting out of 1st sooner thing

and the more i see people talking about all this mods youve done to your cars and the crazy mpg you get, i want to modify mine!!!

[atlaw4u]

That's another reason I love the Insight. There are several available modifications from simple to complex that can increase fuel efficiency. I like to think of it as hot-rodding in reverse.

[weslich]

I've noticed first and second gears are MPG killers. I'm going to try the shift early method and see how much it helps.

[Fred]

... You are rewarded or punished according to how much you are paying attention to the car, the elements, and knowing how the car likes to be driven. I'm afraid hypermiling is turning into an addiction.

I for one do understand that.

Fred / Proud Owner of "The Silver Bullet"

[retepsnikrep]

Originally Posted by atlaw4u

65psi in the tires.

That's a lot, far too high for me!

OEM Tyres I assume Be interesting to see how they hold up at that pressure. I use 50psi all round.

[atlaw4u]

Yes, they are the OEM tires. There are a few others running pressures higher than that with no reported problems. I've run as high as 77psi but the ride was too rough. I was running 55psi for a while which was a nice combitation between ride quality and increased MPG but lately I have been trying to squeeze everly last mile I can out of a tank so I've increased the pressure a little.