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This applies not only to manual calculations but also trip computers. There have been a few times when I have decided to fill up the tank after only 60-70 miles on the odometer since last fill up. While trip computer may show 24-25 mpg, I may calculate 21-22 mpg. This difference literally disappears after almost a tank worth of driving. My calculation almost match the trip computer display.
This all started when thegraduate wrote regarding tankbeans' post #1260, "Write down your gallons pumped each time when you do the little adds
Don't reset the trip odometer until you fill up. When you do finally fill up, use this:
Total Miles Driven before Fill Up / Gallons to Fill Up + Gallons added before complete Fill Up
For example:
550 miles / 2 gallons + 3 gallons + 15 gallons = 550/20 = 27.5 MPG"
He was correct. He and I are talking about multiple small fillups over a period of time. The total number of incremental gallons still equals the total gallonage. That is irrespective of what's in the tank at a particular moment in time.
Sure, there is still the question of whether pump A is calibrated slightly differently than pumps B and C, or temperature factors. But we are splitting hairs here.
If it stopped too late, say 0.1 gallons too late, every time you filled after 1 gallons, at the end of 13th trip to the pump, you would have computed an additional 1.3 gallons due to a "one-time" error (multiplied by times you fill up) as opposed to one time error, once. For sake of simplicity I'm assuming the error is constant.
So, after x miles, you might calculate from 13.1 gallon (one fillup), or from 14.3 gallons (multiple fillups). Think the number would be same?
Almost always you will find that computation based on multiple small fill ups will result in poorer fuel economy than would on a full tank fill up. Try it. I have.
And this applies to trip computer in my car too (TL). At this time, I have about 45 miles or so since last fill up and as usually the average mpg on trip computer is 26 mpg. However, I'm very certain that if I filled it up right now, I won't be anywhere close to 26 mpg. But if I did the same after over 300 miles from now, the two will be very close. In fact, during last fill up, the trip computer showed 24 mpg while I computed 24.9 mpg (trip computer in my car doesn't have decimal).
While there were a few such messages overall I am disappointed that no one seems capable of just writing the MPG, type of engine and transmission, year of the car and type of driving.
Many of the messages if not all which I have seen indicate the MPG but hardly ever indicate the type of engine, ie. 4 or 6 cylinder.
Both Accords share the same commute - 20 miles 70 MPH interstate, 15 miles urban driving in Birmingham, AL (downtown driving, stop and go, red lights). I'm a pretty easy driver, but have no problem gunning it to merge in a hole or get the lead on someone whose lane I need to be in. Throw in a trip around the beltway (I-459) at 50 miles or so interstate extra too in a typical tank. In that commute, I see:
2006 Honda Accord EX. 2.4L 5-speed Automatic. 26,600 miles - 30 MPG on my last tank (no A/C), typically closer to 28.5-29. I get service as the maintenance minder tells me to.
1996 Honda Accord LX. 2.2L 4-speed Automatic. 176,900 miles - 27 MPG on last tank, this is typical. Higher speeds on the interstate really hurt mileage in this car because of shorter gear ratios. I get the oil changed every 3,000 miles, and recently replaced the air filter (spark plugs about 25k miles ago).
This what you are looking for?
Commute is about half and half, 50%relaxed rural surface streets, 50% rural 2-lane highway 70mph.
First tank was on stock Dunlops, second tank is on chunky Cooper snow tires. I did do a nice relaxed highway and 55mph back roads trip to Keene and back the other day, filed up before I left then whyen I returned and got a bit over 27MPG.
I'm hoping by spring, once winter-blend gas is done, once the engine has a few thousand miles on it, and once I get the lower rolling resistance tires back on, I'll be getting a good 28-30 in my regular commute.
City driving only, long stop lights, many of them and within a few blocks of each other, normal driving, not hard accelerations nor stops, no air on, florida fall season. I drive maybe 3 miles one way which hurts the mpg
18.3 miles per gallon twice now
Highway 90% 10% city and I got 33 miles per gallon.
