Cold Weather Fuel Economy Thread

Farcry1010

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I have been averaging 36 mpg on mix city highway driving in the summer.

After the temp dipped below 30 degrees I averaged 32 mpgs.

The last 2 days it has been below zero and I now got 25 mpgs.

Anyone else living in a colder climate??
Are you letting car warm up longer? Even if you let car warm up for 2 minutes while you remove ice or something will significantly drop the MPG. I start my car and immediately go (summer) taking it easy while she warms up. In winter I'll start my car and go too, but if there is ice on windows I will start car then grab the scraper and remove ice then go. So that takes a couple of Min so this time idling really kills the MPG. But for the most part I see no difference. I average 32 MPG that is 6000 miles averaged. Mostly city type driving.
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cold air is denser, harder to push the car through it fast, add the longer warm-up, winter fuel, heavy snow tires with gaping treads and actual driving through snow on the pavement you have a cluster.
You almost got it. Cold air is denser, so basically with that in mind it takes more fuel to get the correct air/fuel ratio an engine needs to run efficiently. Fuel mileage in all cars is reduced when the temps drop. That, plus the change in fuel formulation for winter to get the fuel to vaporize easier, is about all their is.
 

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Averaged 5.8l/100km city during the summer. Up to 8.9 now. It's been - 20c to - 47c for the past 2 months.

Though i just checked my tire pressure, and it dropped to 27psi due to the cold. I guess that doesn't help...
 
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dick w

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That, plus the change in fuel formulation for winter to get the fuel to vaporize easier, is about all their is.
And...
many locales require "oxygenated" fuel in winter for air quality reasons,
you use more electricity in winter for bun warmers, defroster, more time with lights on,
maybe you run it longer to warm it up,
tires harder,
lubricants thicker,
bad weather leads to slower speeds and more stop-and-go,
...

There are a bunch of factors at work besides just winter fuel and air density. Can't think of any way cold weather works to improve fuel economy. The effects are pretty much uniformly in the wrong direction.
 

pgrimm856

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I have been averaging 36 mpg on mix city highway driving in the summer.

After the temp dipped below 30 degrees I averaged 32 mpgs.

The last 2 days it has been below zero and I now got 25 mpgs.

Anyone else living in a colder climate??
The dealership told me that winter fuel reduces mileage by 5-7 mph (0.75-1.0 kpl). That said, I was averaging 5-7 mph last winter more than this winter so I don't know what to believe. Traction is not a factor in my climate (I think).
 


touring420

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Averaged 5.8l/100km city during the summer. Up to 8.9 now. It's been - 20c to - 47c for the past 2 months.

Though i just checked my tire pressure, and it dropped to 27psi due to the cold. I guess that doesn't help...
I have noticed a drop also, 120kph-6.4liters per and now around 9.4liters per. Also noticed my rpm's have gone from 2100 to 2400,2600 at 120kph!!!

Honda Civic 10th gen Cold Weather Fuel Economy Thread DSC_0329.JPG
 

BillyCuth

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Are you letting car warm up longer? Even if you let car warm up for 2 minutes while you remove ice or something will significantly drop the MPG. I start my car and immediately go (summer) taking it easy while she warms up. In winter I'll start my car and go too, but if there is ice on windows I will start car then grab the scraper and remove ice then go. So that takes a couple of Min so this time idling really kills the MPG. But for the most part I see no difference. I average 32 MPG that is 6000 miles averaged. Mostly city type driving.
i can tell you for me personally, warming the car up doesn't have a drastic effect, but it does move the needle some. My commute to work when I first got my car in august, I could get 47-50 MPG (just 25 miles, small sample I know)... That same exact drive, all else being the same, I am struggling to hit 40 MPG.

My overall average has gone from about 41-42 to about 37 on a tank. I think winter blend has something to do with it, but i've never seen such a drop on another car.
 

VIto416

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yesterday i let my car warm up for about 3-4 min and it felt like it had no power in -15 weather conditions
 


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I have noticed a drop also, 120kph-6.4liters per and now around 9.4liters per. Also noticed my rpm's have gone from 2100 to 2400,2600 at 120kph!!!

DSC_0329.JPG

At 112 km/hr (70 mph) I consistently get 5.2-5.4 litres per 100 kms in warm weather, this weekend I was up around 5.8-6.0 /100 kms in cold winter temps , I tend to get my readings on straight highway drives of 2 hours duration so is a pretty good sample. So a drop is quite normal.
 

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yesterday i let my car warm up for about 3-4 min and it felt like it had no power in -15 weather conditions
I've noticed the lack of power, too, when the engine is cold. If temps are in the 50s, I can accelerate pretty well keeping the RPMs at 1,500. In 20s and below, RPMs need to be at 2,000 to accelerate approximately the same rate.
 

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I've noticed the lack of power, too, when the engine is cold. If temps are in the 50s, I can accelerate pretty well keeping the RPMs at 1,500. In 20s and below, RPMs need to be at 2,000 to accelerate approximately the same rate.
I'm pretty sure my turbo didn't kick in felt my car was fucked but today everything is fine it's going be another cold night so I'm a see how it runs
 

JS2000

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I'm pretty sure my turbo didn't kick in felt my car was fucked but today everything is fine it's going be another cold night so I'm a see how it runs
Pretty much every Honda engine makes maximum power with coolant temps around 180-200 degrees, cold engines make less power, heat = power.
 

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yesterday i let my car warm up for about 3-4 min and it felt like it had no power in -15 weather conditions
yesterday i let my car warm up for about 3-4 min and it felt like it had no power in -15 weather conditions
you've got to be trolling; if you're not, I apologize. You need a heater if those temps are sustained.
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