Is Super Unleaded Gas Necessary? (1 Viewer)

[CT Saints Fan]

It depends on the compression ratio bro.

I think "crap" is the technical term for compression ratio. But I might be mistaken.

 

[Tapxe]

And, I drive like a maniac

There is your missing fuel mileage. Edmunds did a study and found that 20-30 % of your fuel is burnt in over accelerating. They recommend not pressing the accelerator more than 1 inch unless very necessary.

Using some techniques from hypermiling.com, I've gotten around 30% fuel economy increase from 29 MPG to 38 MPG in a 2000 Honda Civic. The principals work for any vehicle however so you can get better mileage no matter what. The biggest thing is to slow down and leave yourself room to just let off the gas rather than having to brake. If you think about it, using the brakes is essentially wasting the energy you spent by turning it into friction.

Also, speeds over 55 MPH have a huge impact on your mileage. I think its 1% per MPH so going 80 MPH will use 10% more gas per mile than 70. If you get a base of 20 MPG, you are dropping it by 2 MPG for that extra 10 MPH. Taken over a long trip that can seriously add up.

It's really hard at first to back off and leave the room especially in traffic, but test the time and you will see that you really aren't saving much time burning that extra gas. It's mainly because you will just speed up so that you have to brake at the next wave and waste gas. Same thing happens from stop light to stop light. I drive slower, but I spend a lot less time stopped at a light. Therefore, I'm not wasting it with braking or sitting idle.

 

[Thorin]

There is your missing fuel mileage. Edmunds did a study and found that 20-30 % of your fuel is burnt in over accelerating. They recommend not pressing the accelerator more than 1 inch unless very necessary.

Using some techniques from hypermiling.com, I've gotten around 30% fuel economy increase from 29 MPG to 38 MPG in a 2000 Honda Civic. The principals work for any vehicle however so you can get better mileage no matter what. The biggest thing is to slow down and leave yourself room to just let off the gas rather than having to brake. If you think about it, using the brakes is essentially wasting the energy you spent by turning it into friction.

Also, speeds over 55 MPH have a huge impact on your mileage. I think its 1% per MPH so going 80 MPH will use 10% more gas per mile than 70. If you get a base of 20 MPG, you are dropping it by 2 MPG for that extra 10 MPH. Taken over a long trip that can seriously add up.

It's really hard at first to back off and leave the room especially in traffic, but test the time and you will see that you really aren't saving much time burning that extra gas. It's mainly because you will just speed up so that you have to brake at the next wave and waste gas. Same thing happens from stop light to stop light. I drive slower, but I spend a lot less time stopped at a light. Therefore, I'm not wasting it with braking or sitting idle.

Great advice, I do those things when I can too. I try to keep it under 3000 RPMs, and have had decent success.

 

[iron error]

There is your missing fuel mileage. Edmunds did a study and found that 20-30 % of your fuel is burnt in over accelerating. They recommend not pressing the accelerator more than 1 inch unless very necessary.

Using some techniques from hypermiling.com, I've gotten around 30% fuel economy increase from 29 MPG to 38 MPG in a 2000 Honda Civic. The principals work for any vehicle however so you can get better mileage no matter what. The biggest thing is to slow down and leave yourself room to just let off the gas rather than having to brake. If you think about it, using the brakes is essentially wasting the energy you spent by turning it into friction.

Also, speeds over 55 MPH have a huge impact on your mileage. I think its 1% per MPH so going 80 MPH will use 10% more gas per mile than 70. If you get a base of 20 MPG, you are dropping it by 2 MPG for that extra 10 MPH. Taken over a long trip that can seriously add up.

so you are one of those people driving me nuts trying to miss lights on purpose

seriously though, once you have the momentum gained you must keep up with the car in front you....please.

It's really hard at first to back off and leave the room especially in traffic, but test the time and you will see that you really aren't saving much time burning that extra gas. It's mainly because you will just speed up so that you have to brake at the next wave and waste gas. Same thing happens from stop light to stop light. I drive slower, but I spend a lot less time stopped at a light. Therefore, I'm not wasting it with braking or sitting idle.

so you are one of those people driving me nuts trying to miss lights on purpose

seriously though, once you have the momentum gained you must keep up with the car in front you....please.

 

[St. Widge]

We have a CX7 also. You are supposed to drive with the mid grade not super unleaded.

Look at the inside of the door on your gas cap. It says "Super Unleaded Only." That is unless yours is different than mine. I also know that the manual requires the octane that you can only get with Super Unleaded.

 

[St. Widge]

There is your missing fuel mileage. quote]

No, it isn't. I've set the cruise control on 65 MPH and drove to Baton Rouge and back and got the same milage. And, no I won't do 55 MPH because I would get run over on I 10 between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

The real problem is those EPA milage estimates are BS. They are calculated based on driving a way that no one drives.

