Two quick fixes boost fuel economy

Bill Donald, Aurora

Published July 24, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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July 24, 2008

6:38 a.m.

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Mike_In_Hartsel writes:

Something doesn't equate. According to you, after changing a paper air filter, your fuel ecomomy should improve by about 10% and then steadily decline because it's paper. Seems like this would have been pointed out to us common folk long ago if it were a real factor.

Synthetic oil only has a very marginal effect on gas mileage. It's greatest effect is on engine wear. It's more likely the "increase" is due to factors you haven't identified.

We've got a 4.0 and we've always gotten over 20mpg even at 9,000 feet where we live.
July 24, 2008

7:24 a.m.

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SheikYurBooty writes:

Sorry Bill, the changes you made might give slight, marginal improvements. 30% is ridiculous. There's something missing from your story, or you've made a math error. In any case 20.5 MPG is stupid - why don't you get a more economically designed vehicle and stop fooling yourself with wishful thinking?
July 24, 2008

7:42 a.m.

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rwmorrisonjr writes:

Maybe his car is paid for so the price of gas is nothing more than a commodity issue for him. Maybe he needs the truck for a larger family, driving clients around, towing or accessing rural property. Maybe he feels safer in the larger vehicle. But jumping on him because he doesn't drive the type of vehicle you think he should is just wrong, even though he's implemented a couple of ideas that do work, although not to the extreme numbers that he's mentioned.

I have a Jeep with the 4.7 V8, and I've done the same changes he's done, as well as a better exhaust system. I think overall I've seen an increase of about 10% in mileage, but there are some other advantages as well. I'm not throwing paper air filters away, thus keeping additional refuse out of the landfills. I don't have to change my oil as often (syn oil can go ~15k miles w/o a change), so that's less waste oil entering the disposal system. Doesn't sound like much, but it does add up over time.

I guess my biggest gripe is that people like you take enormous pleasure in jumping all over SUV and large truck owners and blame them for the current energy supply and pricing problems. SUVs and larger trucks didn't create this situation and neither did their owners, but yet you love to jump all over them because the vehicles are "large" targets and don't fit your idea of the proper vehicle for society. Bad, politically driven energy and environmental policies have done this, and now you're looking for a scapegoat. Look to our "leaders" in DC who are more worried about keeping their jobs and getting on t.v. than actually doing what's best for the country, and I think you'll find the cause (and solution) to our current situation.

BTW, what kind of vehicle do you drive, Sheik?
July 24, 2008

8:16 a.m.

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vudumom writes:

My husband and I had the foresight to buy a 2001 ford escort for his work car. He drives quite a bit and can be working anywhere because he works construction. He can fit quite a bit of tools in his car and his company provides most of the tools he needs. We do not use his car for anything other than his work. The higher gas prices are a shocker but are not really hurting us like other families.
We have cutback on our personal driving to save money.
July 24, 2008

8:21 a.m.

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TroyJGrice writes:

I improved my gas mileage by always driving downhill.
July 24, 2008

8:25 a.m.

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SheikYurBooty writes:

Don't forget the old fuel line magnets - 15-25%.
July 24, 2008

9:56 a.m.

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rakofgor writes:

If you put larger wheels on the back of your car and smaller wheels on the front, the entire car will be tilted down. You will be rolling downhill at all times. And Vud, trust me, your construction worker husband doesn't feel foresight for driving an 01 Ford Escort, only embarrassment.
July 24, 2008

10:42 a.m.

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KW writes:

Crude oil prices dropped again yesterday nearly $4 a barrel closing at $124.87. Thus far today prices are down another 30 cents.

All this immediately following Bush's announcement to lift the offshore drilling ban when prices spiked at $147 a barrel. A drop of over $23 a barrel in just days is not a mere coincidence.

Lets keep up the drill here, drill now talk. It seems to be having remarkable results without even having to actually drill.
July 24, 2008

10:48 a.m.

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vudumom writes:

rqakofgor, He's not embarrassed at all. It was a good decision then and a great decision now. All the people complaining about filling up their vehicles are the ones who should be embarrassed. They have vehicles that are costing them a small fortune to drive. They probably are making insane payments on the vehicles. They can't trade them in for even close to what they are worth.
The vehicle my husband drives is a drive to work and drive home vehicle. It was inexpensive. It was paid off in 2 years. It gets good gas mileage. It has been reliable. It is probably worth more selling it retail than the SUV status symbols everyone is crying about.
Like I said the high gas prices are not having a big impact on our finances.
When my husband fills his car up and is near a gas guzzler. It's the gas guzzler who looks embarrassed putting in $50 to get enough gas to get home. While my husband fills his car up to drive all week.
July 24, 2008

11:49 a.m.

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denverkid78 writes:

Let's see, a 30% increase. That means that prior to these improvements the writer was getting about 15.75 MPG. Unless they are a lead foot, or drive around in 2nd gear, I doubt the increase, at least the "total" increase, was 30%. Me, I have increased my mileage by taking the foot off the gas and driving a little more slowly. I've added between 15-30 miles more between gasing up at the pump. This is between 1 and 2 gallons a tank that I now save.
July 24, 2008

12:57 p.m.

