How to Drive a CMAX Hybrid/FFH to get Great Gas Mileage

[ptjones]

At first, I wondered what you were smoking.  Then, I adjusted my bifocals and saw the decimal point.  Just so others don't think the miles are off that much.  

 

I never needed bifocals until after my cataract surgery.  But it's amazing how much brighter the world is especially at night. :)  

I fixed it. :) Thanks.  I use glasses on the Computer too!  :) BTW I don't smoke. :)  

 

Paul

[ptjones]

A couple of days ago I found another good reason to have wheel covers. I was going through my favorite roundabout  as I was exiting my car slid out and caught the curb with my front wheel and slightly touched the rear wheel. I assumed the worst , but was surprised the wheel covers protected the wheels so their was no damage to wheels. The front tire did get a gash in it from the LEXAN cover breaking, but is still holding air. Front cover was broken, but the rear one wasn't, nylon screw to keep cover from rotating did break off.  I ordered a used tire with the same tread depth to replace the front one. The car seems fine so far.  BTW the going price for refurbished wheel is around $200 on eBay.   

 

Paul

[ptjones]

I made 2 new wheel covers and I can feel the car rolling easier(less aero drag) with about 1 mpg improvement in my average on this tank to 57mpg.​ 

 

Paul

[ptjones]

"How to drive a CMAX Hybrid/ FFH to get great gas mileage" YouTube videos views are up to about 2500 now,   and still going up.

 

Paul

[joshg678]

Nice! 

Side note, i received an email notification on this.  First one since i've joined.

[ptjones]

Just checked and YouTube views are up to 2551, people are interested in improving their MPG's. :)

 

Paul

[Noah Harbinger]

There's also no question that shifting to N increases FE 

 

I played with that a bit until that one morning when I was left wondering for a second "Why did my rear-view camera come on?"  :lol:  And after that I decided it wasn't worth it. I wonder how the motor would have reacted if I had stepped on the accelerator before realizing my mistake.

[joshg678]

I played with that a bit until that one morning when I was left wondering for a second "Why did my rear-view camera come on?"  :lol:  And after that I decided it wasn't worth it. I wonder how the motor would have reacted if I had stepped on the accelerator before realizing my mistake.

Either nothing would happen or it would slow you down.  Probably nothing.  Typically newer cars have to be going below a certain speed to 'engage' reverse.

 

I'm not convinced shifting to Neutral increase FE, but I've found the throttle position that is basically Neutral, and its useful to allow speed to increase down hill.

[Noah Harbinger]

Either nothing would happen or it would slow you down.  Probably nothing.  Typically newer cars have to be going below a certain speed to 'engage' reverse.

 

I'm not convinced shifting to Neutral increase FE, but I've found the throttle position that is basically Neutral, and its useful to allow speed to increase down hill.

 

On the C-Max of course there is nothing to "engage", just a matter of a direction on the torque. I'm not an expert at motors so I try to assume anything out of the ordinary carries a risk of unknown consequences. At the very least, it would be confusing for a second :) 

[joshg678]

On the C-Max of course there is nothing to "engage", just a matter of a direction on the torque. I'm not an expert at motors so I try to assume anything out of the ordinary carries a risk of unknown consequences. At the very least, it would be confusing for a second :)

I do wish there was  a button to turn on the rear camera while driving.  Old friend of mine had the reverse switch go back on his old blazer and didn't want to pay the $80 for it to replace, so i got a manual switch hooked up.  He would turn it on when people would tailgate him, some people would freak out, others wouldn't notice/care.

[ptjones]

I do wish there was  a button to turn on the rear camera while driving.  Old friend of mine had the reverse switch go back on his old blazer and didn't want to pay the $80 for it to replace, so i got a manual switch hooked up.  He would turn it on when people would tailgate him, some people would freak out, others wouldn't notice/care.

Actually you can turn it on by shifting trans into reverse, I have done it a few times while in neutral by accident, nothing happens because the Planetary Gears are computer controlled, no actual shifting involved.  The backup camera comes on, I don't know if the backup lights come on. :headscratch:

 

Paul

[SnowStorm]

This talk about shifting into reverse while going forward (I've done it too) got me wondering so I did some testing.  Went down my drive about 5 mph and shifted to Reverse.  The electric motor "engaged", slowed the car quickly to a stop and then started slowly backing (all done with foot off accelerator).  It was all very smooth - no problem.  So, went out on the road and accelerated to about 15 or 20 mph, shifted to Neutral and then Reverse - nothing happens, car keeps coasting.  When the speed dropped to 12 mph the reverse torque "engaged", car slowed quickly to a stop as before and starts backwards.  Tried a second time - same thing.  I haven't tried it while pressing the accelerator.  I'll let someone else coin the phrase, "Curiosity killed the hybrid!"

[ptjones]

Just got back from about 2,200 mi. trip to NY and back and averaged 55mpg on mostly Interstate HWY.  You can do this too if use the info from My YouTube videos.

