Yellowstone MPG mystery (1 Viewer)

[J1000]

If you start out at a higher elevation than you end then of course your mpg will be better every 3rd grader with a bike knows this.

 

[J1000]

Altitude.
The higher the better the MPG. Fuel system adjust to more or less oxygen available for combustion. As air becomes thinner at say 1 mile high, engine runs lean. Fuel system compensates by slowing fuel injectors (less fuel to cylinders). The trade off less horse power.

Wrong. Higher elevation means worse engine efficiency. It lowers the effective compression ratio of the engine which reduces volumetric efficiency. Takes more fuel to move the vehicle along at the same rate.

 

[Kabanstva]

Wrong. Higher elevation means worse engine efficiency. It lowers the effective compression ratio of the engine which reduces volumetric efficiency. Takes more fuel to move the vehicle along at the same rate.

I don't know the science behind this, but when we got to Colorado, I was in my friend's 97 4Runner and that thing can barely go 60mph on the high elevation highways. You would floor it and nothing would happen. The engine and trans were definitely struggling.

 

[gil12]

I'm thinking that my original suspicion that bison farts are instrumental in my high mpg is increasingly validated!

 

[AlpineAccess]

I don't know the science behind this, but when we got to Colorado, I was in my friend's 97 4Runner and that thing can barely go 60mph on the high elevation highways. You would floor it and nothing would happen. The engine and trans were definitely struggling.

Same issue as humans have. Less oxygen at higher altitude.

To OP, you might have bought gas at an ethanol free station.

 

[SlowBuild]

I once filled my tank at Travelers Rest, just south of Missoula, then headed over Lolo Pass into Idaho. I made it over 500 miles to the Colombia River before I had to fill up. Even then I could have gone longer but I wasn’t so sure when I’d see another fuel station. I wanted to coast all the way into Portland but I don’t think I would have made it.

 

[paflytyer]

Since the wind in Wyoming is usually blowing around 80mph all day every day, you can get great gas mileage with the wind at your back.

 

[Pskhaat]

To OP, you might have bought gas at an ethanol free station.

E0 v. E10 gasoline figures over 900 miles.

Most folks don't believe me that LCs hate ethanol fuels. I used to think it was just the FZ- and F-series engines. I recently was in a rare opportunity to repeat the exact same stretch of road round-trip. Iowa. Due to shrinking tax revenue, the popo are out in full force and speed limit was...

expeditionportal.com

 

[Chewbacca]

E0 v. E10 gasoline figures over 900 miles.

Most folks don't believe me that LCs hate ethanol fuels. I used to think it was just the FZ- and F-series engines. I recently was in a rare opportunity to repeat the exact same stretch of road round-trip. Iowa. Due to shrinking tax revenue, the popo are out in full force and speed limit was...

expeditionportal.com

Huh, I'm gonna have to give that a shot. New gas station just opened up by my house that sells E0.