odd test results

[kitcar]

Originally Posted by SD26

Do you have mandated ethanol or RFG in your area?

Well, you see the mighty state of Michigan "allows" up to 10% ethanol BUT the station isn't required to tell you. What I've found is the less expensive gas in Michigan (Valero, Clark, Etc.) are 10%, which is why my mileage goes down. If I stick to the more mainstream "expensive" gas, I keep better mileage. For my truck, Meijer gas at the Ann Arbor store gets me the best mileage. Valero gets the worst. Speedway/Marathon is "okay".

Alrighty, the testing is done. 500 miles of testing from Saline, Michigan to Gaylord, Michigan this weekend, 250 miles each way. This is the same route I drive to the shack every summer at the same speeds in the same weather. Cruise on the entire boring, long trip. Now I'm utterly convinced if any of these clowns bothered to use the computers in their vehicles they'd see what kind of mileage they're getting. Gas is $4.19 a gallon and these idiots are still blowing along at 80 miles an hour. Good luck eating this week. Idiots.

Where was I? Oh yeah:

Air temp. on first leg, 52 degrees, humidity 44%, winds light, variable. Speed, 65 mph for 245.8 miles. Mileage: 23.1. Highest coolant temp. reached: 195.

Return trip, 77 degrees, humidity 52%, winds 25 mph, gusts to 40 mph, all side winds. Speed 65 mph. Mileage 23.8. Highest coolant temp. reached: 210.

Short report: stock (aero mods, Mobile 1), no additives, 19.8 mpg.
With Acetone, 22.5. Flat road, 24.
With mystery additive 21.6. Flat road, 22
Combined additives, 23.8. Flat road, 30.

I noticed that mileage up hills is the same. Hauling a Dakota up a grade takes a bit of power. Darned things weigh like a million pounds - not to mention I have the towing package, heavy duty suspension and that big 4.7 liter engine (a side note: the 4.7 is actually a Hemi engine but has a 1mm flat spot in the cylinder head on purpose because Mercedes designed it and well, you can only have one Hemi. So it's called the "Semi-Hemi" by us Dodge guys.). Plus I was carrying two gas cans, 1 lawn mower, 2 deep cycle batteries, clothes, 15 gallons of water, a dolly, 50 pounds of tools, a cooler of food, my laptop and my cordless tools.

I calculated the correct mixture of the two additives and added them before I put the gas in. Now, I also took all my own gas with me from Meijers, all bought at the same time. I filled the generator and put the rest (about 9 gallons) in the tank which got it back to the full mark on the gauge.

Video to follow later tonight (5-26-08) or tomorrow of a Dodge Dakota with a 4.7 liter getting 29-30 mpg on a flat road at 60 mph. That rocks.

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

So, did you spill in another thread what the 2nd additive was, if so I missed it.

Just curious, came across a similar sitch here, methanol by itself does nothing or hurts mpg, TC-W3 outboard oil by itself does nothing... put them together and bam 8% gain.

[kitcar]

Originally Posted by RoadWarrior

So, did you spill in another thread what the 2nd additive was, if so I missed it.

Crap and dammit. I touched on the combo in the first part of the gas mileage episode of This Old Shack. You can either download it or watch it and annoy your spouse.

I'm just about done shooting the second part of the episode, by the way. I'm going to discuss low rolling resistance tires and aero modifications as well as how to cut apart 6 pack plastic rings to prevent birds from choking. I also find a beer in a tire. Several times.