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Harry's unscientific ECO-Normal-Power-Lucas additive test runs

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by harrysprius, Aug 4, 2017.

  1. Aaron Vitolins

    Aaron Vitolins Senior Member

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    the Michelin energy saver A/S always seemed to wander and not feel super tight. It did ride good, and was quiet. By far not a drivers car, but the Prius isn't either!
     
  2. Sam Spade

    Sam Spade Senior Member

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    I think it is off by a percentage.
    And as your total MPG number goes up, so does the numerical error.
    Once you get above 50, it might be off by 5 or more.

    More emphasis on quality versus quantity in posting. (y)

    Also thinking twice or three times before saying ANYTHING. ;)
     
    #42 Sam Spade, Aug 25, 2017
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 27, 2017
  3. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    If we could only teach people that in real life....
     
  4. NeilPeart

    NeilPeart Hybrid & PiP Convert

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    I'll take better handling and stopping performance over a couple of MPGs. After tolerating Yokohamas and Goodyears I gave the Michelin Defenders and Energy Savers a shot. I preferred the ride of the Defenders and they lasted longer too, losing just 1.5 MPG to the Energy Savers. After the Energy Savers wore down I moved onto the Defender T+H on the 2010 so I was able to compare the classic Defenders vs the new T+H variant - the H rating of the tires makes a difference to me. Now that I moved to Premier A/S I have found my favorite Prius tires. They seem to be wearing a bit better than the Energy Savers, though not as well as the Defenders (the Defender T+H seemed to be longer-lasting and performed slightly better at higher speeds than the standard Defender too). The Premiers have the worst MPG of the Michelins, losing more MPG compared to the Energy Savers than the Defenders, about 2 MPG. However, I find them to perform better than any tire I've yet tried on a Prius; I find them to be just as quiet as the Defenders too. At this point I would never drive a tire with less than an H speed rating for stability and performance, even on a Prius. Sorry to derail your additive thread, Harry.
     
    #44 NeilPeart, Aug 25, 2017
    Last edited: Aug 25, 2017
  5. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    You're fine. I'm so ADD my brain changes gears about a dozen times a minute, and I like reading all of the opinions.
     
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  6. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    Week 3 Power

    Day 1- To work 68 deg, clear, headlights, defrost in beg, no heat or ac, cruise on 72, then 65 ish, 52.9 miles, 45.7 mpg, 64 mph. To home-88, clear, little ac, traffic medium, cruise on 74, 65ish out-106.9 miles, 43.7 mpg, 63 mph

    Day 2- to work, clear, light traffic, defrost in the morning, no heat or ac, cruise on 72, then 65ish. -53.9 miles, 43.2 mpg, 63 mph- To home- 85 deg, clear, light traffic, cruise on 74, 108 miles, 44.7 mpg, 61 mph.

    Day 3-to work-60 deg, defrost on a while, no heat or ac, traffic light, 72 then 65ish, 53.9 miles, 43.9 mpg, 63 mph- To home-75, intermittent ac, medium traffic, one slowdown cruise on 74, 108 miles, 44.5 mpg, 54 mph

    Day 4- To work-58 deg, light traffic, defrost for a longer time, no heat or ac, cruise on 72, 65ish. 53.9 miles, 42.9 mpg, 64 mph. To home- 75, clear, heavy traffic, cruise on 74 after NV, 108 miles, 43.7 mpg, 46 mph
     
  7. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    Week 3 Power
    Day 1-106.9 miles, 43.7 mpg, 63 mph
    Day 2-108 miles, 44.7 mpg, 61 mph
    Day 3- 108 miles, 44.5 mpg, 54 mph
    Day 4- 108 miles, 43.7 mpg, 46 mph

    Total miles for week-430.9, Avg 44.15 mpg, Avg speed 56 mph
    Actual MPG, 430.9 miles, 10.32 gallons=41.75 mpg.

    ONLY 4 days.
     
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  8. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    Week 1
    543.9 miles, 45.44 mpg, 56 mph. NOTE. I did not weight the averages, it is a 5 day total avg only.
    Actual gas used was 12.42 gallons for a real world number of 43.79.

    Week 2
    539.9 miles, 44.92 mpg, 59.4 mph
    Actual gas was 12.68 for real world number of 42.58.

    Week 3
    Total miles for week-430.9, Avg 44.15 mpg, Avg speed 56 mph
    Actual MPG, 430.9 miles, 10.32 gallons=41.75 mpg.

