As the 2012 Prius was approaching its 120k mile milestone, I noticed a dip in fuel efficiency among other issues (cold start rattle, struggling acceleration, rough ride). In its glory days, I was getting and average of mid 50’s MPG…
DIY: How to Replace the Positive Crankcase Ventilation Valve (PCV) On Your 3rd Gen Prius
If your 3rd gen Prius is approaching or passed the 100,000 mile mark, it’s time to replace the positive crankcase ventilation valve (PCV valve). If your Prius is consuming noticeable amount of motor oil, say 1 quart every 2,000 ~…
1st week MPG update: From the Inland Empire to the South Bay
Today marks the completion of one week’s worth of commute from the Inland Empire to the South Bay and I must say that while there is definitely a traffic jam to and from, it is not nearly as bad as…
Looks like I’ll be taking a micro road trip everyday
We’re moving from the South Bay to the Inland Empire this month solely for the purpose of shortening and alleviating my wife’s work commute at the expense of increasing my commute by 900% (from 5 mile drive to work to 50…
Fourth of July road trip and plans for the Prius
Another road trip completed! Well, this road trip ended two weeks ago and I just gotten around to write about it. This road trip coincided with the July 4th holiday weekend, affording us extra days. We both got Thursday and…
First gas-up for 2013
Since relocating closer to work (5 miles), I have enjoyed shorter commutes and total elimination of competing with other drivers on LA’s bumper to bumper traffic during rush hour. Today’s the first day I had to gas up for 2013.…
Cleaning your RSX’s throttle body and idle air control valve (IACV) helps improve response and MPG
After spending about 3 hours cleaning the idle air control valve and the throttle body of the Acura RSX, I noticed immediate throttle responsiveness and an increase in MPG. This is after 7 years of owning the RSX and at…
Arco gas gives you poor mileage
I’ve been trying out fuel efficiency of different gas brands over the course of the past two months and came up with surprising results. The brand of gas DO affect your overall fuel efficiency and the old adage of “You get what…
RSX Fuel economy update
Here’s a short follow-up on the fuel economy of the 2005-2006 RSX Type-S. I have beaten my old record over July 4th weekend with a whopping 383 miles to the tank. 382.7 miles on the tank, and the empty fuel…
Cold air intake systems and its effect on fuel economy
When I initially installed the cold air intake system by Injen about 2 years ago, I noticed a sudden change in fuel economy. I didn’t do any data collecting at the time, so I assumed it was due to the…
Fuel economy: Injen CAI versus OEM air box
I’ve recently removed my Injen cold air intake system (CAI) and noticed a drastic increase in fuel economy. Mind you, with the OEM air box back in, no more VTEC roar at 5.5k RPM or audible air suction sound. Matter…