Increase gas mileage? Efficiency performance! [Archive] - 3geez.com

pressed001

12-20-2009, 08:57 PM

1988 Lx Carbureted 2.0L
154k original miles
5 speed

Hey, yeah I'm sure this post will get a couple laughs because I in fact don't want to go faster!
First off, this is my second car ever. My first was a turbo VW that I did a lot of work to and made it very quick. Now that I'm flat broke and trying to be economical I would like to squeeze ever little bit of MPG out of this car.
So far I get average city/hwy 40MPG. And am very happy with that. But I have heard that I can get these engines up around 50MPG. Is that true? I already drive pretty casualy, keeping it under 3k RPM most of the time. I plan on reducing the over-all weight by removing some interior parts. As well, I plan on removing the AC and perhaps the PS which I know will help.
I'm really just wondering if there's anything specific as far as the fuel system is concerned that I can do to get more MPG. And if there is an exhaust system I can buy that would help as well, even if it is stock. The exhaust on the car when I bought it was: stock headers, then just a straight pipe back to where the muffler used to be (it rusted off at the muffler). It's a bit loud and annoying because of that, especially durring cold starts when it idles high.
This is my first post! Hello, hello, TY, TY, TY very much. I searched for info on this topic w/ no results. Thanks for any help you might afford.

Civic Accord Honda

12-20-2009, 09:04 PM

40mpg ?!?! holy shit thats fantastic mpg!

ShyBoyCA6

12-20-2009, 09:08 PM

well thats pretty good for a 3g i only get 32mpg and you must have a good carb there to give you 40 but i dont think you can raise it anymore but try pumping shell gas

pressed001

12-20-2009, 09:11 PM

So 40 is about it huh? Well, that's pretty good considering.
I do use shell, that's cool. The only gas I liked better they don't have locally is 76. Shell always ran great for me too, but man, that 76, just something about it.

Civic Accord Honda

12-20-2009, 09:18 PM

Well... you may be able to get better... the lighter the car is the more performance and mpg u get out of the car... wight reduction is the greatest mod ever :lol: and its freeeeeeeeee

A20A1

12-20-2009, 10:09 PM

76. I thought I was crazy so I don't mention things like that but yeah, 76 Gas just makes my car and now my moped run smoother.

Welcome to the forum

labeledsk8r

12-21-2009, 01:01 AM

40 mpgs is really good out of a carbed accord, weight reduction might help though, the less weight your motor has to move the easyer it can get up to speed...

2ndGenGuy

12-21-2009, 09:08 AM

You won't get better than 40MPG. There are only two reasons you're getting 40MPG, either you're miscalculating your gas mileage, or you are extremely lucky and have some freak of nature Accord. :)

stat1K

12-21-2009, 09:43 AM

^ agreed, i think it MAY be possible, but i don't think we'd see it out of a carb'd accord. Unless by keeping under 3k you really mean keeping under 2k. I don't see the accord as getting that good of mileage ever. The most i ever got out of my lx-i driving gingerly was 33mpg.

2oodoor

12-21-2009, 09:45 AM

my 86 dx (5 sp) was getting 40 avg when I first got it, the silver car not the gold car lx which never got better than 29

SZfiftyfour

12-21-2009, 09:57 AM

Bass Man

12-21-2009, 10:23 AM

Make the flow of air/exhaust as smooth as possible.

I got 29-32 hwy mpg in my Sedan with a Weber! I also have a really heavy sub box in the back and I had my heavy tool box with me when I got that measurement. I wasn't being anywhere easy on it on the freeway, I wasn't going for milage... Around town I get about 22 or so, though... heh... Damn skinney petal.

2ndGenGuy

12-21-2009, 10:24 AM

Oh man, 76 is OLD school lol. I remember when they used to be Unocal, my dad used to run a truckstop for them until they sold-out to T/A (who then laid off all the mgmt). You don't see many 76 stations around anymore.

We didn't have them for a long time at all. But all our BP stations got switched to 76, so we have quite a few 76 stations out this way. I remember the little antenna balls you would get when you went there before they disappeared the first time. :thumbup:

itzdave

12-21-2009, 10:39 AM

i got 47mpg with a delta 272, full exhaust, and weber...

Sh4d0w

12-21-2009, 10:43 AM

I get 26 in town, and about 30 highway, if I'm light on the pedal - which I'm not.

I remember 76 stations too, specificly putting .32 in the gas tank at one LOL

w261w261

12-21-2009, 10:45 AM

I get 47 mpg with power shifts, a/c blowing, 6k shifting, and a little lying.

