GAS Mileage - how to make it better.

[BlenderWizard]

Originally Posted by White Lightening

Greetings Blender,

I think you misunderstand my point. The point is that stopping to buy 2 gallons of gas is not efficient. If you like stopping for some other reason - then maybe that makes sense - but the idea of MPG is all about being efficient. Stopping or not stopping for gas - on its own - is no big deal - but it is a symptom of a bigger issue. Let me give you an example. A friend of mine was crabbing about his cost of gas for his vehicle - his mileage was bad - the expense was higher - yadda yadda yadda. So then we needed to go somewhere and I road with him. He stops for pop - leaves the truck running and goes inside. He stops at a friends house - gets out and leaves the truck run - for 15 minutes. We made 5 stops - HE NEVER shut the truck off even though it sat and idled I bet 45 minutes total.

Now he couldn't understand how that would be so bad for his mileage. I made him shut the truck off when he went to get gas. No - he didn't drive the truck hard - but he idled it hard - kept the air running the whole time - and doubtless wasted a couple gallons of gas in the process too. If thats what he wants to do - thats fine - but then he should crab about his gas mileage and gas costs either.

I don't think 14.5 mpg in city driving is bad at all for you - but if you think it isn't good - then cutting down on any inefficient activities will likely increase your result also. By the way - what do you do on the highway?

<sigh> I wish more of my miles were highway, but I RARELY have occasion to get on the interstate. Maybe your friend is used to driving a diesel? I think it's supposed to be easier on the engine by just letting it idle instead of off and on.

[KylePBZ]

Originally Posted by BlenderWizard

Man, I wish someone would close the poll or something; I'm tired of this thread popping up showing it has new replies only to find that it is just someone else who voted

Unsubscribe.

[BlenderWizard]

Originally Posted by KylePBZ

Unsubscribe.

Ummm... yeah. I'm not subscribed, but every time you log in, the thread goes straight to the top nd shows it has new posts if someone votes.

[KylePBZ]

Right on! lol

[White Lightening]

Greetings Fellow Truck Owners,

The real goal and purpose for most of us to be reading and spending time on this A.F. is to learn new things or better understand what we already know. While every week I learn at least one thing new reading other people posts in the many threads here - today was one of those special gems.

I linked below to differnt type of GM forum where a senior engineer who works for GM's lubrication division discusses the reasons and technology used in the GM Oil monitor that we all may take for granted. The link will take you to a summary post of his - but then I continued reading the followup posts for several dozen posts.

He isn't talking theoretical - or opinion - but rather - he deals with the actual testing and performance results from their continuous testing and R & D activity.

In these posts was discussed using petroleum based oils versus synthetic - and how the GM Oil monitor handles each of them - for EACH SEPERATE vehicle. If you're an AMSOL fan - you may be very interested. It also supports my theory that using blanket mileage measurements to change oil is not a reasonable method. The post also discusses the reason why GM specs 5w/30 oil for both cold and hot geography regions alike - and how it improves fuel economy over using 10w/30 etc..

I learned alot that verified many things I currently do with my truck and did in past decades too - maybe some of you will learn something too. And here I thought the GM oil monitor was like the ones Ford had - what a surprise for a former Ford guy

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/...1;t=010523;p=0

[BlenderWizard]

Originally Posted by White Lightening

Greetings Fellow Truck Owners,

The real goal and purpose for most of us to be reading and spending time on this A.F. is to learn new things or better understand what we already know. While every week I learn at least one thing new reading other people posts in the many threads here - today was one of those special gems.

I linked below to differnt type of GM forum where a senior engineer who works for GM's lubrication division discusses the reasons and technology used in the GM Oil monitor that we all may take for granted. The link will take you to a summary post of his - but then I continued reading the followup posts for several dozen posts.

He isn't talking theoretical - or opinion - but rather - he deals with the actual testing and performance results from their continuous testing and R & D activity.

In these posts was discussed using petroleum based oils versus synthetic - and how the GM Oil monitor handles each of them - for EACH SEPERATE vehicle. If you're an AMSOL fan - you may be very interested. It also supports my theory that using blanket mileage measurements to change oil is not a reasonable method. The post also discusses the reason why GM specs 5w/30 oil for both cold and hot geography regions alike - and how it improves fuel economy over using 10w/30 etc..

