MaxHeadroom

I've posted a picture off of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_C-Max attached. which shows somebody (fake news???) is saying the C-Max is being made in MX now. Non-hybrid version like Europe has now. I guess it wouldn't be the first time Wikipedia got attacked, if this isn't true. Before we inform Wikipedia that this is wrong, I'd like to make sure they aren't really making it in MX ! Just to be sure. Anybody know?

Mine is a 2015, which is EPA-rated lower than the new '19 RAV4 Hybrid. You really can't compare the C-Max directly to a RAV4 that much, since it's heavier with AWD as well. I'm thinking about starting a thread as to why the 2017/18 C-Max gets better MPG and is faster 0-60 as well than a 2016 or prior C-Max.

The RAV4 has better MPG than the C-Max, which is remarkable considering it's AWD and heavier, with higher drag, more ground clearance. I guess that's newer tech at work, and Toyota knows what they are doing. Price is very reasonable for what it is. Only $27k for the base RAV4 Hybrid.

One easy way to gain an estimated +0.2 to +0.4 MPG is to use a special engine oil I found recently. Eneos Racing Street (RS) 0w-20, a qualified API SN GF-5 oil I got from Amazon. What makes it different than, say, a typical 0w-20 like Mobil1 AFE 0w-20: Friction Modifier (reducer): Eneos has 900 ppm moly; Mobil1 has 88 ppm moly.Viscous Friction reduction: Eneos has a KV40 of 29 cSt; Mobil1 is 45 cSt.Both are full synthetic. Eneos's base oil is all Group3+ (like Pennzoil Platinum's PurePlus base oil), while Mobil1's base oils is about half PAO, half Group3.Both oils have the same, usual, typical HTHS 2.7, which indicates how much hydrodynamic lubrication conditions happen in an engine, and its important to be at 2.7 here, kind of an important number which both oils have.I know the word 'racing' is in the name, next to the word 'street', yet the API SN GF-5 rating means this is a fully qualified street engine oil. More moly (Molybdenum compounds) is actually quite protective (wear) as well as reducing friction, and Eneos has a lot more. Several Japanese oil formulators like Eneos take a high-moly approach for some unknown reason, getting more friction benefits than just the minimal necessary to pass the certification specifications. Another story there I won't go into. The difference in viscosity (KV40 for example) will help an engine during cold-cool-warm operation to get better MPG via less viscous friction drag. Especially pronounced in the winter, yet will help in summer too. Base oil is of very good quality & performance, as Group3+ is a great performer, very similar to Mobil1 going with half PAO, half Group3 (note their Group3 is not Group3+). Eneos Racing Street 0w-20 does cost more. I ordered a 6-pack from Amazon and it was $66, no tax, no shipping (Prime). Not cheap, I know. Only for hypermilers or somebody who really values extra MPG here. Mobil1 AFE 0w20 at about $5 per quart in big jug is the bargain at Walmart, yet without all that moly & better viscosity.

You'd think it would be bigger than just 3 times more than the regular hybrid one. 7.6 kWH vs. 1.4 kWH is 1/5 as much storage. Also, having an Energi version means you have to haul around a 272 lb mass back there, as heavy as some mother-in-laws.... whereas a regular hybrid's smaller pack is only 76 lbs for comparison. Of course, there are other reasons to ***maybe*** want an Energi version, another subject entirely I know. https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/02/f19/batteryC-Max8698.pdf https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2015/02/f19/batteryC-Max3817.pdf

Plus 3 Golfer, that does sound reasonable. .... I think I can square that with the forces on the teeth. ....The engine cranking torque would be the difference between the reaction torque on the planet gear teeth from the ring gear, and the torque from the sun gear. That difference applied to the crankshaft would be the sun gear motor bearing's shearing torque, in steady state (zero angular acceleration times). In other words, the sun gear is resisting movement to some extent, not a large resistance, and I can agree it won't be much, and not enough to crank the engine. (Free body diagram on a planet gear would do it.) I guess everything gets oiled (Mercon LV) in there, right? Wonder what Ford is trying to do with their "run the engine once a day" thing. I'd run a front wheels dolly, not flat towing. Anyway, I noticed at least one model year of the Prius (same ring/planet/sun engine/motor layout) does NOT allow flat towing. Toyota doesn't like it.

OK, further understanding (maybe!?): With the ignition completely Off, no regen action happens, and it appears the engine & sun gear motor free-wheel. All I can really analyze here, is that the forces on the planet gear teeth balance in non-accelerating kinematic motion, meaning the force from the ring gear on the planet teeth must equal the sum of the forces on the sun side of the planet, and the crankshaft's planet carrier force. Big question is does this allow motion of planet carrier or sun gear? One clue from the Owner's Manual: Notice they say to start the car once a day. I guess this means some fluid gets lubricated. But this ignores the high number of miles a motorhome can travel in a day. You'd think the transmission fluid can wet the teeth OK during flat towing, even without the pump running.

