Firsts? Highest Altitude Driven

[cush]

So what is the current highest altitude driven by a forum member? I drove over Vail Pass 10, 662 ft. yesterday while driving from Denver to Las Vegas. There is an interesting difference in performance at the various altitudes along the way. I'm used to the car at around 6,000 ft., and although the engine performed well at the top of Vail Pass, the most interesting difference was when I got down into Clark County in Nevada in the low to mid 2, 000 ft. range, seemed like quite a bit more power. So I guess the estimate of about 3% power loss per 1, 000 ft. of altitude holds true...

One thing I noticed that I didn't like and it doesn't have to do with the altitude was I got stuck in a traffic jam leaving Denver and one coming into Vegas, and had to do a lot of stop and go, like every ten ft. for an hour or so each time, and the Brembo brakes didn't seem to like that... when I got on to the strip they would occasionally make a hideous noise, like a mini freight train horn, I guess I'll see if they are still doing that today.

BTW the GT PP got ~24.6 MPG on the 742 mile trip.

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[SnoopisTDI]

Sounds like a fun trip except for the traffic!

I love driving in the mountains and seeing how it changes the car. A couple years ago I drove from Denver up to Leadville in a Mazda3 rental car, and the car lost so much power going up I-70 that it was no longer geared properly. Didn't have enough power to maintain speed in one gear, but downshifting put it at redline.

Performance-wise, I wonder how close the Ecoboost gets to the GT at those elevations. It won't lose as much power, so they're probably within 40-50hp of each other at 10k feet, with the Ecoboost being a bit lighter. If I lived at those elevations, I'd probably have a tuned Ecoboost instead of a GT, assuming I could find 93 or mix my own.

Anyway, the highest my car has been is about 700ft, so I'm not winning any awards in this category. Can't wait to take this thing on a road-trip though!

 

[69mach1-395]

Living at 5000 ft, I prefer boosted vehicles since I usually go up from there.

 

[Patrick S]

I love the i70 through Colorado. i did the drive the first time when i was 19, and since then, every time i make the drive, i stop at "No Name" Rest Stop.

 

[Free Agent]

In my Mustang like 450 feet. lol

In our '09 G8 GT to the top of Pikes Peak, 14,110 feet or something like that. That was fun.

As a kid our family also drove to the top of Mt. Evans in Colorado as well, Its around 14,260 feet, but that was my Dad driving as I was a "wee lad". Nothing like brake heat temperature check pull offs on the way down. ;)

 

[Mustang8]

I've never driven above sea level. I'm hoping to move to Colorado in like 2 years tops and I'm excited to do mountain driving for my first time! With me behind the wheel lol

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Haven't driven my car more three hundred feet above sea level or so (on the Verazzano-Narrows Bridge) and the vast majority of my driving has been within fifty feet of sea level.

 

[Diablocoastie]

Yeah I think the VZ bridge is a bit higher than the Bayonne, bridge I cross.

 

[mustang#16]

So I guess the estimate of about 3% power loss per 1, 000 ft. of altitude holds true...

Cool post. Btw, if the 3% per 1,000 ft is correct, it would be interesting to see a drag race between the EB and the GT at 10, 662 ft. I suspect it would be quite close!

 

[cush]

Cool post. Btw, if the 3% per 1,000 ft is correct, it would be interesting to see a drag race between the EB and the GT at 10, 662 ft. I suspect it would be quite close!

I've read that forced induction engines still lose about 1.5% per 1000 ft. of altitude gain, so about half of a naturally aspirated engine.

 

[Herr_Poopschitz]

Used to attend PPIHC before the route was mostly tarmac. Kind of lost its soul since.

I like winding mountain roads. Triple digit speeds around Mt Rainier when I was young and dumb. Was at the top of Mt Evans when some weather moved in and had to hurry down the mountain - no traffic, dense clouds, heavy snow, and blind corners...love it.

 

[69mach1-395]

I've read that forced induction engines still lose about 1.5% per 1000 ft. of altitude gain, so about half of a naturally aspirated engine.

IIRC, it depends on the boost system and whether it tries to make up for the thinner air or just adds x pounds of boost regardless.

 

[terminator]

12099 feet independence pass colorado back in September. Not sure why I can't upload pictures anymore.

 

[Genxer]

Mt. Evans 3 times and Pikes Peak once. I like Evans so much more. It's all paved and much better scenery. Anyone here walk up to the summit? One time we drove up close to the top and it started sleeting... in the summer.

Back when cars had a carb instead of fuel injection and an ECU it was a bigger challenge getting them to run right in elevation. My dad talked about stopping to change the mixture halfway up Pikes Peak. Heck now, most anything will make it.

 

[69mach1-395]

^and don't forget to advance the timing on the old cars.

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