...totally shocked!!!

I normally get about 19MPG, so, I was BLOWN AWAY when I
calculated 29MPG...unbelievable...basically, I kept the
engine below 3000RPMs, usually between 2500 and 3000.

Does anyone know when the gas consumption of the VQ outweighs
the benefit in speed? Make sense?

For example, on this trip, I kept the car around 80MPH (2800RPM),
because if I went up to 90 MPH (3100RPM???), the extra 10MPH wasn't
worth the loss of 4-5MPG (so to speak, as a guess).

thanks!
FLO_BOY

 

You're not only concerned about engine rpm. You want to try to keep the throttle below 1/4 throttle to really get great gas mileage. The fuel pressure increases linearly with throttle position, and anything above 1/2 throttle is pretty high psi-wise. I usually get 19city/22hwy, but I got 29.6 on my last highway trip. I usually travel in 5th gear at around 80.
-hype

 

The answer to your question has little to do with the engine itself. What causes a change in gas mileage is WIND RESISTANCE. Here is a good read from some of the two smartest people in the auto field.

http://cartalk.cars.com/Columns/Arch...cember/12.html

 

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. To reach OPTIMUM mpg due to minimum wind resistance, the speed to travel is about 35 mph. This will give you nice ratio of wind resistance (low) to speed (high). Any faster and you start to offset the ratio with a higher wind resistance.

 

interesting...

personally, since wind resistance is ever changing (my theory)
with the winds as they blow, I think gearing is more important...

ofcourse, I'm no expert...
btw -- that article was from 1995!!!

FLO_BOY

 

certainly gearing is important. But it is not nearly as large of a factor as wind resistance. The "blowing of winds" has almost nothing to do with resistance. What causes wind resistance is a 3000lb object 4 feet tall and 6 feet wide moving at 65mph.

When you stick your hand out the car window at 65mph and hold it flat, and perpendicular to the ground, you need to use a lot of force to hold ur hand steady. Now if you turn your hand so that it is parallel to the road, you don't need to use nearly as much force to hold it there.

Now certainly an turning the crankshaft slowly will help with gas mileage, but then again, so will not moving.

The links were provided to prove the fact that gas mileage varies more due to wind resistance than the RPMs. The cartalk guys provide factual information.