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KW writes:

Wacheesey - I'll gladly take your .65 cents a gallon savings since you apparently don't need it. It should supplement my gas budget very nicely.

Thanks again!

BTW - You were serious, right? Or are you another one of those leftists who constantly claim they wouldn't mind paying more in taxes for programs a, b & c but never really do?
July 24, 2008

3:53 p.m.

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rpmcmurphy writes:

I used to have a 91 Explorer and loved it.
But, it only got about 16/17mpg in town and 20/21 hiway.
I traded it in for a midsize car rated at 21/28 for city/hiway,
and with a few modifications to driving habits I get about 25/35mpg in it now. I noticed that I get 2-3 mpg better in summer than winter, which I guess is due to all the winter blend gas being just not as good as the summer blend. Who knows?
But on the bottom line, the Explorer was paid for, and my monthly payment for the car is still more than I spend on gas.
July 24, 2008

5:38 p.m.

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P_Denver writes:

rpmcmurphy

That's the dilemma I have, too. I have a '93 Explorer, and get 20 MPG. I drive about 15,000 miles a year. That's 750 gallons of gas.

If I traded it in and got something that doubled the mileage (unlikely) that would drop me down to 375 gallons a year. At $4 per gallon, I would save $1,500 a year or $125 a month. I can't buy a car for that much.

So the economics don't make sense for me, yet.

Now, when it hits $10 a gallon ....
July 24, 2008

11:54 p.m.

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Lowtaxequalsfreedom writes:

KN air filters have a tendency to allow larger particles of dirt to pass through when compared to paper air filters.

Demand the EPA stop tuning for emissions and start tuning for mileage
July 25, 2008

11:04 a.m.

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KW writes:

"...with 3 CENTS a gallon reduction every 2 weeks, or so, we might even go back to somewhere around $3.50 a gallon by . . . November, maybe." -whacheesma

$4.15 a gallon minus $3.50 a gallon is a savings of $0.65 per gallon my good friend. I was just using your estimates, but if gas prices should drop even further I'll still expect you to pay me the total difference.

BTW - Less than 2 weeks ago I was paying $4.15 a gallon. Yesterday I paid $3.89. That's $0.26 a gallon savings over a 10 day period so at this rate we should eventually see below $3 a gallon... Hopefully.
July 25, 2008

2:05 p.m.

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HerbToEarth writes:

See what happens if you install a new, lockable gas cap, Bill. Could be that a trickster like me is fooling you by adding gas to your tank.
July 26, 2008

10:17 a.m.

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KW writes:

Wachee - If I'm not using "your estimates" then how come I was able to take the estimates directly from your quotes?

aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Gotchya!
July 26, 2008

12:24 p.m.

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Brain writes:

It is good that many people are doing something to increase their gas mileage, even if in reality it is only about 10% increase/savings. I have found that my driving habits alone can increase my mileage about 5% to 42.5 miles to the gallon instead of around 40 mpg.
July 26, 2008

12:56 p.m.

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gary writes:

Good for you...Bill Donald.
At least you are being proactive in helping your vehicle achieve better gas mileage.
Everyone of us should do the small simple things to cut down our use of gasoline.
Clean air filters, plus lower air restrictions ones like K & N do work well. Synthetic oil allows the engine to run with less friction and helps also. Now, if everyone would check their tire pressures and inflate them 5 more pounds over the normal settings, plus slow down and drive the speed limit. Better yet 5 mph below the speed limit, your gas mileage would increase even more. Don't give me the crap about your car does better gas mileage at 75. It will still give you better gas mileage at 70. Your car will still be in overdirve at 70 and at a lower rpm. So the better at 75 does not cut it. But then how many of you even drive 75 in the 75 zone?? Not too many, because all of you pass me. Seems like all of you drive 80-85 in the 75 zones....slow down and conserve fuel!!

Nuff Said
July 26, 2008

1:20 p.m.

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Brain writes:

gary, and usually it is the SUV, crew cab dual axle truck and vans that are the ones going 80+ mph, guess the price of gas doesn't matter to them, yet. I hope the price never gets to the point of mattering to them.
July 26, 2008

7:34 p.m.

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gary writes:

Brain,
Yes, they speed. Yet, over the 4th of July when driving backfrom Iowa, I was passed by a Toyota Prius. He was going 80-85 mph and went zooming by.
However....250 miles down the road, I passed him while he and his Prius was being loaded onto a truck flatbead. Seems like those little gas savers will not run that fast for very long. Plus, I am sure he did not get very good mileage at that speed.

Nuff Said!
July 27, 2008

6:38 p.m.

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jay writes:

wait a minute....every year after the early driving season gets over with, gas prices drop each summer.

now kw wants us to give credit for that drop to w?

rush would be proud my little footsoldier.

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Home › Opinion › Letters to the Editor

Two quick fixes boost fuel economy

Bill Donald, Aurora

Published July 24, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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