Sh4d0w

12-21-2009, 10:50 AM

... a little lying.

ya pretty much lol

either that or math fail

itzdave

12-21-2009, 11:02 AM

no, my carb was hella lean, and my 4dr only had a dash and 2 front seats... no p/s, no a/c.

SZfiftyfour

12-21-2009, 11:28 AM

I used to get 30mpg mixed driving in my 2gee with a bad carb and occasional lead foot. Dont remember the tank size, but a couple times I drove it up to PanamaCity beach (approx 320mi @ avg 75mph) with a quarter tank left when I got there. Which is just slightly better then our '06 Scion xA.

We didn't have them for a long time at all. But all our BP stations got switched to 76, so we have quite a few 76 stations out this way. I remember the little antenna balls you would get when you went there before they disappeared the first time. :thumbup:

Thats cool, I wish we had more here. Im all over central fl with my job and can only think of seeing one; in The Villages (a retirement "city" or "mecca" aka "gods waiting room"). I think I still have a bag full of those 76 balls and other Unocal 76 swag in storage.

labeledsk8r

12-21-2009, 12:02 PM

Thats cool, I wish we had more here. Im all over central fl with my job and can only think of seeing one; in The Villages (a retirement "city" or "mecca" aka "gods waiting room"). I think I still have a bag full of those 76 balls and other Unocal 76 swag in storage.

HAHAHAHA i have never heard of the villages called that ahahha

i havent seen a 76 since i was out west... been a long time

cygnus x-1

12-21-2009, 03:08 PM

Look up "hypermiling".

http://www.hypermiling.com/

C|

2ndGenGuy

12-21-2009, 03:13 PM

Look up "hypermiling".

http://www.hypermiling.com/

C|

Yeah... Only the hardest of the hardcore will truly hypermile. And it's usually at the expense of everybody else's gas mileage.

Bass Man

12-21-2009, 03:35 PM

Yeah!! I HATE people who take off way too damn slow from stops and use their Cruse Control at 70 in the fast lane... I'm gonna start getting pissed....

Civic Accord Honda

12-21-2009, 04:13 PM

my step dad has been setting the cruise control at 55mph since he got a speeding ticket 2 weeks ago.. lol

and BTW it is possible in a accord.... i swear to yall my 82 accord hatch with a very badly adjusted carb got in the 40s-50s.... it would run rich as fuck on start up but when driving it was lean as hell or something....

the best the 4g got was 37mpg with the car completely loaded down with rubermaids and boxs going to ridgecrest from tehachapi (70 miles highway) going 55mph because a cop was behind us the whole time... the average is 30 lol

MessyHonda

12-21-2009, 09:19 PM

yeah...i did not pass 30 mpg on my fuel injected car...any weight reduction helps...also take off stuff you dont need like ac and ps...that just creates a drag on the engine.

A20A1

12-21-2009, 09:35 PM

What type of engine oil are you running?

Sh4d0w

12-22-2009, 12:06 AM

Moble1 5/30 full syn with 1 qt Lucas Oil full syn additive

pressed001

12-22-2009, 01:52 AM

Thanks for all the responses guys.
I have questioned my math, and it could be wrong only if the odometer/speedometer is off. With that in mind, I have gone by a few laser speed warning signs. You know, the ones that show how fast you're going. Anyway, they all said that I was going "63" when my speedometer said 70. I've got stock wheels and stock size tires that are properly inflated so I don't know what it is exactly. Unless the cops in Missouri set those things low so they can get you later. What I know for sure is when I am at bone damn empty and put 2 gallons in I always go 80 miles before I'm bone damn empty again.

As for "hypermiling", dude, that's exactly how I drive. I know that the biggest loss of energy is durring accelleration/braking so I always try to keep moving, including coasting in neutral quite a bit. I think that is particularly funny because people always fly by me and cut me off just to get up to a red light a little faster! Obviously they're not worried about mpg!

I really dig this car. Even with the bit of rust it has on the fenders. It's got power windows/locks, cruise control, those awsome flip up headlights that after 21 years still freeking work! Bad ass car. I really want to get rid of this body rust but I know it will cost me some pretty serious cash as all four fenders are rusted. Anyway, it's a slow process I know, and I can't wait to get started. Any car that runs like this that is 21 years old deserves to be treated well!

2oodoor

12-22-2009, 05:35 AM

Yeah!! I HATE people who take off way too damn slow from stops and use their Cruse Control at 70 in the fast lane... I'm gonna start getting pissed....

