Gas Mileage Tips Comments

Comment on 70 MPG Bionic Car! by: TomMoss

Wed, 21 May 2008 03:43:56 +0000

The smart car was reported to get 70 mpg and now that it’s available
for puchase it gets 41 what is that about?

Comment on Quick Fuel Economy Tip For Pickup Trucks by: Stephen

Tue, 06 May 2008 01:39:09 +0000

I want to know how the aerodynamics of a truck are effected by air flow under the truck instead of over. Does the “air dam” help or hinder the fuel economy? I know the reasoning behind most air dams is to redirect air up to the radiator to help cool the motor. But is it killing gas mileage at the same time and are some of the air dams just there?

Comment on A Booming Car Could Be Busting Gas Mileage! by: Da Smurfer

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 13:09:04 +0000

basically if you use 5,000 watts to pump a system that drain comes straight from the fuel tank, as Mark said. As the load on an alternator increases it gets harder to turn and that resistance to the engine takes off horsepower 746 watts equals 1 horsepower a 5,000 watt drain would equal 6.7 horsepower but the typical alternator is only 65% efficient so the actual toll from said 5k system (which would be continuous and LOUD) would be 11 horsepower . you do the math on what your car takes to fun your stereo and you find that its not that much until you get into the competition range.

Comment on Quick Fuel Economy Tip For Pickup Trucks by: Stephen Hall

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:56:19 +0000

The “pillow” effect was demonstrated on Mythbusters some time ago. I don’t remember which episode, but they did a water tank test on a model that showed the ball of air in the bed quite well.

Comment on Quick Fuel Economy Tip For Pickup Trucks by: me

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 01:02:30 +0000

Has anyone thought about tool boxes?
Does having one disrupt this “wind pillow” created in the bed of the pick up?
How much?
Is it better?
Long bed, short bed, or side step bed?
which is better?
which is worse?

Comment on A Booming Car Could Be Busting Gas Mileage! by: ben

Tue, 12 Feb 2008 02:20:43 +0000

i know for a fact that it drains power. on my 04 dodge stratus 2.7l v6, it gets 24 in the city. when i decide every once in a while to hook up my pos and my ground to my 760 watt pioneer and subs to enjoy a lot of bass, im also killing power and losing gas mileage. my second and third gear drag like none other and my gas mileage drops down to about 17.8 miles a gallon. HAVING A LEAD FOOT ISN’T A GAS GUZZLER, BUT HAVING A NICE SYSTEM IS.

Comment on Quick Fuel Economy Tip For Pickup Trucks by: Dwight

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:50:02 +0000

The TV show “myth busters” busted this one. The test they did show no improvement with the tail gate down.

Comment on A Booming Car Could Be Busting Gas Mileage! by: James Allen

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:41:41 +0000

I agree with the last post. Someone’s statements are breaking the first law of thermodynamics. Since the only energy contained in the sound system is in the capacitors that dissipate quickly once shut off, one can only conclude that the energy the system converts to sound must come from the car’s alternator. The load of the alternator on the car will vary with the system’s requirements.

An interesting way to view this is by assuming that each drop of gasoline will produce a certain amount of energy. That energy is divided among the car’s various systems including moving forward, AC, lights and stereo to name a few. If the stereo is shut off, less energy, and hence, less gas is required to operate the remaining systems.

Hope I didn’t confuse anyone…

Cheers.

Comment on The High Mileage Secret Nobody Talks About by: Myke McCoy

Sat, 29 Dec 2007 15:58:44 +0000

I had owned a F250 diesel for 5 years & in the fl.keys after several hurricanes a few years ago & having trouble getting fuel after one of the storms. We started out using one of my tanks with a 50/50 mixture but very shortly switch over to 100% vegie oil from one of the recycle fry oil tanks outside of a near by restaurant . for several years I was able to run my truck for free other than a few motor oil changes. I didn’t change a thing about my stock truck 1989 F 250 diesel. but did notice after a year or so I began leaking from the fuel line hoes in several spots. When I sold my truck about a year ago I had ran it for about 3 years. my mileage would have been about 10-14 MPG of 100% used vegie oil . & other than insurance & regaurlar motor oil changes & tires I drove 50,000 for free.

Comment on 70 MPG Bionic Car! by: A

Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:58:52 +0000

How funny. *These* studies really “analyze” how boxfish swim. How interesting that Mercedes claims it came up with the results on their own when biologists spent years and lots of money, sweat, and tears doing this years earlier. This in a time where research funds are limited, and Mercedes takes all the credit.

Bartol, I.K., Gharib, M., Webb, P.W., Weihs, D. & Gordon, M.S. 2005
Body-induced vortical flows: a common mechanism for self-corrective trimming control in boxfishes. J Exp Biol 208, 327-344.

Bartol, I.K., Gharib, M., Weihs, D., Webb, P.W., Hove, J.R. & Gor- don, M.S. 2003 Hydrodynamic stability of swimming in ostraciid fishes: role of the carapace in the smooth trunkfish Lactophrys triqueter (Teleostei: Ostraciidae). J Exp Biol 206, 725-744.

Bartol, I.K., Gordon, M.S., Gharib, M., Hove, J.R., Webb, P.W. & Weihs, D. 2002 Flow patterns around the carapaces of rigid-bodied, multi-propulsor boxfishes (Teleostei: Ostraciidae). Integ Comp Biol 42, 971-980.

Gordon, M.S., Hove, J.R., Webb, P.W. & Weihs, D. 2000 Boxfishes as
unusually well-controlled autonomous underwater vehicles. Physiol and Biochem 1197 Zool 73(6), 663-671.

Hove, J.R., O’Bryan, L.M., Gordon, M.S., Webb, P.W. & Weihs, D. 2001 Boxfishes (Teleostei: Ostraciidae) as a model system for fishes swimming with many fins: kinematics. J Exp Biol 204, 1459-1471.