Shifting auto tranny from "D" to "N" at stop lights for fuel economy
09-15-06, 03:36 PM
#61
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xtraboost - No. If you are making comments like that, you couldn't have read the thread.
I bought a $43k vehicle in '94 that got 18 mpg around town and I've never complained about it. My chief complaint is I absolutely cannot get the mileage on the Mulroney sticker no matter how hard I try. I don't care about the absolute mileage, and I really don't care about the cost of fuel. I do care that an engine touted as being best in class doesn't produce best in class efficiency when everything about it screams it should.
I bought a $43k vehicle in '94 that got 18 mpg around town and I've never complained about it. My chief complaint is I absolutely cannot get the mileage on the Mulroney sticker no matter how hard I try. I don't care about the absolute mileage, and I really don't care about the cost of fuel. I do care that an engine touted as being best in class doesn't produce best in class efficiency when everything about it screams it should.
Last edited by lobuxracer; 09-15-06 at 03:40 PM.
09-15-06, 03:42 PM
#62
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Don't assume it. Realize it.
It's throttle control. If you use a manual tranny, you press the clutch to minimize fuel being used, and RPM goes to "zero" (not really all the way, but enough to not kill the engine). The less RPM, the less gas used. Neutral in idle has higher RPM than Drive at a stop.
According to my experience, you use MORE gas in neutral than drive at a stop.
It's throttle control. If you use a manual tranny, you press the clutch to minimize fuel being used, and RPM goes to "zero" (not really all the way, but enough to not kill the engine). The less RPM, the less gas used. Neutral in idle has higher RPM than Drive at a stop.
According to my experience, you use MORE gas in neutral than drive at a stop.
So I would actually save more gas if i coast to a stop while in drive ? interesting.
09-15-06, 06:27 PM
#66
Don't assume it. Realize it.
It's throttle control. If you use a manual tranny, you press the clutch to minimize fuel being used, and RPM goes to "zero" (not really all the way, but enough to not kill the engine). The less RPM, the less gas used. Neutral in idle has higher RPM than Drive at a stop.
According to my experience, you use MORE gas in neutral than drive at a stop.
It's throttle control. If you use a manual tranny, you press the clutch to minimize fuel being used, and RPM goes to "zero" (not really all the way, but enough to not kill the engine). The less RPM, the less gas used. Neutral in idle has higher RPM than Drive at a stop.
According to my experience, you use MORE gas in neutral than drive at a stop.
I don't understand why this thread has progressed the way it has. I'm surprised that there have been so many posts about my reasons for caring, and so little about the possible harm that could come from switching to N at stop lights. That said, I'm at 24.3 MPG right now after using 2/3 of a tank of all city driving.
09-15-06, 08:55 PM
#67
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09-17-06, 03:57 AM
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I skipped from page 1 to page 5. I don't know if anyone mentioned this in pages 2-4 but light throttle still cycles the injectors quite a bit so if you drive around light throttle all the time, you're getting nowhere fast but basically using the same amount of fuel as if you applied more throttle. Aside from anticipating stops, letting off the gas very early (like when you see brake lights, or half a blcok before a light) and coasting a lot, that sort of thing, the best thing to do is accelerate briskly to a cruising speed and stay at that speed. On my cars, I usually cruise right above the speed where the torque converter locks in the highest gear in the car. In my V6 Accord, that's about 53mph @ 1600rpms, in the MPV it's about 45-50 mph, in the LS400 it's...I dunno because I just hit cruise control.
09-17-06, 06:45 AM
#70
When I say that I'm using extremely light throttle, I mean that I'm accellerating just enough to not be the slowest car away from a stop light, and the tranny will shift to the next gear between 2K and 3K. If I gave it any more throttle, the ECU would richen up the fuel mixture (use more fuel) and the tranny would hold the lower gears longer (use more fuel).
09-17-06, 05:07 PM
#71
Is anyone else tired of trying to reply to this guy for fear that, instead of taking it as comments to a question he asked, he will find some grammatical error or remind you that you know less than him; just ask him....I'm sure he'll agree.
Your question has been answered many times already....it is the OPINION that it will cause more wear and tear on your transmission, thereby outweighing any cost sacings in your mpg saving "procedure."
If you need a more engineer-like response, maybe you should consult the Toyota/Lexus Engineer forum.....or start one.
Your question has been answered many times already....it is the OPINION that it will cause more wear and tear on your transmission, thereby outweighing any cost sacings in your mpg saving "procedure."
If you need a more engineer-like response, maybe you should consult the Toyota/Lexus Engineer forum.....or start one.
09-17-06, 09:02 PM
#72
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If your throttle/brake ever gets stuck, it's easier to slide it one notch than several.
09-17-06, 09:05 PM
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I've already seen that it is "significant" enough to consider. For the past month, I've been entertaining myself by trying to get the best possible MPG by driving as conservatively as possible: using the brakes as little as possible, maintaining as much speed as possible around corners, anticipating stop lights, drafting other cars, using extremely light throttle, and staying near the speed limit. I've just recently added the "D" to "N" thing to my procedure, since I was getting so irritated watching my "Tank AVG" drop a point at each long stop light. Shifting to "N" fixed that problem.
I think that's one of the stupidest things you could possibly do to save gas.
Not only is it illegal and dangerous (is your life worth saving a few pennies on gas), you risk rock being kicked up by the tires and chipping your hood/bumper.
09-17-06, 11:43 PM
#75
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Is anyone else tired of trying to reply to this guy for fear that, instead of taking it as comments to a question he asked, he will find some grammatical error or remind you that you know less than him; just ask him....I'm sure he'll agree.
Your question has been answered many times already....it is the OPINION that it will cause more wear and tear on your transmission, thereby outweighing any cost sacings in your mpg saving "procedure."
If you need a more engineer-like response, maybe you should consult the Toyota/Lexus Engineer forum.....or start one.
Your question has been answered many times already....it is the OPINION that it will cause more wear and tear on your transmission, thereby outweighing any cost sacings in your mpg saving "procedure."
If you need a more engineer-like response, maybe you should consult the Toyota/Lexus Engineer forum.....or start one.