Interesting Discoveries Thread (Good or Bad)

[JSolo]

I have one of those cig lighter volt meters. Will observe next time I drive somewhere. 2.5 Probably has similar behavior. Good logic, no? Why rob hp when its needed for accel.

 

[G70LEbyAdoom]

I think the Stinger gives a reasonable compromise between mileage and performance. I'm generally getting about 25-26 mpg, plenty of gas sucking traffic due to the gross ineptitude of TX DOT construction and some interstate miles.

I would like to know how to get the gauge presentations you show. I have a GT1 with of course the 3.3L TT. Thanks, Don

phone app for sure

 

[bfglitch]

Mine went from 60 psi to 50 psi in over a year between inflating. My first (so far only) time using the spare was a month ago, and I was worried beforehand that it would be too low to be useable, since it had been a while when I inflated it last. But 50 psi is plenty.

The past 10ish years I keep a plug/patch kit, plus a compressor in my car. Work trucks/etc around here tend to be pretty lazy with cleaning up after themselves and leave crap all over the roads. I think in the past 10 years I had to either repair (puncture was near the middle) or replace tires (too close to sidewall) combined about 6 or 7 times. Rarely have needed to use my spare after keeping those on hand.

Random things I've picked up besides the usual nails/screws.....utility knife blade, hunk of iron/steel. Oh and a giant rock in the middle of the interstate that I wound up hitting because a cop flipped his siren real quick to "warn me", which did the opposite and distracted me long enough to hit the rock, bending the front AND rear wheels of my previous car.

 

[rpoffen]

The past 10ish years I keep a plug/patch kit, plus a compressor in my car. Work trucks/etc around here tend to be pretty lazy with cleaning up after themselves and leave crap all over the roads. I think in the past 10 years I had to either repair (puncture was near the middle) or replace tires (too close to sidewall) combined about 6 or 7 times. Rarely have needed to use my spare after keeping those on hand.

Random things I've picked up besides the usual nails/screws.....utility knife blade, hunk of iron/steel. Oh and a giant rock in the middle of the interstate that I wound up hitting because a cop flipped his siren real quick to "warn me", which did the opposite and distracted me long enough to hit the rock, bending the front AND rear wheels of my previous car.

Once got a flat tire (not in the Stinger), and when the tire shop pulled the tire off, there was the shaft of a screwdriver inside.

 

[RIck-F]

For several years BMW has used this system. I believe the Stinger has a similar system.

What Is BMW Brake Energy Regeneration / By Brent Dunn
BMW’s Brake Energy Regeneration system is a system that only charges the battery when the car is coasting, braking, or decelerating. During acceleration and whenever possible during other driving the alternator is decoupled from the drivetrain, leading to better fuel economy and improved performance. Conventional alternators charge your battery whenever the engine is running and the engine’s serpentine belt is turning. The BMW Brake Energy Regeneration system charges the battery at times when the kinetic energy would otherwise be wasted (usually converted into heat by the brakes), increasing fuel efficiency by up to 3%.
By decoupling the system during acceleration all of the engine’s power can be sent to the wheels. The system continuously monitors the battery’s state of charge, and can, if necessary, charge the battery even when accelerating in order to prevent it from becoming discharged.

 

[JSolo]

^^So that 300 mile nonstop highway trip will do squat to recharge the battery .

I bet other conditions will trip the alternator to charging mode too. Seat, steering wheel heaters on, rear defogger, fan on max (maybe).

Our '15 accord did some funky stuff with battery charging too - only when high load accessories were on, otherwise it was barely over 13v.

 

[D.J.]

I think the Stinger gives a reasonable compromise between mileage and performance. I'm generally getting about 25-26 mpg, plenty of gas sucking traffic due to the gross ineptitude of TX DOT construction and some interstate miles.

I would like to know how to get the gauge presentations you show. I have a GT1 with of course the 3.3L TT. Thanks, Don

The gauges are smartphone app called https://www.carscanner.info/ (I have an android phone but the app exists on both platforms). I have tried several, I like this one the most.
I use a $5 bluetooth OBDII dongle - very generic, but works 100% of the time. it even has data logging

I did a screen recording of my phone, overlaid over some dashcam footage - time synced by the audio... so the gauges are as close to Realtime as this technology permits

 

[D.J.]

^^So that 300 mile nonstop highway trip will do squat to recharge the battery .

I bet other conditions will trip the alternator to charging mode too. Seat, steering wheel heaters on, rear defogger, fan on max (maybe).

Our '15 accord did some funky stuff with battery charging too - only when high load accessories were on, otherwise it was barely over 13v.

