I admit it wasn't the best wax job but I knew it was the cause of my drop in mileage. If you read back in this thread the subject came up about trying to get better MPG and on that list was washing and waxing. My response was from my experience over the years of being a hypermiler and having a keen since of what works and what does not work. That includes solving the problem by making a change. What would you do to solve the wax job problem? Let see, sandpaper would make a mess if my paint job so that's not going to happen. Bingo! I got it, stop washing my car till mileage improves! Look how my mileage improved slowly over the next 3 months of not washing my FEH.

You can think cold weather may have caused my problem but January was my coldest month and my mileage started improving then. It just so happens after Billy suggested doing another test I thought about my mileage log being the best test over a long period of time. My mileage log is a history in itself. As I developed new techniques, made changes or even added to much oil one time you can see mileage problems and benefits from that log.

I knew waxing my FEH was going to hurt my mileage long before Mythbusters did the program. At the very lease we all can say waxing did not help my mileage right? If it did, don't you think it would be on my list to improve mileage? Go back and read the article I wrote "Hypermiling The Ford Escape Hybrid" and you will not see washing and waxing as an improvement or recommendation.

GaryG

 

Only one sure way to prove it! Get it detailed again at the same place.

A one time happening is no way to prove anything, it's a poor testing procedure.

 

Not by me, I don't have to prove anything I already know. I'm already fighting to get my mileage back on track now because one tire got down to 45psi before I caught it. Most people are not as sensitive to changes like these but there is a handful of people over at the http://www.cleanmpg.com/ site. Once I put 50psi back in that tire and drove a mile or two, I knew that was the problem. Same thing with the wax job, I could feel, and see my gauges within a few miles to know the difference. It's all about the distance in a neutral glide in EV that gives a problem away like that for me. The problem with the oil being a Qt high didn't effect the glide but I still noticed a problem with my mileage right away. Just after a oil change I knew something was wrong but I thought it was the Mobil 1 at first. It turned out you can't drain all the old oil out using front end ramps with the '09 FEH 2.5L engine.

Most of the more simple problems with MPG is everyday wind direction and heavy rain. I always take this into account. I let the tire go to long because it's hard seeing the difference with a very slow leak. After 400 miles on a tank of gas, things were not getting any better so I knew it was a tire pressure issue. Just checked the tire pressure again and I now know I don't have a screw or nail in it because it's holding at the same pressure I put it at.

Getting 57mpg tanks in a SUV hybrid is a hobby for me. The folks on these forums can choose to do more testing if they want, but the real test is in your MPG numbers even if you want better mileage at all. The fact is, I know the dirtier my FEH is, the better mileage I get.

GaryG

 

How do you know exactly how much dirt exists on your vehicle and at what specific pinpoint location of the vehicle? Did it change from one day to another? How similiar is the dirt build up to the golf ball dimple formation? These are questions that come to mind and need to answered to help prove or disprove the theory dirt build up improves MPG. Then there is the significant difference reference that can be statistically applied but is another issue for another day.

 

The bold text says it all!

 

Dimples help only on a sphere. This may help about the history of the golfball: http://wings.avkids.com/Book/Sports/...r/golf-01.html

 

Since contributing to this forum is voluntarily done and not something for which one is paid, it seems unreasonable to me to demand further testing.

If you are not satisified a compelling case has been made, presumbably you will not place faith in it. As someone who has learned from a variety of contibuters to this forum, I for one, am comfortable that Gary's conclusion that a dirtier Escape/Mariner/Tribute Hybrid will get better gas mileage than a clean/waxed one. Gary's undeniable significat success at gas mileage seems sufficient enough for me to accept his observations.

Thank you Gary! And thanks to all those that take the time to provide infotmation here for the benefit of many!

 

Thanks Brian and your welcome.

Billy wanting to use HP as a gauge and Bill wanting me to spend money on a poor wax job and worst mileage is a bit much for me. I was thinking the same as you, what else do they need besides seeing I have the best mileage by far than any other FEH owner.

Right now, I'm trying to put the FEH as the number one non plug-in hybrid lifetime mileage average above the EPA rating percentage in the World. I'm presently there if you use the EPA ratings of the Prius for the years it was truly rated. Some people with '06 and '07 Prius are using the '08 EPA rating with is much lower. It does not matter tho because I'm headed much higher than that with every tank average I'm getting now.

The FEH is shaped like a brick and if you wax it you reduce the front turbulence and increase the rear drag. The rear drag is what reduces MPG the most. If the FEH is not smooth (dirty) you get more turbulence and less drag which increases MPG. I don't let my FEH get real dirty all the time, but it could use a wash right about now.

I think Mythbusters needed to create more turbulence in the front of that car with clay dimples to eliminate most of the rear drag in order to see the big increase in MPG at higher speeds. The front of our FEH already has a lot of turbulence, we just don't need any more rear drag by waxing it.

GaryG

 

All I'm saying is that a one time instance proves nothing at all! Do you think that the first Hybrid went to production on the outcome of one test?? Anyway, since you know, I'm not going to waste my time.

 

Bad time for me to clay bar my FEH, then wax it. (Claying it makes it even smoother.)