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Harry's unscientific ECO-Normal-Power-Lucas additive test runs

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by harrysprius, Aug 4, 2017.

  1. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    Nuts about bolts is top of the you tube search for this....
     
  2. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    The windshield wiper cowling needs to be taken off, then everything is right there ;).

    Depending on if you've done it before or not and the tools you have, it can be a 10 minute job to access(y).
     
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  3. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    It looks like a pita.
     
  4. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Looks are deceiving;).

    It's just fiddly (y).
     
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  5. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I'm already thinking there has to be a better way. I assume you need the height above the spark plug to pull them out. Maybe just drill four 1/2 holes in the cowl to run the extension through? I'll have to look at this in person in the daylight and when I'm not so tired. Spent all weekend working on the basement apartment for my daughter. She's got a bathroom, a bedroom, a living room, a computer nook and a room that will be a kitchen/dining room later. That's all the finances and energy I could pull off on short notice.
     
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  6. Aaron Vitolins

    Aaron Vitolins Senior Member

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    I've already done all of thoes things, a southern Prius meet up would be cool though! I'm really interested in putting in a oil catch can when I finally get around to the EGR cooler/valve clean. So some reason I'm very intimidated by both of thoes tasks.
     
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  7. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    You've done an engine swap;).

    To me that is intimidating (y).
     
  8. Aaron Vitolins

    Aaron Vitolins Senior Member

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    I know! It sounds crazy.. I guess it's because it's a "custom mod" where is an engine swap is removing and replacing. I'm sure a catch can is easy, I just don't have a clear imagine of how to do it in my head
     
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  9. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I want to do the egr cooler/valve clean. I still need to read about the oil catch can. I'll help do it though.
     
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  10. MelonPrius

    MelonPrius Senior Member

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    To a layman, like myself, most of you guys' activities are intimidating. Engine swaps, egr maintenance, oil catch can, miniature cameras, and even the basement coed cave! I'm comfortable pouring a bottle of cleaner into my fuel tank, if that impresses anyone.
     
  11. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    Only if you can tell us why you are doing it(y).
     
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  12. MelonPrius

    MelonPrius Senior Member

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    Ha ha, good point. Placebo effect, if I were being honest.
     
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  13. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    Everyone starts with no experience, and almost everyone is at least a little intimidated at first. You're confidence will grow as you learn. Most of my experience has come because I was too broke to pay someone else to do something for me. Not the best reason to learn, I admit. You'll be fine once you start. :)
     
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  14. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I disagree with that Melon. I get an extra 20 plus miles out of a tank when I run the Lucas. And my system should be clean. I'll keep updating the test run for a few more weeks before I have enough data though.
     
  15. MelonPrius

    MelonPrius Senior Member

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    That's why your results are interesting. The head scratcher is that your mpg seems to change to better or worse from tank to tank- based on using Lucas.

    I thought it took 10k miles or more on non top tier gas to have an effect. Skipping fuel injector cleaner for a tank of top tier gas should have no effect. Yet your figures show otherwise. I do like the price you get though so it's cheap insurance.
     
  16. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I think it depends on the situation, and the chemical. For a "cleaner", and on a really dirty system, I think all of the gunk going through the system would have an initial negative effect. After that I think it would work it's way through the system and the performance would move upward. For a clean system I don't know that it would really do much. For a "treatment", I think the effect would be more consistent. I think the Lucas is both, and I see more miles per tank. I think they system stays much cleaner as well, although I don't know if it's due to better/cleaner burn or from chemical cleaning. I just know that if I use it I get more miles, and when I stop the miles drop back down within a tank or two. That stay consistent across all of the cars I've tried it on. I'll keep posting the data. I'd like someone else to do the trail as well. Aaron, you're close. You want to try it?
     
  17. RMB

    RMB Senior Member

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    Your Week 1 Eco mode you had 43.79 calculated mpg, Week 4 Eco on Lucas treatment you saw a 43.05 mpg. Can you do one more week of observation as "Week 5, Eco post Lucas Treatment" to see if it is stable, improved, or worse? Thanks.
     
  18. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I'm going to keep posting the lucas for at least a few weeks, maybe longer. I suspect the first week was just the gunk getting cleaned out, but that may last longer than a week. I'm also still putting it in each tank, at a rate of about 4-5 ounces a tank, or whenever I fill up. With my commute being so long I don't let it get low. If there's not 125 miles left in the tank, I'm filling up. I am running it on normal now not on eco, but I can switch back to Eco next week if you want. This week is looking good, day 1 was 108.1 miles, 47.8 mpg, 54 mph.
     
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  19. harrysprius

    harrysprius Active Member

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    I need to add a little info to this. This will not be as clean as before. For the last month I've specifically tried to only drive to work and back and mostly I succeeded. The was probably less then 25 miles in the last month that weren't in the test. My daughter got a job and there isn't a spare car just sitting there anymore, and with gas prices going crazy I would rather drive the prius anyway. I can put the works trips on no problem, but the weekly numbers are going to have other driving in them so they aren't going to be as precise as before. I'm also dropping my cruise to 70-72 instead of the 72-74, and I'll be running in normal mode at least through traffic. After I get out of town I'll switch to eco. Running about 4 oz's of Lucas per tank as well. That all I can think of. Temps dropping here in TN. Not sure what impact that going to have. Anyone have any input?
     
  20. RMB

    RMB Senior Member

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    (y)Whatever your situation dictates your driving routes, this is still an interesting observation/test you do for all of us! We saw a few weeks of commutes only tests as base, and we now will see some weeks with commute + mix driving. But then don't forget to try to do another week of commute only test run without Lucas in the tank to compare the differences before and after the treatment, whatever mode it will be.

    I would guess we will see an increase in fuel mileage with lowered cruise speed and Lucas doing the work. Also, I assume normal mode helps the pulse so you give more glide to the Prius during traffic?
     
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