I learned alot that verified many things I currently do with my truck and did in past decades too - maybe some of you will learn something too. And here I thought the GM oil monitor was like the ones Ford had - what a surprise for a former Ford guy

http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/...1;t=010523;p=0

I was a good article, but the one thing I wish he would have touched on is the "varnishing" or "deposit build up" in engines with synthetic vs. conventional oils. That was a big reason I switched over to Royal Purple... I used to use a can of motor flush at every oil change in my Honda, but this was before I knew the benefits of synthetic

[White Lightening]

Originally Posted by BlenderWizard

I was a good article, but the one thing I wish he would have touched on is the "varnishing" or "deposit build up" in engines with synthetic vs. conventional oils. That was a big reason I switched over to Royal Purple... I used to use a can of motor flush at every oil change in my Honda, but this was before I knew the benefits of synthetic

About once every 3 or 4 oil changes I do use Motor Flush. Though I'm sure Royal Purple is a fine product - I still like the idea of removing dirt and contaminants from the engine system every 3000 miles or so. By changing oil and oil filter when the oil monitor indicates (or 3000 miles) - it seems that one rids the system. With synthetic - you keep dirt and contaminats in the system for thousands of miles longer. Even if you change the filter and keep the same fluid - those 6 quarts of fluid still carry dirt and contaminents in them even though lubrication continues.

White Lightening

[BlenderWizard]

Originally Posted by White Lightening

About once every 3 or 4 oil changes I do use Motor Flush. Though I'm sure Royal Purple is a fine product - I still like the idea of removing dirt and contaminants from the engine system every 3000 miles or so. By changing oil and oil filter when the oil monitor indicates (or 3000 miles) - it seems that one rids the system. With synthetic - you keep dirt and contaminats in the system for thousands of miles longer. Even if you change the filter and keep the same fluid - those 6 quarts of fluid still carry dirt and contaminents in them even though lubrication continues.

White Lightening

Nah, with synthetics, you're supposed to change the filter every ~3,000 miles. The synthetic oils have a certain detergent quality, and, if you keep your filters changed, will purge your engine of build ups

[jlsutter]

Help!!

We have an 2002 2500 HD gas V8 that was getting 12-13 mpg on the highway. My husband went up a size in tire and now we are only getting about 9 mpg. What is the best way to improve this? Besides throwing the larger tires in a ditch!

THANKS!!

Our GM dealer was wanting us to bring the truck in to "reset" the computer. But the more my hubby talked to him, he kept trying to "sell" him on other things. What do you think? Should we bother?

[White Lightening]

Originally Posted by jlsutter

Help!!
We have an 2002 2500 HD gas V8 that was getting 12-13 mpg on the highway. My husband went up a size in tire and now we are only getting about 9 mpg. What is the best way to improve this? Besides throwing the larger tires in a ditch!
Our GM dealer was wanting us to bring the truck in to "reset" the computer. But the more my hubby talked to him, he kept trying to "sell" him on other things. What do you think? Should we bother?

Boy oh boy - going from 12 or 13 to 9 would sure be a big change caused only by switching one size up on tires. I'm suspicious because 1 size larger for highway driving should actually increase mileage I would think - but could hurt city driving mileage. The dealer reset sounds like they thought the speedometer/odometer was NOT properly measuring speed, distance, and MPG. Lets assume that is possible. That would mean you're actually driving faster than you think - which could effect mileage some - and it would mean you're going further than your truck "thinks you are" - which would also give you wrong MPG info.

Others here on this forum are alot sharper on this type of thing than I am - but it seems hard to imagine a single tire size increase could do that much difference. Maybe those tires are actually more than a single size bigger - or he changed rims too. A reset/recalibration of the speedometer/odometer shouldn't cost much I wouldn't think.

White Lightening

[kenwood guy]

I got a question is it possable to get over 25 miles to the gallon I saw some votes on that and up city driving????

and one more thing I found this thread on a guy using acetone and it helps his mpg by up to 50% I think you guys should check this out http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...ght=gas+milage

[BlenderWizard]

De-screening your MAF is not good, and all the mileages on this page are highway, read the poll. You need to buy something by Monday

[wbs97gp]

jlsutter,

I think that what the dealer wants to do is to reprogram the computer, so that it matches the tire size.

If you installed a larger tire, bigger in diameter, it will make your speedometer read slow, and it will register fewer miles that you actually drove, also equating to a higher consumption.
So go to the dealer and have them reprogram the computer to match your tire size, and then do your mileage check, I think that you will se some improvement.
I don't know how your truck is geared, but I'm assume that it is set up for heave hauling/towing so it would be geared accordingly.

Good luck

Wlater_b

[98vert6spd]

id like to hear more about the propan idea

how much did that cost to set up?

[White Lightening]

Originally Posted by 98vert6spd

id like to hear more about the propan idea
how much did that cost to set up?

Greetings 98,

Propane is not numerous pitfalls. Propane users typically are fleets and have someconnection or easy access to propane stations (as a result utilities in some states use propane as a duel use vehicle fuel). And to justify the considerable costs of installing propane - it requires tax credits (again why fleets use them). Then you have to add in the considerable extra space that propane requires for the tank etc. which comes out of your bed - and you have to add in a hefty surcharge for most insurance companies to cover a propane equipped vehicle.

Who benefits the most from such a dual fuel use? High mileage drivers that move in a 75 mile radiius of their base and are part of a utility fleet (gas, water, and power utilities or city/county government vehicles). Remember - its only good if you can find a fueling station - and there aren't many that are not direct owned for their exclusive fleet use only.

White Lightening