As far as I can tell - my Stingers charge voltage only drops to a reduced level when the battery is fully charged, and the engine is warm (and probably some other conditions).

if I start driving from cold - the voltage is a constant ~ 14.5 ish for the first several minutes.

 

[rocket23]

I know with my short commute. I would be a fool to shut her down right away. But sitting idle in a driveway with the brake on should make the alternator charge correct?

 

[D.J.]

I know with my short commute. I would be a fool to shut her down right away. But sitting idle in a driveway with the brake on should make the alternator charge correct?

I suspect your battery is fully charged nearly every single time you park your car.

 

[rocket23]

I suspect your battery is fully charged nearly every single time you park your car.

No. You see. (With my truck). I had a 5 year battery that lasted 3 years. Because the commute is so short it never completely recharged the battery from start up. Over time the battery will fail due to discharge. The commute is a mile an a half. Not enough for an alternator to completely recharge the battery. Hence the idle time. So far so good.

 

[D.J.]

No. You see. (With my truck). I had a 5 year battery that lasted 3 years. Because the commute is so short it never completely recharged the battery from start up. Over time the battery will fail due to discharge. The commute is a mile an a half. Not enough for an alternator to completely recharge the battery. Hence the idle time. So far so good.

I wish my commute was that short

 

[nhcowboy28]

No. You see. (With my truck). I had a 5 year battery that lasted 3 years. Because the commute is so short it never completely recharged the battery from start up. Over time the battery will fail due to discharge. The commute is a mile an a half. Not enough for an alternator to completely recharge the battery. Hence the idle time. So far so good.

My battery took a shiiiitter after 2 1/2 years. I too rarely drove it and when I did, it was short 2-5 mile trips.

Even trickle / tender charging didn’t help.

Had to replace it. All my start stop and auto hold gremlins disappeared with a new battery.

Not shocked. Hotlanta f’s with batteries (just like Houston did).

 

[DoctorStiches]

22mpg and 85mph most the time

 

[rocket23]

I wish my commute was that short

Comes in handy with 5 bucks a gallon. Now I pay what the long commute people paid. Don’t even want to think what the long haulers pay.

 

[RIck-F]

My commute is 3¼ miles each way, and there are 6 traffic lights . . . When I had a BMW it would warn me every 2-3 weeks that the battery needed to be charged. So I bought a Ctek charger and once a month I bring the battery to a FULL charge-- I do the same with the Stinger. I have never attached the Ctek and found the battery to be at or near a full charge.

 

[Devin]

37 miles each way. Definitely don't have issues with a discharged battery. Wife's is about 8 miles but all surface streets. I suggested to her to take the highway sometimes even if it takes a little longer.

 

[Maljey]

This is my first car with a sunroof, and since it's been pretty hot recently I have used the sunroof vent function to help hot air escape the car after its been parked for a while.

I had no idea enabling the vent function would also open the dashboard air vents to allow outside air to enter the car. I was along the highway and noticed a good amount of air coming from the vents, even though the climate control system was off. I closed the sunroof and the airflow stopped from the vents. When I reopened the sunroof using the vent function, the airflow resumed from the vents.

I dunno if other cars operate the same way when you use the sunroof vent option, but I thought this was interesting and made sense. Its probably in the manual but I never bothered reading up on the sunroof section lol.

 

[Devin]

SMART mode alters the coasting behavior. In ECO, coast generally turns on anytime one disengages the throttle over 35 MPH. It turns off if the throttle or the brake is pressed. After pressing the brake it can be turned on again by just lightly blipping the throttle and releasing.

In SMART it is quite different. Engagement is still the same: over 35 MPH, release the throttle. However it will disengage automatically if an object is detected in front at a close distance. Also unlike in ECO, if it is turned off by braking, it can automatically re-engage without touching the throttle. It also is disengages by using the turn signals. Turn signal usage doesn't affect coasting at all in ECO.

 

[rpoffen]

This is my first car with a sunroof, and since it's been pretty hot recently I have used the sunroof vent function to help hot air escape the car after its been parked for a while.

I had no idea enabling the vent function would also open the dashboard air vents to allow outside air to enter the car. I was along the highway and noticed a good amount of air coming from the vents, even though the climate control system was off. I closed the sunroof and the airflow stopped from the vents. When I reopened the sunroof using the vent function, the airflow resumed from the vents.

I dunno if other cars operate the same way when you use the sunroof vent option, but I thought this was interesting and made sense. Its probably in the manual but I never bothered reading up on the sunroof section lol.

Not sure if it really opens the vents, or just that when you crack the sunroof vent, you have provided an exhaust for the vents to flow without backing up.