Minivans? Who has them, and what do you do...

[s1120]

...to improve the MPG???

[Jay2TheRescue]

If I was working with a Minivan, this is what I would do...

Extended airdam, WAI, Scangauge, and a Kammback.

-Jay

[NovaResource]

I have a 2006 Kia Sedona with a 3.8L V6. The best thing to improve fuel economy (for me at least) is to drive it myself and not let my wife drive it. Holy crap she has a heavy foot. She drove it all week and averaged (on the trip computer) 13.6 MPG. I had to use the van this past weekend toting the kids around and runing some errands. In 1 day I bumped up the mileage to 15.6.

For me it was changing my driving style. Things like coasting and using the vans weight and enertia cruise along with just an idle throttle opening. Lowering my speed on the highway. Easy acceleration. Pumping up the tires also helps. Remove the crossbars on the roofrack (if equipped).

[PaleMelanesian]

Driving style / instrumentation like scangauge.
tire pressure
grill block (upper first, for aerodynamics)

Accelerate with rpm below 2,000, get it to lock into top gear as soon as possible, try to hold that lock the rest of the trip.

My Odyssey (3.5 V6) likes 55-60 on the highway. Best trip was 35 mpg. My wife's average around town is 21, when I drive I get 25-30.

[s1120]

I worked a lot on my old Van[a Ford Windstar] but could only max out at 24, and most tanks were 22mpg. Im picking up a Freestar, and going to try to top that.

[dkjones96]

I drove a Mazda5 around for a while and it got incredible mileage. It's more of a mini-minivan by today's standards but it was a cool little car!

[karnovking]

I have a 2001 Odyessy 3.5L. Around town, My mpg 20, wife mpg 17. Highway, my mpg 28, wife mpg 21.

around town i figure there isn't a whole lot you can do to get good mpg, but on the highway I keep it around 62 and keep a very light foot on the gas, accelerate downhill and coast up hill where I can. I keep the tires inflated to 45psi. that is about it.

[rob47v]

2005 Odyessy hwy 25-26 city 19-20.

[s1120]

Originally Posted by dkjones96

I drove a Mazda5 around for a while and it got incredible mileage. It's more of a mini-minivan by today's standards but it was a cool little car!

I work at a Mazda dealer. Those are defently cool little cars/vans!!! Think they missed the boat on the low profile 17" high profile tires on it though!!!

[kamesama980]

Originally Posted by s1120

I worked a lot on my old Van[a Ford Windstar] but could only max out at 24, and most tanks were 22mpg. Im picking up a Freestar, and going to try to top that.

They're the same thing (but newer). Ford just changed the name to start with an F

[andrey320]

Drive slow and keep it tuned

My 1994 Mitsubishi Expo 5 speed (2.4L) got close to 30 mpg when I first got it. Now with the roof rack and all the kayak / bike attachments, it gets clolser to 26....
(Great cheap small van though!)

[TomO]

I'm working with a 2003 Honda Odyssey and so far I've upped the pressure in the tires to 42psi and just made sure that the front plastics are all back in place where they need to be.

I'll be monitoring the OBD metrics with "REV" from Devtoaster via my iPod Touch when I'm in the vehicle.

I might end up making an underpan for it, but it's my wife's vehicle and we've only had it less than a month. I haven't really had a chance to even get a baseline on it yet.

[j3s]

Hi Folks, Newby here. Any way i am working on a 1995 plymouth 3.0l minivan. Installing a hydrogen booster. I just picked this van up a few months ago and so far its good to go.

JES