First tine on road--need advice

[ruscal]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Yeah But...... The cruise control has no interest whatsoever in economy, only to maintain speed. The driver should get the hint when 25% and 100% throttle make no difference in speed except to make the gas gauge fall faster and will (maybe) let up a little to save fuel.

I only use the cruise control on the 5 speed Blazer on fairly level roads, and very seldom in 5th gear.

When towing with our Honda CRV, because the transmission is smart, it almost never shifts into overdrive, with or without cruise control.

I see what you are saying Bob. I wondered if the fuel injection/engine management was smart enough to compensate for over zealous use of the throttle. Is it really pouring un-usable fuel into the cylinders? On my return from Utah I drove for a 10 hour stretch and was glad to be able to use the cruise control!
Russ

[Jared J]

No, fuel injection won't inject unusable fuel. What it will do, and what it and cruise control is designed to do, is to inject every possible usable bit of fuel to maintain speed. If your one of the people that likes to do 55, speed up to 60 on the downhill and drop to 50 on the uphill, then no, it won't do that for you (thank god).

[Bob Miller]

Soooo You are suggesting that if I am driving up a grade at 35 mph, that I can floor the accererator and, although there isn't enought power to go any faster, that I won't use more fuel ???? That seems counter-intuitive to all I have ever read about fuel conservation.

[Jared J]

I'm stating fuel injection doesn't leave (for all practical purposes) any unused fuel in the cylinders, per ruscals question.

I'm also stating that if there is no difference in your vehicles performance between partial and full throttle, something is wrong with it.

Unless your vehicle has the worst fuel injection/cruise control setup ever created, you aren't going to gain mpg by taking cruise control off *while trying to maintain your speed*. Every fuel injected vehicle I've driven for a period of time has always had better mileage on cruise control.

[Bob Miller]

I too almost always use curise control when not towing, but the added weight and frontal area loading make it an entirely different game with more economical TV's.

Those of us with 4 & 6 cylinder TV's are well aware of this inability to accelerate on hills, it's the nature of the beast.

When pulling anything in our fleet with the GMC Denali there is always enough power to accelerate, a feature that comes at a very high price at the gas pump.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I too almost always use curise control when not towing, but the added weight and frontal area loading make it an entirely different game with more economical TV's.

Those of us with 4 & 6 cylinder TV's are well aware of this inability to accelerate on hills, it's the nature of the beast.

.

LOL Bob I think you are on the right track. I pull the same trailer as the OP with the same make of car but a larger model with more tow cap and HP..... I have giggled over the on going debate here on using CC on hills as the simple fact of life based on my experience towing with my set up that its a good bet the OP will not be using CC on any hills even the real small ones and certainly not any in these parts of the world.

[Jared J]

That part I agree on, it's going to kick out of cruise either way on hills.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Jared J

That part I agree on, it's going to kick out of cruise either way on hills.

Yup it will indeed a *very* short distances up the hill. Once out of CC they will need to keep a real close eye on the RPM's and not expect a quick trip up the hill.

[honda03842]

Judi,

Glad you're out of Wyoming, very early snow storms with significant accumulation...global ????