    So far observations.....and for clarity. Gas was from same station and I tried to drive as close to the same as I could, but traffic obviously had impacts. I used the cruise control as much as I could, and accelerated as gradually as I could. I'll also say that putting it into power was a pain and didn't really make it much different from normal. It was definitely a more noticeable difference when going from eco. In short I think I'll mainly just stay in normal from now on. I may swap to power for passing or climbing a hill or something, and I may drop into eco when I get on the highway for long stretches. I'll run the Lucas fuel treatment test for a couple weeks now, and I'm going to do it from normal mode. I don't think I'm going to document as thoroughly. I'll just provide the end of week numbers without the detail, but it will be the normal commute week to keep it as consistent as possible. I'll do like I did with these weeks, and leave out any extra or weekend driving.

    Hope this is helpful so far.
     
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  9. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I'm to excited to wait! Lucas fuel treatment and economy mode.
    Day 1- To work 53.9 miles, 49.4 mpg, 58 mph. to home-108.3 miles,46.6 mpg, 53 mph.
     
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  10. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    Week 4 Lucas on eco

    Day 1-To work, cruise on 72, traffic accident slowed things down for a while, 53.9 miles, 49.4 mpg, 58 mph. To home-108.3 miles, 46.6 mpg, 56 mph

    Day 2-To work, 55.9 miles, 44.9 mpg, 56 mph- To home-110.2 miles, 44.6 mpg, 55 mph-accident on 65 north. Had to detour off highway

    Day 3-to work- 84.9 miles, 47.4 mpg, 45 mph. To home-139.1 miles, 46.3 mpg, 45 mph Had to run errand after work.

    Day 4-to work-53.9 miles, 45.1 mpg, 61 mph. Home- 108.1, 44.1 mpg, 47 mph

    Day 5- 53.9, 45.4 mpg, 63 mph. 111.3 miles, 45.4 mpg, 60 mph
     
  11. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    Lucas on ECO

    Day 1-108.3 miles, 46.6 mpg, 56 mph
    Day 2-110.2 miles, 44.6 mpg, 55 mph
    Day 3-139.1 miles, 46.3 mpg, 45 mph
    Day 4-108.1 miles, 44.1 mpg, 47 mph
    Day 5-111.3 miles, 45.4 mpg, 60 mph

    577 miles, 45.4 mpg, 52.6 mph
    Actual numbers, 577 miles, 13.4 gallons= 43.05

    Had some extra driving, and accidents played into this one.
     
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  12. RMB

    RMB Senior Member

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    I would think that for a fuel treatment to show any FE difference would be the second tank. The first tank has some fresh treatment in it, is in the process of doing the dirty work. And since the fuel treatment in a way (correct me if I'm wrong) isn't actually fuel/gasoline it may give the tank something like 97% gasoline and 3% cleaning agent, then it isn't really the same thing as just switching modes for the sake of this experiment. Whereas the second tank, without fuel treatment, would show the real result of the the fuel treatment. Anyone has any ideas if my theory is correct or wrong?
     
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  13. RMB

    RMB Senior Member

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    Or am I just thinking way too much from having a heat stroke in this Cali heatwave? :ROFLMAO:
     
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  14. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    You might be thinking too hard;). Or is that the reason for the poor air quality recently:whistle:?

    Hopefully you have AC in classy Oakland (y).
     
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  15. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I'm not 100% sure. We always used to recommend running fuel system cleaner a month before doing a tune up. Didn't want to put plugs in, and then immediately cover them with all of the dislodged crud out of the intake. Seemed to make sense to me and taught to me by a veteran service manager who was an ASE certified master tech. I've always done my own cars that way ever since. I'll be running it for a while and keeping up with the mileage for the next month or so before I change the plugs, pcv valve, clean the intake and do the trans service. I'll how everything looks when I pull it apart. Anyone close have a tiny camera so we can look in there and see how crud before I keep running this? Maybe we can compare it after? And anyone else want to do theirs at the same time? We can set up an assembly line. I'm 50 miles south of Nashville....
     
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  16. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    I forget where @Aaron Vitolins is around the Nashville area, but he might have some supplies.
     
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  17. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    Whats up Aaron? You got supplies? Anyone else in the area want to do oil change, transmission service, plugs ect? I can probably hold about 100 cars in my yard. Maybe we can have a southeastern prius meet.
     
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  18. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Theres some on the internet thats priced below $30 that can be hooked up via usb to a laptop, or micro usb to your andriod device that will allow your phone to view the scope view. Thats if money is not tight in budget.
     
  19. Grit

    Grit Senior Member

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    Same school of thought here. Throw in fuel or engine cleaner additives in the fuel tank and run it down to 1/8th tank do tune ups such as oil change, whatever the cleaner additive dislodges will be flush out when draining fluids.
     
  20. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    How hard is it to get a spark plug out on this? Is It as easy as a corolla? I could order the camera and check it out....