What can I do to increase the gas mileage in my car? With these insane gas prices (2.15 a gallon for regular) im looking for ways to get more miles outta my tank. Any suggestions?

 

Most of what you can do involves keeping your engine properly in tune, and clean.

New plugs and ignition parts, proper air pressure in properly sized (not too large, or too wide) tires.. and dropping excessive unsprung weight. Mostly that means lighter wheels and tires, since you can't really lighten axles.

 

Keep your foot out of it.

 

First, you have to change the way you drive. With the increase speed limits and impatience of other drivers, you may now find your self burning more gas. Here are some tips.


* Lower your speed. The optimal speed is 45 mph. The faster you go the more gas you use.

* Turn your car off when you have to wait for longer than 30 seconds. Your car burns more gas when it is idle.

* If you have cruise control use it. This will give you a constant speed, which will conserve gas.

* Take it easy on your brakes. The more you stop and go the more gas you consume. Everytime you press your brakes you consume gas.

* Start slowly. We all have the tendency to take off at a traffic light. Pretend there is a cup of water on your hood. Try not to spill that cup of water when you take off.


The next step you need to take is routine car maintenance. By keeping your car running smoothly you can prevent unneeded gas waste. Here are some tips.


* Check the tire pressure on your car every week. When tires are properly inflated you can increase the gas efficiency significantly.

* Keep you car tuned up. Your car might be using more gas because it needs new spark plugs. Check them and see if it is time to get a tune up.


The final step, might be the weight of your car. You might have many unneeded items in your car that weighs it down. Check your trunk and see if you can lighten the load some. Throw your trash out, even the dirt in the carpet. A little bit makes a lot of difference.


With rising gas prices, we all need to learn how to drive effectively. You might need to stop driving as much to help your pocket book.

 

The way you drive is always the biggest..

When I'm out on my own, just driving, I'll hit 5500 before I get out of first and second.

When I got other people in the car, they tend to be touchy, one to the point of being afraid of my cars, so I have to drive easy. Both the Camaros I drive now, and the Z28 I used to have could easily ride around like glass and never see the fun side of 3000, and spend the majority of the time cruising under 2000.. the difference in mileage when you drive like that is huge.

 

You're in Chicago. The wind is your friend.

 

And to think, you only have a V6...imagine us V8 guys with mods out the wazoo

Anyway, yea, change your driving habits. When gas is high, i try to act as if theres a state cop on my ****.

 

My friend's chevelle gets 4 miles to the gallon...made me rethink how bad mine was!

 

My friend's chevelle gets 4 miles to the gallon...made me rethink how bad mine was!

 

1. Maintain tire pressure;
2. Maintain correct wheel alignment;
3. Maintain your air filter;
4. Make sure your oxygen sensor is operating correctly (big factor);
5. Make sure the EVAP system is working and the gas cap is sealed;
6. Drain lubricating fluids and use synthetic lubricants instead (can save up to 10% of power loss/fuel);
7. Adjust the parking brake and drum brakes correctly;
8. Keep windows closed and tops installed at highway speeds - Our cars have one of the best cDs on the road, but only when the body is "clean" and not interrupted by openings;
9. Avoid using the air conditioner;
10. Plan trips so that most driving is done with the engine still hot, instead of numerous short trips with a lot of cooling periods between drives;
11. Advance the timing as much as your engine will tolerate;
12. Repair any vacuum leaks;
13. Use the lowest octane fuel your engine will tolerate;
14. Avoid fuel additives;
15. Avoid using any heavy electrical loads unnecessarily, like rear window defoggers, big audio power amps, etc.

Don't we go through this every time the fuel prices jump a bit? Little has changed, so check the archives for more ideas.

 

Vadar-
One thing to add to number 4
Delco O2.
The Bosch O2 has caused my mileage to go down.
Shifty says the Bosch causes the engine to run rich. Is this true o wise one?

 

thanks for the help guys, although it is the windy city, the wind can also be your enemy if your driving against it. Ill be sure to tune up my engine a little. Dont think it needs new sparks since they are platinum tips. Does anyone know if these crazy prices are gonna come down anytime soon? Thanks again

 

Largely overlooked items that affect gas mileage include a properly working gas cap, properly inflated tires, and a functional PCV valve. The PCV valve should be changed every 6,000 miles ideally. Also - noone mentioned air filters - check em, they could be pretty filthy.

When I got my IrocZ - 12 mpg (eeeek)
Tuned it up - 13.5 mpg (eeeek)
Fuel system cleaner - 15mpg (better)

Still working on it - I suspect my EVAP can is junked and my EGR is only semi functional. If either or both turn out to need replacement, I could see 16 - 18 mpg. Not too shabby for a 5.7!

