Who is getting 60+ MPG consistently.

[Zcallicutt7]

I forgot to mention that my Stock 93 5 speed getting 45-49mpg is running on 14" wheels and I just broke 260,000 miles last Friday evening...

[bobstad]

too cool to fool around with?

Well, I had one time only of better than 60 mpg; which really still makes me doubt, except that this was on a hundred degree plus day after an early morning fill-up from a station whose underground tank may've been considerably chilled by adjacent Lake Stevens, near Everett, WA.

I fueled up again late that afternoon at the truck stop along Interstate 5 near Toledo, WA and some years later mentioned the phenomena to a friend with a pair of fairly unscrupulous and wildly cynical buddies; who'd had a shop servicing planes at the Spokane airport, who'd cheat customers regularly by differences in the air temp and their fuel temp, until finally apprehended at this: Which I'm led by my own concepts of justice to believe, was probably a fairly minor skim which could only translate into profitability, since done consistently & modestly-rather than anything dangerous to their patrons? The offenders did loose their FAA license over the practice, however.

Thus, I'm willing to at least imagine, I'd not been mistaken on my calculations that hot & very remarkable day: Which is something I've always done, figuring my gas mileage, with nearly every purchase of gas for the car-over nearly 100,000 miles since June of '99. So, I'm sure I checked, double & triple checked my figures at the pump in Toledo; at least.

In comparing gas mileage figures for Festivas, I think a person also has to factor for the wheel and tire sizes; and with tires from brand to brand too, since I've noted differences enough to register with the odometer, on the fairly common roadside five mile odometer checks alongside the freeways many places. With the tires I have now, I multiply times 1.02 for an accurate figure.

With 12" there are bound to be better mileage figures than for larger size wheels & tires, so I judge accordingly. My car uses 13" rims from an '87 Mazda 323; while I have slightly wider 13" rims from some sort of Kia, waiting the Aspire brake swap I'm half through. The tires are 155 types; sort of the industry standard the car was designed for, is what experts here have agreed on.*

My usual mileage for 55-60 mph which is about the best speed I can usually drive for best mileage, commonly traveling where that's the prevailing speed limit and/or if few other cars are on the road; is about forty-two miles per gallon or a tad more.

I'm intrigued by the modifications for aerodynamics, since these seem pretty simple, which I might be able to adopt myself. The rear skirts at least.

Now that I'm thinking, a person wonders if there were some good "passive" way to chill fuel just before combustion? A way to route the airflow in an evaporative manner, leading to a dramatic enough difference this could effect mileage. Like a swamp cooler in miniature, around coils of the fuel line; a little like a still for making alcohol.

I've also seen water injection systems from time to time too, sold for giving a car far better mileage; though haven't known of anyone really using these, which used to be available through places like J. C. Whitney, and seemed to be a little on the flaky side of technology, and/or manufacture, etc. These put water directly into the gasoline just before combustion. Which I think is theoretically sound, if perhaps questionable enough in practice there hasn't been any great development of the practice other than the aforementioned aftermarket applications.

I do use a toilet paper oil filter, which is also uncommon; I do believe in greatly, with many willing to advocate for those as wonderfully efficacious, besides myself who are far more technically informed and intelligent: So, perhaps with a well built and adjusted apparatus, these water injection systems are also commendable? Some of the ads I've seen are so fantastic, that if true you'd not want to be without one.

*I think I'd get wider tires for better handling, as I have KYB struts and also FMS springs-if I can find rear tires which don't rub; as the set I did try once, I had to return after only a couple miles-using the Mazda rims, which allowed rubber rubbing on the rear struts.

With wider tires the mileage would suffer; but, damn that long incredibly curvaceous run from Grants Pass to Eureka, would be far less tedious and faster too. No doubt there is a tire size, a good compromise between handling and fuel economy; and I'm always certain, a better handling & stopping car, is also a safer one for me.

[bobstad]

5th wheel testing for mileage?

While in high school for a year, I subscribed to three automotive journals, Car and Driver, Road & Track, and the late now defunct Sports Car Graphic. One or perhaps more than one of these and maybe all; consistently used a "fifth wheel" for road testing.(not to be confused with any "fifth column" which is something different)

These looked like a bicycle wheel, attached to the rear bumper in the middle of the car; which trailed out behind, and gave very accurate mileage readings. Often, these showed that the car's own speedometer and odometer were inaccurate, sometimes to an incredible enough degree a person would think perhaps done on purpose by the manufacturer?

I don't know how the community of this website would approach perhaps having our own loanable fifth wheel; though that would be something probably quite a few people might enjoy playing with seriously?

[bobstad]

I don't know how the community of this website would approach perhaps having our own loanable fifth wheel; though that would be something probably quite a few people might enjoy playing with seriously?

Something I'd guess, very simple to build; and cheap, too!!!

[mikeyjd]

[Glease]

I'm in the same boat as above. Done all sorts of maintenance, o2, timing, new tires, thermostat, ect. Still can't get out of the mid 30s..

[nitrofarm]

Friction drag that's all

Sent from my USCC-C6721 using Tapatalk

[TorqueEffect]

My MPGs are starting to go back up since the weather is getting warmer again. Got 37MPG, but that was with half of the mileage being city, and the other half 65mph highway with 3 200+ lb people in the car, also some steep hill climbing in the suburbs of Cincy with said people in car. Also was driving for about 10min after the o2 sensor popped out, so I am sure the ECU was dumping a crap load of fuel because the sensor was dangling in the air.

[bobstad]

I've always guessed a wet road would help gas mileage a little; sort of like a lubricant, as the world's universal solvent?

[Damkid]

I'm in the same boat as above. Done all sorts of maintenance, o2, timing, new tires, thermostat, ect. Still can't get out of the mid 30s..

Try driving my festiva.... Mid 20's on a good day :lol:

[TorqueEffect]

Try driving my festiva.... Mid 20's on a good day :lol:

Yeah, your Escape probably gets just as good gas mileage. lol :lol:

[Damkid]

The escape has a 2.3, 4 cyl.... It gets better mileage then my festiva :lol:

[Glease]

Haha I believe it

[mikeyjd]

I've always guessed a wet road would help gas mileage a little; sort of like a lubricant, as the world's universal solvent?

On the contrary, it increases rolling resistance and decreases efficiency.

[bobstad]

big wheels keep on turning...

On the contrary, it increases rolling resistance and decreases efficiency.

I can't understand how hydroplaning enough at 85 mph, the speedometer starts jumping a little-is increased rolling resistance; pardon me? Tracking so well my first thought was the clutch had finally gotten old, instead. 13" rims & 155 tires.