Turbo fuel Mileage and Power

[cookin86]

This article was on yahoo this morning. I was looking for the SVO comments. Didn't see any yet so I thought i'd post the link. I just think it's funny that we have 26 to 28 year old engines that just about perform as well as the newer ones. And we do it in style.

http://autos.yahoo.com/news/consumer-reports-finds-small-turbo-engines-dont-deliver-050100955.html

[brownsvo]

the terrible gas milage is from putting 150hp motors in 4000lb cars. the ecoboost 4bangers should of never left the fiesta/focus.

[Desert Patina]

I think I've seen this argument at the truck level too.

As it turns out ... aggressive driving is worse for the turbo, but regular driving is better. Unladen the ecoboost pickups got a few mpg better than the V8. Towing or trucking, they got on or two worse.

I agree, a large car is always going to have worse mpg, especially daily driving or track/test driving. The lighter cars in the chart on that page actually produced results more like what one would expect.

Still, I believe this is a transition for other reasons. I wonder if turbo craze of today might just be stepping stones to ones to an engine more variable in just about every aspect...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homogeneous_charge_compression_ignition

[stott]

one of the perks of my job is i get to drive virtually every new car out there.

i've found that the small engine formula only works if the car isn't too big. we had an equinox with a small 4-cylinder that got terrible gas mileage, because you always had to spin the engine up to go anywhere.

on the flipside, a direct injected V6, like GM's 3.8 (3.6?), is tremendously efficient, because it produces so much torque at low RPMs that you can run very tall gears.

we have a long-term mitsubishi lancer ralliart, with about 240hp, AWD, and a dual-clutch transmission. admittedly, it gets driven hard, however it returns about 15mpg.

FWIW i've never bested 25mpg highway in my SVO, and 20mpg or worse was most common.

[caroth]

I quick trip over to a neighboring town today in the SVO. 3/4 of the drive was at highway speeds never exceeding 70mph. Not bad for 30 year old EEC technology connected to a modern MAF sensor.

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Sorry my console is dusty, the phone camera really picks up the dirt.

[brownsvo]

jealous caroth...i am jealous of that tbird tripminder..

[Sick Puppy]

jealous caroth...i am jealous of that tbird tripminder..

That's one of Chris's specialties. Keep an eye on your console, he's always looking for "cores" to build more.

[Bob Holmes]

Consumers Reports is a go to read for many things for me. But never anything car related. There metrics for measurement of vehicles are far from mine.

Chris, I'm going to have to come to Colorado so that you can teach me how to get those kinds of mileage numbers. When I was daily driving my SVO I averaged about 18mpg in stop and go traffic.

[caroth]

jealous caroth...i am jealous of that tbird tripminder..

I am pretty sure I have 2 or 3 tripminders built up with red lense and Mustang console brackets. If you want one, let me know. You will need to install a VSS (vehicle speed sensor) for the tripminder to work properly.

[brownsvo]

That's one of Chris's specialties. Keep an eye on your console, he's always looking for "cores" to build more.

I have the website booked and it actually inspired me to look in my. Junkyard for a turbocouoe but alas they are non existant. Oddly enough there are two xr4tis with missing engines

[teal95]

How are you doing the red lenses? I have tripminders in all of my TC but haven't gotten them put in any of my 'stangs.

steve