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Thread: Off-the-Wall fuel economy question(s)...

  1. #21
    Still Plays With Cars Loren's Avatar
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    Mitsu is not going to have anything to do with an illegal cross-country run. Period.

    Make it a legal cross-country economy challenge, then you might get some interest from various sponsors.

    But, to do it at a reasonable pace... The MPG won't be overly impressive. But, probably still more than the EPA rating.


    Simplify and add lightness.

  2. #22
    By predetermined time I didn't mean break speed limits, rather just have a min and max time limit that doesn't necessitate speeding but deters extreme lollygagging. I realize Mitsubishi probably wouldn't want to endorse breaking the law, at least not speeding.
    Mirage videos:

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2014 Mirage SE wussie cvt edition. 1.2 automatic: 37.7 mpg (US) ... 16.0 km/L ... 6.2 L/100 km ... 45.3 mpg (Imp)


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    Loren (11-18-2020)

  4. #23
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    In my mind, I've already had all those thoughts. So what it boils down to is that we are all on the same page. And as yet, I don't think we've yet run across a substantial enough reason to do a C.R. I have to believe in some way, there would be a way to do it that would make it interesting, for more than just us.

    Now, I'm still totally down with breaking speed limits, but I totally do not expect Mitsubishi to associate with such a thing. I do find it interesting to fuel the car up, get out on the interstate, plant one's foot to the floor and move across the country as quickly as the Mirage can do it. At least then the hope would be that nothing flies apart. And, besides maybe losing a tire if a tire becomes compromised, I think the 1.2L would do fine running wide open for that long. However, it may actually be slower to do it that way however, with a stock Mirage, because there will be more fuel stops, and there may also be more law enforcement stops.

    But, I will be doing a deep dive from time to time, considering what may be of a greater interest, a better reason or way to run a C.R.

        __________________________________________

        click to view fuel log View my fuel log 2020 Mirage ES 1.2 manual: 42.4 mpg (US) ... 18.0 km/L ... 5.6 L/100 km ... 50.9 mpg (Imp)


  5. #24
    Moderator Eggman's Avatar
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        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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    Loren (11-18-2020)

  7. #25
    Still Plays With Cars Loren's Avatar
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    There's never a "good reason" to do something like this. You do it because you want to do it, and you set your own goals.

    If you're not going "flat out" as fast as you can, then chasing a time is pointless. If you DID do it flat out, then you'd get bragging rights for the fastest time with a <80 hp 3-cylinder economy car. And if you were going that route... nobody cares about "stock". Go ahead and fit a 20 gallon fuel cell in the back, and plumb it with a pump to fill the main tank on-demand. That would give you 28 gallons... and at 30 mpg, that would get you 840 miles! That would get you 4 fuel stops rather than about 12. At 10 minutes a pop, that cuts out about 80 minutes!

    And if you WERE going flat out, you might average 75... maybe even 80 mph. That would be a 36-37 hour time. Impressively on-par with some of the early 70's times. I think it would be a little easier to do that now because the speed limits are higher in a lot of places, and the roads are definitely a lot better. Plus, in a Mirage, you're invisible. Add in some radar detectors, learn to listen to the CB, and include kill switches for the lights so that you can "disappear" and then reappear as a law-abiding Mirage... (come on, how do you think they pull this stuff off? They play all the games!)

    If you put 20 gallons of fuel in the back, that's about 120 pounds, plus 20-30 pounds for the tank and plumbing. So, at least 150# added. You'd probably want to add stiffer springs to the back to make that more manageable.

    If you go more like what Fummins is talking about (which is the idea I like better), you set a reasonable target time. Perhaps not "100% legal", but "quasi-legal", like an average overall speed of 65 mph. (which, of course, you can't achieve by driving the speed limit) That would yield a target time of about 43 hours.

    Google shows the shorter highway route at just under 2800 miles and 42 hours. That an impressive 66.7 mph average! Seems like a pretty good target. Just do what Google says you "can" do. Switching the setting to avoid toll roads puts it at about 2821 miles and 43 hours. Would probably net faster due to no toll booths... and toll roads are usually near cities, which means more traffic.

    So, averaging a speed of under 70 in a Mirage... should easily net 35-38 mpg. Maybe even beat the EPA 39 mpg if you can figure out optimal "high speed" pulse and glide (if there is such a thing) and use it here and there. The trick will be to keep a close eye on average trip speed and stay ahead of it.

    Oh, here's my trip log from a drive I took from FL to KS in a CVT Mirage back in January. Looks like I was seeing around 38 mpg average at typical highway speeds in real-world conditions.
    https://mirageforum.com/forum/showth...age-CVT-Quirks


    Simplify and add lightness.

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