ok guys, gas has really been pissing me off so i decided to run an experiment on my car. I wanted to know if the extra 20 cents for a tier 1 station was really making a difference.


i tested out two tier 1 gas stations, one with oxygenated gas (ethanol) and one without. (conoco philips -without ethanol-) (shell -with ethanol-)

then i tested out a regular gas station (race track)

To rule out variables i ran two experiments per station and used a different stations for each test. total of 6 stations

All gas used was 93 Octane.

conservative driving is shifting at 2-2.5k rpm and no WOT driving

my usual driving habits visit Vtec on a daily basis and usually WOT acceleration when leaving turns or passing


I used Sports shift to rule out my aggressively tuned ECU (it shifts right before vtec LOL)

Conoco

I filled up with Conoco philips and drove the car VERY conservatively and got 18.6667 mpg highway/city. (i only used 15 gallons and got 280 miles for the tank)

Then i filled up with another Conoco philips to see if it was that particular station's gas. Drove Conservatively and got the same results 18.6667 Mpg city/hwy on 15 gallons of gas.

THEN

i filled up with the same two stations and drove how i usually drive (very aggressively) and got 17 MPG/ 255 miles on 15 gals. of gas for both stations.


then i switched to shell gas

used 1 station and got 16 MPG (240 miles per 15 gallons) on conservative driving.

the second shell station yielded 17 mpg with conservative driving.

again, i only used 15 gallons

THEN

Used the same two stations and drove very aggressively, ironically i recieved 18MPG both times....

Then i switched to Racetrack

Race track's first station yielded 19 MPG during conservative driving

The second yeilded 18 MPG during conservative Driving

I was ecstatic with these results, unfortunately, things got sour

During aggressive driving the first racetrack station yielded 16 MPG and the second yielded 15 MPG

The roundup

My conclusion...

oxygenated gas from shell yields better gas mileage during more aggressive driving.

Conoco philips gas seems to be a more consistent mixture than Shell or Racetrack because of the equal MPG results from both stations regardkess of driving habits.

Racetrack yields pretty good MPG during conservative driving (I dont think i have ever recieved 18 MPG in my car before) But falls apart during aggressive driving (dont know why)

things that should be noted

I believe the better Gas mileage from racetrack may be because of the heavy flow of traffic through the station, The gas at racetrack is usually 2-4 cents cheaper than the other stations.

The price at racetrack may also directly affect the gas quality at the other 4 stations because they may decrease the traffic flow through Philips and Shell, leaving the consumer with old gas.

I noticed that my car ran smoother and idles smoother while using shell and Conoco.

Racetrack makes my car feel like a massage chair at the light (im getting my mounts replaced next week)

I will be using Conoco Philips from now and on

Hope this helps Someone

and maybe someone can do this experiment for chevron citgo and shell(to have something to compare to)

 

Dude I have no idea what you have done to your car but I use to get eons better gas millage on my type S and I use to drive semi-harshly.

List of Mods

Comptech headers
AEM CAI
RT high flow cat
Tanabe Exhaust

15 gallon fill up at Exxon with 87 regular

350~400 miles before the light would come on :-/

Thats roughly 25 miles to a gallon with 75% highway and 25% city driving.
May be your car needs a tune up or something.

BTW at every oil change I use to fill up and put the following stuff in the tank. I use to see MPG gain right away.

 

i only fill up at one place, chevron

 

Interesting report/findings. Seems like you get on average 17-18 mpg from the gas stations.

Not sure if you thought about the variable of where you would test it. I feel that the biggest determination of MPG, especially in city driving, is the number of stops you make. So if you were driving on totally different roads each time, even though you're shifting at said RPM intervals, you could have made more stops on one road than another.

When I'm in school, I do 100% city driving and on the same road. I probably get 14-15 MPG, but then I make a lot of stops. Do I think theres something wrong with my car? Nope. When I make my drives home which is about 450 miles, I get 31-33 MPG consistantly even with 85-90 cruising speeds and the occasional sprints.

I have a 2003 TL-S btw.

 

^^i did take destinations into account, i only ran this during my weekly routine and did not do it on weekends.

I dont think anything is wrong with my car, it is in pretty good shape, the only thing i need are my motor mounts and timing belt. mounts may affect MPG but thats neglible

 

Thats better than Acura's EPA Mileage Estimates....

