P&G on an AT

[Mikeb Yaris]

Originally Posted by mark2908

Hi Mike,

For highway speeds, (as Bailout suggested) Hang Time is a good technique and can be felt without a Scangauge. On a level stretch, at 55 mph slowly back off the throttle until your speed starts to drop. Take note of the position of your foot. Try the same thing again but don't go quite as far. See how far you can back off the throttle without slowing, then hold it there. That's it. It's a small move, but once you find it it's always there.
It is a fun hobby. Cheers

I have some nerve damage on my right side and so determining precise foot position / angle is pretty tough for me along with knowing with certainty that once I find a position I think is right, keeping it there. I DO try it sometimes though - with some if not little success. I'm hoping that if my good wife purchases me a scan gauge as a gadget, i'll be able to find the sweet spot with the throttle position indicator so that I have a number to look at rather than a feel. I believe my acceleration rate is inconsistent for the same reasons, so real life fuel flow or mpg readout will give me digital targets rather than physical ones.

This tank I've been doing a little bit of p&g in town at low speeds. I'm surprised at how far I can coast between pulses, so I'm still hopeful.

The good thing about doing this as a hobby is that you can remember that you're just learning and experimenting - no life and death on success here! But the competitive side of me wants bragging rights for success! I keep wanting to put a sign in my window with my average mpg's on it!

re: Winter - we've had a couple of cool days here, but nothing requiring a coat. I think one morning it was down to 30, but came back up to 60. 70 today so I have doubts whether the cool weather is enough to be hurting me yet - unless they've changed the gas formulation for the season. How can I find that out?

[mark2908]

Originally Posted by Mikeb Yaris

I have some nerve damage on my right side and so determining precise foot position / angle is pretty tough for me along with knowing with certainty that once I find a position I think is right, keeping it there. I DO try it sometimes though - with some if not little success. I'm hoping that if my good wife purchases me a scan gauge as a gadget, i'll be able to find the sweet spot with the throttle position indicator so that I have a number to look at rather than a feel. I believe my acceleration rate is inconsistent for the same reasons, so real life fuel flow or mpg readout will give me digital targets rather than physical ones.

This tank I've been doing a little bit of p&g in town at low speeds. I'm surprised at how far I can coast between pulses, so I'm still hopeful.

The good thing about doing this as a hobby is that you can remember that you're just learning and experimenting - no life and death on success here! But the competitive side of me wants bragging rights for success! I keep wanting to put a sign in my window with my average mpg's on it!

re: Winter - we've had a couple of cool days here, but nothing requiring a coat. I think one morning it was down to 30, but came back up to 60. 70 today so I have doubts whether the cool weather is enough to be hurting me yet - unless they've changed the gas formulation for the season. How can I find that out?

It is amazing how far you can coast on each acceleration phase. I try to keep my foot off the gas as much as I can. (N or DFCO)
Don't forget DFCO... Read Bailout's Sticky on that if you haven't already. For off ramps, down hills, and decelerations approaching stops, leave it in gear with your foot off the gas. The computer will cut the fuel to the injectors. Less (0) fuel is used.

I don't know about winter formulations. However the cold weather does make a big difference. Cold engine warm up is far longer at 45 degrees than at 70. The shorter the trip, the harder the FE hit. Temp swings have been wide here so I've been comparing morning temps from the 70's to the 40's on the same tank of gas. Winter gas aside, just the longer warm up phase on my 6 mile commute, has been interesting to watch. An unarguable drop, relative to the morning temps.

Take care.

[Mikeb Yaris]

Mark,

Yes, I'm a big fan of DFCO. In fact, because of the use of it, I've become quite a fan of the Yaris' gated shifter. I coast in D until the tach approaches 1K rpm, the pop left into 3 and sometimes if I still have a distance to go I'll drop on down to 2. Then I idle at stops in N. So, the pattern D - 3 - D - N is very easy and sure. Straight shifters are a bit goofy because it is so easy to pass up the selection you want.

Last night I was driving my wife's Durango (her computer has her averaging 11 mpg) and tried it - I was all over the place and it really pissed her off!

I have a thirty mile commute and rarely if every do short shots across town. I HAVE noticed though, with morning temps around 55 - 60, that it takes quite a distance for the cold eng light to go off. Plus, when cold it does not like to shift up - that's quite annoying.