Effect of coasting in Neutral on MPG display

[Don]

Yesterday, 27 mile round trip. back roads and hwy, it is a lightly used hwy that i used because of the rain kept me off one of the other back roads. Probably 50/50 back roads and hwy. I treated them the same. I would say i had the engine off as much as i had it on. would get up to 50 when i could but a good chunk of the time i could only get up to 40 or so before killing the engine to coast. Around my house it is very hilly.

If i was better at dealing with the hills during the time the engine is on i think I would due much better.

thanks for reading,
Don

[3dplane]

Don you are doing something right! Now let's see that on the "B" display next time ok?

About the display:

It updates every thirty seconds! (thanks to our host Darin pointing it out a while back.I don't know if I would've ever figured that out on my own)

When you turn the ignition off and back on,the timer starts again before it will display a (new) number.

So if you went to engine off coasting every 29 seconds by turning the key off (or whatever you have to do to the push button),it would be possible to take a trip of any length with the display showing nothing but dashes the whole time.

However it still calculates the fuel economy in the background you just won't see it until you let it show you after thirty seconds.

I think it only displays dashes in four possible scenarios!

1, when it has not had a chance to figure out the numbers yet,such as when we just reset it.
2, When the figure is greater than 99.9!
3, not leaving the ignition on for at least 30 seconds
4,if the car is stationary when reset therefore no distance is accumulated

That's what I could come up with trying to understand the display.

[Don]

Hi 3dplane,

I tried using the B avg and with the push button off it is a pain to have to get it to come back on each time I eoc so i just use the A avg mpg. The Key off and Key on is much for efficient (Quicker) for engine off coasting i think. It is a pain to push the button and hold it till it goes off and then you have to bump it twice to get it to go back to ACC so every thing starts reading again. then the added hunting for avg B just was to much of a hassle for me. When i fill up i go by the last miles on the odometer and subtract it from what it is at now. its how i have always done it with my other cars.

I made the same trip again today and got 83.4 avg. I talked with the wife and later Month or so i will be getting a Scangauge E. With that i will practice Engine on coasting and dealing with the hills. all with the engine on. i think after a few tanks i will be able to re add the engine off coasting because I will better know how to use the car efficiently. .

Thanks for reading,
Don

[3dplane]

Sorry Don! I automatically assumed everyone is using "B" for tank average because that is the manual reset fuel economy average.(that we reset at the pump when doing a fillup)

That's what I was referring to. It would be nice to see 80.X on the tank average display.

Yes it is a bit of pain to get to but with practice it is not too bad to beep your way there to check how the whole tank average is doing!

It is different number of short button pushes to get to the 'range' display wether the car is moving or stationary,or wether the lights are turned on or off!
Quickest when the car is moving and lights are off. I believe then it is 4 short button pushes then hold plus one more push to get from "A" average to "B" average.

Then either repeat the sequence to get back to "A" or just wait for the next ignition off-on and it is back to "A".

[Don]

Thanks 3dplane,

I should be filling the car in the next couple of days, after that i will try to get to the B avg mpg again. if i get to it i will reset it and do it a few times at fill up so i cant mess anything up. I know my tank fill up this time is going to probably read mid 50s to low 60s and i will be happy with either of those. But it is nice to see that i am gaining ground on understanding this little mpg monster hehe.

I have had it up to 89.4 at the end of one decent engine off coast, but by the time i topped the next hill It was back down to 84.6. Honestly Up hills are not our friends LOL

thanks again for your help.
Don