I have little experience on commuting --my mpg numbers generally involve 350 to 450 miles of mixed interstate and two-lane roads per calculation.
I am averaging right around 27 mpg. It has been as bad as 24 (with Denver interstate traffic) and up to 31 with a hefty tail wind for 200+ miles.
As stated , I use 85 octane gas that does contain 10% ethanol.
Hope that info is useful!
This is pretty good for the colder weather and all that rain. I've been over 40 mpg with slower speeds and much better weather. The trip computer showed over 37 mpg on the return trip but that will change by the time I fill up.
06 EX-L I4 manual.
My wife's 2008 I4 A/T Accord EX-L Sedan hasn't had a complete fillup yet, so no statistics. I'll know in a few days.
I have to say, thegraduate and blane are correct on this issue, are you are just plain wrong.
"When you fill up, how do you know the tank has just the amount of fuel it needed? Did the nozzle stop too early? Or, too late?"
This initial statement is correct. The particular fuel pump could shut off earlier or later than your last fillup, which could effect your MPG calculation. But this only applies when you are FILLING UP your tank, when the nozzle senses the tank is filled.
When you are only getting small increments of fuel (partial fillups), there is no possibility of the pump shutting off too early or too late. It shuts off when you want it to. So if you pump 2 gallons of gas, you get 2 gallons of gas.
"So, after x miles, you might calculate from 13.1 gallon (one fillup), or from 14.3 gallons (multiple fillups)."
This doesn't make sense. You wouldn't be making "multiple fillups", you would be making multiple partial fillups, which would not be effected by the pump shutting off too early or too late.
"Almost always you will find that computation based on multiple small fill ups will result in poorer fuel economy than would on a full tank fill up. Try it. I have."
I think understand...you are confused as to what is being discussed. They are not computing MPG based on topping off the tank with "multiple small fillups". They are only completely filling the tank one time.
Something else to mention is that if a pump reads wrong, say, it shows an extra .1 gallon pumped for every 10, that difference will be smaller if you only pump one gallon (meaning it would be off by .01). It's not a difference of .1 with every addition of fuel, the amount that the pump is "off" will correlate to the amount of gas pumped. The "click" issue isn't an issue at all until you FILL the tank.
60% city (stop n go)
40% highway
Initially I was disappointed, but when I considered the following I guess it wasn't too bad.
1. 1st tank
2. I'm constantly changing speeds for engine break-in reasons ie. no cruise.
3. winter gas
4. Temp. has been in the 20's
5. I swapped the oem Michelin's for the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity's. Softer
rubber - I think. Of course I don't know how much softer any rubber is at 20F.
Also, the "trip computer" on the Navi said 22.1mph when I filled up. I was pretty impressed with it's accuracy.
best, ez....
In reality, the person might have actually filled 15.6 gallons for 24.03 mpg. It is easy to ignore smaller numbers. If precision is maintained, then accuracy will simply depend on precision of the gas pump.
I guess I just have lots of things working against me . . high elevation (6000' average), 85 octane gas with 10% ethanol, cold temps (30 degrees), winter gasoline and fast highway speeds (70-85mph). But, as I've said on this post before, I don't think my I4 98 MT Accord ever got that low . . .
Consider wind and hills as well, and the very fact that is highlighted above. If you were getting better under identical condition in a 1998, then you might have a point of concern. Otherwise, it is newness (and getting used to a new car with AT versus being used to old with MT), and/or something else working against you.
I did do a half tank with a mostly highway trip (filling up before I left and when I returned) and came up with a shade over 27 so I believe she'll do better over time (and once winter blend gas and snow tires go away in the spring.)
It's been my experience that that combination of factors in the winter looses me an average of 2 MPG. My Mazda6 would do a steady 24ish in summer, 22-23 in winter. The Protege5 did a solid 30 all summer long, in winter it dripped to 28ish.
I always achieve MPG which exceeds sticker's MPG. Honda is very good at achieving good MPG that is better than sticker's MPG figures. Good luck guys & gals.
