MPG Update
- Thread starter Corolla Cop
- Start date
I've found I can easily get over 40mpgs on the dash computer if I cruise in the country, staying under 50mph. We just took a mini road trip and after doing 65-75mph on the highway we were getting 35mpg. Normal mixed driving we are averaging 30mpg. Under the right conditions I wouldn't imagine 44mpg too difficult to get.
It can be done if you manage the throttle, my best MPG so far is 41.1 but my over all average is 38.1. That little mileage bar on the dash is your best friend if you pay attention to it, it tells you everything you need to know the rest is up to your foot. I have every intention of getting my average MPG to at least 40, I use only NON ETHANOL gas and I also use STABIL fuel stablilizer in every tank. I have not tested the difference on my 14 corolla s but on the past three trucks I had I always got at least 1/2 MPG better with it, and I always measured it over at least 10 tanks of gas on each grade with and without ethanol. And I DONT use that 0/20 oil in my car either.
I'm not in a rush to get a speeding ticket, or get involved in a crash. A 5+ mpg improvement just by driving at slower speeds saves far more than a few pennies and is more like a $200 + savings per year. I can think of many things I'd rather spend $200 on than gasoline and donating my hard earned money to the greedy big oil industry. :thumbup1: Driving slower also helps the tires to last longer as well as the engine and transmission too. So many people are in such a rush these days and they cause themselves so much stress and anxiety. Have to stop and smell the roses in life, or life becomes a rat race.
Also, driving at a slower speed and getting that 5 mpg+ fuel economy increase, with a 12 gallon fuel tank that means a whopping 60 mile greater range. This means not having to stop for fuel anywhere near as often, which saves a lot of time in unnecessary stops at a gas station to fill up the fuel tank. While the person with the heavy foot who drives fast is wasting time at the gas station pumping gas, the person who drives at slower speeds and gets better fuel economy because of it, drives right on by, waving at the person standing at the gas station filling up their fuel tank. So the person with the lead foot is the one actually wasting time. :clap::thumbup1:
Also, driving at a slower speed and getting that 5 mpg+ fuel economy increase, with a 12 gallon fuel tank that means a whopping 60 mile greater range. This means not having to stop for fuel anywhere near as often, which saves a lot of time in unnecessary stops at a gas station to fill up the fuel tank. While the person with the heavy foot who drives fast is wasting time at the gas station pumping gas, the person who drives at slower speeds and gets better fuel economy because of it, drives right on by, waving at the person standing at the gas station filling up their fuel tank. So the person with the lead foot is the one actually wasting time. :clap::thumbup1:
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Question; Stabil fuel additive is intended to address the shortcomings of what I refer to as ethanol contaminated fuel, but since you are not using fuel with ethanol in it, (lucky you!), then why use that fuel additive?
Also, why aren't you using the proper oil viscosity? Which viscosity are you using?
Also, why aren't you using the proper oil viscosity? Which viscosity are you using?
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Sorry for the late response. This is what I do:
I don't speed!!
On the interstate or long 4 lane roads I usually run about 55-60 mph.
Since I know the roads I drive everyday to and from work, 110 miles round trip, I know the areas I can conserve. There are a lot of hills and dips. I coast as much as possible, in neutral. In some places, where I can coast for 1-2 miles I turn off the car and leave the switch in the on position and then start it back up just before slowing down past my normal driving speed. Sometimes I have to brake to keep from getting too fast down some of these hills. If I am going to sit at a light for more than 20 seconds or so, I turn it off and just wait on a green light. Idling kills mpg!
That's basically it. I use regular ethanol gas.
I don't speed!!
On the interstate or long 4 lane roads I usually run about 55-60 mph.
Since I know the roads I drive everyday to and from work, 110 miles round trip, I know the areas I can conserve. There are a lot of hills and dips. I coast as much as possible, in neutral. In some places, where I can coast for 1-2 miles I turn off the car and leave the switch in the on position and then start it back up just before slowing down past my normal driving speed. Sometimes I have to brake to keep from getting too fast down some of these hills. If I am going to sit at a light for more than 20 seconds or so, I turn it off and just wait on a green light. Idling kills mpg!
