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CCI

Metal Rules
anonym.to - free dereferer service

Sure you want to save gas, but there's a lot of bad advice on how to do it. Some of it makes no difference, and some of it can wind up costing you.

With gasoline prices hitting record levels, it seems everyone has a tip on how to save fuel. Much of the advice is well-intentioned, but in the end, much of it won't lower your gas bill.

Here's a look at a few misconceptions:

#1. Fill Your Tank in the Morning

You may have heard that it's best to fill your gas tank in the early morning while the fuel is cold. The theory goes that fluids are more dense at lower temperatures, so a gallon of cold gas actually has more gas molecules than a gallon of warmer gas.

But the temperature of the gasoline as it comes out of the nozzle varies little during the course of the day, according to Consumer Reports, so there's little, if any, benefit, to getting up early to pump gas.

#2. Change Your Air Filter

Maintaining your car is important, but a clean air filter isn't going to save you any gas. Modern engines have computer sensors that automatically adjust the fuel-air mixture as an increasingly clogged air filter chokes off the engine's air supply.

While engine power will decrease slightly as the air filter becomes clogged, a lack of performance or an increase in fuel consumption will be negligible, Consumer Reports says.

#3. Use Premium Fuel

With prices already over $4.00 a gallon, premium gasoline is a hard sell these days. But a lot of drivers think because their owners' manual recommends premium, they'll get better fuel economy if they stick with it. Really, they're paying more money for nothing.

Even cars for which premium is recommended won't suffer with regular fuel. Modern engine technology comes to the rescue again. When sensors detect regular instead of premium fuel, the system automatically adjusts spark plug timing. The result is a slight reduction in peak horsepower - really, you'll never notice - but no reduction in fuel economy.

#4. Pump Up Your Tires

Proper tire inflation is important for a number of reasons. Under-inflated tires are bad for handling and can even cause a crash. Improper tire inflation also causes tires to wear out faster and to heat up more, which could trigger a dangerous high-speed blow-out.

According to on-the-road driving tests by both Consumer Reports and auto information site Edmunds.com, underinflated tires reduce fuel economy, so proper inflation is key.

But you should never over-inflate your tires. They'll get you slightly better fuel economy because there will be less tread touching the road, reducing friction. But that means less grip for braking and turning. The added risk of a crash isn't worth the extra mile a gallon you might gain.

#5. To A/C or Not A/C

There's no question air-conditioning makes extra work for the engine, increasing fuel use. But car air conditioners are much more efficient today than they used to be. In around-town driving, using the A/C will drop fuel economy by about a mile a gallon.

Meanwhile, driving at higher speeds with the windows down greatly increases aerodynamic drag. As speed increases, drag becomes more of an issue, making A/C use the more efficient choice at high speeds.

At most speeds and in most vehicles, A/C use drains slightly more fuel than driving with the windows down, contends David Champion, head of auto testing for Consumer Reports. "My final take on is that it's very close," says Phil Reed, consumer advice editor for Edmunds.com. "It's hard to measure the difference and every vehicle is different."

The best choice - if temperature and humidity allow - is to keep the windows rolled up and to turn the A/C compressor off. You can keep the fans running to blow in air from the outside, but your car will be as aerodynamic as possible while still letting you breathe. You will save gas, but the fuel economy improvement will be slight.

#6. Bolt-Ons and Pour-Ins

Before you buy a device that's supposed to make your car more fuel-efficient or pour in an allegedly gas-saving additive, ask yourself this: Don't you think oil and car companies aren't doing everything they can to beat their competitors?

If BP could add something to its gasoline that made cars go farther on a gallon, cars would be lining up at the company's pumps. Sure, people would burn their fuel-saving BP gas more slowly, but then they'd drive right past rivals' gas stations to come back to BP for more. BP stations could even charge more for their gas and still sell tons of the stuff.

So if there really was an additive that made gas burn up more slowly, it wouldn't be sold over the Internet one bottle at a time.

Likewise, car companies are already spending big bucks to increase fuel mileage. If General Motors could make its cars go significantly farther on a gallon simply by putting a device into the fuel line, don't think for a second it wouldn't be doing that. GM's car sales would go through the roof.

"There are a number of these gas-saving devices that are generally useless," says Champion.

But drivers who try them will swear they work. In reality, it's probably an automotive placebo effect, says Reed. Buy one of these devices or additives, and you're like to pay extreme attention to your fuel economy and how you drive.

Of course it can't hurt to keep a close eye on your driving habits -- and what kind of car you drive. In the end, that can make the most difference in saving gas.
 
CCI;1169683; said:
#3. Use Premium Fuel

With prices already over $4.00 a gallon, premium gasoline is a hard sell these days.
You would think that at $4/gallon that premium would be an easier sell these days. For as long as I can remember 89 Octane was $0.10 higher than 87 and 91 octane was $0.20 higher than 87. At $2.00/gallon, that's a 5% and 10% increase respectively. The ten and twenty cent increase hasn't gone up with the price of gas at most of the gas stations that I've seen. That means it's now only a 2.5% and 5% increase respectively, and, if you're engine requires higher octane gas, you don't have to worry about those pesky knocking noises coming from your engine. This weeks premium price is next weeks regular price anyway. So why risk it?
 
