TeamSwift

In 1997 i had a 1992 metro 1.0 best 62 mpg average 52 mpg

Driving conditions
2 100 mi trips each week.
In town Columbus, Ohio driving 270 mi per week.

engine standard g10 bored .5mm TALL CAM
automatic transmission unknown ratio.
155 70 r 12 tires hard rubber cheap 45psi
calibrated speedometer

vacuum gauge installed run at 4 or 5 in hg for acceleration
decelerate at 10 in hg
hold speed at 7.25 in hg = 60 mph after a couple of miles.
very little brake usage

This car had better than stock acceleration when needed.

Since that time I have owned 3 more. I changed the engine due to stupidity and never got the same mpg again.

I am currently in process of putting that engine back in the car. I will post again later with results.

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Efficiency = Performance as far as you can take it.

Did the engine have 1 or 2 compression rings?

What is the weight of the piston assemblies before you drop them back in?

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DIY Broken Bolt Removal: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=41042
DIY Clutch Adjustment: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=48281
DIY Wheel Bearings: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29003
DIY Shocks: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=45483
DIY Wheel Align: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=42479
Once you get the cars dialed-in (compression, leaks, bearings, alignment, brakes) swap in new rubber and glass, you've got something which should last for years!

The car had 3 compression rings, I didn't weigh them or balance them. I bought them from a place in Vanceburg, Kentucky and they pressed them to the rods, and did the boring work. I assumed they were balanced at the time. (after assembly it vibrated quite a bit at idle which may have been due to not being balanced.)

The engine is back together again with the same pistons, I have not installed it. The body has lots of minor mods too that contributed 1 mpg here and there. like wipers parked lower and removed the passenger side mirror, light grease in the cv joints, metallic brake pads(low drag), the alignment was done with a tape measure and straight edge in the front for 0 toe in. The rear was adjusted before i bought it because the dirt on the cams had been moved. It has always been just a little squirley to drive.

I used the shortest timing belt they had at the parts store (there were lots with the same part number and slightly different lengths.) Set the ignition timing to 9 deg and had a 195 deg thermostat.

The most recent engine i used in this car was completely worn out when i put it in the car and died due to a metal seal from the top of a rislone can falling in the engine on a really cold day. I was not about to take the cover off to save it. It got around 37 mpg. Gas petal to the floor all the time. and not much better when taking it easy.

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Efficiency = Performance as far as you can take it.

ok so i hear all this talk from people averaging 50 mpg or 45 mpg.

i call horse puckey! or my car must be running like crap and i don't know it.

i'm getting about 38-39 mpg with about 50/50 surface streets and freeway driving. i don't drive it like i stole it, just putter around daily driving. the car had recent receipt of tune up from a good service shop that has a good rep when i bought it.

the car is a '95 [ but insurance co. said the vin says '96] 1L 5speed, new khumo skinny tires, 102 k on the odo. alingment looked good on the old tires b4 i put new ones on.

so what say the collective?

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Troy

50+ MPG is REAL and attainable. It won't happen by pouring a can of fuel injection cleaner in the tank and pumping the tires up sky high. EVERYthing needs to be "just right". Those of us in the 50 club have done a decent amount of work to our cars.

BTW, I used to get 37-39 with the AC on and beating the living crap out of it. (before the mods)


Jimmy

Trappy double seven: I had an engine with 3 compression rings once.
It was in an Austin America. I think it was a 1970 or 1971 year model.
Hee Hee Hee...

_________________
DIY Broken Bolt Removal: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=41042
DIY Clutch Adjustment: viewtopic.php?f=9&t=48281
DIY Wheel Bearings: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29003
DIY Shocks: viewtopic.php?f=10&t=45483
DIY Wheel Align: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=42479
Once you get the cars dialed-in (compression, leaks, bearings, alignment, brakes) swap in new rubber and glass, you've got something which should last for years!

Greetings All,

Yesterday, I drove from Everett, WA to Bonney Lake, WA, a distance of 161 Miles round trip, [freeway] on 3.2 gallons of gas @ $3.559 per Gallon It equals 50.31 MPG.....

I was traveling between 60 to 65 MPH .................

I am going to drive to Lompoc, CA to visit my Aunt next month, then to Reno, NV for a couple of days, then back home to Everett... Maybe I can get closer to 60 MPG since the weather will be warmer....................

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Dale

1985 Chevy Sprint Mk1 G10 5 Speed Sky Blue

My last fill up was 536 miles, 9.44 gallons. Mostly highway driving at 55-65 mph, including mountain passes at that speed.

Jeremiah

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55 MPG daily driver

Last fill up was 398.7 miles. Used 9.15 Gallons. That's 43.57 mpg.
In a 4 cyl., 58 miles each way back and forth to work, 60-65 mph average.
1999 1.3 5 spd.
It's probably getting long in the tooth at 225,000 miles too. Been beat like a redheaded stepchild
on the ice and at the auto-x for the last 100K.



I could easily knock down 50+ with a cyl lopped off. But it would make winning at auto-x more difficult...