The tank prior I got about 22 MPG... I imagine the colder weather is playing a role in the drop- but certainly hope the mpg improves this spring -
Does anyone know when the engine is said to be broken in ? I suspect this will help fuel economy as well...
I am strongly considering the polished metal with black interior? However that white diamond pearl looks stylish with the ivory leather ? I want an upscale look but actually I am a little concerned about the light color? I am a family person with kids and a dog that will be riding often . Someone help me out. I have already made my mind up on the v-6. By the way what does anyone think of the gray it seems a little light in the pictures. It seems like the black interior goes better with the polished metal color.
406.1 miles
13.085 gal @ $2.869/g = $37.54 of Texaco Regular
_______________
31.035 MPG
This tank had about 160 miles pure highway on it, with the rest being my in-town/suburban commuting that includes about 40hwy/60city (city meaning lots of traffic lights, hills).
For the record, the light came on about 1/2 a mile from the station, meaning there was at least 4 gallons left in the 17.1 gallon tank when the light came on.
mattgg1
I found the hack by searching the forums can't remember if it was on here first or vtec. I did not discover it though, but somebody at Honda must have put it out there. I know Mazda has something similar with activating the trip computer on lower end vehicles.
tankbeans
as far as remembering settings goes. If you have the a/c turned off and then turn off the car, you don't have to turn the a/c off again once you restart the car. If the car is running and you switch from one mode to another (defog to ft/defog) the a/c light will come on and need to be turned off again.
Now that it is winter (1 degree out this morning) the a/c should never come on if the temp is below freezing.
Speaking of winter some recent driving in very cold temperatures has yielded my worst highway mpg to date by a large margin. Very cold temps have a huge effect on mpg.
I had a tank with 470 miles that only gave me 30.4 mpg. This was 220 miles highway 30 miles stop and go then 220 miles highway return trip. My trip on the way there was at 65 mph for the first 30 miles with completely white roads and temps of about 20. The next 190 miles I averaged about 65-70 with precipitation the entire way ranging from sleet to snow to freezing rain. The temp was below 28 the entire trip. And yes I have 4 snow tires (michelin x-ice) so I was not driving too fast for conditions.
The roads were better on the return trip, and I averaged about 70 mph, but the temps were much colder - low single digits. My scangauge showed only 29.8 on that leg. First highway leg below 30 - the horror.
Nice looking car grad - looks just like mine.
Same color and same wheels. Although right now mine is kinda white looking with all the salt.
Grad, your car does look great have fun with it. Oh wait you already do
- A 2-wheel carrying 2 riders Vespa @ 250cc @ $7,000 + tax which can achieve 65MPG max.
- An Accord '08 V6 EX-L with lot of muscles but you should minimize your unescessary trips to save on gas. Its MPG is 19-29, real life is 27-32 MPG if ones applies "permanent fragile egg strategy under the gas pedal".
......actually - - - taking nothing from the 'fragile egg strategy' - - - - careful driving using no a/c, 2150 or so rpm in 6th OD on the 6M will return significantly better than 32 MPH........this sailor has verified the asymtotic relationship with the 40 mpg barrier countless times.............
Great car (performance AND economy)
season's best, ez....
Some of the other acronyms that they use that I know of are L.E.V., U.L.E.V. and the Clarity, only available in a small part of California, which is classified as a Z.E.V.
The acronyms mean the following to the best of my knowledge. L.E.V.-Low Emission Vehicle, U.L.E.V.-Ultra Low Emission Vehicle and Z.E.V.-Zero Emission Vehicle. I only know about the Clarity because I went to honda.com and watched the video. The Clarity is their fuel-cell being tested in California.
There are other people out there who know more about this than do I, but I thought that I'd put my two cents in for whatever it's worth.
Any of you out there who know more that I forgive me for my ignorance or rambling.
Speaking of the Hybrid did they get rid of it for 08? I know this isn't part of the O.P.s question.
By the way, my Accord is not a manual. It's an automatic.
Are you sure the PZEV accord gets better MPG? I never know that. If so, then I will hug my new Accord more.