Intrigued Dodge guy

[GasSavers_danh]

Hey gas savers.
I started looking into all of this when my friend got taken for about 4000 bucks in promises like 100mpg on ANY suv with no engine mod other than a hydro generating system and some special CC. Anyway I started doing some research and ended up here after a few months. I am very intrigued. Still not sure what to believe though. I have started testing on all the stuff you see online. Well as much as my money wil let me. I really hope all this stuff is for real. If it is I will be sharing it with all my friends, family, neighbors and so on.
Anyway, I have an 02 neon and an 07 Grand Caravan. The van has an awesome warranty that I really dont want to mess up but if I can substantiate some things on my car it would be great. I have noticed about 3+ highway mpg with an acetone mix. They both also run better it seems. I recently built a map sensor adjuster that I have not wired into my car yet because I am waiting to get my scan gauge until I do anything else.
I am in the military so I dont have a lot of money. But I am an electronics technician and very handy with any tools. My question is this mainly. Can you all offer me any mpg gain ideas that can actually be tried/tested on my neon for low cost? Preferably dodge owners but if it works it doesnt really matter.
Thanks, Dan

[Gary Palmer]

Dan, welcome to gassavers. As you already realize, their are a lot of baloney things floating around. Additionally, it seems to me that their are some things which seem to help, on some vehicles, but not as well on others. Their are other things which seem to help, regardless.

The first thing you can try, on both cars, is to do a grill block. I have an 89 Honda, but by wife has a 98 Chrysler Town & Country. I have done a grill block on both vehicles, while I've been driving and I feel they've made a noticeable improvement in mileage. I don't run it on my wifes car, largely because she starts getting twitchy when I'm messing with her car, even though I am supposed to be clairvoyant and know if it's low on oil, or needs something.

Anyway, I'd say you probably will see 2-4% of an increase in mileage. I've blocked off all of the grill, except a 2*4 inch square, towards the bottom of the grill. In regular driving, even in summer, I haven't seen any noticable increase in engine temperature. I don't use it on trips where I am hauling a heavy load, crossing the desert in 115 degree heat, but in regular driving, it seems to be Ok.

The second thing you can do is increase your tire pressures. Some people aren't comfortable with running the tire pressures any higher than the highest sidewall printed pressure on the tires. You can get replacement, LRR tires that have pretty high printed pressures. However, I am running about 55 psi in my tires and they are only rated for 32. I've been running it for about a year and a half, and other than a little harsher ride, it rolls a lot farther and I feel it makes a reasonable contribution.

If or when you can afford a scan gauge, overall, everyone who has gotten one has seemed to feel that they make a great feedback tool, for the driver, so you can figure out how to maximize your mileage.

Their are a lot of other things you can do, but they make progressively smaller contributions, for the most part.

Good luck on the map sensor. I've tried it, on my Honda and initially I thought it was helping, then I thought it was hurting, so I just took it back off. The cars they seem to help the most are Saturns, but I don't think anyone knows why, nor is my perspective based on anything other than my recollections.

For what it's worth.

[GasSavers_danh]

Thanks for the info. My wife freaks out a bit to and I am a little hesitant to mess with the van cause it has a lifetime powertrain warranty and 100,000 mile warranty on everything else. It only has about 3300 miles on it as well. However it is the only vehicle with a mileage read out. I did use the acetone in it after 2 tanks in my car and more reading of others long term testing. It is making a noticeable difference. + 3-4 mpg on highway. Seems as if the pedal is more sensitive. It also growls alot nicer on cold starts. I know a minivan doesnt growl but this own does with the magnaflow muffler I begged and begged for.That is all I am willing to do to the van for now. I am wondering if anyone has tried the o2 sensor extendor to back the sensor out from the main exhaust flow? http://www.shop.hydrofuelsolutions.c...=1&productId=5
It might be worth a try considering it just looks like a wire conduit connector that can be piccked up from lowes for a few bucks.
Thanks
Dan

[mikeprs1]

Hi dude,

I've been using my scan gauge for 30 days now. At first I did not understand all the info it was giving me . I called scan gauge and they explained everything. I'm going to start using hydrogen for my 1999 dodge ram van next month. I'm going to either build a map sensor enhancer or order one from Protium fuel systems web site. Also have to order the oxy sensor oxyosilator for my oxy sensor from this site. I'll let you know what my mpg is after all this.

Ive been using a formula of 5oz of acetone, 3oz of Xylene and 1 ounce of GP-7 torco oil in my gas tank ( 35 gallon tank) ( 3 oz of this formula per 10 gallons of gas ) and my mileage has increase about 10% going 63 mph on highway and driving "gently" in town. My engine runs smoother and I seem to have more power. This formula costs be $2.25 per tank.

Good luck.

Mike

[GasSavers_Erik]

That oxygen sensor extender looks amazingly like a standard spark plug anti fouling adapter (keeps the plug a little bit out from the combustion chamber on an oil burning engine to keep it from being fouled with oil and soot).

If the 02 sensor threads are the same as spark plug threads, it might work, the spark plug adapters are just $3-4 at many auto parts stores.

Yes- setting the O2 sensor back out of the direct exhaust flow has been discussed here as a way to lean out the mixture and get better mileage.

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Originally Posted by Erik

If the 02 sensor threads are the same as spark plug threads, it might work, the spark plug adapters are just $3-4 at many auto parts stores

O2 sensors are M18x1.5 and some plugs are that too, so as long as it specifies what size it is, it may fit.

[GasSavers_danh]

The o2 sensor exrtender is as you say. A spark plug fowler. I ordered one from some site and am going to pick the (fouling adapter) up at pep boys to verify but the guy I talked to on the phone at pep boys said he had put one on his car.

[collegekid01]

you would need anti seize compound right?

[Jay2TheRescue]

Originally Posted by collegekid01

you would need anti seize compound right?

Definately, unless you never plan on ever working on it again. Make sure you only get the anti sieze on the threads, not the business end of the O2 sensor.

-Jay

[GasSavers_Erik]

You will need to drill out the center of the spark plug antifouler with a 1/2 inch drill bit.