getting great gas mileage...

johnb · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 3:39 pm

I've got about 5000 miles on the KK now, and have been checking the mileage at each fillup - have yet to go below 20mpgs except for the first tank, and often drive up and down I-70 between denver and idaho springs (starting at ~5000' asl, going to ~10,000' asl and back) and get about 21.75. Even got 22.85 over 15 gallons here a couple of weeks ago. I have the 6 speed and generally take it easy on the engine - rarely go over 4K on the tach, climb at about 3K and cruise at 1700. Do about 80 on the hw which is almost 2500 rpms. I'll be moving to about 9500' next month, so I'm looking at an intake and exhaust to try to minimize the impact, but I can only imagine how I'd be doing back east... 24? 25? dunno... How are you guys making out?

rickm · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 6:04 pm

A couple of weeks ago, I got 24.5, but that was running Nevada gas. On California gas, I only get about 21. We have to have all those additives here in CA to keep us from killing ourselves.

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 6:55 pm

Ok, are all of your miles highway or 50 50 split?

FL RENNY · **Joined:** Mon Nov 07, 2005 4:30 pm **Posts:** 458

Pretty good, I'm happy when I average 16mpg.

johnb · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 11:35 pm

Diggerfreek wrote:

Ok, are all of your miles highway or 50 50 split?

60% highway I'd say, but much of that is climbing or decending (in gear) 7% grade on I-70. Maybe 40% is on 93, 285, 6, that sort of stop and go and then locally around town... Also some 4wd on dirt/snow.

johnb · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2008 11:37 pm

rickm wrote:

A couple of weeks ago, I got 24.5, but that was running Nevada gas. On California gas, I only get about 21. We have to have all those additives here in CA to keep us from killing ourselves.

That sounds pretty good to me... what's the terrain? flat, hilly etc? Average altitude? manual or auto? driving style? Hope I'm not being a pest - just always looking for extra mpgs wherever I can find 'em, you know?

Mr Nick · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 12:15 am

About 1,200 miles on mine, and I checked MPG on 3 fill ups. All were right at 19mpg. I drive about 80% highway, 56 mile round trip commute for work and 50 of them are on the highway.

I drive the 6-speed pretty aggressively, but shift smooth. Usual 1-2 shift is at 4,000 RPM or more, 2-3 and 3-4 are 3,500 RPM or so. I've yet to go past 6,000 RPM, seems like it doesn't pull much past 5,500 anyway.

I'm sure if I took it easy, I'd get over 20mpg. But what can I say, I like driving 75-80mph. If you don't around here, you'll get run over by a semi! :shock:

I'm looking at some General Grabber AT2, 245-70-16 on stock wheels. Slightly taller and heavier, I wonder how bad it will affect mileage.

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 12:20 am

ok now for a few more question...grade of gas, station used, tires?...Its ok to ask what ever you want...and Mr Nick... just wait, your mileage should climb one your motor and drive train are broken in

rider586 · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 1:29 am

Getting around 18 mpg with my commute being approx 7 miles per day inner city and 35 miles on the freeway at 70... No mods yet and stock tire pressure.

johnb · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 9:45 am

Diggerfreek wrote:

ok now for a few more question...grade of gas, station used, tires?...Its ok to ask what ever you want...and Mr Nick... just wait, your mileage should climb one your motor and drive train are broken in

I'm using 87 from Conoco - been buying from them since I saw they don't import any middle eastern oil... Still on the stock tires.

The manual mentions that break in is helped by gently reving the engine through the power band while in gear - I did it by getting out on the high way in 5th and going from 40 to 85 and back periodically, as traffic allowed for it. Don't know what if any impact that might have had.

lemonboy · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 3:08 pm

johnb wrote:

I'm using 87 from Conoco - been buying from them since I saw they don't import any middle eastern oil...

While you're welcome to buy from anywhere, the not buying ME oil thing is basically a red herring. Oil is a global commodity and its physical origin has no real meaning as long as the trade is global.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/gasoline/saudigas.asp

Me: 19ish city/22ish Highway (mountains only so far). Usually running 85 although sometimes I run 87. No perceptible diff between the two.

All of which I'm happy with, none of which I'd call great. In the grand scheme of things, this little guy should be able to do 30ish on the highway easy.

When it was newish, my 86 Bronco II (2.9L V6) turned in avg 36mpg. But a lot better than my old pickup.

Edit - stock 235s (gotta go soon), fill up whereever and whenever I start running low

John91C · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 3:59 pm

Even though oil is global we can decrease the demand (import) of that oil if we start using gas companies that do not use ME oil. People buy domestic even though cars are global. We buy the domestic product to put money back into our society thus creating domestic jobs.

I used to put in only SHELL gas with the 5% rebate...after reading the article you posted (I got an e-mail about that article a few months back) I switched to conoco and they offer the same 5% discount so to me it's no loss...

I'm still wondering if the 85 octane in CO is the SAME octane 87 in other low altitude states. Anyone know of any research done on this?

lemonboy · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 4:27 pm

Sorry but wrong.

