Thursday, January 12, 2012

Gas mileage?

The other day I saw a news report on TV that said one could burn less gas by not braking as much and coasting to slow down more. I think they called it "power driving" or something like that. I was wondering how effective that is. Also I drive a manual 1992 Honda Accord and I would like to know if when I鈥檓 in heavy, slow traffic if it is more fuel efficient to keep it at a slow creep by working the gas and the clutch without using much break, or move close to the car in front and stop, then move again and stop. Any other advice would be appreciated.Gas mileage?
Don't use your clutch any more than necessary. There's little likliehood you could save enough gas to offset the cost of a clutch replacement. I'm sure you'd be looking at about $1000 parts and labor. Pull up and let the car idle.



You can save gas by anticipating more during driving. An easy example is a series of stoplights. If you gun it from light to light, you don't get where you're going any faster than the driver who accelerates smoothly and lets the car coast up to the next stoplight, yet the smooth driver uses far less gasoline. Every time you hit the brakes, you're losing speed created by using gasoline. The smoother you drive, the less gasoline you waste.



Using your cruise control as much as possible can save gas as well. I get 3-4 more miles per gallon over a long trip where I use the cruise most of the time.
Yes it is possible that if you stay in higher gears and lower rpm's and do not break as often you can save some gas, but a very small amount. If you really want to save gas, a minimin of 7 - 14% everytime you fill up then your going to want to check this new product out. Imagine a pill you drop in your gas tank that saves you big bux, improves engine performance, and saves the environment by lowering smog and emmisions. There are over 3 news stations that have tried it out and reported it and they claim it works like a charm.



I'm testing it out right now on my 03 4runner. I normally get 17-18 mpg on average, so we'll see what happens after 2 full tanks of gas. The directions say that on the first 16 - 22 gallons, which is one tank in my case, you use 2 caps for conditioning. After the first tank(conditioning) you start to use 1 and a half caps. Also, they note that you will not see a difference in mpg until after 2 full tanks of gas, which makes sence, because it works in your engine's internal combustion chamber. It is not a fuel cleaner or additive. The fuel only acts as a carrior to the combustion chamber were it is then made into a microthin catalyst layer. Their website has all of the info.



For all of you who think this product is garbage, it's ok, because that is what I first thought of it when I heard about it, but after seeing the facts, I am convinced. They are also registered with the EPA, reg. #201220 001. Note that the EPA does not aprove anything, they just make sure that it does not cause harm to the environment or vehicle similar to how the FDA makes sure there is no poison in our food. Oh and best of all they back their product up with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Didn't like the product, just send it back for a full refund.Gas mileage?
There are a lot of "little" things that you can do, that a lot of people over look or "poo-poo" becuase they think - big deal on that one - you only save 1 -2 miles per gallon - so why bother? How about we shoot for saving you 15 + per gallon - with little or no investment on your part other than some planning %26amp; common sense. Ready? Let;s go then.



1. Your car should NOT be used as a storage garage. - take everythiing out of the car that you do not need in it. (I've seen people with pick up trucks put an old engine in the truck bed with some sand bags for better winter traction - and then leave that extra 600 lbs of dead weight in their vehicle the reat of the year - that's dragging around dead weight thatb uirns more gas.. This Spring I cleaned out one of my daughter Cindy's car , (she was trading it in on a new car.) I removed over 85 pounds of "stuff" from the backseat %26amp; trunk - most of it she didn't even know she had in there, some of the stuff she said "Gee, - ,I wondered where that got to", and a good deal of things that I know weren't her's - like tools and such - becuase they were mine. (What she needed a 3/4" hammer drill kit for I'll never know). you can gain an extra 1/2 mile a gallon if youve got 100 lbs in a compact).



2. Clean the exterior of your car %26amp; wax it at least once a month. This reduces wind drag on the interstate - and highways . This is another 1/2 mile per gallon.



3. Run on Properly (or slightly over inflated tires. Check the tire inflation recomendation - if it's 32 - 34 I inflate to 34 - 35. Check you tires when they are warm and youve been driving for a while - like 1/2 hour. Check tire inflation wioth every other fill up. I do not follow the car manufacturers recommedation on tire inflation! THis can make a 1 - 2 mile per galloin difference.in mileage.



4. Make sure you are running on clean air, oil, and fuel filters. Change Oli %26amp; Oil filter every 3000 miles. Change fuel filter every 30,000 miles. Check air filter ever oil change, ( I usually change air filters every 6000 miles. Maintaining a clean air fileter ALONE and save you 1 - 2 miles per gallon.



