Hypermiling with Outlanders

Hello everyone...I am a noob looking to get informed on my Outlander. This forum is the best I have seen so far, so pat yourselves on the back. I own a 2004 Outlander LS AWD.
 
With the gas prices being what they are, I have been looking into Hypermiling techniques. I gave my Outie a complete tuneup, jacked the tire pressures to 42f/40r and drove for a few days using Hypermiling. I still have some excess weight in the back to get rid of. Here's what I got so far, and it floored me...
 
148.9 miles - 5.117 gallons = 29.09 mpg
 
I was just flabbergasted, because I used to be a road rage freak and would only average 17-18 mpg.
 
Please share your Hypermiling techniques or stories!

wow, that's amazing... you must accelerate really slowly then, and keep a long distance between you and the car in front of you? how do you do it? do you drive outside of urban area's?
I only reach 10.3 l/100 km aka 22.9 MPG (from the digital display) with my sporty driving style, although I do apply the basics of hypermiling, just not the part of the acceleration! Also driving on dirttracks or in soft sand uses a lot of fuel ;)
Also I believe the quality of fuel makes quite a difference, and I suppose motor oil also has an impact.
regards

Wow, I can't imagine hypermiling.  I just can't bring myself to do it, lol.
I would have to detune and lower my boost pressure just to make myself do that.
Kudos to you guys that can "make" yourselves do that.
I do try though, seriously.  I try to stay off the gas, use cruise control using a hypermiling techniques on the highway, and all that.  All it takes is one instance of hearing the turbo spool and that it for me.  Hypermiling is OUT the window, lol.
However, when I do a combination of hypermiling, I do gain about 10mpg.  Which is then used up, and then some, the next day spooling, lol.

The only time I have "hypermiled" is when I drove our minivan 500 miles on a single tank - just to prove my father in law wrong.  Aside from that, I'm a pig except sometimes I coast down hill....

So far hypermilling has got me 400 miles in one tank on the outie, way better than my RA ever did.

For the amount of miles I drive to work each day, I have no choice. I can save over $150 dollars a month by driving like a Grandma, aka Hypermiling. At the current MPG I am getting, I could get 461 miles to a tank.
 
I just installed the new factory spec sparkplugs and noticed that it takes less RPMs to accelerate now, so I should be able to break the 30 MPG barrier...woot!
 
Now for you more mechanically tuned guys....I heard that preheating the fuel-air mixture actually helps the combustion efficiency. Is this true? If so, I am thinking of making a heat exchanger for the fuel line and use the hot coolant going to the radiator to heat up the fuel before it goes into the injection manifold. As for the air, I was thinking of taking the air duct mounted onto the grill off and just put a screen on the air filter inlet so that it draws hot air from the engine compartment. Thoughts?

I'm not sure about the fuel, but I'm sure cold air will give you better efficiency than hot. The reason is because cold air is a lot more dense, therefore you get better combustion and the engine has to work less to get that suction going.

That makes sense...so I guess I will leave the air system alone.
 
I am also tinkering with the idea of a water injection system.

What do you mean by water injection?

You can use an automist system that injects a water/alcohol mist into the air intake. It is supposed to reduce fuel consumption and reduce emissions. It is also supposed to help clean up carbon build up in the engine.
 
 

I have read that fuels best temp for combustion is like 400 or something degrees maybe higher. Way hotter than what an engine can handle. Thats from what I can remember. A water injection system will help cool you down. Its on the STI from the factory Im not sure if it was on every year but I have seen a few that it was on. Turbos hate the heat and cools them down giving you more power.

Cold air can get you more power, but hot air will give you more more mileage.  Hot air is less dense, so the less fuel to keep the air/fuel ratio
 
My top 2 tips for good mileage:
 
slow down
drive as if you had no brakes..(anticipate traffic/stoplights and coast as much as possible before you stop)

So far my outie is performing a little under for what is rated for....im getting 6.6 litter per KM or 15.7 mpg?

Is it new? Don't worry about it, I was getting the same mileage when my Outlander was new. past 3K, you'll see an improvement, if not, then back to the dealer and have it checked.

rcpax- he has a 2003, I think,  anyway its not an 07 and it has something like 100K on it. What is the mileage ratings for that gen outie I cant remember?

Is it a 4g64 or 4g69?

Hes the same guy with the jumping rpms, you seemed to think it was a 4G64. I know nothing about the 1st gen outies engine model differences.

I think the 04+ models got the 4G69, not sure though, but the mileage per gallon wasnt so good, and from my own personal experience I never managed to get any were near close to the MPG that was advertised and I was "hypermilling".

like said above, it is a 2003 with a 100k on it.....i got a few issuse with the car.....so im trying to piece all the info together to get it back on the road right......im not sure what the diff is between 4g64 or 4g69?  but i think im off to the dealer soon.....

4G64= no Mivec and 150hp, (this is the engine you got)
4G69=      Mivec and 162hp
 
Good luck with the dealer, by the way is it under warranty?

no warrenty....im off to the dealer in the morning....hopefull i can get somethings back up and running....i am still interested in learning how to do it myself....but slow but sure.....

I just wish the 2004 Automatic transmission had Overdrive...the mileage would be sweet...
 
Can I throw a 5-speed automatic tranny from a newer model on mine? 

how are you doing it....im getting 18.5 mpg and it sucks......atleast i would like 20.....im city road driving....and not being stupid about how i speed up....is there some mechaincal things i could do??

It seems obvious there's quite a difference in mileage between the MIVEC and non-MIVEC engine, which is of course the idea of variable valve timing. Also a manual gearbox should be more efficient than the classic automatic transmission.
I'm glad that putting a heavy foot on the 2004 Outie doesn't push my fuel usage skyhigh!