2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

How to get the best gas mileage on my fc

Old Aug 30, 2013 | 11:24 AM
  #1  
VasiliBrown's Avatar
Thread Starter
Full Member
 
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 81
Likes: 0
From: NC
How to get the best gas mileage on my fc

I just want to know how to get the best gas mileage possible. Im going to clean the fuel system and change the spark plugs. What can i do with the way i drive. I know not to accelerate hard but what rpm is the best to shift at. I heard as long as it doesnt go over 3800. Please help!!
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 12:37 PM
  #2  
t2Maniac's Avatar
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 31
Likes: 0
From: Nampa, ID
Don't pass 3800 rpms for the secondary injectors to come on, and if possible, lean out your AFRs, FCs normally run rich especially if you have an open intake and exhaust.
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 01:29 PM
  #3  
wthdidusay82's Avatar
Rotary Power
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (15)
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,706
Likes: 4
From: Dinwiddie, Va
1/4 throttle , maintaining a consistant amount of throttle , speed and rpms, letting off the gas instead of hitting the brakes etc, not going above 3800 rpm where the secondary injectors.transition as said

parts /tune up- new o2 sensor, spark plug wires, air filter , spark plugs, fuel filter , oil change/oil filter , verify timing , adjust tps to spec

Rotary > Pistons
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 01:50 PM
  #4  
Rob XX 7's Avatar
FC guy
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,713
Likes: 17
From: Long Island, New York
are you for real with this question?

just drive like a vagina- problem solved.
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 02:00 PM
  #5  
evo_koa's Avatar
Martin S.
Tenured Member: 10 Years
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,557
Likes: 124
From: Huntsville, Al
the best way to get great gas mileage in a rotary is to not get on. my fd only gets like 15 mpg
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 02:01 PM
  #6  
gnx7's Avatar
Rotary Freak
Tenured Member: 25 Years
Liked
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,090
Likes: 26
From: San Francisco, CA
hall of fame thread.....

RX-7's with rotaries don't get good gas mileage..... bottom line.
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 02:15 PM
  #7  
HOZZMANRX7's Avatar
Driving RX7's since 1979
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (43)
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,096
Likes: 9
From: So Cal where the OC/LA/SB counties meet
Originally Posted by evo_koa
the best way to get great gas mileage in a rotary is to not get on. my fd only gets like 15 mpg
Yep, my response as well. I get you're trying to get the best gas mileage possible, so all the advise very valid. Especially keeping the 2ndaries from kicking in. But if your going to drive a rotary as a daily (which I do and have done for many many years), it's about trading the satisfaction of good gas mileage for the satisfaction of a increased driving fun factor.

Every time I see someone claiming they constantly get 20+ MPG, my universal response is their getting a false reading as they need to get their speedometer fixed or their rear tires are undersized diameter.
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 02:26 PM
  #8  
Rob XX 7's Avatar
FC guy
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,713
Likes: 17
From: Long Island, New York
for real- my vert when it was NA would get 20mpg, once taking it really easy on a good highway run I think I squeezed like 22-24 out of it but that was rare

16-18 with combined city/highway was the norm
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 03:49 PM
  #9  
clokker's Avatar
Cake or Death?
Tenured Member 10 Years
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,249
Likes: 64
From: Mile High
Originally Posted by HOZZMANRX7

Every time I see someone claiming they constantly get 20+ MPG, my universal response is their getting a false reading as they need to get their speedometer fixed or their rear tires are undersized diameter.
You need to alter your stock response.
I've been getting @20mpg in mostly city driving and just yesterday drove 1000 miles straight through from Denver to Chicago...averaged 29mpg during the day and 24 at night with the lights up.
(To allay any doubt, my speedo is almost dead accurate, confirmed by police radar and also the mileage traveled...I've made this trip several times and the trip is almost exactly 1000 miles door to door. My odometer this time showed 998 miles, so I'm very sure of my data.)

I'd say the best gas saving strategy is not drive with the headlights up.
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 05:20 PM
  #10  
wthdidusay82's Avatar
Rotary Power
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (15)
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,706
Likes: 4
From: Dinwiddie, Va
Originally Posted by clokker
You need to alter your stock response.
I've been getting @20mpg in mostly city driving and just yesterday drove 1000 miles straight through from Denver to Chicago...averaged 29mpg during the day and 24 at night with the lights up.
(To allay any doubt, my speedo is almost dead accurate, confirmed by police radar and also the mileage traveled...I've made this trip several times and the trip is almost exactly 1000 miles door to door. My odometer this time showed 998 miles, so I'm very sure of my data.)

