More fuel-efficient driving

[ales]

Hi, guys.

I was wondering if anyone has any tips on how to burn less fuel while driving my Primera. Like how to accelerate (gentle push/floor it), like when to shift (I'm pretty certain it's not the redline) and all the other things you can think of. I have SR20Di with 6.5k redline , but I don't think the advicewill be different from DE.

CU

[urasula]

the raising cost of fuel is getting to u too, eh! hahaha.... well,
my suggestion would be to shift gears at 3k rpm, and don't race the car. just drive normally and u'll be okay. of course, remember to do the scheduled maintanence.

[dre]

and inflate tires to correct pressure..

Do not use the a/c, but leave all the windows up so as not to disturb air flow.

I wonder if bigger wheels/tires helps mileage.
Because if the circumfrenceof the tire is greater, then the car goes that much further with each revolution. Right?
It sounds right on paper;
But, what about the real world?

Other than that stuff, then yeah, just drive like an old lady.

[qab5b]

there are two camps on this.
One says easy acceleration, downshifting earlier.
The other says quicker acceleration, getting up to speed faster so you can be in 5th gear quicker. No matter what gear you are in, the more you need to use the gas pedal, the more gas you use. SO if you need to use 50% throttle to accelerate in fifth, where 35% in fourth is needed, then to a point it is better to do the 35% throttle in fourth.

[Koojo]

1) If you have more people in the car, would that waste more fuel?

Oh ya also....when I go downhills or something, I usually put my gear to nuetral, so the engine doesnt have to work as much.

2) If you are at idle, what would waste less fuel: keeping it in gear, or in neutral, or it doesnt matter? Thanks

[Kenny-G]

OH koojo so your car is auto? I heard that DO NOT put the gear in neutral when you go down hill. Because the Tranny fluid circulation is driven by the engine. So when car goes downhill, tranny gear spinning busy but engine is on idle, I have it will make some unneccesery worn on the tranny.
Also when the WHEEL is driving the ENGINE ( when goes downhill your engine rpm goes up because the wheel is driving it ) , the fuel system would shut off, or injected very little gas. Because the engine doesn't need any gas to keep itself running at the moment.

[dre]

i've heard similar about neutral and going downhill.
I didin't know about possible mechanical damage though.
I had heard it is easier to lose control on steep grades while in neutral. I don't understand it, but I aint gonna take the chance.

As for other people in the car, yeah, the more weight in the car, the more the engine has to work. But with people it should be a miinimal change...well..depends on the people, and the car. someone like..oh...say.. Jenna Jameson is small, and light (and tight) . In a Cadillac, there'd be almost know change in mileage.
Now, Oprah in a...uh....civic, you better be gettin some gas money from that bitch.

And at idle, I would guess it wouldn't matter, but maybe someone in this forum KNOWS.

oh yeah...qab5b... downshifting earlier?...wouldn't that consume more fuel? or didya mean upshifting?

[qab5b]

sorry i meant upshifting!

-I am too obsessed with double clutch heel-toe downshifting !