 

[CT Saints Fan]

I have a Mazda CX7 which has a turbo charged 4 cylinder engine. When I got it, the EPA millage was supposed to be 27 miles per gallon so I thought it would be a good gas savings from my 4Runner which got about 18 miles per gallon. I knew that the manufacturer said that I had to use Super Unleaded gas with the turbo charger, but I figured the 9 miles per gallon difference would more than make up for that. Unfortunately, the CX7 really only gets about 20 miles per gallon. I like the car and it handles really well with the Turbo Charger and sport tuned suspension, but Super Unleaded gas at 20 miles per gallon is not much fun.

Anyway, does anyone here know if I really need to use Super Unleaded with a turbo charger? If not, can I use regular? If I use regular would their be any long term consequences? FWIW, I've put regular and plus in it once in awhile, when I was forced to use a station with really expensive gas, and did not notice any performance difference.

The 2008 CX7 page, with the newer, more realistic EPA estimates, shows 17/23, so your 20 sounds just about right.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsSpecs&vehicleCode=CX7

 

[Tapxe]

so you are one of those people driving me nuts trying to miss lights on purpose

seriously though, once you have the momentum gained you must keep up with the car in front you....please.

I do keep pace, but I don't accelerate when I see that the next light is red or that all the traffic ahead is stopping. I just try to drive a constant speed and it gets me an extra 100 miles per tank vs. my old driving method. Sorry if that causes others frustration since they have to go around me to slam on the brakes at the next light or traffic wave.

There is your missing fuel mileage. quote]

No, it isn't. I've set the cruise control on 65 MPH and drove to Baton Rouge and back and got the same milage. And, no I won't do 55 MPH because I would get run over on I 10 between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

The real problem is those EPA milage estimates are BS. They are calculated based on driving a way that no one drives.

I guess I misunderstood what you meant by "And, I drive like a maniac".

 

[St. Widge]

The 2008 CX7 page, with the newer, more realistic EPA estimates, shows 17/23, so your 20 sounds just about right.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=modelsSpecs&vehicleCode=CX7

Figures. I bought the car figuring it would same me some gas money and I'm probably paying more than I did with the gas guzzling 4Runner. Still, it's a lot more fun to drive.

 

[St. Widge]

I guess I misunderstood what you meant by "And, I drive like a maniac".

No, I usually do drive like a maniac. It's just that I've tried to keep the speed down and it didn't do any good so I figure I might as well have fun while driving and get places on time.

Although I'm sure it would help some, part of the problem is the turbo charger. It doesn't kick in until you get ot a ceartain speed so I'm not sure how that would affect the milage. And, when you're stuck in traffic on the I-10 in Metarie, you really can't afford to give any space. If you do you will get cut off and sooner or later it will cause an accident. I've tried leaving space before and I've almost rearened people who jumped in front of me and slammed on their brakes.

Anyway, I appreciate the advice, I'm just not sure it works for me.

 

[saintmdterps]

Here's the input from a pretty substantial gearhead. It does usually depend on the compression ratio/timing, however, some engines are more tolerant of regular unleaded than others. Pinging, or detonation in gear talk, can also vary between brands of gas. My old Toyota 4WD pickup would knock only on Texaco regular, no other brand. My Z28 did fine on regular, then I put in the Super-Tech chip to advance the timing and add 30hp, and I needed Super. Well worth it 7 years ago!

Despite my gearheadedness, I forgot to note fuel requirements when I bought my Tacoma with the high-compression V-6 back in November and the extra 25 cents per gallon difference contributed to it being traded in on a Prius a month ago. the Prius DOES run on regular, I made sure to check this time

Detonation will rob you of fuel economy and power in the short run, but will do your engine no long-lasting harm while you experiment to see which runs best in your car. Sometimes, the car will allow you to get by on mid-grade as opposed to super. It depends on the vehicle.

Good luck y'all, as we approach 4.00/gal.

 

[AsaPW]

Yeah man, the Super Unleaded is definitely getting out of hand. I have to use it also. My car also runs at 4000 RPM going 75. Ekk!

 

[Pure Energy]

Mazda CX-7 Real World MPG - CarSpace Automotive Forums

 

[saintmdterps]

Yeah man, the Super Unleaded is definitely getting out of hand. I have to use it also. My car also runs at 4000 RPM going 75. Ekk!

My Z28 with the 6-speed turned over about 1600 at 70-75 and got 28 mpg on the highway as well. If only I could've fit my wife and then infant son BOTH into it.....

Now gas mileage the night I drove back home from Richmond in 3hrs 15min(normally 4+ hrs) not so good

 

[AsaPW]

My Z28 with the 6-speed turned over about 1600 at 70-75 and got 28 mpg on the highway as well. If only I could've fit my wife and then infant son BOTH into it.....

Nice! I'm driving a 6 speed 4 cylinder rice burner though. I think I'm supposed to get EPA 25 MPG