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CCI;1169683; said:
#2. Change Your Air Filter


#6. Bolt-Ons and Pour-Ins
pour in an allegedly gas-saving additive, ask yourself this: Don't you think oil and car companies aren't doing everything they can to beat their competitors?


Just recently did both of those things, changed my filter and poured in the crap that's supposed to improve mileage. I'm getting 4 MPG better. Went from around 37 and now I'm at 41ish.
 
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Your mileage may vary.
When you add any modification to your vehicle you tend to drive more modestly to justify the cost. Large gains are almost never due to simple changes.

I bought an EDGE programmer for my truck. My commute was 150 miles round trip every day. Much of it was highway at 80 mph. Before the EDGE I averaged 16 mpg. That is by hand calculation, the truck computer was never far off.

After the EDGE I averaged 16.6 mpg, calculated now using the EDGE and the truck computer along with hand calculation. Still the same commute, same speed and time factor as I was curious to see the true difference.

So I saved .3 gallon per day and at $4.00 a gallon, not really but it makes the math easy I save $1.20.

The EDGE cost me $250, I bought a used one from eBay. So in 200 trips it will pay for itself. That does not consider the opportunity cost either. I filled up three times a week and toward the end each fill up was $70.

The EDGE does firm up the shift points, something you feel right away. It also allows me to see the transmission temperature and other critical operating parameters. It has a performance mode that requires premium fuel but like IronbuckI mentioned the cost is not that great.

Would I do it again, yes for the shift points and geek factor. For fuel savings I would be better off if I drove the speed limit. :wink2:
 
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Buckeye Maniac;1170224; said:
Just recently did both of those things, changed my filter and poured in the crap that's supposed to improve mileage. I'm getting 4 MPG better. Went from around 37 and now I'm at 41ish.

Did you check and bump your tires psi about then too?
 
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IronBuckI;1169873; said:
You would think that at $4/gallon that premium would be an easier sell these days. For as long as I can remember 89 Octane was $0.10 higher than 87 and 91 octane was $0.20 higher than 87. At $2.00/gallon, that's a 5% and 10% increase respectively. The ten and twenty cent increase hasn't gone up with the price of gas at most of the gas stations that I've seen. That means it's now only a 2.5% and 5% increase respectively, and, if you're engine requires higher octane gas, you don't have to worry about those pesky knocking noises coming from your engine. This weeks premium price is next weeks regular price anyway. So why risk it?

Well, if your vehicle requires higher octane you should have been using it all along. Of course with today's knock sensors you can run lower octane as long as you don't mind lower horsepower. The knock sensor will detect knock and then retard the spark which means less horsepower.

Anyone with a vehicle that does not require higher octane and is buying premium is an idiot. It does nothing for you unless you advance your spark which I am sure most people have no clue how to do.

Higher octane ratings mean resistance to knock (premature combustion). If this is happening and your vehicle is not rated for higher octanes, see a mechanic. Don't go to a higher octane rating.
 
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Buckeye Maniac;1170224; said:
Just recently did both of those things, changed my filter and poured in the crap that's supposed to improve mileage. I'm getting 4 MPG better. Went from around 37 and now I'm at 41ish.

The fuel filter might help if your last one was really screwed up. Other than that, there is no magical junk you can put in your gas tank that will improve fuel economy.

Anyone that thinks that, please send me the money you planned on paying for that crap and I will send you a nice little note stating your fuel economy is now better. It will have the same effect.

edit: please note this is for vehicles that are not effed up to begin with. If you fix what is wrong with your vehicle, nothing improves your fuel economy with some magical additive.
 
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I installed 100 of these to increase my mpg. They work fine except that the want to keep stopping to rest.
usbhamsterwheelbt6.jpg
 
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Actually, if you must use the mid grade fuel, you should fill up half with 87 and half with 93. If you do, you'll wind up with a tank of 90 instead of 89 octane, and it will be cheaper than the price you'd pay if you fille up with 89 grade.
 
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Buckeye Maniac;1170382; said:
No, Only thing was an air filter change and the shit that I put in the gas. There is no way that I improved 4 MPG by being more conscience of my driving, especially when I haven't been.

My car is a '98 Saturn SL manual transmission.

Four mpg better versus the price of the shit you put in your tank....

Did you save any money when you subtracted the additive?
 
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Gatorubet;1170377; said:
Actually, if you must use the mid grade fuel, you should fill up half with 87 and half with 93. If you do, you'll wind up with a tank of 90 instead of 89 octane, and it will be cheaper than the price you'd pay if you fille up with 89 grade.

Slight problem, even though (87+93)/2=90, that is a anti-knock rating not the amount of additive that was added. Doesn't really work out that way.
 
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