Getting better mpg in 06 V6 Sportage

[mcrews]

I got my daughter's 2006 Kia Sportage EX V6 FWD w/100,000 miles in pristine condition.

Have several mods to start:
1. Mounting Garmn GPS and ScangaugeII
2. up-sizing tires
3. Front grill block
4. Underbelly pan
5. considering swapping out the tranny for an Optima tranny w/ a 3.77 gear.

[mcrews]

Made a mounting bracket for my Garmin GPS and ScangaugeII.
GPS also gives accurate mph.
Scangauge monitors 20 odd functions thru the obdII reader.
Allows for better understanding of temps etc to get better mpg.

current dash


used 93cent strapping from home depot lumber section


popped gauge cluster trim and mounted to plastic with small bolt. other side used the radio nut to mount

[mcrews]

Mabe a "T" with the other half of the strap. Curved the top around to give the GPS the correct angle to point at me and then a 90degree bend at the bottom to hold the scangaugeII. used 3M double stick tape to mouint.







everything back in place:

[mcrews]

now that I have accurate gauges I can set my baselines for what type of mileage I get without any mods:
NOTE: I have 'adjusted the nut behind the wheel'!
( I am a regular poster at ecomodder.com and just retired a 2002 Infiniti Q45 Sport w/ Impul body kit. I achieve 30+ mpg consistantly on road trips in that car over 5 yrs and 270k miles)


http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ast-16970.html

November 21 2012:
Drove to Austin from San Antonio on hwy 35 to have Thanksgiving w/ my daughter.
Thru a couple of 'relatively' flat stretches I ran the cruise at a set speed. It was 76degrees outside. low humidity. 40 psi. no mods.
here were the results:

30.1mpg....60mph....2180rpm....17 miles....193watertemp.....700ft
35.1mpg....50mph...1825rpm...15 miles......190warertemp.....650ft

I'll run the same stretches going home on friday and post up.
Also got my first tank to tank fill. (well 1/2 a tank) went back and forth to work about 29 miles 90% freeway. stop and go about 1/3 of trip. And one trip at 70-75mph
The kia trip computer said 25.0mpg, the actually fill up was 23.65 over 198 miles
Need to run a couple of 350-400 mill tanks to get a better feel.
But gas in San Antonio was 3.09 -usually 3.18 - (less 12 cents HEB grocery store card) and I didint want to pass that up!!

I think that the data tells me 2 things.
1. need a lower and probably up grille block to warm up faster. ran the 50 mph AFTER the 60 mph and the water temp dropped (190 was the high. it was 186-188 at times) The 193 for the 60 is also pretty low.
2. The 70 series tires seem a logical next step. Lower rpms will help. maybe I can get down to 1975rpm at 60 mph!

[tysinbad]

Looks like you have the most economical sportage out there.

Wouldn't the cost of swapping transmissions outweigh the cost of any fuel saving made though?

[tysinbad]

I have a question. What is the intent behind the front grill block? I assume two things, 1. force all air over the outside of the car, thus reducing drag, and 2. increase engine compartment temperature, thus reducing air density and thereby reducing fuel injected? How is that for a guess?

[mcrews]

That's a GREAT guess!!!!
Bingo on both tysin!

First, I come from ecomodder.com where we ABA test everything. There are plenty of threads about the topics on various vehicles.

Engine warms up, some not enough. The grille block speeds up the warming AND keeps the temps up.

As you can see from my scangauge temps, the driving temp is low.
I liked to keep my Infiniti Q45 in the low 200-210.
188-193 is kinda low.

I havent even started to price a tranny yet. But would probably go with a used/rebuilt IF it would work.

Just a caviate: those mpgs are my 'baseline'. done intentionally over a relatively flat distance in a optimal enviornment.
Now, as I add modifications, I can drive over the same distance to test the mod.

[mcrews]

on the drive back from Austin to San Antonio on hwy 35:

50mph......191water temp......27miles.....33.4mpg

I had thought the 35mpg was on the optomistic side!

[tysinbad]

Well, the savings you make in fuel, my car just drinks it as I have supercharged it. Still, 33mpg is very good.

[mcrews]

Temps increased quicker and got to a high 220 but stayed in the 208 range
blocked the lower grille w/ vinyl:



Partially blocked the upper grille leaving the bottom slot open




used same vinyl to cover the tow hooks before




also put on some 'eyelids' on!