Oil is a global commodity, it quite literally flows to where the dollars (Euros now

) are. Commodities are clearly differentiated from things like cars.

It may make you feel good to not use any that came from a hole in the ground in the ME but everything that matters about oil (price, supply etc…) is inextricably linked to the Middle East and there is nothing that can be done about that simple fact. If your goal is to curb the ascendant importance of the middle east on geopolitics then the choice of which global commodity supplier to source from is at the "totally ineffective" end of the spectrum.

Every time you put 60 or 80 or 120 bucks into your tank and burn it up driving around you're chuckin money into the coffers of Saudi princes as fast as you're filling up the coffers of Exxon or BP or whichever other company.

wiki Octane:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rat ... variations

DnvrJeepGuy · **Posted:** Fri May 02, 2008 8:58 pm

John91C wrote:

I'm still wondering if the 85 octane in CO is the SAME octane 87 in other low altitude states. Anyone know of any research done on this?

A google search turned up a hit on Car Talk's web site (Car Talk, for anyone who doesn't know, is a newspaper column where people write in automotive related questions.)

From an article in 1997: http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/ ... ne/09.html

Quote:

Tom: And what allows you, Bob, to use lower-than-recommended octane is the altitude in Colorado. Up where you live, the air pressure is lower. That means the pressure in the cylinders is lower, too. So by going up 5,000-plus feet in elevation, you've effectively lowered the compression of your engine, and that means you can use lower-octane fuel without making the engine ping.

Ray: At the altitude where you live, 85 octane is the equivalent of 87 octane at sea level. So, by all means, go ahead and use it, Bob. Along with getting winded more easily, it's one of the fringe benefits of living up there in the mountains.

johnb · **Posted:** Sat May 03, 2008 9:55 am

lemonboy wrote:

Sorry but wrong.

Oil is a global commodity, it quite literally flows to where the dollars (Euros now

) are. Commodities are clearly differentiated from things like cars.

It may make you feel good to not use any that came from a hole in the ground in the ME but everything that matters about oil (price, supply etc…) is inextricably linked to the Middle East and there is nothing that can be done about that simple fact. If your goal is to curb the ascendant importance of the middle east on geopolitics then the choice of which global commodity supplier to source from is at the "totally ineffective" end of the spectrum.

Every time you put 60 or 80 or 120 bucks into your tank and burn it up driving around you're chuckin money into the coffers of Saudi princes as fast as you're filling up the coffers of Exxon or BP or whichever other company.

wiki Octane:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octane_rat ... variations

Do you always sound so smug?

I don't avoid ME oil to avoid funding terrorism, or to try to impact the market price of gas... I do it so I don't personally contribute my money to a group of people whose goals and priorities are mostly contradictory to US goals and priorities. And it's not that I support everything or even most things that the US does abroad - but when we become financially dependent on another country that does not share our priorities, we are in effect acting in a way that is counterproductive to our goals. It's the same reason I try to avoid buying good made in China - I don't expect it to drive the price up or force the Chinese export indusry to collaspe on the weight of my personal boycott - I just don't want to contribute to the problem any more than I have to...

Diggerfreek · **Posted:** Sat May 03, 2008 11:52 am

I can tell you at here in aurora, I can notice a difference. running 85, i can feel a slight roughness at idle... but because of all of the cold weather, my numbers don't mean much

KK · **Posted:** Sat May 03, 2008 6:11 pm

FL RENNY wrote:

Pretty good, I'm happy when I average 16mpg.

What is the point of having a 4x4 on 22's and ground effects kit especially since your driving a 4x4? Why didn't you just get the 4x2 when it's obvious you have no plans of going off-road in a low rider? And FL is flat as flat as it nearly gets, its an oxymoron.

FL RENNY · **Joined:** Mon Nov 07, 2005 4:30 pm **Posts:** 458

KK wrote:

FL RENNY wrote:

Pretty good, I'm happy when I average 16mpg.

What is the point of having a 4x4 on 22's and ground effects kit especially since your driving a 4x4? Why didn't you just get the 4x2 when it's obvious you have no plans of going off-road in a low rider? And FL is flat as flat as it nearly gets, its an oxymoron.

I drive on the road mostly, but during the summer I go to the beach every weekend to go surfing, so I need to 4X4 for the sand. Its not a Ground Effects kit, its a GROUNDING kit. If you wanted an off road vehicle why didn't you stick to a wrangler that you can lift 6 inches and put on 37" tires? Thats fine if you don't like my vehicle, but I'm not gonna question your choice in rides, you can drive what you want.

lemonboy · **Posted:** Sat May 03, 2008 8:00 pm

johnb wrote:

Do you always sound so smug?

Pretty much. :wink:

Otherwise, you're still missing the point but I have the feeling that you don't really care either way so I'll let it go, you're free to have the last word on the matter.

Gimme Liberty · **Posted:** Sat May 03, 2008 8:33 pm

Geez ladies... what is this? The sensitive Jeep owners thread?! Snit fights breaking out all over today! :lol:

getting great gas mileage...

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