sad-lumina-owner

It seems that these sparkplugs will ignite the gas sooner, and the claim is that the fuel is cleaner burning, more powerful, less pollution.

http://www.haloplug.com/

But could I achieve the same results by just advancing the timing 10 degrees?

And what is the danger of messing with the timing?

What will the ECM do?

I have a /94 lumina 3.4L dohc engine. Can I really improve my mileage further?

Forscythe87

I recently did some research on gas saving methods for my blog.

I came across several devices including more advanced spark plugs. All my research (mainly online articles and worth of mouth) pretty much put the plugs in the bucket.

The expense of buying those plugs is better spent buying gas.


Your best bet for saving gas is a regular tuneup and learning to hypermile. Its hard to drive slower but it saved me a quarter of a tank my last trip (1 way!).

I saved about $35 in gas just by slowing down to the speed limit.

__________________
1998 Chevy Lumina LS 3.1L 126K Miles

sad-lumina-owner

Can you explain why at least? or give some actual results of your research?



Obviously, if the plugs save more than $60 worth of gas, the opposite will be true.


Anyone who DOESN"T do all this doesn't care about saving gas.

As the 'rich man' said to Jesus, "I've done ALL those things since time immemorial. I need to SAVE MORE GAS."

Lets not fool around.

I'm going to install an HHO generator on this car, because I am simply unwilling and unable to pay $4/gallon for gas. That price is bullshit, and totally artificial anyway.

Frankly, I'd rather spend $100 on a handgun and shoot an oil executive, than pay $4/gallon for gas.

So lets talk what is practical: ALTERNATIVE FUELS.

I'll be burning anything and everything that costs less than gasoline in this car, including hydrogen, propane, and homemade deisel if need be.

And even if I only 'break even', I'll be ahead, because I avoided giving my money to crooks.

4x4 blazerguy

As a retired mechanic I have never seen any gadget or spark plug etc. that improves mileage enough to even pay for themselves. I agree with the person above that talked about keeping your car tuned & serviced. I run max air in radial tires & slow down. My 93 Lumina 3.1 gets up to 30 MPG @ 65 MPH, @ 75 MPH it drops to 26 MPG. This Lumina has 245,000 miles on it.

sad-lumina-owner

Well, I won't turn down the advice of a good mechanic, without hearing him out (I've been fleeced by enough mechanics to stay wary, naturally.)

So I am interested in just what the maximum inflation is for a lumina with good tires, ...38psi? 40? 45? 50?

Because I don't care if the ride is as hard as a rock if I can get more mpg out of this thing.

And while we're at it, what is the maximum load I can put in a /94 lumina? (excluding the driver)?

Blue Bowtie

Maximum pressure has nothing whatsoever to do with the vehicle. It is determined by the construction of the tire. Many tires have a maximum cold inflation of 35 PSIG because they cannot safely tolerate any more internal pressure. 4 of mt 7 vehicles have tires which permit 44 PSIG (3 BAR) inflation because they use 6 ply carcasses and are made to withstand the pressure. Obviously, the rolling resistance is slightly lower at higher inflation. There are other factors affecting rolling resistance, but inflation is very important.

Tires with a single ply sidewall construction are cheaper, but also tend to have higher rolling resistance.

The maximum GVWP is indicated on a label affixed to the LF door pillar, glove box door, or some other conspicuous place. The weight rating is indicated in total load, passengers included, so you'll have to do the math.

As long as we are on the topic, I have recently heard tire shops advertising that "filling your tires with nitrogen can save fuel." That is a completely misleading claim, based upon junk science and praying upon the unsuspecting. You could fill your tires with hydrogen and it wouldn't make a difference. The key is that the tires are at the proper inflation, regardless of what is used to inflate them. That said, nitrogen DOES have some benefits, however. Most importantly, pure nitrogen will help preserve the tire carcass slightly over time. However, most drivers will wear out their treads before rotting out the carcasses from inside. Also, pure nitrogen can have a slightly lower tendency to change pressure with temperature changes compared to atmospheric air, but only slightly (Boyle's Law is still in effect here). I believe that is the basis of the advertising claims. However, you can do just as well by checking your tire pressures periodically, just like the owner's manual stipulates.

Personally, I'm using a partial mix for inflating tires, with about 78% nitrogen.

__________________
Permanent seat assignment on the Group W bench...
Automotive Forums Survival Guide