mileage tips
http://www.exstrom.com/mpg.html
Frequently Asked Questions
1.
Does 10% ethanol lower your gas mileage?
Yes, it does. Gasohol (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline) is 3.2% lower in energy content than gasoline, so it will also lower your mpg by 3.2%.
2.
Does increasing your tire pressure (psi) increase your mpg?
Yes, it does. For every 2 psi that your tires are underinflated, your mpg decreases by 1%.
3.
If I switch from 10W-40 oil to 5W-30 will my mpg increase?
Yes, it will. 5W-30 is less viscous, resulting in less friction, which increases your mpg. Make sure your owners manual allows 5W-30.
4.
Will using a vacuum gauge increase my gas mileage?
Yes, it can. Using a vacuum gauge, you can increase your gas mileage by as much as 24%. You save gas by accelerating in a way that keeps the gauge pressure as high and as steady as possible.
5.
Are there auto parts that can increase my gas mileage?
Yes, there are. Radial tires, a block heater, a vacuum gauge, a miles per gallon meter, a preheater hose that is not ruptured, clean spark plugs, a clean air filter, and a working oxygen sensor, can all increase your mpg.
6.
Can a bad oxygen (O2) sensor lower my gas mileage?
Yes, replacing a bad oxygen sensor can improve your mileage by 40%.
7.
How can I get the best gas mileage with my carburetor?
Occassionally clean it with some carburetor cleaner, put a carburetor cleaning fuel additive in your tank every time you change the oil, and replace your air filter every six months.
8.
What are the best parts to replace to increase miles per gallon?
Spark plugs, oil, distributor, pcv valve, air cleaner, oxygen sensor, missing preheater hose.
9.
Can running out of gas damage the car and lower gas mileage?
It can't permanently damage the engine, but if you run out of gas, any water that was in your tank might get into the carburetor and make your engine run badly and lower your mpg.
10.
Could my carburetor be wasting gas?
Yes, if it's gummed up. Spray some carburetor cleaner inside, around the ports. Spray some outside around the linkages too, so they don't get stuck.
11.
Can a miles per gallon meter help to increase my gas mileage?
Yes, it makes you aware of how your driving affects your mpg, and helps to change bad driving habits, like excessive acceleration at a green light.
12.
Does a clean car give you better gas mileage?
A little dust on the car would not have any measurable effect on the mpg, but if there are sizable clumps of dirt on your car that significantly alters the air flow along its surface, then it would reduce your gas mileage.
13.
Does cold weather affect gas mileage?
Yes it does. It makes it worse. It increases the fuel/air mixture in the carburetor, it increases the friction in the engine, and lowers the pressure of the tires.
14.
Does lower octane reduce gas mileage?
Yes it can. If you use gas whose octane is too low for your engine, the gas will explode prematurely in the cylinders, and will produce knocking. Engine knocking lowers your mpg.
15.
Does running the heater reduce mpg?
No it does not. Your engine is already producing heat. All the heater does is blow the hot air from the engine into the passenger compartment.
16.
Does synthetic oil provide better gas mileage?
Yes it does. You can also use conventional oil with additives. This costs about 1/2 as much as synthetic oil and performs about the same.
17.
Does the weight of a car affect how much gas it uses?
Yes. Extra weight in your car burns more gas. Removing 100 pounds from your car can boost your mpg by 2%. This provides yet another reason to lose some weight.
18.
Do platinum spark plugs boost gas mileage?
No. Platinum is used to extend the life of the spark plugs, since the platinum reduces the rate of corrosion. They perform no better than conventional plugs, but perform longer.
19.
What effect does wind drag have on gas mileage?
Wind drag only has a measureable effect on gas mileage at speeds above 45 mph. At speeds above 50, your mpg is reduced as a divisor of the cube of the velocity.
20.
What are the factors that influence gas mileage?
Some factors are: temperature, speed, tire pressure, oxygen sensor, clogged carburetor, traffic stops, extra weight, and acceleration.
21.
Can gas tablets or other fuel additives increase my mpg?
The EPA has tested at least 100 of these so called "gas savers" and of the few that increase your mpg, they do so only marginally. As far as we know, gas tablets are only good for eliminating flatulence.
22.
Can a low engine oil level reduce my gas mileage?
Yes it will. A low oil level increases engine friction, and so reduces gas mileage.
23.
Does gas mileage go down in winter?
Yes it does. Cold oil, cold tires, and cold air in the carburetor, all reduce gas mileage.
24.
How does driving on the highway, or idling in city traffic affect gas mileage?
Both driving above 50 mph, and stop-n-go city traffic, reduce gas mileage. The best gas mileage is at a constant 35-45 mph.
25.
Which gets better gas mileage, standard or automatic transmission?
A standard transmission gets better gas mileage. Automatic transmissions couple the engine to the wheels by way of a fluid, whereas standard, couples the two directly.
26.
Does a loaded pickup get lower gas mileage?
Yes. Every 100 pounds of load reduces your mpg by 2%.
http://www.exstrom.com/mpg.html
Frequently Asked Questions
1.