That's basically it. I use regular ethanol gas.
Scott, you don't need power steering at high speeds. The vacuum reservoir gives you three full pumps of the brakes before vacuum runs out, so you don't lose the brakes immediately with the car off.
As far as the starter goes, I guess it all depends on how much fuel you save before the starter dies out. If you save $400 in fuel from not idling and lose a $170 starter doing so, that is an extra $230 in your pocket (of course, the costs would be hard to calculate, but think how much we idle at lights).
If someone rear-ends you when a light hit green and they were too idiotic to see your brake lights on, they are at fault, and probably would have hit you anyway... which isn't an issue anyway. If you are far back enough it takes a while from a green light to when you are moving, and if you are up front, you start the car on the cross-traffic's yellow.
Obviously, the best method is to time the lights, coast up to a light slowly and let the guy that speed past you sit at the red and turn it green for you so you don't need to even brake, but that isn't always possible, especially in heavy traffic and you get stuck on a bad cycle of all reds.
Anybody can go out to their car with it off, and pump the brakes, and count the amount of times they can pump before resistance is felt. If you have to hit the brakes more, restart the engine.
As far as the starter goes, I guess it all depends on how much fuel you save before the starter dies out. If you save $400 in fuel from not idling and lose a $170 starter doing so, that is an extra $230 in your pocket (of course, the costs would be hard to calculate, but think how much we idle at lights).
If someone rear-ends you when a light hit green and they were too idiotic to see your brake lights on, they are at fault, and probably would have hit you anyway... which isn't an issue anyway. If you are far back enough it takes a while from a green light to when you are moving, and if you are up front, you start the car on the cross-traffic's yellow.
Obviously, the best method is to time the lights, coast up to a light slowly and let the guy that speed past you sit at the red and turn it green for you so you don't need to even brake, but that isn't always possible, especially in heavy traffic and you get stuck on a bad cycle of all reds.
Anybody can go out to their car with it off, and pump the brakes, and count the amount of times they can pump before resistance is felt. If you have to hit the brakes more, restart the engine.
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It's my understanding that to shut off the engine and coast is against the law because of all the safety hazards this causes. It's simply not safe. No way am I ever going to risk my life for saving whatever amount of money on better fuel economy. I am simply not going to drive down the road in a car that is essentially dead. It's just way too dangerous and not worth it.
If someone rear-ends my car, I am not so much concerned with who is at fault. I'd much rather avoid having my car bashed up and possibly getting debilitating whiplash injuries in my neck. The risk vs. benefit ratio is just way too disproportionate.
I'm all for getting better fuel economy, but not at the risk of life and limb, while also breaking the law and getting an expensive ticket to boot.
If someone rear-ends my car, I am not so much concerned with who is at fault. I'd much rather avoid having my car bashed up and possibly getting debilitating whiplash injuries in my neck. The risk vs. benefit ratio is just way too disproportionate.
I'm all for getting better fuel economy, but not at the risk of life and limb, while also breaking the law and getting an expensive ticket to boot.
As for the STABIL for whatever reason it always got me better mileage even with non ethanol in the other trucks, I just haven't taken the time to test the difference on my corolla, I will probably do just that at my next oil change, I'll get a solid measurement and then check it without it on the next one. I've kinda been waiting on a break in period. The oil I use is 5/20 synthetic, in the past and this goes back to the 1990's with the fords I drove, I always got better mileage when I used the next level oil viscosity I know it's not supposed to happen but it does at least for me. Even the engine seems to run better and quieter. Again in a half million miles driven I had a lot of opportunity to figure it out and I tried different oils too and in all those miles another thing I noticed is that after about 2500 miles on the oil, my mileage would start falling off no matter what oil I used. That's why I change my oil at 3000 miles, I know I'm supposed to go 5 or in the case of my corolla they say to go 10 k miles. I know oil is very good these days but it still gets dirty and filters are only going to catch so much dirt, I would rather do my own oil changes. And save that way, I guess I'm just gonna stay old school.