 

I get far better than that with a lead foot

 

You have to consider who the OP is on this one
j/k phee
Still needs those motor mounts several months after dealer said so, and those bigger tires may be extra grippy and possibly that low shift point doesnt even allow the engine to propel the car forward, its always behind the power curve struggling to move ahead.

Hows the spark plugs and if the 99 had cap wires etc- their condition
Seafoam that thing yet??- make sure to use the correct port at the TB, not the small vac line on the fender

 

i seafoamed a while ago and did it again today using the proper method. no caps in my car, only thing i have is an amp. tires are 225.

I do realize the MPG is shitty....

spark plugs were done in sept with NGK plats

 

Interesting.

I've heard that ethanol-mixed fuel give you less MPG, but I don't know how you got better MPG driving aggressively.

I also agree that in your situation Conoco is the best fuel.

Now do another experiment on Conoco Regular vs Premium....that's sure to start a flame war here.




....I'm just kidding, wink wink.

 

^^no need to start another one of those threads. i am interested, however, in learning whats wrong with my car... i want better mileage

 

I would sell my TL if it got mileage like that. Something is wrong, I'd have a certified mechanic look at it if all the maintence is up to date as you are saying it is.

 

LOL

 

Dude that is brutal!

I have been filling up at a local Chevron. Went to San Jose Thursday with a friend for the Sharks game and it was mostly stop and go highway. Plus some driving in SF and back to the East bay where the wife and I did some shopping Saturday.

Drove 238 miles on 8.2 gals of gas @ 29MPG mixed driving (160-180hyw, rest city) I have pictures on the camera at home plus receipt to prove it.

 

X2 haha

 

Use NGK Iridium IX

 

Local is 17, highway is 30. I think your car is normal. Anything else can be affected for good or bad.

 

i now realize how stupid that comment was LOL

 

lol i get like 200 miles a tank, but i drive mostly city.. our cars blow in city mpg

 

actually i get almost the exact same results as phee on my 99. on average anyway, it seems like usually 15 gallons gives me around 250-270 miles to the tank. when i first got the car in spring, i used to get 300 on 15 gallons. all mixed driving, prbly half and half city/highway. drove on stock size 16s. winter, i put on dunlops winter sports 225 on stock 16s. and thats when my mileage started going down i think. maybe its the winter blend too.

and i seafoam, occasionally use chevron techron, and switched the plugs. of and cleaned out my egr port/ installed spacer

i would really love to get a 02/03 type s this summer and stast putting the engine mods on. seems like you guys with headers intake and pulley get much better mileage.

 

^ i agree with that, sometimes people forget that we only have 4 gears and will always get worse mileage with our 99's. But there is no reason you cant get headers, pulleys and other bolt-ons with your car

 

Well don't feel too bad I get the same mileage you do in my 02 Type S with headers intake and innovative mounts. I don't know if there is something wrong with the car or maybe its just the way traffic is here but driving like a complete grandma I get 18 at best just as your results show. And yeah I am probably ditching this car soon.

 

i also in the past noticed shell 93 played well with spririted driving.

i average 300 a tank on a type s. have gotten as much as 420 and as low as 225. mostly around 300. city driving with a lot of turning the car on and off makes me feel like i have a hole in the tank

 

so whats the secret to the amazing gas mileage guys?!?!?!

 

the S badge haha

 

haha damn that S badge

but ya, that bit bout the 4 gears def plays a part i think. i remember someone posting, think it was ChrisQ1980, that on the highway, he cruises at 2k RPMs = 72 mph. i checked mine today, think it was 2.5k RPMS for 72ish mph. and i would love to get headers and etc, but i dont wanna waste the money if i end up buying the 02/03 this year haha.

is it possible for something electronic to cause it? on my old car, a 94 e320 benz, i wasnt passing emissions, so i switched the o2 sensor, which didnt help emissions, but did up my MPG.

 

if i drive smooth or semi agressive, on highway i still will get 28-31 mpg. check tire pressure and alignments. seafoam it maybe. my engine is totally stock except i removed the intake resonator( which didnt make a diff that i noticed except sound at wot).

 

my cruising speed of 60mph was exactly 2k rpm, i upped the tire pressure and seafoamed it and its a little over 2k rpm....looks like i might have to start doing this http://views-by-bruce.blogspot.com/2...r-mileage.html

 

at 75mph I'm at 2k in an 00 TL