Ways to improve MPG?

[johnl]

don't forget about the rubber compound as well. A V speed rated tire doesn't have as much grip as a ZR rated tire.

It's not really about the rubber compound. My experience is that increasing psi to or near the sidewall marked max is likely to improve grip with all tyres (that I've used). Some tyres that are truly dreadful (grip and handling) at more commonly used pressures (say around 32psi) can become quite acceptable at say 40psi (or even more in some cases).

A V rated tyre may or may not have more grip than a tyre with a higher speed rating, but it's likely that as a generalisation you are correct. This may be because of a grippier compound on the higher speed rated tyres (though some V rated tyres may have grippier rubber than some tyres with higher speed rating), but equally it could be due to a stiffer (or otherwise superior) case construction.

[d112crzy]

what the heck is a tyre?

[K2e2vin]

Tyre=tire. Bonnet=hood. Windscreen=windshield. etc. etc.

Tire pressure tuning mainly concerns the contact patch. On some tires(mainly performance), going too high will net you even less grip. For example, the T1R's respond better to higher pressures due to the softer sidewalls(generally around 35psi); while the RT-615 works great around 28-30psi. Of course, this all depends on sidewall thickness along with tread compound/construction.

[johnl]

Tire pressure tuning mainly concerns the contact patch. On some tires(mainly performance), going too high will net you even less grip. For example, the T1R's respond better to higher pressures due to the softer sidewalls(generally around 35psi); while the RT-615 works great around 28-30psi. Of course, this all depends on sidewall thickness along with tread compound/construction.

Kevin,
I don't disagree with any of that (which is a pleasant change since I seem to disagree with most people on tyre pressures..).

Ideal tyre pressure is very dependant on the tyre construction, and most tyres with particularly soft sidewalls require higher psi to prevent the sidewall literally falling down on the job.

When the sidewall isn't doing it's job (due to soft structure) then when the tyre is subjected to a strong lateral loading the contact patch will suffer because the sidewall is failing to support the tread adequately. So, the primary need with a soft sidewall tyre is to effectively stiffen the sidewall by use of higher pressures. As such the tyre pressure is affecting the contact patch more in an indirect manner by means of more directly affecting the sidewall i.e. the raised pressure more effectively supports the contact patch by supporting the sidewall.

If the sidewall is inherantly stiff enough then it doesn't need so much pressure to keep it's shape under lateral loading, so "pressure tuning" is more directly concerned with the contact patch than the sidewall. With some tyres an increase over X psi will result in more grip, with another tyre less grip, and it largely depends on the tyre construction.

Hope that makes sense.

[johnl]

what the heck is a tyre?

It's the correct way to spell 'tyre', in the English language at any rate...

[bcjammerx]

HA HA HA...the 'ol tire press. debate I think I've conceded to the higher spectrum of tire pressures after discussing it with you and others. :tu

f22a9 eh? what's the cr on that one? I love finding more f22's and what does that come in?

tuning your ecu can give you higher mpg just that by itself.

the accord weighs almost 3000 pounds (29XX something?)...it is not light.

mine gets 27-28 mpg driving on curvy and hilly roads and not being to nice on the throttle...I have a crap load of junk in the car as well.

[K2e2vin]

Using those weight charts:

The DX coupes are rated about 2750lbs, mine is supposidly around 2800lb(LX coupe).

For comparison, the later 97-01 Integra's weigh anywhere from about 2600lb to just under 2800lb.

Not really light as Civics and some other cars, but you can't really say they're heavy either(refer to my comment about other cars in similar class).

I'm honestly trying to avoid "dumping" money into the car; just trying to find things I can do cheap or easily. The Civic is my money pit; don't need two of them

[johnl]

f22a9 eh? what's the cr on that one? I love finding more f22's and what does that come in?

My understanding is that the f22A9 has a CR of 9.8 to 1, rated hp = 150. Other than that it's very similar to the f22A6 (may be some other diferrences). It's an Australian market car, but I think (just what I recall having heard) it was also JDM and possibly South Africa(?) (and some other Asian markets?).