Hampton Roads Club Mini

Hey all, we've danced around this topic a couple times.

I started driving Jester the same week that the Ethanol conversions were made by the local gas stations, so I'm not sure if the fuel blend is a factor, but I've noticed that the first couple minutes after starting are very rough (hesitations), and that acceleration is very mushy - especially on hotter days.  I typically let the car idle for a minute or so before driving, revving the engine until I'm happy that the hesitations have worked themselves out.  Yesterday, while I was getting my act together, I forgot to rev the engine and it actually stalled out while it was idling.

I'm wonderring if the Ethanol blend is a variable that anybody's noticed.  

Also, I'm wonderring if anybody's noticed any station-to-station variability.  I'm tracking my milage along with where I bougt my fuel.  I'll post my exact data later (and I don't have enough to be statistically accurate), but I've noticed poorer performance with Shell 93 (rough idling, lower milage).  Pretty good performance with Sunoco 93 and (believe it or not) WAWA "mystery gas" 93.  BP 93 was about middle of the road.  

Again, most of my observations were made during the break in period (I've only go 2k miles on the car), but my driving habits are pretty consistent (daily commutes, no long distance road trips yet).  I'm just wonderring what more seasoned MINI veterans are seeing.

I have noticed a bit more morning stumble since the eth'l blends came around unfortunately.  I'm hoping that it will eventually go away cuz:

Note that the computer in the car 'learns' - a new car will take some time to learn your style and adjust the various system variables accordingly.  And, as you modify the car or change your fuel or style it will also need time to learn this change.  Some say that after making a significant mod you should reset the ECU so it can learn from scratch.  AND, if you go for service and they flash your ECU to upgrade the software...well you start over there too.....

and

as much as the gas distributor can matter (see old threads on NAM or MINI2 on BMW recomended gas....) the individual station you use can also matter.  Some stations have nice clean storage tanks....some have old dirty ones.....some can have a bit of water in there...

I like a station that moves a lot of gas ... keeps any condensation from getting in there and hopefully I'm not pullling from the bottom of the tank cuz they keep 'em full.

I use Shell about 90% ++ of the time in both my 02S and my 79.  And if you thing a MINI is sens'tive to gas quality you should be around that 1275 when it gets low octane! backfire and run-on city....knock knock knock...

Lastly I'll relate a story from someone who had a pulley put on at the Dragon.  At first his milage went way down...and last week he mentioned that when on a trip, on cruise control, his MPG went WAY UP.  "You know what BJ?  Putting your foot in it really hurts your mpg   .  I do much better at steady speeds and mild acceleration."

Sort of the responses I expected based on my contiued reading on NAM.  Still, I like hearing from the friends and neighbors vice the faceless masses.

Overall, my best tank got about 29 MPG (that was the WAWA stuff), and the worst was about 26 on a tank of Shell.  These are based on my calcs (miles on the tank over gallons pumped) I'm running another tank of Shell (both from the station on Battlefield and Cedar).  Based on the computer estimates, this tank is running a little better, but I haven't had my weekend mileage killer drives around town.

Overall, I've also noticed that the MPG as calculated by the computer is about 1 mpg higher than my calcuated by hand.  I can't decide which element of the computer I trust less - it's mpg calc or the odometer.  I posted earlier that I think I get "1.05 miles to the mile".  I don't complain because I'll get more miles out of the car than the odometer reads, but I know it affects my hand calcs.  Actually... (having just tapped on my calculator) I guess that makes the computer MPG calc more accurate  :roll:

I noticed Nigel was very sluggish excelerating from a stoplight and didn't regain his usual zip until this past week. It took about 3 tankfuls of the new stuff to work through his system. He is only 3 months old and I just passed the 3000 mi. mark.
Doreen

Ahhh, but only as smart as the guys who program them  



(hey... everybody like my new avatar?)

Lucas makes good stuff?

You don't see THAT statement on a British car page very often