5. Stop Jack Rabbit Starts, and use yoou brakes as little as possible. (Obviously in rush hour traffic this is not going to work very well - but a good way to save gas is to find that semi driver who is just poking along slow and steady and get right behind him. He is going to be running in as low a gear as is necessary to keep himself moving forward with out having to use his brakes or compresson release, (Jake brake). Find a gear that keeps the rpms low but keeps you moving without having to brake, and relax - switching back %26amp; forth in lanes really dosen't get you there any faster. And on the evening rush for home, - you may want to consider working so OT, doing errands and driving on surface streets - avoiding the major arteries and interstates, and maybe even meeting frinds for a glass of wine and an early supper. THis can save you 1/2 mile per gallon



6. Consolidate you drive. Each work day you go to work, and drive home, and probably pass within 2 -5 miles of 90 % of the business'.and destinations that you normally run around and do on saturday - pretty much eating up half of your weekend just driving to the places you pass twice a day during your week day commute. So think ahead - readjust your schedule grocery shop on Monday Nite on the way home from wor. Drop of Laundry %26amp; dry cleaning tuesday mornings, and pick up friday mornings, and so on. This alone can save you 100 miles a week. If you get 23 MPG, this means you save about 4 gallons of gas.



7. Watch your speed on the Interstate. For every 10 miles over the speed limit that you drive, you are loosing up to 10 miles per gallon!!!



8. Got a few of those "LLLOOOOOONNNNGGGG" red lights on your way to work. THat seem to last forever. If you have to sit for more that 1 minute. Shut the engine off, unless you are one of the first 3 cars in line. ( You need to move when the light is green - because when the light FINALLY does turn green people are going to be good and ready to go - and they are going to want you people at the front of the line moving NOW!!!!.



9. Burrr - It's cold out there - 'm gonna let the car "Warm up" on cold winter days/nights it's not a bad idea to let the engine idle (not in a closed garage) for about 5 minutes - and then drive slowly for the next 4 -5 minutes. I'm talking 10 - 30 below zero now. If the temp is only Zero to 10 below the 5 minutes idle is ok, and take it easy , zero and above - fire up the car - let it idle for a minute and then proceed slowly .This saves you 1/2 gallon,



Idling is wasting fuel. I've seen people "warming their cars up for 30 - 45 minutes on a winter night - now that's a waste of fuel.



10. Finally, some people want to know about automatic car starting systems. These systems operate on a solenoid and temperature sensor in the oil pan or the cooling system. When the sensor says that the engine oil or coolant drops below a certain temp. the car starter triggers the ignition switch, and the car engine starts up and will run until the engine oil or coolant is heated up to a target temperature, and then sahuts the vehicle off. Thes systems cost anywhere from about $ 169.00 unistalled to $ 499.00 installed. THey are a drain on mileage - since they burn fuel - but produce no mileage.these can burn up a quarter of a tank of gas - about 5 gallons on a cold, - cold night.



So lets recount:, if you follow these simple things, common sense - for the most part you should be able to save arounf 15 miles per gallon - accourding to my reckoning -(The big factor being the speeding issue - which I see every day during rush hour). Hope this helps out. One last thing - Gas prices at the pump usually go up on Tuesday afternoon. So I'm told the best time to buy gas is Tuesday Morning.
theoretically that should work. when pushing the gas pedal you allow more gas to burn. that amount of extra gas can take u a certain distance undisturbed. by applying the brake you shorten the distance that amount of gas can take you causing you to use more gas to make it that original distance. therefor, braking basically wastes gas.Gas mileage?
To get better mpg, let off the accelerator sooner. If you can "idle" up to the stopped traffic it is better then accelerating, just to slow down or stop. This also will help traffic flow.

Experiment with different speeds in areas with a lot of stop lights, there may be a speed that will let you get through more then another. Lincoln Ne for example has their lights set up to "cruise through" 5 mph under the posted limit.

Also if you believe that you will not move for more then a minute, turn the engine off and restart it.

Drive smart, not fast!
the concept that i see in this story is that if u allow the vehicle to stop on its own and letting it slow down, u will have to be going slower to allow enough room to slow down, the slower u go the less gas u burn, other then that, when ur going down hill, place ur transmition on neutral and let it coast, sorry i cant be more help,

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