[bagwell]

aside from testers going 41 mph for 2 months straight and getting 150mpg and 1000+ miles on a tank of gas, what are some of the highest miles (NOT MPG) people have seen on one tank of gas?

I topped my insight off completely when I filled up last month and currently have 816 miles on my tank of gas....just under a 1/4 of a tank left.

 

[retepsnikrep]

Bit of an odd one this.

Most people myself inculded won't run the car until the tank is dry and it stops!

It's asking for trouble, so it's difficult to say when it's really empty.

If people run it until the fuel light comes on and there are no bars on the gauge there could be 1L of 5L left who knows All are likely to be slightly different and likewise will give different miles per tank.

It's a tough one unles you try to use a measured quantity instead.

Peter

 

[Billy]

....Over the years, on all 3 of my Insights, I have done this test, with the exact same result. Carry a small, 1-gallon gas can in the back. Purposely run out of fuel----and turn the engine off just as soon as you feel it miss or sputter; that way the fuel pump & fuel injection is not completely dry, so it will restart easily. This same test is very important on airplanes, and I used it often when testing different aircraft back in the 1980's. It's extremely valuable to "calibrate" the fuel gauge. Many small planes have 2 or more tanks, with a valve handle to switch between them. I would fly along and quickly switch tanks when the engine sputtered, and note the exact position of the fuel gauge. Of course, these tests were done at ample altitude, with an airport within gliding distance.

After ALL THE BARS on the fuel gauge are gone, one can drive aprox 65 miles (5 speed model). (I estimate 0.8 gallons remain) Usually the low fuel warning light comes on with one bar left. At that point, I can drive about 130 miles.

To answer the original question, I have gone 1116 miles on one tank (10.76 gallons). And one time when I really filled the tank full using the "fill up all the pipes" technique (13.08 gallons) I drove 1344 miles!

 

[bagwell]

Re: Bit of an odd one this.

Most people myself inculded won't run the car until the tank is dry and it stops!

It's asking for trouble, so it's difficult to say when it's really empty.

I wasn't asking about running it out of gas, just wanted to see how far "normal" people can stretch out a tank before refilling.

Billy -- good post thanks! BTW that's a helluva LMPG !!!!!!! :shock: :shock:

 

[LoNOx 1]

I shoot for 700. Last tank was 775 miles, 10.18 gallons of Amoco Ultimate Gold. I drove around 50 miles with no bars on the gas gauge. Last three tanks have been around 75 mpg. I have not ran out of gas yet.

 

[ikhoudvanu199]

i usually fill up with one or 2 bars left on the guage...and get about 600-700 mi on the tank

but my mpg is NOTHING compared to some of the others here

though i am working on it , right now my LMPG is 57.8(bought it used w/ 94k mi)...my OMPG is about 58 or so...but increasing...ive been doing alot of 70+mpg trips recently

 

[Infidel]

I routinely fill at over 1000 miles in the winter, and more than that in the summer. My lifetime best was just over 1200-something at round 12.5 gallons or so at the end of last summer.

On my car, the last bar disappears with exactly 1.1 gallons, but I'm sure everyone's vehicle is different.

For non-hypermilers, I would say trying to drive more than 40 miles after the last bar disappears is playing russian roulette.

 

[sno779]

Bagwell

Actually it was an average of 18 MPH for 9 days. The record stands at 2254 miles on 13.7 gallons, but you are right that is not "real world" driving. I belive the "real world" record is still held by Randall Berkholder at 1534 miles followed by Wayne Gerdes at 1526 miles, then me at 1520 miles. Wayne was the first to do a 1500+ tank, then Randall and I did one when we were practicing for the Insight marathon. Mine was half P&G and half normal daily commute. I have filled my car 123 times and have averaged 846 mile tanks. I have 20 1000+ mile tanks, 8 1100+ mile tanks, 2 1200+ mile tanks and then my personal best of 1520.

A good way to judge your range is to take your current tank average displayed on the FCD and multiply it by 10, unless you over filled the tank last time, then multiply it by how ever much you put in. On my car the half full mark is more like 1/4 full and should be good for + or - 200 miles.....Louis

 

[JakkedUp]

My best is in my signature.

 

[ElectricTroy]

I ran my car to 1000 miles ONCE, but never again.

Too stressful!

 

[Chris G]

During the summer and with a standard fill, I will get in the low to middle 800's and that is without running it low enough for me to be stressing out over it (one bar or maybe 5-10 miles after 0 bars).

Chris

 

[nemystic]

I'm inclined to urge caution about "running on the fumes".
In addition to the obvious inconvenience of running out of gas in an inconvenient location, there is, in at least some cars and possibly the Insight, a stress condition that occurs when the fuel pump is not imersed in the fuel. The resulting overheating condition can shorten the life of the fuel pump.

I'm very familiar with the marathon event (referenced in this thread by Louis ("SNO779") and other record setting initiatives that intentionally "run dry" as a part of the metrics.

However, all of my data would indicate that the Insight's fuel consumption indicator is quite accurate if the tires are inflated to <46psi. So, what's the motivation for obsessing about miles per tank? You could carry a gas container and perhaps go over 1,500 miles without stopping if that were the goal.

In a twist of irony, I learned an expensive lesson about running with low fuel levels in the tank. I typically drive < 1,000 miles / year in my minivan (which gets 33+ mpg with some moderate hypermiling) and consequently, I don't get to the low price gas station very often. I can't remember ever filling the tank completely. As a consequence, the fuel pump was probably running hot much of the time, and on the way to an alternative tranportation event where I was planning to show my favorite vehicle, the electric assist recumbent bicycle (a very tight squeeze when packed in the Insight) the fuel pump died on a high traffic 8 lane highway. Despite all of the stress involved, I made it to the event on the bike, and also home, thanks to a lift part way from a friend with his Prius. However, there was a > $700 bill for the towing and fuel pump replacement.

