Hypermiling a '97 Corolla

Just shifting into neutral and coasting to a stop won't hurt anything but it won't really gain you anything either. The engine is still running and using fuel. You need to shut down the engine while you're coasting to really save fuel.

But doing that brings up some dangerous conditions. You loose your power steering boost. Your power brake boost is running on stored vacuum and will only modulate your brakes two or three times. If something happens, say the guy behind you isn't paying attention and is going to rear-end your car, your engine is dead and you can't get out of his way. In short, shutting down your engine to save fuel while you coast to a stop is a really bad idea. DON'T DO IT!

There's not much you can do to your car to greatly increase your mileage. A few changes in your driving style like limiting top speed and taking your foot of the gas earlier can give you 1 or 2 more MPG but not as much as you want.

Sorry

Jack

I wouldn't shift into neutral. The fuel savings will be minimal, at best. Plus, every time you shift, there is additional wear and tear on the transmission.

Every time you shift back into the gear, you feel a little jerk, right? That's wear and tear. And you don't really save anything in gas.

How many miles per gallon are you getting now?

Jeff

On Jun 13, 1:38 pm, gully wrote: Is 30 mpg city and 35

Dunno. My 05 with a 1.8 L does about 30 city, and 40+ on the highway with no tricks used other than not using a heavy foot. I get 41-42 if I keep it under 65 mph. Probably about 40 even at

70 mph.. I don't really see why yours shouldn't do as well, unless the engine is not as efficient. But a 97 should be pretty efficient... Make sure it runs perfect if you want the best mpg. I don't use any shifter tricks.. But I do let off the gas well in advance of lights, etc. The one I have coasts very well, with not much drag. So I can let off the gas doing 35 mph, and still be doing 25-30 by the time I get to the light just coasting. Keep the tires on the hard side.. IE: 30+ lb's.. I run mine about 34 lb's on average.. I wouldn't shift it out of gear myself.. It's not going to give you enough to be worth the extra wear on the shifter mechanism, etc..

I usually push the shifter to neutral while waiting at a stoplight. Not a big deal and the car doesn't creep forward. With a little practice you can slide it back to D without any noticeable engagement. I got in the habit when I had a 85 Toyota, I'd be sitting at a stoplight and when the air conditioning engaged the engine would speed up, and you'd better get your foot on the brake or get ready to bump the car in front of you if you were in Drive. I've cause to wonder if all stop signs were replaced with yield signs how fuel would be saved ? Bringing a vehicle to a complete stop when it's not needed and then getting it moving again just to go a block or two and stop again seems to be a big waste of gas.

My question is: What damage may I be doing to my transmission by frequently shifting in and out of neutral? Is it negligible, or am I wearing out the drive train faster? If everything I save in gas is eaten up by costly transmission repairs or having to replace the vehicle, then there?s no point in doing it.

Also, what is the best mileage I can expect (without going to such extreme measures as shutting off the engine while coasting or at street lights, which strikes me as dangerous)? The MPG for this vehicle is given as 22 mpg city and 27 highway. Is 30 mpg city and 35 mpg highway a reasonable expectation, or am I dreaming?

*********** Several people have posted good advice. Lifting your foot off of the throttle is all you need to do to let the fuel flow go down to idle, even if you are coasting down from highway speed, so it is not necessary to shift in to neutral to coast. Shifting back in to gear while the car is rolling will eventually put a lot of wear on the transmission. Frequently shifting in and out of neutral while the car is stopped is OK.

Best thing to do to improve mileage is keep the tire inflated to about 5 PSI over the pressures on the door plate, remove unnecessary weight from the car, and combine short trips into a longer one.

I own a 96 geo prizm with 1.6 motor and 3 speed auto. You should be able to get those numbers. Inflate tires to 35 psi. Do not shift into neutral, it won't help much, if any. I get 35 mpg with mostly highway driving. The 3 speed auto hurts the highway driving a bit if you go faster. Stick to 55~60 and you can easily do 35mpg. Also coasting when approaching a red light helps a lot.