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Has anyone else noticed a gas mileage increase since the Rally?

8K views 16 replies 9 participants last post by  PhilWinIL 
#1 ·
One thing I have noticed since we got back from the Midwest Rally is that the gas mileage has gone from 38 mpg for a combination in town/highway to just over 40 mpg (40.3). Has anyone else noticed this since the highway driving?

On other cars we've driven in the past that same thing has happened. One mechanic said that when you get out on the highway you "blow the cob's out of the engine."

It will be interesting to see how long it lasts!
 
#2 ·
I got my best Milage durring the rally.

Lots of driving at 60 or less and quite a bit under 50 mph, We still showed over 1/2 a tank after driving over 200 miles. We will see when we get to our next fill how this translates


Its all about the right turns, Less stopping and waiting
 
#3 ·
It is true that an hour or two of cruising @ 3k RPMs or so will heat the engine steadily and blow carbon out the tailpipe. On an engine with under 20k miles I don't think there's enough carbon to notice an MPG gain though, unless like me you drive 4 miles a trip.

14 months, now approaching 8000 miles - only 3k of which is highway on my rare out-of-state trips.
 
#6 ·
I got my worse mileage after the rally - going through Kansas, to be exact! Low 30's for 3 tanks Kansas and Colorado. It was really windy and flat and I drove 80. :eek: And twice I could only get 89 octane!

Better now, but still not as good a normal. I guess the Co. Rockies, huge storm in Utah and then the mountains in Nevada and California are challenging for mpgs. :rolleyes:
 
#7 ·
I got my worse mileage after the rally - going through Kansas, to be exact! Low 30's for 3 tanks Kansas and Colorado. It was really windy and flat and I drove 80. :eek: And twice I could only get 89 octane!

Better now, but still not as good a normal. I guess the Co. Rockies, huge storm in Utah and then the mountains in Nevada and California are challenging for mpgs. :rolleyes:

You realize that entire streach up to colorado is uphill. In The Higher Elivations they run lower octane.
 
#11 ·
I just filled up a couple of days ago, so I'm going to see if it holds through this week. I usually avoid the A/C when I'm going back and forth to work, but this weeks weather may make me give in to it.

We're back to the 10% ethanol in the gas, so that will have an impact on it. I always try to stick to Shell gas; it's octane is one notch above the Phillips 66 station by us.
 
#17 ·
I have had 2 weeks/refills now with the mileage reaching 42 and 43 mpg. During both weeks that included some bike rack use on the receiver. I'm not going to complain!

The odometer just rolled over to 12K today, so I wonder if the mileage is an indication that the engine has been "broken in."

The travel over that period includes both in-town and highway driving.
 
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