3rd Generation Specific (1993-2002) 1993-2002 Discussion including performance modifications and Technical Support Sections.
Sponsored by:

Better Gas Mileage

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:22 PM
  #1  
heavydownlowe's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Better Gas Mileage

Hey everyone, on my 7 I just put on a Bonez down pipe and Bonez mid pipe w/ new O2 Sensor; I didn’t buy a new manifold to down pipe gasket though :-( Well, it was a bitch to get on. Anyways, what is the best way to get better mileage on our 7? i replace my oil and filter evert 2000miles and fuel filter & intake filter every 5000miles.

1993 touring(owner of one year and installed all parts since I got it)
- Greddy Ti exhaust
- Greddy intake
- HKS ignition module
- NGK plugs and wires
- Odyssey battery with Rotary Extreme box
- Bonez down pipe
- Bonez mid pipe

future mods
- Bosch fuel pump is next
- Apexi ECU with commander after that
- C-West N1 body kit after that (the real one)
- Koyo radiator after the C-West kit
- Tien Super Drift coil-overs
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:24 PM
  #2  
impactwrench's Avatar
Rotary Enthusiast
Tenured Member: 20 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 2
From: Bonita Springs Fl
They don't get good gas mileage....period.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:29 PM
  #3  
TRISPEEDFD3S's Avatar
FEED me
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (26)
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,787
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area, CA
haha at the entry above. Hey heavy, are you in the navy? I think I've seen your car near the mini nex. PM me if your who I think you are.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:30 PM
  #4  
heavydownlowe's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
i know what you mean

this is my only car though. will the down pipe and mid pipe help or was that a stupid move on my part? i am new to the rotary engine thing :-/
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:32 PM
  #5  
Kyro-2's Avatar
TT LS1
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 530
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Originally Posted by heavydownlowe
i know what you mean

this is my only car though. will the down pipe and mid pipe help or was that a stupid move on my part? i am new to the rotary engine thing :-/
Put an ls1 in it. you will get alot better gas mileage.. ask me how I know
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:33 PM
  #6  
heavydownlowe's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Originally Posted by TRISPEEDFD3S
haha at the entry above. Hey heavy, are you in the navy? I think I've seen your car near the mini nex. PM me if your who I think you are.
yeah, i am in the navy. it pays the bills you know?

anyways, i live in the barracks over at north island
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:34 PM
  #7  
heavydownlowe's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Originally Posted by Kyro-2
Put an ls1 in it. you will get alot better gas mileage.. ask me how I know
i dont have that kind of money :-/
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:35 PM
  #8  
impactwrench's Avatar
Rotary Enthusiast
Tenured Member: 20 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 2
From: Bonita Springs Fl
The rotary is not very fuel efficient to start with. It's a kick in the *** to get into boost and go fast. who in their right mind, buys one, with fuel economy in mind. You want fuel economy, pull the motor and transplant a honda hybrid in it
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:38 PM
  #9  
heavydownlowe's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Originally Posted by impactwrench
The rotary is not very fuel efficient to start with. It's a kick in the *** to get into boost and go fast. who in their right mind, buys one, with fuel economy in mind. You want fuel economy, pull the motor and transplant a honda hybrid in it
let me rephrase, will the downpipe and mid pipe help with fuel efficientcy?
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:39 PM
  #10  
dgeesaman's Avatar
Moderator
Tenured Member: 20 Years
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 12,313
Likes: 27
From: Hershey PA
Changing fuel and air filter at 5k is kinda silly. 10k for an air filter and 15k for a fuel filter is already very conservative.

Unless your O2 sensor is a wideband I have to wonder (b/c I'm not sure) if it has any purpose at all.

The best way to save fuel is to granny drive. Boost = gas.

You can't mod a car for fuel savings save for one thing - a well-tuned aftermarket ECU can get better highway mileage, but in city driving it's easily lost. DP, MP, Intake, exhaust, etc simply provide more air to the engine, and the engine injects more fuel to match. Those don't change the efficiency - only the max output.

Did you port your wastegate yet?

Dave

Last edited by dgeesaman; Apr 23, 2006 at 08:44 PM.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:42 PM
  #11  
heavydownlowe's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Originally Posted by dgeesaman
Changing fuel and air filter at 5k is kinda silly. 10k for an air filter and 15k for a fuel filter is already very conservative. Unless your O2 sensor is a wideband I have to wonder (b/c I'm not sure) if it has any purpose at all.

The best way to save fuel is to granny drive. Boost = gas.

You can't mod a car for fuel savings save for one thing - a well-tuned aftermarket ECU can get better highway mileage, but in city driving it's easily lost. DP, MP, Intake, exhaust, etc simply provide more air to the engine, and the engine injects more fuel to match. Those don't change the efficiency - only the max output.

Did you port your wastegate yet?

Dave
no
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:46 PM
  #12  
dgeesaman's Avatar
Moderator
Tenured Member: 20 Years
Liked
Loved
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 12,313
Likes: 27
From: Hershey PA
What is your peak boost holding at? Does it creep above 10psi?

Dave
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:51 PM
  #13  
heavydownlowe's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Originally Posted by dgeesaman
What is your peak boost holding at? Does it creep above 10psi?

