Fuel Management?

[cane.mba]

Does anyone do this? Which readout is he referring to? We're hopefully heading out tomorrow geocaching for my oldest son's 9th birthday party. So I'd like to try this to see if it makes a difference.

 

[bucks448]

He's talking about the gph or mpg readout that gives real time fuel consumption. I keep mine set to mpg because I find it interesting, but I never really use it to be more conservative.

 

[Big Shasta]

I'd love to have it to set at the optimal RPM for economy. Of course sometime you just have to drop the hammer(s).

 

[Ronnie]

X2 on the use of the GPh/gallons per hour function of the multi function display. The idea being to find the optimal speed/rpm which gives you the most range. Here is a link for a 2011 242 review which indicates two best cruising speeds/rpms but their results will likely vary slightly since their boats aren't usually loaded like a normal owner's boat would be (they run a lot lighter in my opinion) plus the ca engines with cats weren't release until 2012 (although I'm not sure if this matters much).

Personally, I don't use the GPh feature, its hard to see when the displays are in two line mode (but that is true of all the functions) and it can be a little discouraging / depressing (e.g. at wot or wide open throttle my boat burns 26 gallons per hour. I know this but don't want to see it).

 

[txav8r]

I have found that the boatest.com 242 tests that included a speed chart is pretty dang accurate in terms of best mpg or gph by comparison. But seeing it on the display, your just looking for the lowest gph in a band of power or best mpg's in that same band. It is hard, as Ronnie mentioned, to read the display if you use two lines, and I pretty much leave depth on one, and the gas gauge on the other. I do toggle through them but using one as a barometer for best cruise is too cumbersome. So I grab the best speed for water conditions within the chart shown in the link @Ronnie provided. On a 240/242, 5500rpm to 6000 will be the best cruise and that gives between 27 and 32 mph. This is a variable however, there will be days that wake/waves may not permit that speed, and your rpm may be required to be higher just to fight the waves. But it is a good target rpm. I don't have but 8.5 hours of experience with the 1.8L engines in my 240, so I have not ventured away from my habits much yet. I may find that using the fuel flow readings do permit you to fine tune. This is a good thread to bring to attention, that you do have that ability to actually see the fuel flows while running.

 

[cane.mba]

Thanks! I just got back from the gas station with 10 gallons to put in the boat. Just enough to make sure I can get to the gas dock here in a little while. We've burned through some serious gas this summer, but the reward for that is stimulating the economy and I measure it in smiles per minute!

However, needing to get gas this morning, prompted that thought last night. In the two years we've owned the boat I've never paid attention to the MPG. We're going on a 5-6 mile cruise out to start geochaching our way home this evening. I thought that would be a good time to play with this. I'll post up what I find, if the weather holds and there's not too much traffic.