[quote]
i call horse puckey! or my car must be running like crap and i don't know it.

the car is a '95 [ but insurance co. said the vin says '96] 1L 5speed, new khumo skinny tires, 102 k on the odo. alingment looked good on the old tires b4 i put new ones on.

so what say the collective?[/quote]

The computer is different in the later model car. I had one also. The older computer does far better on fuel mileage with the same engine.

_________________
Efficiency = Performance as far as you can take it.

[quote="Phil N Ed"]Trappy double seven: I had an engine with 3 compression rings once.
It was in an Austin America. I think it was a 1970 or 1971 year model.
Hee Hee Hee...[/quote]

Right you got me there.. It has three grooves the rings are chrome. The top ring is slightly different from the second one down.

_________________
Efficiency = Performance as far as you can take it.

[quote="messix"]ok so i hear all this talk from people averaging 50 mpg or 45 mpg.

i call horse puckey! or my car must be running like crap and i don't know it.

i'm getting about 38-39 mpg with about 50/50 surface streets and freeway driving. i don't drive it like i stole it, just putter around daily driving. the car had recent receipt of tune up from a good service shop that has a good rep when i bought it. [/quote]


Try checking the brakes for binding, front and rears.
I had the same problem with my 95 firefly getting worse mileage until finally my front drivers side brake caliper siezed while driving. It had been getting progressively worse.
It turned out to be a bad brake hose , binding caliper sliders and seals on the calipers too.
Basically it needed a complete redo.
Now mileage is much better.

.

I just took a 1000 mile trip back to my parents house, and then back home. I'm getting 54.5 mpg now. This is the best I have gotten out of this little car. It's a 3cyl and 5 speed with the 12" wheels.

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Jon

'91 Geo Metro 3cyl 5 speed 12" wheels 50 + MPG.
'37 Chevy Coupe
'00 VW Passat 4Motion Wagon
'95 GMC Pickup short bed 4x4
'82 28 foot rv, but diesel is too expensive to drive now.

My latest fill up was 575 miles on 9.6 gallons. 59.9 mpg. It was mostly 55 miles per hour highway driving, with a couple mountain passes thrown in as well as 12 miles driving at 80 mph. And the weather still hasn't warmed up here.

Jeremiah

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55 MPG daily driver

Just broke my old records here;

648 miles on 9.75 gallons to equal 66.5 mpg. It was 55 mph driving on I-90 in Idaho and Montana with windless, sunny conditions. I had tweaked the ignition and fuel mixture a bit.

Anyone gone further than 648 miles without refueling?

Jeremiah

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55 MPG daily driver

I'm finally back to the 40mpg!


I need to fix my poor car.

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My cars:

J. McBean: '98 Suzuki Swift 1.3L 16v SOHC 5sp+ "Mk5" Made in Canada
The Mini Rattler: '94 Suzuki Swift .993L 6v SOHC 5sp+ "Mk3" Made in Canada *The Winter Beater*
B. Berry: '90 Chevrolet Turbo Sprint 1.0L 6v SOHC 5sp+ "Mk2" Made in Japan

I got 18MPG in a 3cyl with a 5 speed manual 4dr, '93 Metro!

Wow, you are getting nice numbers Jeremiah. The farthest I've gone is 633 miles, but it only took 8.6 gallons to fill. That's about as low as I ever take my tanks, I guess I'm chicken .
My last fill was kinda short at 460 miles and 6.4 gallons, or 71.87 mpg. Nice weather has returned, and with it, better mpg .


On a side note:
I agree that the brake check-ups are a good way to keep things rolling for better FE. Keep your calipers greased and sliding free so they don't drag.

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jamie
94 geo metro 1.0L 3cyl 5speed, 4 door hatch
best tank, 81.22 U.S. mpg
90 day ave, 69.23 U.S. mpg
longest range on 1 tank, 790 miles
(click below to see more info on my car, including a gas log)
http://www.gassavers.org/garage/view/272

The first thing I will say is stop with the hate. 50mpg+ is VERY attainable with the right car (1.0liter 5speed), driving conditions (freeway, low speed) and driving techniques (P&G, EOC, etc).

You have a light car with a 1.0l 3 cylinder. You should easily be able to get 50mpg in that car, if you try. Your problems of not reaching 50mpg+ are probably that you drive too fast (for max economy), use your brakes too much (no coasting) and drive too much stop & go traffic (repeated accel & decel not good for economy).

I have a 98 1.3l 5speed and I commute up 405 from Kent to Redmond for work. My last 3 tanks were 38.6, 39.4 and 41.3mpg. This car 3tech cam, bored TB and was wearing 185 series winter tires on 14" rims. No aero mods.

Your car should be able beat my cars mileage on a bad day.

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sold my Swift, October 2011...

Ok so I will introduce myself to this thread...

I have a 98 1.3l 5speed and I commute up 405 from Kent to Redmond (stop & go and city) for work. My last 3 tanks were 38.6, 39.4 and 41.3mpg. This car 3tech cam, bored TB and was wearing 185 series winter tires on 14" rims. No aero mods.