 

Paul

[ptjones]

I very rarely do I get my HVB SOC higher than 65% going down hill, it would would stop charging and the ICE would come on with no fuel to slow the car down.  On my trip I twice hit 70.5% SOC, I'm wondering with so many miles on the car (164k mi.) and HVB diminished capacity the HVB computer allows higher percentage of SOC going down hill.  

 

Paul

[ptjones]

Here is a good Link for ScanGaugeII  programming codes for OBDII/ ECM to monitor most anything. :)

 

Paul

[SnowStorm]

I very rarely do I get my HVB SOC higher than 65% going down hill, it would would stop charging and the ICE would come on with no fuel to slow the car down.  On my trip I twice hit 70.5% SOC, I'm wondering with so many miles on the car (164k mi.) and HVB diminished capacity the HVB computer allows higher percentage of SOC going down hill.  

 

Paul

Why did the ICE come on at all?  Were you using the "down hill" button (grade assist or whatever its called) when SOC stopped at 65 percent?  I have gone down a long mountain grade with CC engaged (but grade assist OFF) several times and had the HVB hit the top and stop charging (no up arrows).  After this point the car just goes faster and faster, ICE doesn't start spinning.  Also, IIRC, the internal SOC goes about 5% above the top of the display.  So, perhaps with grade assist ON the SOC stops at 65% (ICE then starts) and with grade asssit OFF the SOC goes to 70% but ICE stays OFF and then the car just speeds up.  I would have to try it.

[plus 3 golfer]

ICE will be used for "normal" engine braking when SOC limit is reached without grade assist.  

 

When grade assist is used, ICE will be used when regeneration is not sufficient to maintain set speed.  ICE rpm will vary resulting in more / less engine braking to maintain set speed.

 

If engine braking is not sufficent to maintain set speed,  the car will speed up.  When that happens I shift to low.  

 

I've got a post about using grade assist going down about a five mile, many switchback turns, very steep grades without using the friction brakes.  Many curves are 15 mph max. speed.  It's the Salt River gorge on US 60 in AZ.

[SnowStorm]

+3,  are you saying that under the following conditions the ICE will spin up to provide braking?

1. Shifter is in Drive
2. Cruise Control is engaged
3. Hill steep enough to cause regen
4. HVB has hit the SOC limit
5. Grade assist is OFF

[plus 3 golfer]

Don't know about CC.  But if your speed is greater than CC set speed (no throttle), I don't know why ICE wouldn't spin up.  I've filled the HVB many times and ICE spins for normal engine braking when foot is off accelerator going down hill. As you pick up speed, ICE spins proportionately. If it didn't, that would be like shifting to neutral which would likely be deemed a safety issue by NHTSA. If you shift to low, ICE speeds up even more.

 

Look at this post.

Edited September 5, 2017 by Plus 3 Golfer

[ptjones]

I have had this happen many times in AZ on US 89 and I-17 and last trip coming home on I-75 in KY and TN. I try to make it a point to use the HVB up before going down hill so I can regen as much as possible to keep from using ICE braking. :)  With CC off the car keeps accelerating if steep enough so I will turn on Grade Assist for more braking pressure.  Both times on my last trip when I maxed out SOC I was close to the bottom of hill so car didn't speed up much when HVB was full and then used EV up the next hill to deplete HVB before ICE turned back on.  If you use CC I think ICE braking automatically comes on if you exceed say 5 mph over set mph. Not sure if it automatically turns on Hill Assist first, will have to check next time. :headscratch: 

 

Paul 

[ptjones]

Well YouTube CMAX/FFH videos views are up to 2800 now and still climbing. :)  Was trying to get some usefully info from Fuelly.com for MPG's for our cars but finding it problematic in that some of the results don't make any sense. :sad:  It would be helpful if they separated out the  Energi's, Hybrid's and ICE CMAX's and Fusion's.

 

Paul

[ptjones]

I just got back from a Light House Challenge in Maryland over the weekend. Temps were in the high 70's to low 80's and was using A/C about 70% of the time, still averaged about 54 mpg for about 2300 miles.  I'm a little surprised that I did as good as I did with using A/C so much. :)  Also my Fuelly average went up 0.1 mpg to 48.2 mpg with 166K mi. on the Odometer. :yahoo:  You Tube video views up to almost 3K now.  :)

 

Paul 

[ptjones]

My Life Time Score went up to 49.2 mpg today with 166k mi on Odometer, only 1 1/2 months, 3k miles from last improvement. :yahoo: You Tube Views up to 3100 now too. :)

 

Paul

[ptjones]

Made another trip into Atlanta and back on I-85/I-285 about 80 miles with A/C running about 1/3rd of the time and averaged 57.8 mpg which included about 10 miles of City driving. :)  YouTube views up to 3200 now. :)

 

Paul

[jestevens]

There is a delayed camera off setting in SYNC, so that when you shift out of reverse the camera doesn't immediately shut off, it waits until the MPH increases a bit and then shuts off.  I'll check for the menu location next time I'm in the car.