 

Wind can be your friend or your enemy as can hills. Try not to accelerate when driving up hill if possible. Your engine is already having to work 3X as hard as it does cruising at the same speed (if your accelerating at 2 mph per second, or 0-60 in 30 seconds). That means if your car takes 45 hp to push at 55 mph you need 135 hp to accelerate at that rate (the curve is exponential). Accelerate while driving down hill if possible. That means if you have to stop on the side of the highway stop on the downhill side. (Use some common sense and don't stop where you can't be seen until the last second). Other than that it is just driver adjustment and keep your car in tune.

One thing I disagree with vader on is the timing advance. More is not always better. For mileage you want your timing set so that you get the most manifold vacuum at a steady cruising speed. That means your engine is making the best use of the fuel you are feeding it. The air/fuel mix is firing at the optimal time to make the most torque. I know about the timing thing because I set my timing on a level stretch of road with the cruise set at 60 mph. I WAS NOT driving my dad was. I was able to get 15 in/hg of vacuum at a steady 60 mph and 1,700 rpm. That is with a 305 and a 4,500 lbs chevy van. I get 17-18 mpg on the highway with the cruise set at 70 mph. It is easy to do this on a van. On a camaro you could set the timing on a dyno capable of part throttle loads.

 

Yes about the time of the election.

 

are you being serious? cuz as a bush supporter I find that to just be rediculous. Just because he is up for election doesnt mean that he can have the power to lower gas prices just in time for the election for his own personal gain, also I don't think that could even help him if somehow he could.

 

not seen anyone say this so here it is. limit what you haul around. get all the excess out of the car, like a tool box, jack, whatever excessweight you have. i have a friend that works for sniyder trucking as a mechanic. big thing there is milage. if they can save .5% of a gallon per mile in a years that's millions of dollars to them. doubt anyone here will save a million a year, but the point is it all adds up.

 

How to save gas and become a road rage victom

 

Yes that is true, almost like clockwork. At the end of every presidential term the gas prices rise then a few weeks before election time. Then they drop so people are :hail: to the man in office. Happens to a grater extent when a republican is in office. What they dont realize is he is the jackass who allowed the price of oil to increase in the first place. A few weeks ago on Meet The Press Tim Russert asked the Sadi/OPEC honcho, "Is it true that Bush asked OPEC to lower the price of oil before the election?" OPEC rep, "Uh Uh, We always try to lower the cost of oil."
It amazing how much oil costs especially since it only took a short time to put Iraq back to the production capabilities of the late 70's. Wheres that oil going? Why does the pipeline in Alaska go to Japan and we get nothing from it?

 

Put as little load on the engine as you can (for unnessecary things).... that means don't carry 4 other people around with you, keep your tires fully inflated, maybe drive around with a 1/2 tank of gas (gasoline is very heavy), turn off the AC...

 

Stay put in the US, its $6.05 a gallon here in Europa at the moment, at a 10 year mid price. ;-)

 

Only if it's to your back.

 

Just to add to what Vader said about the A/C...

If it's hot, don't make the mistake of lowering your windows instead of turning on the A/C unless you're in dead traffic.

On the highway having the windows down with the A/C off creates a huge drag in our cars because the back hatch literally cups the wind.

You'll actually use less gas (get better MPG) rolling up the windows and turning on the A/C.

Also, keep it where it's comfortable in the car, then turn it off when it is tolerable. The A/C system also dehumidifies the air which greatly reduces how "hot" it feels in your car. It actually takes quite a while for it to get hot enough to have to turn the A/C on again.

 

Hah! You're kidding right? It has nothing to do with the fact that it raises yearly about the same time and falls yearly at the same time? I don't buy it. Opec can raise the price again, it means nothing, our problem this time is the shutting of the refineries due to 'green' laws. You can't sell what you can't make. In addition to that, we limit how much can be produced with all the regional formulations. Instead of getting help from a nearby refinery, each refinery is screwed b/c of the formulations. It's a whole snowball effect. Even if Bush boy opened up all the oil available to us, we couldn't do anything with it! We screwed ourselves trying to 'save' the ozone layer.


I think I posted this thing before:

http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/bp/16/hboost.htm
http://herning.crosswinds.net/projects/hydroboost.html
http://www.himacresearch.com/books/hydro1.html (fruity!)
http://www.hydrogen-boost.com/savings.html (these guys actually sell one)