Mods for better gas mileage

There's plenty of stuff to get more horsepower out there. What is
there to improve the gas mileage for an Ion or SL2? Do any real
products actually exist?

Related: Anybody try a gasoline preheater? I put a homemade one on a
'74 Mercury Capri and got better gas mileage. Why don't we see them
around? This was very simple - tube that gas goes through with jacket
around it to carry radiator fluid.

Thanks!

Old time radio fan > wrote:
> Related: Anybody try a gasoline preheater? I put a homemade one on a
> '74 Mercury Capri and got better gas mileage. Why don't we see them
> around? This was very simple - tube that gas goes through with jacket
> around it to carry radiator fluid.

Why would I want to give myself vapor lock?

-DanD

--
# Dan Duncan (kd4igw) http://pcisys.net/~dand
# They exchanged kisses via terminal- to my mind a waste of technology.
# And of kisses. -Heinlein

Old time radio fan wrote:
>
> There's plenty of stuff to get more horsepower out there. What is
> there to improve the gas mileage for an Ion or SL2? Do any real
> products actually exist?
>
> Related: Anybody try a gasoline preheater? I put a homemade one on a
> '74 Mercury Capri and got better gas mileage. Why don't we see them
> around? This was very simple - tube that gas goes through with jacket
> around it to carry radiator fluid.

This may have help with gasoline vaporation for carburated
engines in cool climates. It is not going to do anything for
engines with port tyope fuel injection.

Years ago I can rember a magazine article that compared
various gas saving devices. Most effective device was a
wooden block installed under the accelerator pedal. Bet that
still works.

Ed

"C. E. White" > wrote in message
...
> This may have help with gasoline vaporation for carburated
> engines in cool climates. It is not going to do anything for
> engines with port tyope fuel injection.
> Ed

Worst thing about using a fuel pre-heater on an injected vehicle is that a
good portion of the fuel in the distribution rail does not go to the
injectors, but rather is returned to the tank. Having hot fuel in the rail
is one thing. Hot fuel in the tank is just asking for problems with
evaporation or worse.

Heh - I remember when I was a kid (I think it was a Plymouth Fury Wagon?)
but it had a red needle on the speedometer that you could set, and it would
set off an alarm/buzzer when you reached that speed....I'm pretty sure my
Dad had the alarm needle pinned and buried at 135...

Scott

> Years ago I can rember a magazine article that compared
> various gas saving devices. Most effective device was a
> wooden block installed under the accelerator pedal. Bet that
> still works.
>
> Ed

A better thread would be "Tips for better gas mileage"
> http://www.google.com/search?q=%22ti...&btnG=Searc h

A few mods that make horsepower would also improve MPG like a free
flowing air cleaner and exhaust, skinnyer tires, a manual transmission,
weight reduction, don't use the air conditioner or better yet remove
it, remove your rear spoiler (it only increases drag) ect... but the
single biggest gain you will see is in the way you drive, limit your
accelerator use.

> Most effective device was a
> wooden block installed under the accelerator pedal. Bet that
> still works.

That may be changing as well. I get significantly better mileage during
long highway drives at 85 mph than at 65 - 70 mph (with all other factors
being equal). I'm sure it depends a lot on the car - aerodynamics of the
body, powerband of the motor, gearing, etc.

Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ]
---
Visit my Saturn Car Audio and Performance Page at http://www.evilplastic.com



"C. E. White" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> Old time radio fan wrote:
> >
> > There's plenty of stuff to get more horsepower out there. What is
> > there to improve the gas mileage for an Ion or SL2? Do any real
> > products actually exist?
> >
> > Related: Anybody try a gasoline preheater? I put a homemade one on a
> > '74 Mercury Capri and got better gas mileage. Why don't we see them
> > around? This was very simple - tube that gas goes through with jacket
> > around it to carry radiator fluid.
>
> This may have help with gasoline vaporation for carburated
> engines in cool climates. It is not going to do anything for
> engines with port tyope fuel injection.
>
> Years ago I can rember a magazine article that compared
> various gas saving devices. Most effective device was a
> wooden block installed under the accelerator pedal. Bet that
> still works.
>
> Ed

Many performance mods do give you better fuel mileage if you stay out of the
pedal. The power addiction tends to defeat that, of course.
Cooler and more free air flow helps combustion efficiency, lighter
weight/smaller pulleys and flywheels reduce initial lag, less restricted
exhaust reduces heat and back pressure, hotter or more successive firing
from your plugs increases ignition efficiency, good/balanced air pressure in
the tires reduces road friction, clean/smooth/uncluttered body and lower
ride height reduce air drag, synthetic lubricants reduce friction, lighter
weight equals less fuel use, etc. Try early or "short" shifting when the
oppurtunity presents itself (provided you have a manual.) Coast to stops
whenever possible. Use defrost and air as little as necessary. Increasing
mileage/efficiency/vehicle life and reducing emissions go hand-in-hand with
a well-tuned car, performance mods, and good driving technique.

Preheating fuel to an electronically controlled fuel/air mixture will likely
reduce your efficiency. This would be a radical variable that your ECM
wouldn't be taking into consideration. In extreme cases, this could be
volatile. Results may be a backfire.

Try:

- Overinflate the tire by a few PSI. Saturn recommends 26PSI, I use
32PSI.

- Shift at the Saturn recommended speeds (ie. appx 2000RPM)

- Do not use more than 1/3 of the gas pedal travel.

- Remove seats, carpeting, spare tire etc. to save weight.

- Don't use A/C. In fact, if you have A/C, remove the pump and other
unnecessary plumbing since you're not going to use it anyways.

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 03:05:23 GMT, Old time radio fan >
wrote:

>There's plenty of stuff to get more horsepower out there. What is
>there to improve the gas mileage for an Ion or SL2? Do any real
>products actually exist?
>
>Related: Anybody try a gasoline preheater? I put a homemade one on a
>'74 Mercury Capri and got better gas mileage. Why don't we see them
>around? This was very simple - tube that gas goes through with jacket
>around it to carry radiator fluid.
>
>Thanks!