Gas Saving Gizmos & Gadgets
I was told that there were so many devices that can improve your mileage, reduce air pollution and prolong your engine life. I got two names here.
Super FuelMax http://www.superfuelmax.com/
and PVI http://www.pvitech.com/
Are they really useful? Do they really save your money? Who has any experience about these products? Does any of them impact warranty?
Is there any other rccessories or additive outthere?
We can talk about the way to save our money here.
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Comments
Look for "magnet" and "Platinum" on the page. If a magnet could boost MPG by 27%, something tells me GM would bolt one into every truck it sells.
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
I would trust an infomercial for a vegtable chopper before I would trust any of those fuel saving gimicks. None of them work in accurate testing.
Please don't make the same mistake that I have made on my vehicle. I have purchased every fuel-saving device that I have ever seen advertised. Now, I have to stop periodically and drain off the excess fuel.
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
If it's too good to be true...IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE!!!
I have heard claims of increased mileage with a simple air cleaner change, I am not sure about that, but I bought a K & N air filter for my truck and it made a very slight difference in mileage about .3 GPM. I know my throttle response has improved greatly though, so maybe if I didn't tromp on it hard off the line it would show greater improvement. The main reason for getting the filter was it only cost $39 and my throw away filter cost $10. I clean and re-oil the K&N every 5th oil change, and it saves money in the long run and has a million mile warranty. The re-oil kit is $20.
Other claims of aftermarket exhaust system and the like are out there and all claim to improve mileage, but it doesn't make sense to spend $500 when it would take 5 years of driving to make the investment back in fuel savings.
Is it possible to add an aftermarket trip computer?
If so, any links?
Thanks.
Pat.
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
Of course I practice absolutely none of the above, and could never see myself as sacrificing driving fun for the sake of a few mpg and 200,000 miles of engine life vs. 150. I doubt most others here do, but it's just like the analogy someone made before about diet and exercies. We all love to believe there's a magic pill out there somewhere to cure every ill or improve most aspects of life, simply because if there is one it means we have to be less disciplined and restrained.
There's a good possibility that highway mileage improvements might be attributable to the K&N, as they tend to make a very small difference in power and mileage at higher speeds.
"The POWERAID TBS concept was developed to enhance mid-range power, torque and fuel efficiency. The unique dyno-proven "Helix Bore" of the POWERAID TBS causes a spinning action of the incoming air-charge, as it passes through the throttle body. This extremely beneficial air-charge carries all the way into the combustion chamber, producing a super-atomized mixture, which produces tremendous gains in mid-range power and overall efficiency. This is the key element and horsepower success behind each POWERAID TBS."
Comments?
Gas-Saving Products: Facts or Fuelishness?
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
As a reliable ignition system, Jacob's will do fine - but better gas mileage? Help me sort this out!
Thanks!
tidester
Host
Aftermarket & Accessories
Let's face the facts:If the auto manufacturers knew of any "Gas saving device" they would certainly be the first to get it and make it a "standard" part of their automobile.With auto manufacturers striving to meet E>P>A> guidelines..They would be more than happy to get and use same.example: if Ford or Chevrolet or Chrysler{woops,Mercedes}, could boost their mileage on "any of their new vehicles, it would be a major breakthrough for their product and sales would skyrocket. Yes, Honda has the "Insight" and it is not that well accepted, but boost the mileage of a Ford F150 by 4 to 5 more miles per gallon, or whatever, and they would have people standing in line for sales.
TRON
I guarantee you that each auto manufacturer has 100s of employees working on fuel saving ideas, whether they are in engines, transmissions, wheel bearings, tires, etc. Heck, they will pay extra money for weight reduction just because every ounce of weight reduction translates into some fractional mpg increase.
Dave
Talk to them (I found them informative and accurate, since by car's powerband does start at 3000 rpm.)
figured no big deal 30 day warranty, hard to test and return in that period. waited too long, wasted my money. Going to take it out and throw away.
2) For manual transmission cars: Wrist regulator;another specially designed computer to be implanted in the right wrist that sends special signals to your hand to tell it to shift earlier and avoid frequent downshifts on highways.
3) Check book regulator: Yet ANOTHER specially designed micro computer that is automatically activated whenever you open your checkbook at a car dealership and tells you to buy a more fuel efficient car.
