list of gas saving tips from best to worst

[bowtieguy]

Originally Posted by FaroCastiglo

Thanks for all the tips. I'm very interested in any cheap way to increase mileage.

at fillups, i've been pumping slowly w/ good results. after the initial slow fillup, which showed a drop in my FE, it seems to have leveled off(for the better).

just want to make clear, this was Brucepick's idea. i believe more gas is getting/staying in my tank. hey! and why not try it? it's a cheap/free mod/experiment!

[igniteindiana]

I read recently that you should not inflate the tires to the maximum on the tire walls, but rather there is a sticker in the inside of the door that has recommended tire pressure and it's different for each make/model of car, and that's the number you should go buy.

[skewbe]

It depends on what your goals are. If you want better FE, then you crank up the pressure. It will have an effect on ride and handling though, so it takes a little getting used to.

Lower pressures generally mean more tire wear, wasted fuel, and increased risk of blowouts on the other hand.

Do I get a royalty for telling you this?

[igniteindiana]

LOL, thanks for the reply. That is most helpful. Feel free to signup on my website for a list of 34 ways to save gas money, perhaps a few ideas that aren't on this list.

[8307c4]

Not sure if this has been mentioned but NEVER try to beat a light!
It can be so hard to resist, to give it just a little extra gas in hopes that it won't turn red just yet, but what happens is this:

- The chances are about 50-50 regardless, no matter what you do that light will either stay green, or turn red. For real, I used to think if I went a little faster that this would improve my chances, but honestly speaking I doubt very much it does anything at all.

If you try and beat it and it turns red, that just wasted a TON of fuel.
Not to mention extra wear and tear on the brakes and tires.
And no, the few times you do beat it don't compensate for it, it doesn't even add out, it is a losing proposition every single time.

This is speaking from personal experience, best thing to do is keep a steady speed, maybe even slow down a little before the big bad intersection.

Drafting

Please don't do this, it is not safe, also some drivers such as myself have a pet peeve concerning tailgating and it could start a road rage incident. Should someone find the prospect of such an incident exciting, I went ahead and removed my center rear view mirror so a tailgater can get as close to my tail as they want because I can not see them, but if I have to stop I also do so without taking the vehicle behind me into consideration.

Please remember, if you hit someone in the rear it is YOUR fault!
The reason it frustrates is because a not-at-fault accident still wastes my time.

[Nrggeek]

Don't be in such a hurry to buy brand new tires when the ones you are riding on have even wear. I took a 5 mpg hit (from 44 to 39 mpg) when I replaced my well-worn front tires with Blizzaks. Of course I did it for the winter conditions (the Blizzaks sure are sticky), which is also affecting my FE to be sure. For research on tire rolling resistance, check out this study from the National Academy of Sciences:
http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11620

Regards,
Bill

[BuyAmerican07]

first thread ever... so bear with me please.

1. does premium gas make any difference in FE?

2. how does the grille blocking actually work?

3. what is an ideal coasting speed in the city?

thanks all

[101mpg]

Welcome! You should make a post in the Introduce yourself forum.

Premium typically negatively affects most modern vehicles, or has zero effect. Premium *mostly* has additional additives to prevent knocking rather than increased energy.

Ideal coasting speed is the speed limit, sustained for as long as you can actually keep it up. Too many factors otherwise.

Use the search tool to find some excellent threads on grill blocks. The basics are that air is diverted around the vehicle because it's not flowing through holes in the front. The fine-tuning is the art.

[yellowtail3]

Since getting Tracer and Escort Wagons, and becoming mpg conscious... the following changes have been worthwhile:

Drive gently. I never floor it, I try to anticipate slowdowns ahead, accelerate gently. Related - if I see a light changing or gone stale ahead, I coast.

Shutoff motor at stops. If it is a short one, don't bother; but if I'm approaching light and it turns red, I"ll often shutoff motor, coast to stop... and fire it back up again right as light turns green. Works. fine.

Tire pressure - crank it up to about 40psi. Now the Wagon gets 40mpg.

Remember this: whenever you step on throttle or brakes, it costs money - minimize both!

[yellowtail3]

Originally Posted by rh77

Welcome to GasSavers!

Actually I like them all! I think vehicle modification can be a great supplement to driving style. I wouldn't be able to get the most out of my old Integra without tweaking the vehicle to 21st-Century efficiency changes.

I personally have added:

• Hotter Thermostat (170F=Stock; added 192F)
• OEM Engine-Block Heater
• Low-Rolling Resistance Tires
• Modified Engine Air Intake for Temps (to be further tweaked)
• ScanGauge-I
• Tire Over-Inflation
• Cruise-Control Throttle Limiting System (CCTLS)
• Exhaust manifold heat shield delete
• Seafoam Cleanse followed by a PCV Catch Bottle
• Loosened the Auto-Trans Throttle Linkage

The above mods and driving style have helped me go from 26mpg when I first started to what you see below.

The car is always a work-in-progress but so is the driver

There's a "Busted and Confirmed" mods list that discusses some of these ideas.

Feel free to post in the "Introduce Yourself" post and tell us about your cool collections of automobiles

Again Welcome! ...and feel free to ask us any questions you may have -- we're here to help.

RH77

Excellent thread. I'm interested in trying the thermostat trick, but first want to confirm it is a net gain on my engine. I'll get LRR tires when current ones wear out - or at least, I'll check into it, and compare cost of those LRR tires to likely savings.