First 70 mpg tank, 2 1/2 years later!!

Hi All,

Made my first 70 mpg tank. 70.1 mpg acording to the MFD, and 70.4 mpg by pump volume. Pumped at the same station, at the same time of day, at about the same temperature. So, the bladder effect should be minimul. The mileage was 663.1 miles , 9.413 gallons pumped.

I fill up on the day that the third pip drops. It dropped about a third the way into work this morning, and I filled up on the way home tonite. This was 14 days of commuting, plus weekend trips, just short of three calendar weeks.

The mileage from the gas station to home was 88.1 mpg (4 miles). Which included the restart warmup engine operation.

The Mycanscan is what I am using to evaluate the Prius operating condition. This is a computer program that runs on a Asus EEEPC, amoungst other comptuers, and is fed by a CAN-USB. This is an expensive solution compared to a Scangauge. But, hell if Bush is going to give me money, I am going to spend it overseas, I guess. Both these items are imported.

Using the Mycanscan, I was able to not mess around with false attempts to get into glides as much during warm-ups. SHM (Super Highway Mode) was also able to be driven, even though it does not have a load or throttle position indicator. Just by waiting for SOC over 60 % and dropping down in speed to 53 mph, and 1280 RPM. This was good for about 7 mpg. I think aero mods help make this a practical commuting technique, because one can avoid speeding up and down with the mods to stay in this mode. I have aluminum flashing covers on my trim rings. I have other mods, by its 50 / 50 if they are advatagous or making drag.

Additionally, I found a evening non-highway route that matches the warmup cycle better. I found that the direct route to the highway was very poor matching the Prius warmup - about 40 mpg as I got on the highway. Versus another route which results in 50 mpg in the same distance thanks to allot of pulse and glide during the various warm-up stages, and uphills just when I need to get the car through to the next stage. This was good for about 4 mpg.

Finally, weather has been advantagous. Just cool/dry enough to avoid using the AC. Probably good for a few mpg.

Last year my typical tanks were no worse than 58 mpg.

 

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies. Nope. I did not take a picture. I guess I should have. Nope, did not loose any weight. Still my hefty self. If anything, and past experience, the walking I have gotten in this summer has put weight on. Doubt I will repeat this , again, this summer.

At 68 something mpg after the first day. Head winds in the morning, cool weather mistimed my warmups so I missed some long glides engine off. Will have to add 1/4 th grill block in the morning. The drive home I got caught by every light due to getting mistimed early due to an accident. Also blew all my down hill momentum while a cop did a youie in front of me to go after a speeding SUV over the center line about 5 cars up. Also had heavier traffic (although not stop and go). Trip home took 1 hour 15 minutes, versus the more normal 55 minutes. I have had trips where most lights were hit, all the warmup points made, and coasted that the trip MPG was up around 88 mpg in 55 minutes travel time - which is right on the same travel time down the highway. Time to work this morning took 35 minutes (SHM was difficult into the head wind, kept droping down to 51 mph and was only at 65 mpg versus the usual 71 mpg), versus the usual 45 ( with 10 minutes of slow and go). Then again, this was just one bad day. During the the 70.1 mpg tank, I was up to 71.3 mpg half way through. Then the cool weather started. It was lucky it was so warm yesterday, as things were timed poorly due to two abulances 20 minutes apart on that trip home.

Here is a link the thread about the hub-caps. There is a picture of one in there. http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-modifications/41338-aero-anticorrosion-mod-trim-rings.html . These look the same from standing distance as when I put them on. But there are small stone impacts from the inside out (not outside in suprisingly) one can see if one gets close to them. I did a coast down test with these, and saw a difference, besides the apparent audible difference. From about 45 mph (coasting, engine off, neutral), the car would hold speed within 1/10 th of a mph for 5 or 6 seconds, versus more than 1/10 th mph drop without them, in less than a second.

The other aero mods are thin turbulators on the upper third of the A pilar and just before the max height of the rear view mirrors (no additonal cross section area). Also, there is a 20 mm front to back, by 5 mm thick by 2 foot long bump made out of rigid PVC foam (Divynylcell 3lb/cu ft) at the rear of the rear spoiler. I may have the turbulators too thick right now. This was an idea from edbso on Ecomodder web site. Mine are made from 2mm inch thick self-adhesive foam (Foamies trademark). I think they need to be down around .7 mm thick. But I will stick it out for a while with these. I did some wool tuft testing with these, and the effect is small on the Prius (its apparently large on the Matrix). Its amazing what sidewinds do to the air on the side of the car. The full effect of the turbulators can be overcome with just a small side wind blowing over the top of the car. The rear PVC foam bump caused an apparent reduction in rear wind noise. Not as much as the aero hubcaps, but noticable. This idea was mentioned in the Chevy Volt aero video that was linked too from the Ecomodder web site. That mod was only on for the last week of the three weeks. I probably will fill in the foam with epoxy once I can get some blue painter tape to protect the car.

 

Hi a-priori,

As they are a work in process, and of somewhat new, or dubious effect, I do not have pictures. Edbso has pictures of his Dymo label tape turbulators on Ecomodder.org.
Belly pan or vortex generators? - Page 2 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com . These were made with simple pinking shears, common to most sewing kits, and available at stores such as Joann Frabrics, Hobby Lobby, etc.

I think this is a great idea, but because of the low angle of the front of the Prius the jury is out whether these help or hurt on the Prius. On a car with a steep windshield, and definate vorticity, they should break up the vortex and allow the flow to cascade down the side of the car and give a smaller effective cross section at speed. Edbso's report of quieter zone of air near the upper front side window appears to support this hypothesis on the Toyota Matrix he drives.

Here is a link to the Volt video:

 

Hi All,

Oops, I did it again. 70.1 mpg, 570 miles....