Increased gas mileage in Canada

[grrl]

Two summers ago I took a trip across Canada. Normally in Connecticut my car would get about 30-31 mpg (highway) using the lowest octane gas. But once I got to Canada I was getting as high as 37 mpg and that was driving at speeds up to 80 mph! Some people said it must be because I was using higher octane fuel. I don't recall what choices I had, but I was certainly buying the cheapest fuel I could, so I doubt that explanation. I was thinking that the MBTE additive they use in the northeast could have been the reason, but that it isn't added in the summer, so that probably isn't is.

Any ideas? This wasn't a one time fluke, I got the same results for 5 tankfuls.

 

[heliomphalodon]

If the ambient air is cooler and/or drier, and/or the barometric pressure is higher, you'll get better mileage (all else being equal).
All three factors effectively increase your engine's compression ratio.

 

[grrl]

No, the air wasn't that much different, but even if it was, would that be enough to increase my mileage that much?

 

[KenGr]

No, there is no reason for that.

Are you sure you didn't have a metric conversion problem?

Were you always driving south? Well, it is down on the map.

 

[JHutch]

Well, do you normally do 80mph straight driving at home, or it is shorter stretches of highway with some slower city/town traffic? When I go on long trips, I usually notice a significant increase in gas mileage. Driving at a single speed, even a fast speed, does a lot to increase your gas mileage.

JHutch

 

[everman]

There are certian fuel additives which help reduce environmentally harmful emissions, but reduce your gas mileage. I've experianced this as in S CA we have this in our fuel, but if I drive up around Centra CA they don't have them (or at least at the time, it's been a while), and I would get better mileage. That would be my best guess

 

[grrl]

Well, do you normally do 80mph straight driving at home, or it is shorter stretches of highway with some slower city/town traffic? When I go on long trips, I usually notice a significant increase in gas mileage. Driving at a single speed, even a fast speed, does a lot to increase your gas mileage.

At home I normally drive slower than 80 and my speed is not as constant as it was in Canada. I can see how that would make a difference. I suppose that may be enough to explain the extra 5-6 mpg.

 

[Peter]

Yes, if your car and/or your right foot are heavy, that'll easily make for that kind of difference. And except on Diesel engines, consumption in the warmup phase is huge, which again adds to the lower mpg in town traffic. (30-38 mpg is pretty good for US cars anyway )

 

[dejitaru]

downhill, perhaps?

 

[Adul]

it is the additives in the fuel here in many states of the US. Up in canada there is none of these additives that i know of, hence you get a gas with more energy capacity in it has it is purer then with the additives used here.

 

[blueghost75]

Also, if you are at a higher altitude, the air would be thinner, and potentially you would get better gas milage from less air resistance. I'm curious to know how much effect that really has on gas milage. It would be higher at higher speeds.

I drove for about 300 miles straight about a month ago, nearly all highway, and I was doing 80-95 nearly the whole way. The part that was non highway was driving from ~6000 feet to 14000 feet, and back down. When I got back, having driven 300 miles, I still had a quarter tank left. Normally I am empty by 300 miles, driving around town here. (I normally get ~20 mpg, but got 27 on that trip). My car's gas milage is not that great, but it makes up for that in the power I have available (97 maxima, 5spd)

- David

 

[simms]

just to let you know, in Canada (Toronto anyways) we have 89, 91 and 93 octane. One gas station company called Sunoco makes, I believe a 94 octane gas.

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: blueghost75
Also, if you are at a higher altitude, the air would be thinner, and potentially you would get better gas milage from less air resistance. I'm curious to know how much effect that really has on gas milage. It would be higher at higher speeds.

I drove for about 300 miles straight about a month ago, nearly all highway, and I was doing 80-95 nearly the whole way. The part that was non highway was driving from ~6000 feet to 14000 feet, and back down. When I got back, having driven 300 miles, I still had a quarter tank left. Normally I am empty by 300 miles, driving around town here. (I normally get ~20 mpg, but got 27 on that trip). My car's gas milage is not that great, but it makes up for that in the power I have available (97 maxima, 5spd)

- David

unless you have the most unaerodynamic car ever the decrease in air going into the car is going to offset and aerodynamic gains