Guys,

A little confused here, in an MR, in sixth gear crusing at 60-70 MPH wouldn't you get BETTER Mileage (as well as a Smoother/Quieter ride)???

So how come the Mileage with the 6 speed is LOWER?????

The smoother quieter ride on the Interstate is important and a BIG Consideration for me........

 

You do get a little better mileage due to being 200-300rpm lower in top gear on the highway, but the shorter gears in 1-5 cause lower overall mileage. It's less of a difference now that the IX 5spd has such short gears from 1-4, but the VIII 5spd had longer gears.

Regardless, though, it doesn't matter what Mitsu publishes - your mpg won't reflect what they tell you. It all depends on how you drive. I have always gotten 19-21mpg from stock to moderately modded.

 

1 mpg difference according to Mitsu - and its due to gearing see attached:

Like Warr said - its all in how you drive. I too only get 20 combined.

 

Complete agreement. From experience, I can also tell you 6th gear is a blessing and a curse. If highway speeds are 70+, 6th is good. If speeds are less than 65-70, I still use fifth. I end up with better mileage this way. With speeds below 70 (in 6th gear), any press on the gas pedal almost immediately puts you into positive turbo boost. Even if it's only .5 Bar, gas mileage suffers. With slightly higher RPM's in 5th, positive boost is less likely.

 

In the real world, the 6spd would probably give you slightly better fuel economy at highway speed. But not in the EPA's fuel mileage tests that you see printed on your window sticker.

The EPA fuel economy tests do not calculate mileage based on the amount of fuel consumed, but rather based on tailpipe carbon emissions:
http://fueleconomy.gov/feg/how_tested.shtml

 

i have been wondering the samething. my friend's 03 evo gets 26-27 hwy and runs an 11.12 . my mr gets 23. does anyone know what the stock afr is?

 

rich. It varies throughout the rpm range, and depends on load and some other variables.

best bet for higher mileage: stay out of high boost and keep the the rpms low.

High revs and high boost eat gas FAST.

I can get 25+mpg on long drives, but it's hard to resist the evil right foot temptations...

 

Actually, the stock AFR is always 14.7 at low throttle, because the ECU constantly works to keep it there. Only in open loop at high throttle does the AFR vary. The stock tune at WOT goes from lean (12.5:1) to extremely rich (9.x:1) as you go from 3500-7500rpm.

I have never driven my car on the highway for a full tank of gas, so I have never gotten more than 22-23mpg max whether stock or modded. I love to boost too much to dick around out of boost for hours on end.

 

thanks for the answers. i have been easy on the car. shifting at around 3200 and still getting 18-19 in city. I would love to get your 22-23

 

my 03 gets between 20-24 depending if I am only commuting to work on the highway or driving all over town stopping and going. That is also with the AC on

 

ByUBlue2003 what mods do you have?