Also #5 all gasoline in the US will be E10 (10% alcohol) due to the phase
out of MTbE.
Coasty

"Jeff DeWitt" > wrote in message
.. .
> Some excellent suggestions, I will quibble a bit with number 10. I almost
> always down shift and have never worn out a clutch. I agree if your trying
> to wring every mile you can out of your gas you don't want to down shift
> if you have a carburetor but on a fuel injected engine doesn't the fuel
> supply cut off when decelerating?
>
> Jeff DeWitt
>
> JD Adams wrote:
>> Low shift points will help with the 4.0L straight-six, but I doubt it
>> will help with the 4-banger. They like to rev, and make more torque
>> and HP between 2500 and 3000 rpm.
>>
>> I recently clocked nearly 28 mpg. in my TJL. My secrets:
>>
>> 1. Gentle acceleration, low shift points. Good for 4.0's, not so good
>> for 2.5's. I often shift at 1200 rpm. around town. I don't give a
>> damn about butt-sniffing, stoplight-racing morons. They eventually get
>> a clue and go around me.
>>
>> 2. Make the lights. Cut back your speed around town 5-7 mph. and you
>> will more easily be able to cruise through green lights. Let the
>> Bohemian Honda types race each other! They get great fuel mileage
>> regardless how badly they drive, so they are of no concern. Jeeps are
>> heavy. Starting/stopping eats fuel, especially when your ride weighs
>> nearly two tons.
>>
>> 3. Shift progressively. This is something that Semi drivers do
>> routinely, and it applies here. I have a 13-sp. transmission in the
>> Big Truck, but I don't use every available gear if I don't have to.
>> You can skip a gear or two to save fuel and wear-n-tear if you do it
>> gently.
>>
>> 4. Lower rolling resistance. I spend most of my time on pavement, so I
>> avoid running off-road tires. I also watch tire pressure pretty
>> closely. You can run highway tires between 32 and 34 for better fuel
>> mileage and longer tire life. Another way to lower resistance is to
>> limit freeway speed to 60 mph. Tuck in 100 ft. behind a Semi for even
>> better results, but don't tailgate.
>>
>> 5. Use decent fuel. Cheap fuels are usually cut with alcohol which
>> lowers fuel mileage. You don't get something for nothing. Stick with
>> good quality fuels that avoid excessive amounts of alcohol for better
>> performance and fuel mileage.
>>
>> 6. Avoid warmups. Even in very cold regions, it is not neccessary to
>> warm an engine longer than it takes to build normal oil pressure before
>> you drive away. Do limit your engine speed however until it warms up
>> to at least room tempurature.
>>
>> 7. Use synthetic lubricants. You will see a 10 degree reduction in
>> internal engine temps and a 2-5% increase in fuel mileage by using good
>> quality synthetics in the drivetrain.
>>
>> 8. Right-hand turn routes. UPS discovered this one a long time ago.
>> If you are consolidating errands around town, arrange them in such a
>> way that you make all right-hand turns. This saves a lot of time and
>> fuel.
>>
>> 9. Shift to neutral! If you're running an automatic transmission,
>> shift to neutral when sitting at a long stop light. While drive is
>> selected, the engine is constantly under load, which uses more fuel and
>> creates a tremendous amount engine and transmission heat. Shift to
>> neutral if you anticipate sitting more than 15 seconds for cooler temps
>> and better fuel mileage.
>>
>> 10. Don't downshift when comming to a stop. Not only does this use
>> more fuel, it cuts your clutch life in half. Use the brakes - that's
>> what they were designed for.
>>
>> 11. Keep your engine in excellent tune. Do a tune-up yearly.
>> Investigate MIL's immediately. Buy a code scanner and learn how to use
>> it. Don't use el-cheapo filters or spark plugs - they fail quickly.
>> Avoid gimmick add-on's and fuel additives.
>>
>> 12. Park in the garage at night. This keeps the night chill off the
>> drivetrain and allows a easier start-up and quicker warm-up when
>> started in the morning.
>>
>> 13. Lighten it up! If you don't use the back seat, pull and store it.
>> If you're just plogging around town, you don't need 200-lbs. of rescue
>> equipment in the back, so leave it in the garage.
>>
>> 14. Circle the city. When I drive from one end of town to the other,
>> I don't drive straight through: it's full of stop-signs, lights and
>> traffic. Instead, I always plot a path AROUND the city, in a clockwise
>> fashion, of course, to take advantage of quicker right-hand turning,
>> using lesser-traveled rural roads.
>>
>> 15. Hold your lane, avoid braking. Another Trucker staple. The best
>> drivers stay in their own lane, and only change in anticipation of a
>> turn. If you have to hit the brakes to make a turn, you're driving too
>> fast. Every press on the brake pedal is fuel you have wasted. Slow
>> further back from your turns enough that you can drop a gear and make
>> the turn without having to hit the binders for maximum efficiency.
>> Forget about the dorks on your bumper - they don't know what you know.
>>
>> 16. Don't run bald tires. After 50-60% of the tread is gone, rolling
>> resistance increases dramatically and bad weather traction suffers.
>> Spend whatever it takes for the best quality and longest-wearing tires
>> you can get. Name-brand tires with heavier, stiffer sidewalls offer
>> better fuel mileage and longer wear. Avoid cheap tires like the plague
>> they are. Avoid fitting anything wider than OEM specs as well: the
>> wider the tires, the more rolling resistance you have to overcome.
>>
>> Enough for now. I don't see any reason why you can't get 30+ mpg. in a
>> 4-banger Jeep. A little knowledge will take you a long way.
>>
>> -JD
>>