I just swapped out the winter tires for some Kumho Solus KR21's on 13" steelies... they weigh about 26lbs, are pumped to 44 psi and are 155/80r13's.

I am shooting for at least 45mpg, but would really love to break the 50mpg mark a time or two. May have to perform a few aero mods and maybe even a 3.52 FD swap.

Are there any mk4/5 G13 engines getting 50+mpg?

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sold my Swift, October 2011...

Quick little update.

98 1.3l 5sp. My first full tank with the new 13" LRR Kumho KR21's... 454.1miles, 9.719gals = 46.723mpg. Pretty good, but still not quite to the 50mpg goal I have set for myself.

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sold my Swift, October 2011...

Well I have learned that my tune up on my car for 9000 ft above sea level is great at lower altitudes, but up here at home, I don't get the 54 mpg, I am getting between 45 and 48 up here. I want to put the 13 inch tires and rims on my car, but have to wait to do that mod.

Jon

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Jon

'91 Geo Metro 3cyl 5 speed 12" wheels 50 + MPG.
'37 Chevy Coupe
'00 VW Passat 4Motion Wagon
'95 GMC Pickup short bed 4x4
'82 28 foot rv, but diesel is too expensive to drive now.

I'm very new to this forum.

I have a '93 metro. 1.0L 3cyl manual. I finally pulled it out of my garage to replace the front seals. It was dumping oil like crazy. And I live in Wisconsin, so I really could not fix it until the weather cooperated.

Anyway, I got 34.7 mpg on the first tank. 240.1miles on 6.9gal.

I have no mods to it, I may replace the O2 sensor.

We'll see how it goes from here. I have not mpg meter so I have to track mileage the old fashioned way.

sorry guys i just checked back in on this thread, i hadn't looked in on it after 'bout the first week of my post.

so today i did a road trip from everett to levenworth over I90 to blewitt pass and turned in a 49.68 mpg! never faster than 60mph.

on the return trip i came back hwy 2 and with all the stop and go on that hwy and then a run out to snoqualmie falls i turned 42.3mpg 60-65mph.

since last post i had a check engine light that coded for the egr, found that vacum switch pugged, now repaired. and then i search of cause of hunting idle problem, cleaned up pcv. the idle still hunts a little.

khumos are 'bout 40psi.

thanks for the brake idea, i'll check them.
i'm thinking that an alingment can't hurt either. i'll do a rough check first with the toe jigs from the racing/wheeling days.

oh almost forgot.. last oil change i did i went to 5-20 weight oil, it runs nice on it.

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Troy

38.9Mpg

*wanders off to try and find a vaccuum tester again*

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My cars:

J. McBean: '98 Suzuki Swift 1.3L 16v SOHC 5sp+ "Mk5" Made in Canada
The Mini Rattler: '94 Suzuki Swift .993L 6v SOHC 5sp+ "Mk3" Made in Canada *The Winter Beater*
B. Berry: '90 Chevrolet Turbo Sprint 1.0L 6v SOHC 5sp+ "Mk2" Made in Japan

I got 18MPG in a 3cyl with a 5 speed manual 4dr, '93 Metro!

To date, my running average with no mods has been 43mpg. All I did was fluff up the tires to 42psi cold, accelerate easy, short-shifting and coasting down hills <occasionally w/engine off> and coast in neautral up to red lights. I threw some tune up parts at it, but haven't checked the timing. Compression tested at 210, 200, 210psi.

Specs: '96 3 door, 1L 5-speed. All stock w/4.3 final drive. 2-piece Bra <to keep my headlights from sagging?> I just purchased the car 2 weeks ago, and have been catching up on the deferred maintainance for the PO . Brakes, passenger axle assy, spark plugs, cap-n-rotor, O2 sensor, fresh GM Syncomesh trans fliud, tires, compression test.

I have been commuting 70 miles one-way. My route includes some slow-n-go traffic, plus about 6 miles of surface street driving with stop lights at every corner. But 80% of my 70mile commute is Interstate at freeway speeds. I choose 65mph, mostly as to not get run over during SF Bay Area commute hour I took off the bra this morning... thinking it may be restraining better fuel economy, what a free feeling Maybe less wind noise (or it's my imagination) Strange though, ever since removing the bra, the highbeams stay on. Should that get better when the weather warms up?... ok, I'll stop

Simply put, I want to average 50mpg including driving 65mph, 80% of the time. No hypermiling here, just smart driving technique and some sensable mods (maybe even a non-sensable mod or two) I don't want to slow down, pulse and glide isn't practicle for me, nor is removing the back seat <kids>, jack and spare or stripping out the sound deadening. I am even wrestling with adding ac and using it sparingly, or leave it as is with no ac. I plan a cam swap and degree, and maybe a trans or final drive gears swap this summer. Maybe an MSD box if I can get one from one of my race buddys for next to nothing. Maybe some areo mods like a grill partial block this week.

There is so much great information here, I can't believe my goal will be hard to reach.