Well , I just completed my scientific comparison of driving with the ECT in Power mode and Normal. I even went so far as to drive almost exactly the same every day ..A/C off in am, on in pm back and forth to work..only no excess miles .. used my son's for errands. And I even used the same pump at the same Gas station here (texaco..it's the cheapest 87oct.)

Results: Power mode 18.09 mpg
Normal mode 18.14 mpg

I would have thought the diff would be more..sooooo I guess I drive in Power mode all times now !!

 

Nice work. When I had an Auto, I drove with the ECT in power all the time too. Likewise, I didnt see much of a difference in MPG.

 

I like ECT-on mode better too, I just don't like the light on the dash all the time. Makes me feel like something's broken. I think I should disconnect the light, then drive w/it on all the time.

 

HBoss that's the same thing I thought!


Before I bought the S/C I drove around with the ECT always on. Now I don't ever turn it on.

 

Unless you're doing all stop and go driving, you'd be cruising in the same gears with or without ECT. So the fuel burn should be about the same. As I understand it all that ECT does is bump the shift pattern up so it will run higher RPM's before upshifting. So crusing really shouldn't be affected. I could be wrong though.

 

Sorry, I did leave that part out...It was ALL city driving. No extended cruising was involved. That's what surprised me so much...alot of shifting involved...

 

it comes down to how much you stomp on the gas...if your heavy footed naturally than the ECT tends to magnify the ammount of fuel wasted by quick starts etc...if your naturally moderate with the pedal than the ECT mode isnt going to change all that much much in the way of MPG's...having the power mode on in itself doesnt really have that much of an effect...it seems that when alot of guys turn it on though they tend to "gun" the engine a bit more thus they see a decrease in MPG's...

i always drive with it on...and always push hard with my right foot

by the way...russell...what part of WI you from ??