Now, with my favorite vehicle (the bike) as the primary mode of transportation (when it doesn't rain or snow), I don't pay as much attention to how many miles the Insight gets on a single tank. I visit the gas station less than once per month. It's interesting and somewhat entertaining, however, to pull up next to the pickups and SUV's (no doubt paying well over $50 for a fill these days) while adding only a few gallons to the Insight under their owners' watchful eyes.

 

[ElectricTroy]

So, what's the motivation for obsessing about miles per tank?

Me either. I'd rather brag about my >90 MPG average, something even non-insight owners can understand.

Also:

When you say "I can drive my car 1000 miles on just one tank," a lot of SUV or large car drivers reply, "Yeah.... so? That's not so impressive. I can drive my car 800 miles." <----- The reason they can do that is because they have tanks that are 3-to-4 times larger in size.

- So 1000 vs. 800 doesn't sound all that great.
- But 90MPG vs. 25 mpg. That makes them go "wow"



BTW thanks for sharing about the overheating fuel pump.
That never even occured to me!
I better make sure not to run below 1/4 full.

 

[nemystic]

I'd expect that there is hightened interest in your impressive > 90mpg average by non-Insight owners, considering the current price of gasoline!

 

[james]

> So, what's the motivation for obsessing about miles per tank?

I don't obsess about it, but in my case it's a nice way of emphasizing the Insight's fuel economy, and a timesaver. I drive between my home near Reno and the Bay area (a bit over 500 miles round trip), and it impresses people that I can do it on a single tank - plus drive around in between trips. Saves me time & money too: Bay Area gas seems to run $0.20 or so more per gallon, so I fill up on the cheaper stuff when leaving home.

 

[JimmyHiggins]

I don't understand how in the world people can get such high mileage. My personal high is about 750 miles on a tank, driving from Akron, OH to Plymouth, MA.

My best trip mileage was just a touch over 100 mpg on a 35 mile trip. There are people in here with better than that for a tank!

What... no hills where you guys live?!

 

[b1shmu63]

Cheating! Errr, let me rephrase that; driving to the beat of a different drummer.

Drafting, gliding through stops, coasting, taking corners at high speeds to avoid braking, manually shutting off the engine, modulating speed, pulse and glide, driving way below the speed limit, preheating the engine, Mima, inflating the tires to 55+psi, radiator blocks, removing mirrors and rear wipers, avoiding cold/rainy/windy days, and only driving on long trips.

Don't beat up on yourself if your real world conditions don't allow for most of the above. Hypermilers are having fun in their own way. Remember even on a bad day the Insight still outshines virtually everything else on a normal day.

 

[JimmyHiggins]

Well that makes me feel better. Though the drafting isn't something that is new to me. I do like making with the draft... though I still haven't figured out what the best semi trailer to follow is. I've noticed that some trucks just don't draft as well as others.

That only driving on long trips thing helps I bet. I drive 4.5 miles to work... where 1.1 miles is up a large hill out of a valley. The rest of the trip has numerous red lights. Sadly, when going down this hill, there is a 90 degree turn that must be taken... and a red light... all that momentum... gone *sob* (I've cursed under my breath at people who pull out in front of me and cause me to lose precious momentum... jerks! :evil: ). If I could commute to work, 30 miles each way... my mileage would probably be up considerably... but then I'd have to commute... and use more gas... *sigh*

I don't like that whole well under the speed limit thing. I typically won't go under 55 mph on a highway. 1) It looks bad for the Insight and 2) It really isn't safe.

Now that I'm over 100,000 miles, I'm really trying to get great mileage again... using my tricks and what not... typically shifting into neutral whenever I can to glide more on subtle slopes or to accelerate more down short but steeper slopes.

As far as coasting, I've been thinking... does anyone know the maximum speed that you can coast at? I was pondering that... knowing that I can't coast on a highway... even downhill, because of wind resistance. But on local roads, coasting is possible because there isn't as much wind slowing the car down because of the speed. Anyone know from experience (or dare I say the mathematics) what the max speed where you can go into neutral and still coast. Granted, this is dependent on more than just speed, incline matters as well.

 

[JakkedUp]

The best trailer to follow that I have found is an oil/gas tractor/trailer. Not for the "best drafting" aspect, but for the self satisfaction of getting the people who drive hummers and other 10mpg machines to help pay for my trip. Drafting will cause the leed vehicle to actually get poorer mpg and the additional cost of transport will be passed on to the customer's.

BTW, I really never draft much, since 3 car lengths is about as close as I like to get to any vehicle. I feel it's simply not worth the danger. But I do like following semi's so that they will "plow" the road ahead of me, and keep the deer from crushing my baby.

 

[b1shmu63]

I believe that the drafting vehicle actually helps the vehicle in front get better mileage. Consider a train. Each car drafts the one in front and shields the one behind from the wind.

I seldom draft. Aside from the obvious danger of ramming into the back of the truck and the discomfort of being buffeted by the wind there is the health hazard of sucking in carcinogenic Diesel exhaust, the likely prospect of getting nailed by a rock thrown off a huge tire tread, and the boredom of looking at, "how's my driving? Call........", encrusted with dirt mile after mile.

Drafting a Hummer......well that's making an environmental statement. :badgrin:

A 3 degree slope will get you 75 to 80 miles per hour coasting, depending on your tire presure and ambient temperature.

I have never tracked my mileage per tank, but it would average close to 800 miles in the summer.