To pass along some information, with pour in fuel additives, some of it ends up in the oil via blowby from combustion, which can cause problems for the oil.
With the fuel additive you are using, it could be negatively affecting the oil, increasing oil viscosity, (making it thicker), thus over time decreasing fuel economy, as you have noted.
Another part of the problem could be the oil itself, not staying in viscosity, becoming thicker and reducing fuel economy. What brand and type of oil are you using? Many of the, "synthetic oils", on the market today are really not synthetic motor oils at all, in the traditionally accepted definition of a synthetic oil. Buyer beware.
With either a 0W-20 or 5W-20 viscosity oil, (all else being equal), there will be no difference with the engine when it is hot, as both oils are a SAE 20 viscosity at hot engine temperatures. With cold engine starts the 0W-20 vs. the 5W-20 will flow faster to reach engine parts to provide lubrication and reduce wear. Using the incorrect oil viscosity can jeopardize the engine warranty.
There is no need or benefit in changing oil at the very expensive 3,000 mile drain pain interval anymore, (that goes back to the 1960's). Indeed, excessive oil changes can cause accelerated engine wear, reduce efficiency and reduce engine life. Even the greedy big oil industry doesn't recommend 3,000 mile intervals anymore. With a properly functioning quality oil and air filter, dirt is either filtered out or prevented from getting into the oil in the first place.
As an independent AMSOIL synthetic lubricants Dealer, my hundreds of customers and I have been using up to 25,000 mile drain intervals for close to 30 years and have saved thousands of dollars in unneeded oil change costs, improved fuel economy and longer lasting engines that run, "like new", for a longer period of time.
With the fuel additive you are using, it could be negatively affecting the oil, increasing oil viscosity, (making it thicker), thus over time decreasing fuel economy, as you have noted.
Another part of the problem could be the oil itself, not staying in viscosity, becoming thicker and reducing fuel economy. What brand and type of oil are you using? Many of the, "synthetic oils", on the market today are really not synthetic motor oils at all, in the traditionally accepted definition of a synthetic oil. Buyer beware.
With either a 0W-20 or 5W-20 viscosity oil, (all else being equal), there will be no difference with the engine when it is hot, as both oils are a SAE 20 viscosity at hot engine temperatures. With cold engine starts the 0W-20 vs. the 5W-20 will flow faster to reach engine parts to provide lubrication and reduce wear. Using the incorrect oil viscosity can jeopardize the engine warranty.
There is no need or benefit in changing oil at the very expensive 3,000 mile drain pain interval anymore, (that goes back to the 1960's). Indeed, excessive oil changes can cause accelerated engine wear, reduce efficiency and reduce engine life. Even the greedy big oil industry doesn't recommend 3,000 mile intervals anymore. With a properly functioning quality oil and air filter, dirt is either filtered out or prevented from getting into the oil in the first place.
As an independent AMSOIL synthetic lubricants Dealer, my hundreds of customers and I have been using up to 25,000 mile drain intervals for close to 30 years and have saved thousands of dollars in unneeded oil change costs, improved fuel economy and longer lasting engines that run, "like new", for a longer period of time.
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To clarify, the drop off in mileage between oil changes was occurring before I was using STABIL and it was with many different oil including synthetic, I even tried royal purple and amsoil and I got the same result. These are just my experiences in the past and I've already stopped using the additive just because I don't want it to taint any other results, I'm too analytical about things and usually unwilling to change but as I get older I find myself questioning my own car stuff so maybe it's time to try the more modern approach because I know that your right about the oil change intervals it works just fine. One question, do you change your filters between oil changes? And in answer to your question I use mobile 1 synthetic.
I didn't catch that the first time. That at least increases the safety. I still can't get into the whole hypermiling thing myself. The display on our Corolla S bothers me the way it gives instant MPG's, I feel like I'm always trying to get the number up and it really decreases my driving enjoyment. I've now switched to driving with the distance to empty displayed.
