My 2000RPM Challenge

[PhilDernerJr]

I was having a group discussion recently with people who kept talking about the gas savings on keeping your car's RPMs under 2,000. With a powerful truck like mine, I joke that I can't even change the radio station without it hitting 4,000rpm's, and that I couldn't keep at it 2,000 if I tried.

However, I'm conducting a little experiment. I gas up about once a week, and I checked my gas mileage for the past 3 weeks. The first two I had 11.9mpg, and last week's was 11.5. During these three weeks, I drove by instinct....accelerating, stopping and maintaining speeds that I just felt like going at without looking at my RPM gauge.

I gassed up this morning (at $2.29!!!), and already started my <2,000rpm experiment. I drove home from the station and to work while keeping it under 2k. It isn't easy. On level ground, my truck's max speed is 68mph at 2,000rpm, and it takes a little bit to get there. Thankfully, traffic was thin and I didn't need to gun it to get into the flock of cars on the highway.

My other challenges besides getting onto the highway will be getting up hills on the highway while keeping with the flow of traffic, and not gunning the engine during incidents of road rage. YIEKS! I wonder if I can even get to my next fill-up without exceeding 2k.

Anyone care to make a guess what my mpg will be at my next fill-up?

[moose135]

I don't know that 2000 RPM is a magic number, Phil. Depending on the gearing of your truck, different RPMs may be more efficient. Driving slower on the highway (within the limits), avoiding jackrabbit starts, coasting to a stop, that will help you more. Keep the engine tuned up, tires properly inflated, and don't carry around so much unnecessary junk to help as well.

[stuart schechter]

^^^ I agree

I have heard people say the 2K challenge or the 1800rpm Challenge on manual cars, but my old Saab shifted at 3000, so I didn't really have much of a choice. I drive much slower on the highway and around the roads because I am trying to save as much so when I need to use gas to respond to an emergency, I can.

[PhilDernerJr]

I just chose 2000 as a reference for keeping my RPMs low and not gunning it. We shall see if it helps me.

[USAF Pilot 07]

I used to alter my driving habits in the name of fuel efficiency but now that gas is down at $1.43 a gallon I have been driving my car the way it was meant to be driven!

[T-Bird76]

I get 30 Mpgs...hehe, rubs it in like salt on an open wound! LOLOL

[MarkLawrence]

I'm like Tommy - 80mph on the Florida Turnpike with the cruise control on for my 130 mile/day roundtrip - 34mpg without a/c, 31 with a/c :) sorry Phil!

[PhilDernerJr]

I haven't had to fill up yet, but I'm getting close. I'm eager to see my results.

Unfortunately, I've had 3 incidents of road rage where I exceeded 2,000rpm (and then some). Then I came up with the idea of playing Christmas music to calm me! I tuned to 106.7 for nonstop Xmas tunes.....but no. Not only did it not calm me, but one of the people I flipped off was a dead ringer for Jesus himself. Oh well.

[mirrodie]

I don't know that 2000 RPM is a magic number, Phil. Depending on the gearing of your truck, different RPMs may be more efficient. Driving slower on the highway (within the limits), avoiding jackrabbit starts, coasting to a stop, that will help you more. Keep the engine tuned up, tires properly inflated, and don't carry around so much unnecessary junk to help as well.

As Moose said, I think the RPM depends in the auto. I think I posted this a while back and I've told Tom, but for my Altima, (whose mpg ratings are 20/29 city/Hwy) I do much better with keeping my RPMS below 1800, figure 22/34.

On my last trip upstate, up and down these huge hills, I was hitting 45 MPG while coasting the hills. I averaged 42 mpg from the Bronx to Monticello.

Nowadays, instead of jackrabgbit starts, I do granny accerelations (think 0-60mph in 30 seconds) and I coast to stops. Regular tune ups and oil changes and tires are well inflated.

When I do the above, on Pinelawn Rd, I can get up to 37MPG.


I don't physically rage as much these days. But now that gas has dropped, I do find myself accerelating as if cruising down a runway sometimes. I do miss that and try to limit it to once a week.



One thing I noticed Moose, this weekend, my mileage was getting killed keepin it under 50 on the highway. AS soon as traffic opened up, I was up at 67 mph and my mpg rose to 32.

[PhilDernerJr]

As I said, I don't knwo my truck's sweet spot, but I chose 2000rpm's as a measuring tool for steady acceleration, versus gunning it at every opportunity.

Regardless, the results are IN!

After one week of driving, I filled up today at a station in Queens for $1.99!!!!!!!!!!! I never thought I'd see the day!

After all the <2,000rpm driving, only three incidents of road rage and 3 times that I exceeding 2,000 to get into the flow of traffic, this week's mpg was 13.5!! I went up two. Significant enough? Eh. But interesting for me. :)

Final Stats:

11/05/08 (Wednesday)
Gallons Purshased: 20.8
Price: $2.75/gallon
Mileage: 148,516

11/11/08 (Thursday)
Gallons Purchased: 21.2
Price: $2.59/gallon
Mileage: 148,770
Miles Since Previous: 254
MPG: 11.9

11/20/08 (Saturday)
Gallons Purchased: 21.0
Price: $2.37
Mileage: 149,021
Miles Since Previous: 251
MPG: 11.9

11/27/08 (Saturday)
Gallons Purchased: 22.3
Price: $2.29
Mileage: 149,279
Miles Since Previous: 258
MPG: 11.5

Then under 2,000rpm:

12/4/08 (Thursday)
Gallons Purchased: 20.4
Price: $1.99
Mileage: 149,555
Miles Since Previous: 276
MPG: 13.5