You're right. It does look like holding the brake down while shifting to N means nothing relevant here to understanding the internal mechanics of flat towing. I just read some RV forum where somebody flat towed behind a motor home, followed all the Owner's Manual instructions correctly, and then had a transmission failure, which Ford at first said they would not cover because of "Improper flat towing.". The C-Max owner got the state attorney general to force Ford to grant warranty coverage since the Owner's Manual says you CAN flat tow. .... Its crappy how car makers, & not just Ford, have to be dragged kicking as screaming to cover warranty repairs sometimes!!! She paid nearly $6.000 to for dealership repairs on it. I think it may have exacerbated the early 2013 weakness (recall) of the some transmission bearings. Also, some others have reported a depleted 12v battery after flat towing. You would think the 12v battery would be recharged. Maybe just the early models did this??? I'm wondering if the ring gear motor acts gets into regen braking mode when flat towing???? And/or, does the sun gear motor go into generator mode when in Neutral like this?

Here is what I know (correct if wrong): 1. As the front wheels turn, the ring gear and a motor turns. 2. That turns the planet gears, and may cause the engine to turn over a little since the the sun gear's motor may not be locked down(???). So I'm not sure if the planet carrier moves (engine turns over slowly). When being driven, I know the sun gear must whir around in the opposite direction of the ring gear (ring gear tied to the road) when the engine is still (off). 3. Transmission fluid pump only runs when the engine is running, which is why the ENERGi version has an auxiliary oil pump since it has to run 20 miles in EV mode. MIne is a non-ENERGi hybrid. So, are all the gears & bearings getting fluid?

Just got back from a vacation (didn't take the C-Max, as my '18 Equinox gets the same highway MPG!!). I saw a large motorhome flat towing a C-Max. Nice car to put behind a motorhome, although I'd prefer something under 3,000 lbs back there, personally. Our C-Max is 3,600 lbs, a little heavy, not awful I guess. But I digress. It got me thinking. 1. Is flat towing allowed? Yes, Owner's Manual says its fine, and gives a procedure. 2. What happens in the transmission and even the engine crankshaft? Also, I noticed some particular steps you gotta take, like "Hold the brake down while shifting to N." (see below) ....hmmmm, clues, yet I'm not sure what is turning among the ring gear (motor), planet carrier (engine), and sun gear (motor)?. There aren't any clutches to stop anything from turning, right??? Some hybrid systems will disconnect (declutch stuff, I know, but not ours AFAIK. Here is the Owner's Manual Instructions: Note the part that says, after you turn the car completely ON, then hold the brake down and shift into N. What does that do?

Offset is measured from the center of the wheel and has nothing to do with the wheel width. Your 50mm offset wheels work well because they are 5mm less than the OEM wheel's 55mm offset, which means your tire tread moves 5mm outward, which exactly matches the (225-215)/2 mm = 5 mm tire width difference when using non-OEM-size 215mm tires. ... I used 48 mm offset wheels with the 215 mm tires, so my tires actually stick out (toward fender) by an extra 2 mm, which is very small. Actually, the small 2 mm outward movement makes the tires look like they fit better in their anyway, so the 215 mm tires are fine with 48 mm offsets that come on many 17" wheels like I have.

When I went to install them, they were very skeptical they wouldn't rub. I turned the wheel with the old (almost bald OEM) tires on it, to get the worst case rubbing condition, and drove one of the front tires up a bit on a curb to compress the suspension some. Then I measured again and I'm not absolutely sure they wouldn't rub. I returned them without putting them on. Man its close with 225/55-17 tires. I do have a set of snow tires (Mich X-Ice3's) at 215/55-17, on 48 mm offset wheels (OEM wheels are 55 mm), and they fit very well. Here is the diff in height (radius) change with the possible tire options: 225/50-17: Zero, baseline original. 215/55-17: 1/4" taller, really should have a diff offset tire, something like 48 mm instead of the stock 55 mm. This works, great for winter. 225/55-17: 1/2" taller, probably not a good idea after all. Very close to rubbing the inner plastic fender stuff, may indeed rub. I'm guessing snow chains would add about 1/3" in radius, likely about all she'll take.

Assuming the thread title isn't a misprint, by coincidence I did just get new 225/55R17 tires by Fedex today. Ordered from Walmart's website. LionHart extremely cheapo ones. .... The "55" aspect ratio, instead of stock "50" will raise the car by 1/2", actually 5% of 225mm, which is 11.3 mm = 0.44 inches to be exact. It looks like they will fit OK, and I know I'm taking a chance of rubbing here if they are too big. I'm about to see when I get them installed in the weeks ahead. The load rating on these is 101 vs. 93 stock, so that's a little extra margin. And these LionHarts have a high speed rating, so they should hold together. Also a 49 psi max pressure leaves some room. I'll probably run them at 40 psi for this car, which has a placard on the door jam of 38 psi.

Other 2013 models have gotten about 4 quarts to drain out. I suspect, like my own 2015 model, that the factory didn't put in enough to be full. Its probably not that sensitive to slightly lower levels anyway, so I guess no big deal if its up to about a quart low or so.... I still have yet to top mine off a bit. I thought I'd wait for winter tire changeover in October when I have the whole car jacked up in the air. (I drained out 3.5 qts and put 4.0 qts back in, so I guess its OK for now.)

That picture doesn't show it as a hexagonal head bolt which it is, but its in the right position. ... Also, it has a small plastic washer which you can add a very thin layer of RTV sealant to for extra sealing when you tighten it down.