I do that alot only because the right lane is beat to hell rough as john wayne toilet paper rough as hell and takes no shit off anybody:omg:

Sh4d0w

12-22-2009, 06:16 AM

Glad to see yet another person who appreciates the awesomeness of this particular car. Not too many cars out there still kick as much tailpipe after 21+ years. Treat it right, and it will do the same for you, for many, many miles to come. At 154k, you're just getting warmed up! I had nearly double that when I had to do my first swap, and that was only because of my stupidity in driving it too hard.

Enjoy!

Bass Man

12-22-2009, 12:16 PM

John Wayne TP... haha!

kentwat

12-22-2009, 03:17 PM

30 mpg is the best I have gotten from my 86 LXi with 283k and a 5 speed. I've tried short shifting and below 3k and it hasn't really given any better mpg.

2ndGenGuy

12-22-2009, 03:50 PM

Civic Accord Honda

12-22-2009, 04:26 PM

thats how ive calculated mine and when i top off i fill it to the top of the filler neck lol

gtmst3

12-22-2009, 06:10 PM

i have an 86 lx with an air intake and a comp cams stage 2 and a 150 pounds of subs in the trunk and i get about 26-28 driving like a normal person

cygnus x-1

12-22-2009, 08:24 PM

I think the only way to accurately calculate mileage is to do a top off of the tank, drive so many miles, then top off again. Even that's probably only 98% accurate due to variances in when the fillers cut off, how much you've topped off the tank... etc, but it's the only way to know how much gas you've used. The needle on the gauge, IMO isn't accurate enough to say "ok it's in this same spot, I know I have X gallons left." I only say this because my gas light can come on, and I can put in anywhere between 12-14 gallons. I'd say the gas light would probably be more consistent than using a point on your gas gauge where the needle is pointing.

+1. This is the most accurate way to do it. Best is to use the same pump all the time too. You should also check your odometer against a GPS too. The speedometer doesn't matter because you don't use it to calculate mileage, and it can be off from the odometer. The gas gauge is totally useless for figuring fuel mileage. The light will be better but still not very accurate.

C|

cygnus x-1

12-22-2009, 08:39 PM

As for "hypermiling", dude, that's exactly how I drive. I know that the biggest loss of energy is durring accelleration/braking so I always try to keep moving, including coasting in neutral quite a bit. I think that is particularly funny because people always fly by me and cut me off just to get up to a red light a little faster! Obviously they're not worried about mpg!

People like that crack me up. I understand it's fun to drive fast (especially if you have a fast car) but if you drive a truck most of the time and have to put $50 in it every fill up it starts to suck after awhile. I would have driven my Prelude more over the summer if it wasn't down for engine work (and the roads weren't so unbelievably bad).

I guess I need to get the engine rebuilt on my diesel Sami' so I can drive it again. Even with a shot engine blowing smoke like George Burns it still got +32MPG. With a good engine it should do 40+. And then if I can start running it on waste oil...

C|

LxAcc510

12-23-2009, 02:44 AM

yeah...i did not pass 30 mpg on my fuel injected car...any weight reduction helps...also take off stuff you dont need like ac and ps...that just creates a drag on the engine.

i dont think you've gotten past 24mpg in your car Jesse lol

And 76 gas is good eh? My next tank is gonna be from 76. I usually pump at valero, shell, or chevron

pressed001

12-23-2009, 05:04 AM

I think the only way to accurately calculate mileage is to do a top off of the tank, drive so many miles, then top off again. Even that's probably only 98% accurate due to variances in when the fillers cut off, how much you've topped off the tank... etc, but it's the only way to know how much gas you've used. The needle on the gauge, IMO isn't accurate enough to say "ok it's in this same spot, I know I have X gallons left." I only say this because my gas light can come on, and I can put in anywhere between 12-14 gallons. I'd say the gas light would probably be more consistent than using a point on your gas gauge where the needle is pointing.

Great point. I will do this next time I'm at the pump and post the results.

2ndGenGuy

12-23-2009, 09:12 AM

Great point. I will do this next time I'm at the pump and post the results.

:cool:

stat1K

12-23-2009, 10:12 AM

2drSE-i

12-23-2009, 02:20 PM

I get 47 mpg with power shifts, a/c blowing, 6k shifting, and a little lying.
haha sig quote

and BTW it is possible in a accord.... i swear to yall my 82 accord hatch with a very badly adjusted carb got in the 40s-50s.... it would run rich as fuck on start up but when driving it was lean as hell or something....

