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Thread: Temperature and Fuel Economy

  1. #21
    Moderator inuvik's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ranny View Post
    As I recall, modern block heaters just install near a freeze plug? 'Back in the day', when I lived in northern Vermont and drove a '65 Buick Skylark, the block heater was spliced into one of the coolant system hoses. And in those conditions, with a car as primitive as the Skylark, a block heater was a must.
    Block heater for the Mirage is super easy to do. It's a cartridge type. Here is a dedicated thread to installation.

    http://mirageforum.com/forum/showthr...r-Installation


        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 automatic: 40.5 mpg (US) ... 17.2 km/L ... 5.8 L/100 km ... 48.6 mpg (Imp)


  2. #22
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    I would just like to note that even though its well known that the cold weather will adversely impact fuel consumption performance, I haven't seen as stark of a difference on any vehicle as I have on the Mirage. My old Sentra would maybe increase 0.5-1 L/100 km, other vehicles in my household would increase 1-2 L/100 km. The Mirage almost doubles with around 4-5 L/100 km. And this doesn't start in the negative temperatures; it starts in the fall.

    Now to be fair, the base fuel consumption is exceptional, so even the increase to 8-9 isn't really bad, but the tank holds very little so I find myself out at gas stations in the cold more than I would like

    I have bought a block heater, And am going to run like a 19 meter cable from my apartment. Hopefully that helps.

  3. #23
    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spadesheart View Post
    ...even though its well known that the cold weather will adversely impact fuel consumption performance, I haven't seen as stark of a difference on any vehicle as I have on the Mirage.
    I tend to agree.

    My fall mileage dropped off slightly (by maybe 3%) with no change in outside temps. I figured that's when winter fuel blends started showing up at the fuel pumps.

    When single-digit outside temps started occurring regularly...my mileage figures dropped close to 15%...or about 8 mpg!

    If you're driving in near-zero temps on a regular basis, your mileage is getting hammered. And it seems like many of you guys up north are running snow tires...which also isn't helping.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


  4. #24
    Administrator Daox's Avatar
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    I'd say 15% is a very common number to see. It just seems larger when you have a car that gets 40+ mpg vs 15 mpg.
    Custom Mirage products: Cruise control kit, Glove box light, MAF sensor housing, Rear sway bar, Upper grill block

    Current project: DIY Nitrous oxide setup for ~$100

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage DE 1.2 manual: 47.2 mpg (US) ... 20.1 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.7 mpg (Imp)


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    Senior Member Top_Fuel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Daox View Post
    ...15% is a very common number
    ...It just seems larger when you have a car that gets 40+ mpg vs 15 mpg.
    That is a great point to keep in mind.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 52.2 mpg (US) ... 22.2 km/L ... 4.5 L/100 km ... 62.6 mpg (Imp)


  7. #26
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spadesheart View Post
    I would just like to note that even though its well known that the cold weather will adversely impact fuel consumption performance, I haven't seen as stark of a difference on any vehicle as I have on the Mirage.
    I agree.


    Quote Originally Posted by Spadesheart View Post
    The Mirage almost doubles with around 4-5 L/100 km. And this doesn't start in the negative temperatures; it starts in the fall.
    Double? Wow. In autumn? Wow again.

    I haven't experienced this myself, thankfully.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


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    Quote Originally Posted by wellswebdesign View Post
    Here's a bit more detail, from my drive this morning.

    • Outside Temperature, 5F.
    • Car parked outside overnight.
    • Engine block heater on for ~2 hours beforehand.
    • Water temp when turned on, 57F. Air intake temp was low 30s, possibly due to pre-warmed engine?
    • Still no grill block.
    • Climate control set on 70.
    • By 3/4 mile down the road, water temp was about 110.
    • Air intake temp is around 20F and stays there for the duration of the trip.
    • By 2 miles down the road, water temp was about 140.
    • By this time, fan is on about 6 bars.
    • From about mile 3 to mile 5, water temperature hovers right around 150-155.
    • At mile 5, I hit the off button on climate control.
    • Water temperature climbs slowly but steadily to around 190 by the time I pull into my parking space, after a total of 5 1/2 to 6 miles.


    It seems logical to me. The Mirage engine uses less fuel than a larger engine. Less fuel = less byproduct (wasted heat). Less wasted heat = less heat to remove from the coolant. Combine that with much colder temperatures, and you've got an engine that sacrifices more heat from the coolant for the cabin warming process than other vehicles with larger engines. Result is poorer cold weather gas mileage, since the engine can't get the optimum operating temperature. I still got 37mpg on a short, cold trip, so I can't complain too much.
    Can anyone chime in on optimum time for plugging in a block heater? Does it stop at a cretain temp? I really don't know much about how this thing works. I have mine on a timer and it switches on about 4hrs before I leave for work. Temp light shuts off about the time I turn out of the neighborhood onto the main road. It's been between 0F and 20F in the mornings here. I'm usually at about 40-44mpg by the time I get to work. 30 min drive.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage DE 1.2 automatic: 47.1 mpg (US) ... 20.0 km/L ... 5.0 L/100 km ... 56.6 mpg (Imp)


  9. #28
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    Mine had been taking a big hit, normally I easily get 5.5-6.5L/100 no matter how hard I drive it, but in winter time (first winter with it), I'm struggling to even get 7.0L/100, sometimes if i drive really conservative or let it roll a lot, i may get 6.5L...

    So that's roughly 20-25% hit... Are you guys sure that adding grill block to raise the temp up a bit would really help in the MPG??

    Canada here, was minus 10 to minus 20c last few weeks.

  10. #29
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by theforerunner343 View Post
    Can anyone chime in on optimum time for plugging in a block heater?
    Consider using it year 'round. It will help warm the motor oil up to operating temperature more quickly.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2015 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 49.6 mpg (US) ... 21.1 km/L ... 4.7 L/100 km ... 59.5 mpg (Imp)


  11. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eggman View Post
    I agree.


    Double? Wow. In autumn? Wow again.

    I haven't experienced this myself, thankfully.
    During the period that Codenamezero is speaking of, I was getting around 8- 8.5 L/100 km with hour long highway driving. Thats a far cry from the 4.5-5 of the summer.

    When looking at short drives, the fuel economy does most certainly take that much of a hit come fall. Now I suspect that the block heater would fix the fall issue almost 100%, but still, that's an extraordinary leap. With long drives, I'm probably within the 3-10% range, as is consistent.

    Winter can be called legitimately poor for short drives, and average for long drives without the block heater in regards to fuel economy. While I do have winter tires on, they were bought used and somewhat worn. That cant be accounting for this much of an issue. I do hope the block heater is as magical as it's been made out to be haha.



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