Does 10% ethanol lower your gas mileage?
Yes, it does. Gasohol (10% ethanol, 90% gasoline) is 3.2% lower in energy content than gasoline, so it will also lower your mpg by 3.2%.
2.
Does increasing your tire pressure (psi) increase your mpg?
Yes, it does. For every 2 psi that your tires are underinflated, your mpg decreases by 1%.
3.
If I switch from 10W-40 oil to 5W-30 will my mpg increase?
Yes, it will. 5W-30 is less viscous, resulting in less friction, which increases your mpg. Make sure your owners manual allows 5W-30.
4.
Will using a vacuum gauge increase my gas mileage?
Yes, it can. Using a vacuum gauge, you can increase your gas mileage by as much as 24%. You save gas by accelerating in a way that keeps the gauge pressure as high and as steady as possible.
5.
Are there auto parts that can increase my gas mileage?
Yes, there are. Radial tires, a block heater, a vacuum gauge, a miles per gallon meter, a preheater hose that is not ruptured, clean spark plugs, a clean air filter, and a working oxygen sensor, can all increase your mpg.
6.
Can a bad oxygen (O2) sensor lower my gas mileage?
Yes, replacing a bad oxygen sensor can improve your mileage by 40%.
7.
How can I get the best gas mileage with my carburetor?
Occassionally clean it with some carburetor cleaner, put a carburetor cleaning fuel additive in your tank every time you change the oil, and replace your air filter every six months.
8.
What are the best parts to replace to increase miles per gallon?
Spark plugs, oil, distributor, pcv valve, air cleaner, oxygen sensor, missing preheater hose.
9.
Can running out of gas damage the car and lower gas mileage?
It can't permanently damage the engine, but if you run out of gas, any water that was in your tank might get into the carburetor and make your engine run badly and lower your mpg.
10.
Could my carburetor be wasting gas?
Yes, if it's gummed up. Spray some carburetor cleaner inside, around the ports. Spray some outside around the linkages too, so they don't get stuck.
11.
Can a miles per gallon meter help to increase my gas mileage?
Yes, it makes you aware of how your driving affects your mpg, and helps to change bad driving habits, like excessive acceleration at a green light.
12.
Does a clean car give you better gas mileage?
A little dust on the car would not have any measurable effect on the mpg, but if there are sizable clumps of dirt on your car that significantly alters the air flow along its surface, then it would reduce your gas mileage.
13.
Does cold weather affect gas mileage?
Yes it does. It makes it worse. It increases the fuel/air mixture in the carburetor, it increases the friction in the engine, and lowers the pressure of the tires.
14.
Does lower octane reduce gas mileage?
Yes it can. If you use gas whose octane is too low for your engine, the gas will explode prematurely in the cylinders, and will produce knocking. Engine knocking lowers your mpg.
15.
Does running the heater reduce mpg?
No it does not. Your engine is already producing heat. All the heater does is blow the hot air from the engine into the passenger compartment.
16.
Does synthetic oil provide better gas mileage?
Yes it does. You can also use conventional oil with additives. This costs about 1/2 as much as synthetic oil and performs about the same.
17.
Does the weight of a car affect how much gas it uses?
Yes. Extra weight in your car burns more gas. Removing 100 pounds from your car can boost your mpg by 2%. This provides yet another reason to lose some weight.
18.
Do platinum spark plugs boost gas mileage?
No. Platinum is used to extend the life of the spark plugs, since the platinum reduces the rate of corrosion. They perform no better than conventional plugs, but perform longer.
19.
What effect does wind drag have on gas mileage?
Wind drag only has a measureable effect on gas mileage at speeds above 45 mph. At speeds above 50, your mpg is reduced as a divisor of the cube of the velocity.
20.
What are the factors that influence gas mileage?
Some factors are: temperature, speed, tire pressure, oxygen sensor, clogged carburetor, traffic stops, extra weight, and acceleration.
21.
Can gas tablets or other fuel additives increase my mpg?
The EPA has tested at least 100 of these so called "gas savers" and of the few that increase your mpg, they do so only marginally. As far as we know, gas tablets are only good for eliminating flatulence.
22.
Can a low engine oil level reduce my gas mileage?
Yes it will. A low oil level increases engine friction, and so reduces gas mileage.
23.
Does gas mileage go down in winter?
Yes it does. Cold oil, cold tires, and cold air in the carburetor, all reduce gas mileage.
24.
How does driving on the highway, or idling in city traffic affect gas mileage?
Both driving above 50 mph, and stop-n-go city traffic, reduce gas mileage. The best gas mileage is at a constant 35-45 mph.
25.
Which gets better gas mileage, standard or automatic transmission?
A standard transmission gets better gas mileage. Automatic transmissions couple the engine to the wheels by way of a fluid, whereas standard, couples the two directly.
26.
Does a loaded pickup get lower gas mileage?
Yes. Every 100 pounds of load reduces your mpg by 2%.