What brand and grade of gas are you using? 87 or higher?
#461
I used to live in Binghamton and spent a lot of time in the Catskills for many years. It's a first class place to be--just cold in winter.
But this is incredible--the MPG's you are getting. Maybe something is wrong with my car? or it's my tires? I put on Michelin Pilots which are a great tire but they are heavy and I know I am losing about 2 MPG in city, but not 10 MPG.
What tires are you running in summer? Are you still running the OEM Firestones FR 740's on your FIT?
But this is incredible--the MPG's you are getting. Maybe something is wrong with my car? or it's my tires? I put on Michelin Pilots which are a great tire but they are heavy and I know I am losing about 2 MPG in city, but not 10 MPG.
What tires are you running in summer? Are you still running the OEM Firestones FR 740's on your FIT?
z
#462
Over-inflating tires causes the sidewalls and tread of the tire to become harder than normal. This can reduce the traction and performance of the tire, as well as cause uneven tire wear. When the pressure is increased beyond the recommended pressure, the contact patch of the tire actually shrinks. The increased pressure causes the center of the tread to protrude further out than the rest of the tire tread. This is a problem because now the majority of the tire’s traction is coming from only the center of the tire, reducing the overall contact patch of the entire vehicle. This is also why overly-inflated tires show signs of uneven wear along the center. Over-inflated tires will show signs of accelerated wear along the center, because the center is making more contact with the road than the outside edges are. This same decrease in contact surface can also cause a drop in mpg, as the engine now has to work harder to compensate for the reduced contact patch.
Over inflating tires can not only be detrimental to the performance characteristics of a vehicle, it can also take away from the comfort and safety of the vehicle as well. Overly-inflated tires will also cause the vehicle to have a harsher, more unstable ride than properly inflated ones. Tire sidewalls are meant to support the vehicle as well as absorb some of the shocks and bumps from the road’s surface as the vehicle drives over it. When the tire is overly-inflated the sidewalls become harder, and instead of absorbing the road bumps and shocks, they are transferred straight through to the vehicle’s suspension. This can result in a harsher ride, as well as increased road noise from the tires. In severe cases, when dealing with older or severely overinflated tires, the tire’s sidewall may even be put at risk to blowing out due to the increased pressure.
https://www.yourmechanic.com/questio...flate-my-tires
#463
#464
I just had a sidewall blow out. Second blowout of my life. First was also a sidewall blowout. I attribute my blowouts to over-inflation (I was running 40 psi, but I think that went higher in the hot weather and I failed to keep an eye on things).
#465
Potholes on rainy nights blew three sidewalls on my son's Fit - two at once.
#466
#469
87 Grade Gas vs. Premium
Unless specified by the auto manufacturer getting a higher grade gas is a waste of money. I've been using regular 87 grade gas with ZERO issues. That's what Honda recommends. 87 grade gas even works great on my Honda Ruckus.
#471
And pick a better brand probably.
z
#472
I run Esso 91 (ethanol free) in my Fit, but on my last car, and IS350, I noticed a difference (better) going with Chevron 93 vs. Esso 91
#474
With the Fit's electronics, 85 would probably work, but I wouldn't use it. However, reading about it, it should be okay for where you live - the altitude.
Most Utah gas stations sell 85-octane fuel, but is it OK for your car? (ksltv.com)
Is 85 Octane Ok To Use At Altitude? - Trusted Auto Professionals (fremontmotors.com)
#475
Edit - From the linked Wyoming article: The EPA says on their website, “The sale of 85 octane fuel was originally allowed in high-elevation regions—where the barometric pressure is lower—because it was cheaper and because most carbureted engines tolerated it fairly well. This is not true for modern gasoline engines. So, unless you have an older vehicle with a carbureted engine, you should use the manufacturer-recommended fuel for your vehicle, even where 85 octane fuel is available”.
Last edited by exl500; 10-30-2022 at 11:55 AM.
#476
At any rate, I've put around 32k miles on my 2019 CVT since I bought it in Feb 2021, and never used anything higher than 87. For the first year(ish) I always had the ECO button on.. but I read something in a post here about getting better mileage without that, so I turned it off. Since then, I have found that I generally average 3-4 MPG better per tank (according to my FIT's computer anyway).. so it seems like there's something to that.
#477
Huh, I hadn't really thought about that. I always fill up at Costco since there are literally 4-5 that I pass within a mile or two of on my daily commute depending on the route I choose (South Jordan <--> South Provo, in case anyone is curious). I always choose the lowest octane, but isn't 87 the lowest Costco offers at their pumps? I honestly just filled up at the Orem Costco a couple hours ago, and I'm pretty sure the lowest option was 87. I definitely will pay better attention going forward.
At any rate, I've put around 32k miles on my 2019 CVT since I bought it in Feb 2021, and never used anything higher than 87. For the first year(ish) I always had the ECO button on.. but I read something in a post here about getting better mileage without that, so I turned it off. Since then, I have found that I generally average 3-4 MPG better per tank (according to my FIT's computer anyway).. so it seems like there's something to that.
At any rate, I've put around 32k miles on my 2019 CVT since I bought it in Feb 2021, and never used anything higher than 87. For the first year(ish) I always had the ECO button on.. but I read something in a post here about getting better mileage without that, so I turned it off. Since then, I have found that I generally average 3-4 MPG better per tank (according to my FIT's computer anyway).. so it seems like there's something to that.
Well scratch that idea. I just Googled it. Read the article linked below. "For years we’ve been taking apart engines in our shop and making repairs on them, and we have found consistently that vehicles using ethanolblended fuels are much cleaner inside than ones that are not. This starts at the fifth paragraph.
Mechanics Corner: It All Starts With the Fuel - Vital | A news & media resource published by POET (vitalbypoet.com)