4) Feet: They normally come in pairs, and can save on fuel costs by allowing the user to walk when one's destination is not far away and it's nice out.
5) Cruise control: Can be used to set speed at 60-65 mph, where fuel economy is optimal for most vehicles, rather than at the fuel sapping speeds of 75mph or greater that many who are on the lookout for mileage-improving accessories usually drive at.
6)Backseat driving spouse, whose nagging instinct is automatically triggered by an electrical impulse whenever speeds exceed legal limits or sudden bouts of rampant accelaration occur.
Those are great accessories! You can find parts numbers and prices at http://www.WeAreTheBorg/YouWillBeAssimilated.com
;-)
tidester
Host
SUVs
1) Which vehicles did you test?
2) Were they stock vehicles, since you're a 'racer'?
3) Were the tests all conducted under the same conditions or was the humidity/pressure/temperature of the air varying from test to test?
4) Were all of the engines and drive trains warmed up to the same operating temperatures each time?
5) Were the vehicles you tested fuel injected or carbureted?
6)What is an 'interesting HP' gain?
The only reasons the tornado would work is if the engine has a very poorly designed intake system. There is no reason to 'swirl' air any more than what the intake runners are doing in most cases. Go sell snake-oil in another forum please!
Thanks guys. I wish Ithese gimmics worked, though.
This was in the late sixties when self proclaimed "experts" were turning their air cleaner covers up side down to "increase air flow". Some of us at the school did an experiment (U S Navy fleet training - mechanics, Davisville Rhode Island). We asked ten of our students if they would participate, and not look under their hoods. We had them fill their tanks every Monday and Thursday. We checked their oil that day, and either installed the covers correctly or turned over. They were told to drive normally, and report the amount of fuel, and miles on the car at each fill up. Without exception, the times when the cover was upside down for "more air" the fuel economy went down.
The reasons most likely were:
1. The carbuerators were less efficient when the air heating system did not work.
2. The engines required more throttle to produce the same power when not fully warmed up but after choke opened.
3. Some restriction was required to insure proper mixture with the carbuerator.
I now tend to be very skeptical about claims for air filter devices. The manufacturers can reduce restriction if there is enough to matter, by simply increasing the size of the flter element. The only possible time there could be a problem IMO is wide open throttle.
That problem actually did exist in the sixties on some Chevy II's. GM accidentally put air cleaner housings for 4 cylinder engines on some sixes. The tsb said to measure the diameter of the intake opening and replace with the appropriate part number if wrong.
Harry
What is this upside-down cover stuff? Was it meant to get more air through the same filter? If it gets more engine air, it was a stupid mod, unless warm air was desireable for carbuerators.
Back then, we all drove pickup trucks that had the breather snout still located under the hood, taking in underhood air anyway, so turning the cover over just gave the carb MORE access to the same underhood air,,,none of our trucks got good mileage anyway so we didn't really help or hurt at the time.
And bye the way I have a K&N air filter on my trucks now (normal replacement size,not the cones), I did not get it for any mileage gains or any added HP, didn't expect it and have not gotten it as far as I can tell...added air flow would only help at high rpm and I don't drive that way..I bought them just to avoid replacing normal filters over the life of the vehicle, I keep vehicles for the long run and lifetime things have paid for themselves over the past several years.
If you want some better mileage try hooking up a vacuum gauge and pay attention to it while you drive, it will change your driving habits (keep you lighter on the gas pedal) no jackrabbit starts/stops etc, you may be surprised how much difference just driving habits make.
see y'all
I think it would be interesting to do a double blind study with a group of drivers and the tornado.. For each driver, calculate the average mpg that they get for a normal week or 2 of driving. Then install a device on half the vehicles, (but don't let the owners know whether it's been installed on their vehicle or not).
Then run for another few weeks and compare the results.
There are probably more controls and items needed in the testing protocol, but the idea is to eliminate the drivers habits from the equation.
Keep you car in top tune.
Check tire pressures weekly.
I check my mpgs at every fill since the truck was new, and continue to do so even after stopping the use of synthetic oil.
The single biggest factor of MPG is driving habits.
Steve, Host
Guess old PT Barnum was right-"there is a sucker born every minute."
Steve, Host