Eh, 82 isn't really comparable to the 3g. Much lighter car, smaller motor, etc.

With that in mind, I have gone by a few laser speed warning signs. You know, the ones that show how fast you're going. Anyway, they all said that I was going "63" when my speedometer said 70. I've got stock wheels and stock size tires that are properly inflated so I don't know what it is exactly.

I really dig this car. Even with the bit of rust it has on the fenders. It's got power windows/locks, cruise control, those awsome flip up headlights that after 21 years still freeking work! Bad ass car. I really want to get rid of this body rust but I know it will cost me some pretty serious cash as all four fenders are rusted. Anyway, it's a slow process I know, and I can't wait to get started. Any car that runs like this that is 21 years old deserves to be treated well!
Awesome cars huh? as for the radar signs, those things are incredibly inaccurate. + or - 5 mph. Not that our speedos are exactly accurate either.

30 mpg is the best I have gotten from my 86 LXi with 283k and a 5 speed. I've tried short shifting and below 3k and it hasn't really given any better mpg.
The FI models are a bit less economical. More power = more fuel :-(

i am maticulous about checking my mpg that's why i don't believe most of these people. i calculate the miles and then divide the gallons. i do this everytime i get gas in both cars. you take x (miles driven since last fill up) and y (gallons put in). do this over a course of many weeks and then avg those numbers, that will be your true mixed mpg. going 80 miles then filling only 2 is close but my guess is it's not as accurate as the whole tank as a lot of things can affect overall mpg vs a short distance like 80 miles.

I thought that this was the only way to calculate MPGs, never even considered filling up and then driving 80 miles.

hammer3rd

12-23-2009, 02:22 PM

How big is the tank on these cars. I fill mine up and it seems to be about 14 gallons. Any way the best I ever got was on a trip to see a friend in Wilmington NC. I filled the car up till it was in the filler neck and set the trip counter. It was 296 miles one way and it used a little less than a half tank. Didnt check it while I was down there or on the way back lost track. I have an 88 LXi sedan auto and 94 civic wheels with 196-60-15 tires.

stat1K

12-23-2009, 03:29 PM

the half tank thing never works because honda's needle is terribly innacurate and it always has been.

like on my civic i'll go 200 miles on "half a tank" then 80 on the second half and then fill up with 8.5 gallons. i avg 33 driving accelerating quickly always and shifting at about 4.5-6k. my commute is 35 miles and i have no traffic on country roads, it's pretty fun.

as for the tank it's 15.9 gallons and the warning light comes on at like less than or equal to 1.8 gallons. that's the reserve in the tank which would explain your 14 gallon fill ups.

Bass Man

12-23-2009, 06:38 PM

stat1K

12-24-2009, 07:15 AM

^ did you read anyone else's comments? i sware some people.

Sh4d0w

12-24-2009, 07:29 AM

i am maticulous about checking my mpg that's why i don't believe most of these people. i calculate the miles and then divide the gallons. i do this everytime i get gas in both cars. you take x (miles driven since last fill up) and y (gallons put in). do this over a course of many weeks and then avg those numbers, that will be your true mixed mpg. going 80 miles then filling only 2 is close but my guess is it's not as accurate as the whole tank as a lot of things can affect overall mpg vs a short distance like 80 miles.

That's what I'm talking about exactly. You fill up your tank, record how many miles its been (the trip meter, anyone?) and divide by the number of gallons.

Once upon a time, I recorded my milage every time, but I've gotten lazy. I know I get between 24 - 28 with + - < 5 depending on driving. Thats with air intake, 20k on the a20a3, pacesetter header & monza exhaust on heavy-ass rims wrapped in 195 50 15 proxis4's pullin 150+ lbs of subs + various other things I haul daily.

but I digress...

24 - 28 is about avg for my car.

A20A1

12-24-2009, 11:56 AM

Just get a gallon gas can and hook an external pump to that and drive till it runs out :D

MessyHonda

12-24-2009, 11:59 AM

i dont think you've gotten past 24mpg in your car Jesse lol

And 76 gas is good eh? My next tank is gonna be from 76. I usually pump at valero, shell, or chevron

C-los...haha....back when she was stock she did get me 30mpg....not anymore...:crying:

pressed001

01-06-2010, 08:59 AM

I haven't been able to fill it up yet. Lately, due to the cold weather, the car has been fast idling a lot more and my mpg has suffered quite a bit. It idles up near 3k at times, which I thought was too high until I researched a bit and found that between 2k-3k was normal. The fact that I don't have a muffler makes the fast idle REALLY annoying!
To keep the RPM's down I keep it in gear most of the time, which helps a bit.

pressed001

10-16-2010, 08:54 PM

I now know that the source of the great mileage is the EGR system that feeds the hot exhaust gases back through the carb, which decreases power output. Most guys like to go fast, the EGR is easy to get rid of for a quick power mod, I happen to like it, so it stays.