Thanks Donabed Kopoian for clarifying some things. It is correct, I don' cut the car off and leave it, I keep it on while coasting these long distances, therefore everything still works. The power steering doesn't really matter while coasting at a higher speed, and the brakes still work fine for about 3 good pumps, although I rarely ever have to use the brakes. Just note, I only do this on long stretches of four lane highways where there is rarely any traffic anyway. I try not to impede any traffic around me. Hypermiling? Yea kind of to an extent, but why not try to get as many mpg's as possible?
aalawand, engines need to fully break-in before you see its optimum efficiency. Right now, you have blow-by and oil burn-off because the piston rings haven't fully set yet.
Regardless, sounds like at 22 mpg you are either idling a lot or being tough on the car. Be easy on her for the first 1,000 miles. A proper break-in is everything.
Regardless, sounds like at 22 mpg you are either idling a lot or being tough on the car. Be easy on her for the first 1,000 miles. A proper break-in is everything.
Wouldn't you be more likely to get in a crash by driving significantly under the speed limit?
This comment is charming, very charming, but not mathematically accurate. You'll be saving 2 minute for every 50 minutes that you lose by driving under the posted interstate speed limit, assuming it's a 65 zone. And if your time is worth $20 an hour then you'll be losing double.
This comment is charming, very charming, but not mathematically accurate. You'll be saving 2 minute for every 50 minutes that you lose by driving under the posted interstate speed limit, assuming it's a 65 zone. And if your time is worth $20 an hour then you'll be losing double.
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Did anyone else listen to this week's Click and Clack? Not this exact issue came up, but close, and they said coasting down the interstate with the engine off is "dangerous". They also said "you might kill yourself" and "you need to stop doing that".
Ray and Tom are jokers, but I would take them seriously on this.
Ray and Tom are jokers, but I would take them seriously on this.
As far as mpg, I haven't noticed such a difference between "new" and "now" (11,000 K).
Differences have more to do with conditions of driving (flat highway, heavy city trafic) and driver !
I never understood the "floor the car" way some drivers use.
I'm all for progressive accelerations.
Would coast to a light but never coasted with engine off.
I guess I enjoy a smooth and soft drive !
I tend to respect speed limits (well... a little above) and I sincerely hate those whos time is so precious they have to zig zag between cars on the road. And, like it or not, I frequently catch them at the next light or fuel pump, or police radar, or even in the ditch at winter time... Plus I enjoy the time in my Corolla !
As far as different oil type or visocosity and additives, maybe they work but it would be very hard to prove the difference unless you test two indentical cars with identical drivers (?) in identical road and trafic conditions.
Differences have more to do with conditions of driving (flat highway, heavy city trafic) and driver !
I never understood the "floor the car" way some drivers use.
I'm all for progressive accelerations.
Would coast to a light but never coasted with engine off.
I guess I enjoy a smooth and soft drive !
I tend to respect speed limits (well... a little above) and I sincerely hate those whos time is so precious they have to zig zag between cars on the road. And, like it or not, I frequently catch them at the next light or fuel pump, or police radar, or even in the ditch at winter time... Plus I enjoy the time in my Corolla !
As far as different oil type or visocosity and additives, maybe they work but it would be very hard to prove the difference unless you test two indentical cars with identical drivers (?) in identical road and trafic conditions.
Three tankfuls, Corolla LE Eco. 47.6,48.6,46.8 mpg. Mostly highway and keep within 5 miles of speed limit (55 or 65 mph). Been chilly so no real AC use except to defog windows in morning. It it was a bit warmer than the low 40's in the morning, and especially if I could buy non-contaminated (oops - non-"enriched") non-ethanol fuel, I think I'd be topping 50 mpg. So far the computer calculations are right on with actual consumption measured at pump.
I don't plan on driving the car come PA winters. Have a Civic beater with snow tires for that, so I think I can keep lifetime MPG over 45 at least for a while. I don't drive aggressively, but don't drive like a grandmother or hypermiler either. I'm very impressed.
I don't plan on driving the car come PA winters. Have a Civic beater with snow tires for that, so I think I can keep lifetime MPG over 45 at least for a while. I don't drive aggressively, but don't drive like a grandmother or hypermiler either. I'm very impressed.