Dave
no, when i get over 9psi i let off. i am affraid of my car still...

i know, i am lame
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 08:55 PM
  #14  
impactwrench's Avatar
Rotary Enthusiast
Tenured Member: 20 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,224
Likes: 2
From: Bonita Springs Fl
Originally Posted by heavydownlowe
let me rephrase, will the downpipe and mid pipe help with fuel efficientcy?
As dgeesman said, these mods only allow you a way to higher HP/ more gas consumption. Dont you think that Mazda was trying to get Max fuel mileage out of this when they marketed it. They had to settle for the median between mileage, performance, and still pass emmissions. Lets eliminate the emmissions system, air pump, precat, and cat. What did that do, create less exhaust backpressure so that we can run more air thru the motor. More air needs more gas, right? Seriously, this is a high performance car. Outside of extreme thrills, don't expect infreqeunt trips to the gas station. I don't, and neither does anyone else here.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 09:11 PM
  #15  
7racer's Avatar
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Tenured Member 15 Years
 
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,736
Likes: 10
From: Dallas, Texas
you know about potentially blowing your engine with the midpipe correct?
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 09:16 PM
  #16  
heavydownlowe's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Originally Posted by 7racer
you know about potentially blowing your engine with the midpipe correct?
what do you suggest?
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 09:21 PM
  #17  
FDZero's Avatar
It's Ole' Yeller!
Tenured Member 05 Years
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,294
Likes: 1
From: Florida
Heh, my FD has slightly better gas mileage than my DD, a Tacoma TRD Xtra cab. I mean literally, I can see my gas meter deplete a lil' bit each day to/from work in the truck (18 miles roundtrip)...but in the FD, I'll see it deplete a lil' bit every couple of days.

But having two cars makes it, of course, more practical to feed gas to the truck more.

Last edited by FDZero; Apr 23, 2006 at 09:23 PM.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 09:53 PM
  #18  
Mazda99Nikon's Avatar
Senior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 292
Likes: 0
From: Lexington, IL
I don't know about the midpipe, but replacing my precat with a downpipe resulted in no change in gas efficiency.

I'm currently getting around 22 mpg combined city/highway miles.

He's my mods: custom forced air intake, downpipe, high performance light weight clutch, boost controller.

Now, here's three tricks I use to maintain good gas mileage.

1. I like to play on the entrance ramps and open it up, but when I'm crusing on the highway from point a to point b I try to watch my engine vacuum. I stay out of boost and try to keep it even, around -10 mm hg. Sometimes this means driving around 70 mph, sometimes 65. Don't look at every Camry in the passing lane as a challenge, and you'll save some money, which I find useful to make my car payments and pay for oil changes. Yes, you may accurately call me grampa.

2. On exit ramps, actually before exit ramps, I coast. What's the point of driving to a stop sign or stop light with your foot on the gas and having to grind down your brakes? These are incredibly light, high performance cars that will coast more than a mile at 70 mph and still get you to a stop sign at the bottom of an exit ramp at 25 mph, needing only a touch on the brake pedal to stop. Saves money again on brake pad replacements.

3. When driving around town- particulary in stop and go rush hour traffic, keep the rpms around 2500. You aren't going to impress anyone driving around bumper to bumper at 4000 rpm in second gear, or first for that matter.

Little stuff like that makes a difference.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 09:53 PM
  #19  
TRISPEEDFD3S's Avatar
FEED me
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (26)
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,787
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area, CA
take that midpipe off and put your stock cat back on
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 09:54 PM
  #20  
7racer's Avatar
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Tenured Member 15 Years
 
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,736
Likes: 10
From: Dallas, Texas
Originally Posted by heavydownlowe
what do you suggest?

either to get the supporting mods for the midpipe, add restrictors, or take it off.

degessaman hinted at what you need. You might want to search the forum for "midpipes"

too many people lose their engine by improperly modding these cars.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 09:57 PM
  #21  
heavydownlowe's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Tenured Member 05 Years
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
thank you all, i will get a high flow cat ASAP.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 10:02 PM
  #22  
7racer's Avatar
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Tenured Member 15 Years
 
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,736
Likes: 10
From: Dallas, Texas
https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=531214
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 10:02 PM
  #23  
rynberg's Avatar
Lives on the Forum
Tenured Member: 20 Years
 
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 14,716
Likes: 10
From: San Lorenzo, California
Why is your next planned mod a very expensive and high end fuel pump? There is ZERO need for this and it will accomplish nothing.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 10:08 PM
  #24  
BryanDowns's Avatar
.
Tenured Member 20 Years
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,175
Likes: 18
From: Louisville
fwiw, on most engines basic breathing mods will increase mpg. Generally it reduces pumping losses. It is not uncommon at all for cars to pick up 1-2mpg with intakes, exhuast, headers that type of thing. my point? his questioning of if X mods will add mpg isnt so far out there.

However I've no idea if this applies to the rotary of not. I suspect it doesnt.
Reply
Old Apr 23, 2006 | 10:14 PM
  #25  
TRISPEEDFD3S's Avatar
FEED me
Tenured Member: 20 Years
iTrader: (26)
 
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,787
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area, CA
To add to what tyler said, the supra pump would be just fine. If you're staying with your stock twins.
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:27 AM.