Anyone have any tips on how to make our Fit's more fuel economic? So far I've tried weight reduction (light rims, tires, removed spare tire & added a tire patch kit, etc...) Just basic not to expensive stuff. Looking next at making the engine breath, exhaust and turn easier (light weight pully, intake, exhaust). Any imput would be great! thanks

 

Moved to Eco Fit.

Tyler

 

Mod the driver. If you are looking for fuel economy, none of the mods you performed will have any effect compared to sensible driving, nor will they pay for themselves unfortunately.

Here is a very good writeup on efficient driving. Scroll down to section II and III.

Beating the EPA - The Why’s and how to Hypermile. - CleanMPG Forums

 

Sad, but true...
what you do WITH the car has a much greater impact on fuel economy than anything you can do TO the car.
One notable exception (IMO) is air pressure... I run 42/40PSI in my tires and it makes about 3 MPG difference over stock 32/30 (or whatever it is).

 

Get yourself a scangauge...that's supposed to be the best way to "mod" the driver. It's somewhat a psychological mod similar to the display in a Prius...that way you can keep trying to beat your "best score". It will really allow you to try different things to see how they affect your mileage.

 

It would be a great start if you share with us what net charge you have measured with the changes you have made

 

I run 50 PSI on all four tires (max sidewall on my tires is 51 PSI). I plan on bumping that up a little higher to about 60 PSI.

It helps for hypermiling. So far, I've increase my fuel economy to almost 41 MPG.

My wife's first tank (1998 Civic EX) hypermiling was 39 MPG (Up from 30 MPG). She also is running 50 PSI.

 

Try a search as there is tons of info on this, or just even look in the forum in which this is now listed in. Lots of great stuff in there.

Do you have an MT or an AT? I have a sport MT btw...
This can help narrow down just a little bit on some of the suggestions.
I went from about 28 mpg to 34,35,36 mpg 100% city by-

-coasting more, in top gear or neutral
-getting to top gear quicker/earlier
-skip shifting (although now I have tested with out it and achieved practically the same numbers...)
-try to anticipate lights better
-not giving in to driving like all the other PITA drivers in socal!
-staying with traffic so I can benifit from less wind resistance
-keeping momentum as long as possible
-accelerating lightly but not at all overly slow
-using cruise control when possible (not often in socal city driving but...it can help) but not on grades either up or down.


I am sure there is more that I do...but...I cant remember right now...

 

A lot of ppl are saying "mod the driver." However, I think he was speaking in terms of "all else being equal."

Aerodynamic drag. Basically, anything that gives downforce as well. Kits, wings, OEM mirrors, lips, visors(?). Also, on your next set of tires, there are lower resistance tires than stock.

 

Has anyone read of verified results of the easy changes like a K&N or fram HOG air filter element change from OEM paper?

 

All right all here's what i got so far for a 2007 Fit LX A/T. I've been doing the same trip for the past 2 weeks (ottawa-toronto area thus +/-500km) and i've been trying a bunch of stuff.
WARNING: I'm NOT a professional ok! lol but this is what i've tried so far
p.s. guys this is for canada so +2 to -21 celcius temps
p.s.s. i also had 50-100lbs in the back worth of stuff & we had +/- 300 lbs of people in the car, so these numbers should be even better

AVERAGE DRIVING (auto shifts with a "push" 2500-4500rpm driving 90-120km/h):
-32 lbs (tires), 87 oct (gas), 175x65 (stk 4season) = 650km/tank (summer)
-32 lbs (tires), 87 oct (gas), 185x65 (studless winter tire) = 475km/tank (winter)
-35 lbs (tires), 87 oct (gas), 185... = 475-480km/tank (winter)
-35 lbs (tires), 89 oct (gas), 185... = 480-485km/tank (winter)

Eco driving (slow starts from stops NO "pushing" auto shifing around 2500-3000rpm and driving 85-105km/h)
-35 lbs (tires), 87 oct (gas), 185... = 500-520km/tank (winter)
-35 lbs (tires), 89 oct (gas), 185... = 560-570km/tank (winter)
-35 lbs (tires), 91 oct (gas), 185... = 550-560km/tank (winter)

-40 lbs (tires), 87 oct (gas), 185... = 520-540km/tank (winter)
-40 lbs (tires), 89 oct (gas), 185... = 575-590km/tank (winter)
-40 lbs (tires), 91 oct (gas), 185... = 580-585km/tank (winter)

As you can see 89 oct (gas) seem's to work better (or maybe it's coincidence, don't know?? cleaner fuel you know!). And by the looks of things the car seems to rev less (like 100-200rpm) for the same speed! Maybe it's just me seeing things lol Anyways thats what i got so far. If this is helpfull to anyone let me know and i'll try and post some more data for you all.
Let me know
good day all!

 

More downforce = more drag = lower MPG
kits, lips, wings, etc are designed (in theory) to increase downforce
That big blunt rear end is the limiting factor on drag
removing the side mirrors would make a small (not measurable) difference... and i suspect it would be illegal to remove the driver side mirror.

filters, intakes, etc can make power, but not efficiency. They could only improve efficiency if the stock intake system wasn't capable of delivering enough air for the stock injectors and fuel mappings. The stock intake is more than capable.

The stock tires are listed as LRR tires on the tirerack.com site.

If there was anything that could be done w/o breaking the law (or being dangerous) to improve MPG, Honda would have already done it... they designed this car to be as efficient as possible (and still marketable).

Everyone is giving the "mod the driver" answer because that's the only thing that really will improve (measurably) the fuel efficiency.

 

if you are turning different RPM's at a given speed/gear, then you either have a CVT (not sold in the US), you're riding the clutch, or you have major problems and need to go see the dealer NOW. It simply isn't possible... you have 5 gears to choose from, but each gear is a fixed ratio... X speed in Y gear will always be N RPM, no exceptions... i don't care if you've got plutonium in the tank.

 

thats what i thought, but wasn't sure. but like i said i could of been a optical illusion. move your head to the right or left and the difference between 2100 and 2200 rpm get pretty thin.! lol

 

Either with manual or automanual the quicker you upshift the more economical. Shifting up at the lowest engine speed to not 'lug' the engine and downshifting at about 1250 rpm depending on grade has let me get 30+ mpg on an automatic sport. You much be careful not to abuse drivetrain.
If you're looking at economy competition, run narrow tires at 45 psi, remove side mirrors, and wax it with areo wax, tape all door/gap seams, and remove rear wing. (its mainly for looks; BTW, spoilers are not necessarily drag, many are indeed drag reducing and not downforce generators. Look at some of the solar panel racers for examples. Oh. and put smooth fender skirts on rear wheels. Those things add 5 mph to the barn door Mini (old) and improve mpg to boot.

 

you must get a scan guage. I am still running on my first tank with the scan guage. I picked it and i can literally see my gas milage improving from my gas guage is moving so slowly this time. Plus it looks pretty cool IMO

 

If you run higher tire pressure than stock, the rpms for a given speed and gear will fall slightly