halle1@houxz.UUCP (06/26/84)
To those of you who dispute the savings at 55 by claiming your car does better at 65 (or 75 or 105), you are looking at the problem wrong. Your car probably does do better at 65 since it was designed to have its peak efficiency there. But suppose you took the same car and changed a few internal things, such as gear ratios, axle, and whatever else is necessary (I'm not a mechanic), such as would be done on the production line, you could make the car most efficient at 55 with no significant effect on performance (below 55) other than mileage. The mileage you will get at peak efficiency of 55 is virtually certain to be better than you got at 65 when that was the most efficient point.
kitten@pertec.UUCP (karen hettinger) (07/11/84)
The original artical stated that if one was to make changes in the driveline,
(on an older car, or on the assembly line) one could make his car run more
efficiently at 55mph. You don't necessarily have to do that. If you get
the engine overhauled/rebuilt, all you have to do is establish a wear pattern.
After asking several people about the standard "drive slow, vary speed" break-in
methods, I just cruised at 55 instead. Now, that's where I get my best mileage.If I go over, even just a little bit, for an extended distance, I can literally
watch my gas guage go down. Considering the age of my car ('74), the mileage
(150,000+), and the fact that it's not much more technically than a V8 cut in
half (old technology four banger) 28-31mpg on a trip from LA to Sacramento
ain't bad. So what if it takes me 8-9 hours....
But when I get my new car, things may be different. Time will tell, but I'm
not one to go buzzing down the freeway at 65-70mph.
kitten~garys@houxm.UUCP (#G.SEUBERT) (07/13/84)
> I'm not one to go cruising at 65-70 MPH.
Just don't let T.C. Wheeler get behind you, Karen!
Gary Seubert
..![ihnp4]!houxm!garys