Using DFCO to increase your MPG

[Sodium Duck]

*thinking - thinking - thinking* Oh snap, you're wrong!

On initial thought, you're scenarios make sense. But -- you have to look at the big picture. As I said before, it depends on the situation which driving technique/tool you should use. There is no one perfect, end all - be all, thing to do to save gas. It is a mix of things that you do and when you do them. Now, you tell me which one of my scenarios is more efficient.

Going down a small hill, that levels out at the bottom for 400 yards, until you get to a stop sign.

You COULD use DFCO, use no gas at all on the small hill portion, then be forced to use gas at the bottom because you would have no momentum left.

OR

You COULD shift into neutral and simply coast to the stop sign - not touching the gas once.

OR

You COULD build up some speed on the other side of the hill, and turn your car completely off at the crest (granted you have a manual).

OR

You COULD do whatever to get down the hill, then use hang time to get to the stop sign.

OR

You COULD go crazy, remove your spare tire, rear seat, stereo, interior plastic, go on a diet and lose soem weight, etc. Drop a couple hundred pounds of weight from the vehicle and just drive over the hill normally.

I don't feel like digging out the numbers, because, as I said before, this has been discussed many, many times here before. DFCO is the most fuel efficient thing to do when you use it in conjunction with ALL driving techniques/tools. There are many things you can do to get better MPG, but DFCO is not always the best. You have to consider the bigger picture!