I'd say the best gas saving strategy is not drive with the headlights up.
Alot is due to the very rich fuel map on these cars made as a cushion, if you can lean it out and still run safely it'll get better MPG.

Rotary > Pistons
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 05:51 PM
  #11  
misterstyx69's Avatar
Retired Moderator, RIP
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (142)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 25,581
Likes: 136
From: Smiths Falls.(near Ottawa!.Mapquest IT!)
It doesn't burn ANY gas on top of a Flatbed truck..
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 06:30 PM
  #12  
wthdidusay82's Avatar
Rotary Power
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (15)
 
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,706
Likes: 4
From: Dinwiddie, Va
Originally Posted by misterstyx69
It doesn't burn ANY gas on top of a Flatbed truck..
The flatbed is then at that point , prolly not getting every good MPG.either unless its a diesel

Rotary > Pistons
Reply
Old Aug 30, 2013 | 08:31 PM
  #13  
misterstyx69's Avatar
Retired Moderator, RIP
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (142)
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 25,581
Likes: 136
From: Smiths Falls.(near Ottawa!.Mapquest IT!)
Originally Posted by wthdidusay82
The flatbed is then at that point , prolly not getting every good MPG.either unless its a diesel

Rotary > Pistons
and ten to one..that Flatbed gets better mileage than what the car ON it was getting before it got busted!
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2013 | 12:41 AM
  #14  
barkz's Avatar
Rotary Enthusiast
Tenured Member 05 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,261
Likes: 1
From: New Hampsha
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2013 | 01:15 AM
  #15  
rotornoob's Avatar
emissions r teh sux
Tenured Member 05 Years
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 888
Likes: 0
From: Stockton Ca
Get out and push it :p

Or buy a piston dd...
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2013 | 01:45 AM
  #16  
HOZZMANRX7's Avatar
Driving RX7's since 1979
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (43)
 
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 6,096
Likes: 9
From: So Cal where the OC/LA/SB counties meet
Originally Posted by clokker
You need to alter your stock response.
I've been getting @20mpg in mostly city driving and just yesterday drove 1000 miles straight through from Denver to Chicago...averaged 29mpg during the day and 24 at night with the lights up.
(To allay any doubt, my speedo is almost dead accurate, confirmed by police radar and also the mileage traveled...I've made this trip several times and the trip is almost exactly 1000 miles door to door. My odometer this time showed 998 miles, so I'm very sure of my data.)

I'd say the best gas saving strategy is not drive with the headlights up.
Well, that's probably because it's downhill all the way from Denver (the mile high city) to Chicago (the windy city) with the wind behind you and your jib up.

Maybe all the Midwest winter road salt has eaten away your floor pan and you're using the Fred Flintstone technique for your around town driving?

Being serious:
3.9 or 4.1 rear end? Average speed estimate on your 1,000 mile run?

I also did a non-stop cross country trip albeit from LA to Dallas and back in the S4 TurboVert. Also a couple runs from Dallas to New Orleans (they sure know how to tail gate at LSU) and back. Never got better than between 16-17 mpg all highway. Although I'll also say that, except for the portion between El Paso, TX and Midland where the legal limit is 80mph I didn't spend a lot of time below the posted limit.
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2013 | 04:10 AM
  #17  
clokker's Avatar
Cake or Death?
Tenured Member 10 Years
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 10,249
Likes: 64
From: Mile High
I run a S4 clutch pack LSD, I believe it's 4.1 ratio.

My worst segment of the trip fuel-wise was right at the beginning.
I left at 2 am, so lights were up and in CO I'm comfortable running above the limit (75 posted), so the fuel consumption was 22.4 mpg.

CO drivers are favorite targets (nicknamed "greenies") of the Nebraska and Iowa State Patrols, so I was much more careful and adhered to the limit (+5mph, usually) for the rest of the journey.
Through Nebraska I got 27mpg and in Iowa/Illinois where the limit drops to 70, she got 29 mpg.
The whole trip took exactly 15 hours so I averaged 67mph.