In the summer and in moderate temps I get 40mpg. In cold weather w/ the high idle I lose a bit, down to 32 or so.

Great car.

I still need to fix my Cruise, I'm sure it's in the steering wheel connectors, and I have to put on this new oil pan gasket. Other than that it's in great mechanical shape.

Xaisk

10-17-2010, 04:56 PM

It takes me about 100 miles to get to the top "Full" mark, then it goes down really quick from then. lol

Why not divide the miles you drive by how many gallons it took?? I think that's the only way to get pretty accurate.

Actually mine is similiar. I pump mine to full and that sucker takes FOREVER to even begin to drop, once it hits about 1/2 a tank it just flys down. I think maybe if we toyed with the distance between the magnet and the sensor in the FPS then we could get a steady drop straight down.

pressed001

10-22-2010, 07:48 PM

So anyway,
I'm moving to Oregon from Kansas City in two weeks. I just installed a K&N filter for the carb., which did not fit properly and required modification of the airbox, no thank you K&N. But anyway, I am eager to see my highway mileage, especially with the 15" wheels and good set of tires I just put on. Recently I also installed new oil pan and valve cover gaskets and a water pump. Timing belt is new, new plugs, and an oil change.

Goodbye Kansas City.

ecogabriel

10-23-2010, 05:16 AM

You won't get better than 40MPG. There are only two reasons you're getting 40MPG, either you're miscalculating your gas mileage, or you are extremely lucky and have some freak of nature Accord. :)

My 5G Civic (1.5L, 16v, fuel injected) gets about 40mpg when driving on the highway; city driving varies from 24-25mpg (A/C running) to 28mpg. I have a almost new O2 sensor in that car (20K) and I sent the injectors to a bench cleaning. My 3g accord (EFI, but auto) gets at best 32-33mpg highway only; the same city driving (through downtown ATL) gives 19-20mpg. Since those numbers are in the ballpark of EPA numbers I'm OK with them

Bottom line: I cannot see how a carbed car can get such combined MPG; if yours does it for whatever reason just leave it the way it is. Just make sure you are not running too lean if you don't want risking a burnt valve.

pressed001

11-10-2010, 11:30 PM

Alright,
39 MPG highway was the best I could squeeze out of this car going 65MPH. I got around 30MPG going up through the mountains at varying speeds from 90MPH down to about 50MPH.
One thing I'm really pissed about is this K&N air filter for the stock airbox. It doesn't fit right, leaving a gap between the lid and the airbox itself so that the EGR system doesn't work as well therefore decreasing efficiency. I will start a new thread for that.
Overall I am very impressed with this 2.0L little banger. She was just humming between 80-90MPH for 6 hours straight! Thank God I know how to maintain an engine.
Last thing, these stock studs almost got me killed when I was going down a mountain pass at 70MPH (speed limit), hit a pot hole and had two of four studs break off. Scary, yeah, fucking scary. Only cost $25 to replace both when I got into town.

Thanks for looking.

rocketman

12-05-2010, 09:04 AM

My '89 Accord DX (carb'd) gets 30 most of the time, can get to 40 easily if I try . . . extra few pounds of tire pressure . . . extended highway driving . . . a little coasting . . . this will get me over 40 mpg. The car has over 520,000 miles on it and still gets great mpg. Our '95 Civic gets an honest 40 most of the time, can get 45 highway on a trip. I believe that the most basic things you can do . . . two-three extra pounds of tire pressure, a less restrictive exhaust . . . a better breathing airbox or aircleaner . . . tune-up with properly gapped plugs . . and most importantly . . . use you head when you're driving. Driving style and watching the tachometer, easing off the gas in anticipation of lights and stops . . . no jackrabbit starts . . . makes it easy to get great mpg in the older hondas. BTW . . . in addition to our '89 Accord and our '95 Civic, we have a 2010 Civic. Same driving style won't get the same mpg. Lucky to get 35 mpg on a trip, 25 in town most of the time. Go figure.