What's the best MPG can the PT Cruiser get?

[Vengence]

please, in my HHR and aspen i dont go by that.HHR it says 27.4 but i calculated it to 30.1 and the aspen says 15.7 but i calculated that to 16.4. so i know their not right 99% of the time but its nice to have. wish they put it on the 01. is there a way to get that on a 01 cruiser?

[PCC]

I started another "PT gas mileage" thread, earlier. I asked for inputs and made a few minor changes.

I have slowed-down and added a K&N drop-in air filter. I used to drive 70-80mph on the freeway, now drive 60-65mph. I have reduced my hiway RPM to between 2000-2400 (down from just over 3K). Which I think is key to maximize what the 2.4L engine outputs for mileage.

Old highway #'s=21.8mpg, new highway #'s=23.8mpg
Old city #'s=19.5mpg, new city #'s=20.9mpg

So I got about a 10% mileage increase with the K&N and restricting my speed/tach. Still nowhere near the EPA #'s that Chrysler advertises.

I believe the K&N drop in air filter helped. I noticed a little improvement in power (pick-up from stop and moving) right after installation. K&N "claims" a 5-10% increase in mileage, post installation. I'll buy a 5% increase from the K&N and a 5% increase from driving slower and decreasing my RPMs.

My experiences and 2-cents. Thanks to all for your inputs, recommendations and comments in my previous thread.

[RNCRUZR]

Originally Posted by MassCruiser

Driving like an old lady seems to help! I'm more in that camp, today, than I used to be with the Talon!
I like making the trips last longer......gives me more time in the Cruiser!

Little-old-ladydom seem to be the key to getting good MPG. That's when I got my best mileage.

[blackngold75]

After three years, I am consistently getting about 19 MPG around town. I don't drive highway that much, but when I do I get around 26 MPG.

I agree that having a heavy foot really makes an impact.

[Vengence]

I have that same air filter in my regular PT, also Michellin Hydroedge tires which say they add 2mpg to the mix, and also upgraded the CPU and had a friend change the gear shift ratio so it accelerates faster using less rpm, so right now im getting about 31-33 highway which i drive 90% of the time and maybe 25 or 26 city. city i keep my rpm's at 2k or less and highway i drive at 55mph keeping the rpm's under 2500. thats my car though. different from standard cruisers cuz of what my friend did to it.

[85_305]

Originally Posted by Vengence

I have that same air filter in my regular PT, also Michellin Hydroedge tires which say they add 2mpg to the mix, and also upgraded the CPU and had a friend change the gear shift ratio so it accelerates faster using less rpm, so right now im getting about 31-33 highway which i drive 90% of the time and maybe 25 or 26 city. city i keep my rpm's at 2k or less and highway i drive at 55mph keeping the rpm's under 2500. thats my car though. different from standard cruisers cuz of what my friend did to it.

You have still failed to inform the board of these magical mods you claim your dealer buddy put in.

Not calling you a liar. Just curious.

[edsidders]

Originally Posted by 85_305

You have still failed to inform the board of these magical mods you claim your dealer buddy put in.

Not calling you a liar. Just curious.

I think this is in his 9000 pound cruiser,the other one got 40

[Vengence]

all of it is withing the CPU i believe, I'll check with him when i have spare time, work has been crazy the past few weeks not to mention stressful. ok, just contacted him, doesnt know for sure until he looks at the work record, but he does know that he changed a few things in the gearbox.

and btw, my PT cruiser that weighs almost 9k dont get that kind of MPG, that only gets 20MPG highway and I dont know what city is. haven't tested that. and i made it clear i didn't get near 40mpg. re-calculated and came out to 31-33 highway and 24-26 city.

[MassCruiser]

I'm beginning to wonder how many, who are reporting really low gas milage, are merely reading it off their car's LED display, and not actually figuring it out, at the end of a tankful?
As I previously stated, my last tankful figured out, to 27.36 MPG. My display is indicating 18.5 MPG, today.
Who knows what the sample rate is for the display's calculations? It certainly isn't a tankful. Can any instantaneous calculation really be that accurate?
I prefer doing the math, myself.

[PCC]

Originally Posted by MassCruiser

I'm beginning to wonder how many, who are reporting really low gas milage, are merely reading it off their car's LED display, and not actually figuring it out, at the end of a tankful?
As I previously stated, my last tankful figured out, to 27.36 MPG. My display is indicating 18.5 MPG, today.
Who knows what the sample rate is for the display's calculations? It certainly isn't a tankful. Can any instantaneous calculation really be that accurate?
I prefer doing the math, myself.

I find the PT's mileage trip computer, almost spot-on to my long-hand math. In most cases, the trip computer is about .1-.2 lower than my math computations.

I was told by a Chrysler/Mopar tech, that the trip computer should be right-on, since it gets it's feedback from the ECM system (?). Unless you remove the battery cables, he said it should be accurate to .1MPG. Which is almost exactly compared to my math. I guess the trip computer supposedly resets after the battery cables are removed. It resets to new computations.