I still have @ 2000 miles to go (including another 1000 mile run back to Denver from Chicago), we'll see how the fuel consumption goes over the long(er) haul.
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2013 | 10:49 AM
  #18  
Aaron Cake's Avatar
Engine, Not Motor
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 29,798
Likes: 128
From: London, Ontario, Canada
A well tuned standalone combined with careful driving habits. 30+ MPG highway easily.

In town mileage will always suffer due to overlap, combustion shape and low VE in vacuum. Howeer it can be significantly improved with a well tuned standalone.
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2013 | 10:55 AM
  #19  
Natey's Avatar
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Tenured Member: 20 Years
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (19)
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,496
Likes: 1,484
From: West Coast
Let's not over-think this.

Tune it up, leave it bone stock, make sure the tires are full, and shift at around 3500 r's.
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2013 | 08:55 PM
  #20  
MichaelFregoe's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 10 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 446
Likes: 0
From: VERY upstate NY
On a trip (interstate driving) I easily get 24-25 MPG at 70+ MPH all day long. With the cruise on and going under 70 it can get as high as 26-27 MPG. I've logged over 350,000 miles on RX-7's since 1987. Keep you lead foot out of the gas, make sure it runs right. Around town shift when the shift light tells you to.
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2013 | 09:41 PM
  #21  
anjhindul's Avatar
Full Member
 
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 72
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area
Hey kinda new to the forums still. I am looking to replace my nikki on my 12a with a standalone, thinking Holley? Then leaning the mixture way out perhaps adding a turbo just to increase the compression slightly. Doing this in order to jack the MPG way up and I don't care about emissions

I was thinking keeping 2 carbs handy one stock/able to pass smog and one... not so passable - also remove/replace the Cats whenever I need to smog the girl.

anyone have possible links for build threads/suggestions throw me a PM I am of course using search that is how I happened across this thread.
Reply
Old Aug 31, 2013 | 10:33 PM
  #22  
RotaryEvolution's Avatar
Sharp Claws
Tenured Member 15 Years
iTrader: (30)
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 50
From: Central Florida
even a honda civic pulling your 7 would probably get better gas mileage than it can on its own, buy another car if your mileage is that big of a concern.
Reply
Old Sep 1, 2013 | 01:05 PM
  #23  
j9fd3s's Avatar
Moderator
Community Builder
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 31,837
Likes: 3,234
From: https://www2.mazda.com/en/100th/
Originally Posted by HOZZMANRX7
Every time I see someone claiming they constantly get 20+ MPG, my universal response is their getting a false reading as they need to get their speedometer fixed or their rear tires are undersized diameter.
having owned every year and model Rx7, i can have some mileage info.

while the vert is hands down the best FC, it also gets the worst mileage. my testing revealed that a stock vert will do 25+ on the freeway, but 12 around town, so the mix of driving is very important.

in the vert, its 90% city, so i'm somewhere between 14-18mpg
my 87 GXL, which got a better mix, would get 20mpg.
the T2 would average around 18.
the 3 rotor did 20mpg highway, 15-16 mixed, and single digits if you touched the gas pedal.
the FD 20-22
79 Rx7, with reactor, 23-25
81-85 12A, 20
GSL-SE, 22, 26 on the freeway.
Reply
Old Sep 1, 2013 | 01:54 PM
  #24  
joeylyrech's Avatar
87 SE WITH S5 T2 SWAP
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (11)
 
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 3
From: allentown pa
Dont by a rx7 if you are worried about gas milleage!lol!
My fd swapped big turbo standalone FC pulls like 22 on highway and around 14 city driving and that is driving normal keeping up with traffic and boosting a little,if i smash the pedal then forget it.Single digits are possible if i beat on it!
In other note i wont be able 2 drive like grandma watching rpms worried about my secondaries kicking it and all this other crap just 2 save gas.If i want 2 save gas il get a prius not a rx7.
Reply
Old Sep 1, 2013 | 04:18 PM
  #25  
Rob XX 7's Avatar
FC guy
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 8,713
Likes: 17
From: Long Island, New York
Thing is without primaries the car is dangerously slow, lol
Reply

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:56 PM.