MPGs run, Aspire SE

[getnpsi]

Throwing out more possibilities… I bought a b2200 a few months ago and it was in a great state of tune just how I bought it unfortunately it has a carburetor and the feedback carb. some people swap Weber's to this engine and some people swap Pinto carbs. The swap carbs that mimic the Holly for gm are cheap available everywhere are still Feedback design. I also read of course this is third hand information that you can install potentiometers and voltage tweakers to actually lean or richen out your car fuel mixture as you drive and that has mass of possibilities for the people who want to retain those emission equipment for inspections

[harpon]

I've loosely calculated OVER 42 in my '96 Aspire, at 60 but with a substantial traveling load- nobody ever wants to believe me-

but I had VW Rabbits back in the '70' and 80s that did 35

lately they've made a big deal of a new car getting 35, after making them all larger again after 2000.

[TominMO]

42mpg ain't much in an Aspire. Mine does 51 @ 60mph.

[TominMO]

This week I installed the cylinder head from Matt D's Festiva, which made a dynoed 85 wheel HP. The Aspire already has Matt's header and balanced injectors. I am using the stock unmodded Aspire intake, so probably this is costing me a couple HP.

Non-motor changes since my MPG runs:
lowered about 2"
185/60-14 tires

I will probably make another MPG run @ 60 MPH, to compare with a stock Aspire motor. I still have the same tires/wheels that were on the car with previous runs, so they will go on for the test. Not sure how much the slight lowering will make this an apples-to-oranges comparison; I'm just going to ignore it.

With the stock head, I had to turn off the A/C for any kind of acceleration at all. With this head, it accelerates hard even with A/C. While I have Matt's header and a cat delete, the B-pipe and muffler are stock Aspire, so somewhat restrictive. This will have to be addressed.

[TominMO]

I'm running premium gas in this car as a protection against knock, because I have the ignition fairly advanced; around 13 degrees BTDC. This was with the stock cam installed. Now I am getting knock again; I'm thinking because with this Dickmeyer performance cam, the cam timing is advanced a bit over stock, so I probably should back off the ignition timing a bit.

[bhearts]

I'm running premium gas in this car as a protection against knock, because I have the ignition fairly advanced; around 13 degrees BTDC. This was with the stock cam installed. Now I am getting knock again; I'm thinking because with this Dickmeyer performance cam, the cam timing is advanced a bit over stock, so I probably should back off the ignition timing a bit.

You should take advantage of that heat and spray a super fine misting nozzle in your manifold. When your running above and beyond typical cylinder temps is when you can gain the most from water spray. You typically wouldn't want to spray if your temps were too low, which could cause incomplete combustion.

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[bhearts]

What's your cruise vacuum numbers btw tom? Always curious how a cam would change vacuum readings

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[TominMO]

You should take advantage of that heat and spray a super fine misting nozzle in your manifold. When your running above and beyond typical cylinder temps is when you can gain the most from water spray. You typically wouldn't want to spray if your temps were too low, which could cause incomplete combustion.

Think I'll just back off the timing, maybe down to 10 BTDC.

What's your cruise vacuum numbers btw tom? Always curious how a cam would change vacuum readings

No clue; I don't have a permanent vac gauge installed.

[harpon]

Getting ready to put the 155 width 13's with the Honda alloy rims on the old Aspire. So a slice over 3/4" off the 175s I'm sure will help mileage. Don't go much anyplace but around town anymore- but it will help in stop and go with a good roll- and waiting to see if the steering feels lighter.

[Greywolf]

I'll be following this too - I have 2 Festies right now, a Turbo car that I don't expect great mileage from, and "Dusty" a bone stock interstate flyer.

Last Saturday Dusty got a pretty much flat 39 MPG on a baseline test road trip up to Missouri (average) at speeds ranging from 65 to 75. Dusty has a 1.3 SOHC and a five speed manual.

I was also running the A/C all the way up and back...

It was a "BENCHMARK RUN" meaning before any modifications at all and except at first when I was feeling out the car and whether I could trust it or not, I was running at whatever I could get away with in terms of speed limits, as in FIVE OVER.

I know that for true economy we should run at whatever is the most efficient speed for the car, but I am looking at finding what is the most efficient setup at whatever top speed I can run without being busted for reckless or such in the states I pass through.

This makes my parameters a little different, they are not pure economy but economics within the paradigm of highest speed allowable on the interstate system.


*SUBSCRIBED

PS: I wonder if I am gaining any extra as a result of the metal at the bottom of the spare tire tub being mostly iron oxide, or altogether missing?

[TominMO]

@ Greywolf:
As you probably already know, the biggest factor is speed (wind resistance + RPM).

--My absolute best mileage in my stock Festy 5-speed, 155/80x13 tires, was 62.5 MPG @ 45 MPH. Obviously not feasible on the hwy! (But that's where I ran it, at dawn on a Sunday.)
--But @ 55 MPH it only went down to 58 MPG, so 55 MPH is a sweet spot. RPMs not too high, and wind resistance not too big a factor.
--60 MPH = 52.5 MPG. I don't bother testing above 60 MPH.

This of course assumes that everything else is fine mechanically, like brakes/wheel bearings not dragging, etc.

I plan on another test @ 60 MPH now that I have the Dickmeyer B3 head in the Aspire, which gives it power close to a B6D. I expect high 40s.

[Advancedynamix]

I've moved Lulu's fuel mileage problem to the Repair Help section so as not to clutter this thread.

[TominMO]

I've moved Lulu's fuel mileage problem to the Repair Help section so as not to clutter this thread.

Thank you Charlie!