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Turbo'd engine, mileage better driving hard or easy?

I was mentioning to some guys at work that my dad just got a new turbo volvo wagon, 5 cyl. I mentioned that my dad is one of the most conservative drivers on the planet and when he tells me "its got lots of power", he probably has no idea what kind of power he can really make it produce at high RPM. It bugs me because I know I could drive the car to its potential. One of the guys at work, an old timer, says "he won't get good mileage driving it conservatively". He says you really have to drive the turbo engines hard to get good mileage out of them. I know turbos do improve effeciency, but come on, when you are boosting an engine hard you use lots of gas. I have been looking at getting a new Turbo'd subaru lately, and this guys advice goes against all I have read. What do you think?

Thanks,

--Dan

Reply to
dg
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Talking a lot and knowing a lot don't always go together.

Engine efficiency is a function of engine speed, and auto transmissions usually keep the engine speed near its optimum. Driving very slow in high gear may use more fuel. Driving hard wastes fuel.

My S-40 has an auto transmission with a sports mode that makes the engine stay on low gear longer to boost acceleration. (And it does get the car up to speed faster.) The manual points out that this will reduce fuel efficiency.

Reply to
Marvin Margoshes

Reply to
Rob Guenther

At speed a turbo stuffs more air and the injection will put more fuel into an engine. A light foot will get a lot more mileage from the same motor. Tell the old timer a 4bbl carb does not get better mileage than a 2bbl if your foot is on the floorboard.

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