AT 55 miles per hour with your foot off the gas. My scan gauge would show the engine at idle or maybe 1000 rpm. Gas consumption reads about .02 gallons per hour.

The only time I see what I would call a fuel cutoff would be only when the car is in the EV mode. Then the scan gauge would show, no rpm, no GPH at that time.

Any long coasting you would need to start when the battery is near full charge. The downfall of coasting in neutral is that the engine will sure cool fast if the weather is cold. Coasting during the summer on a hot day, no air conditioning. I bet the electric air conditioning works only when the car is in drive. That may be the same for the heater.

 

I've gone 80 in neutral, but not in EV mode at the same time. Is that what you are asking? 55 is the fastest I have gone in EV in neutral.

 

Fuel cut mode still uses some fuel, as the engine is idleing.

 

No, fuel cut mode cuts the fuel supply.

"Most" cars do it above a certain rpm. The transmission keeps the engine spinning, so fuel isn't needed. The ECU will not open the injectors, so you are using no fuel. If you have a scangauge or the like, you can see this on the display.

....unless for some reason because of the CVT the Camry doesn't do fuel cut mode but it seems to. Mine goes to "0" on the display when I'm coasting.

Later!

Dang

 

To clarify, all Toyota's show this for some reason when in fuel cut mode. Ron at Linear Logic is trying to fix it, apparently something odd with what the ECU reports. The Prius guys with CanView (which I wish you could get for the Camry!) don't see it.

Later!

Dang

 

Yes. Neutral at high speed with 0rpm is a bad thing.
As far as the neutral/fuel-cut subject goes. If your going faster than 42 miles per hour in drive and then take your foot off the gas, your in fuel cut (no fuel consumed). If your going faster than 42 miles per hour and shift it into neutral, your consuming fuel (not fuel-cut) albeit a small amount.

 

I don't understand how you are not using any fuel in "fuel cut" mode when the engine is still spinning. Why is neutral with 0 rpm (EV) a bad thing??

 

When in fuel cut, the computer does not "turn on" the injectors to inject any fuel. Only the transmission spinning the engine keeps it turning, so no fuel is consumed.

I must admit "neutral" in a CVT is a bit confusing. Seems like it would be hard on it matching the pulleys when you put it in drive while moving.

Later!

Dang

 

Fuel-cut is just that. No fuel from the injectors when you take your foot off the gas while in Drive. I've read that fuel is supplied to the engine when you put the car in neutral at speeds above 42 miles per hour.
I believe I said neutral at a high rate of speed is bad. Click here to get an idea of what happens to the ICE and two MG's at different settings. Remember that the wheels are tied to MG2. Set the ICE to zero and increase MG2 (therefore vehicle speed). MG1 will red line at 6500 rpm. This was based on an earlier generation of Prius with a max MG1 rotational speed of 6500. I believe the Camry has a max MG1 speed of 10,000 rpm. Did you notice that it red lines at at 42 miles per hour? To prevent any damage to MG1, Toyota designed the engine to kick in. Now increase the ICE. The value of MG1 will become less negative. All is now safe. Now imagine that your driving in the EV mode and you put the car in neutral as you approach a downhill. The engine RPM is zero and will remain zero no matter how fast you go. Wheel speed (MG2) is increasing to 70 miles per hour. I think you can guess what will happen to MG1. Unless Toyota has some sort of built-in safe guard, your going to smoke MG1. Any takers up for the challenge?

Dang, Pulleys?


-ed

 

So...to summarize for those of us who don't have the head for understanding the upper level physics....
Let me ask one question (and hopefully get a really simple answer
For the average driver, who wants to keep his/her car in good and safe driving condition, using neutral when the car is in motion is .... GOOD / BAD