Tips to improves gas mileage-performance

Time to pick your brains for simple ways to improve 1, gas mileage, and 2, performance if possible..

96 blazer 4.3 vortec.. Installed a k&n air filter, and a higher flow muffler... what else can be done when gas is $2.12 a gallon and getting worse?

Time to pick your brains for simple ways to improve 1, gas mileage, and 2, performance if possible..

96 blazer 4.3 vortec.. Installed a k&n air filter, and a higher flow muffler... what else can be done when gas is $2.12 a gallon and getting worse?


Here is a list, thanks to
http://californiagasprices.com/


1. Avoid High Speeds!! As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62 mph (100 km/h) vs 75 mph (120 km/h) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

2. Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard!! By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.

3. Keep Tires Properly Inflated!! Keep tire air pressure at the level recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. A single tire under inflated by 2 PSI, increases fuel consumption by 1%.

4. Use A/C Sparingly!! When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.

5. Keep Windows Closed!! Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%.

6. Service Vehicle Regularly!! Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.

7. Use Cruise Control!! Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas.

8. Avoid Heavy Loads!! Remove the sand bags from your trunk in the spring and pack lightly for long trips.

9. Avoid Long Idles!! If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.

10. Purchase a Fuel Efficient Vehicle!! When buying a new vehicle examine the vehicle's rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission will provide you with great fuel economy.






I would also add in to buy a fuel injector cleaner, to clean the fuel injectors, and keep them in tip top shape, also, keeping the air filters clean improves your gas mileage. I usually blow mine out once a week with my air compressor, and change it every 2 months. :2cents:

In a Blazer, these prove to help:

K&N Filter
Performance Muffler
Synthetic Lubricants in your engine, tranny, transfer case and both differentials.

Looking at my air cleaner, the air intake is pressed just about right up against the back of my headlight, and its quite smaller than the rest of the intake system. This flared end is riveted on... would removing this help at all? Or is the flared end on there to keep rodents from climbing in, and so it doesnt whistle at high engine speeds?

You sure yours isn't a 1995?

POSITIVE :)


You sure yours isn't a 1995?

BuMp

You can cut the opening up more for more airflow.

S10 owners call it the intake box mod.

Consider it a poor mans intake tweaking.

increased airflow is good for performance but bad for economy. If you add more air to the system the MAF is going to compensate and add more fuel to keep the air/fuel ratio in spec.

Usually the only mod that ever increases power and efficiency at the same time is something that reduces friction. Motor oil and tires are the two biggest factors.

less engine friction and less rolling resistance. Smaller tires have less rolling resistance than big meats.

Increasing air flow ability in the intake will not affect fuel economy.

The engine will only suck in so much air. Opening up an intake does not force more air into the engine. The engine only draws in what it needs and no more.

Opening it up for better airflow just allows the engine to get the air it is asking for.

The one thing that people don't understand is that an engine is just a glorified air pump.

You first need to free up the exhaust before you actually tackle the intake.

New performance muffler, and then intake.

You know Blazer LT, we finally agree on something! What ever it eats, it gots to s@@t.

You know, like minds always butt heads. ;)

Increasing airflow in the intake portion of the truck will increase power if there is room in the exhaust portion of the 'pump' to expel that added air. In the case of the Blazer, there is.

I put a home made cold air system on my Blazer and three things happened:
1) mpg dropped (more air drawn in = more fuel added)
2) exhaust note changed (deeper)
3) performance went up ever so slightly

You want more power out of a blazer...... put a supercharger on it :-)
You want better economy out of a blazer....... don't drive it.

Increasing airflow in the intake portion of the truck will increase power if there is room in the exhaust portion of the 'pump' to expel that added air. In the case of the Blazer, there is.

I put a home made cold air system on my Blazer and three things happened:
1) mpg dropped (more air drawn in = more fuel added)
2) exhaust note changed (deeper)
3) performance went up ever so slightly

You want more power out of a blazer...... put a supercharger on it :-)
You want better economy out of a blazer....... don't drive it.

Again, putting an intake on an engine does not force more air into the engine. It only takes away the inefficient restrictions that are not allowing the engine to get the air that it is trying to intake.

I put a cold air intake on my 1995 Blazer and it actually gained 2mpg on the same driving route, temperature.

Why? Because of a small horsepower increase from engine running more efficient and getting the air it needed.

If you notice a mileage drop, you should look at other problems like a buggy MAF sensor etc....

"Again, putting an intake on an engine does not force more air into the engine."

Not sure why you keep saying this as nobody is debating the point. I never said it does. I am more into turbos than NA engines so your news is certainly not new to me.

The point I am trying to make is that if you increase airflow into the engine and make no other changes (like reprogramming the chip) the ECM is going to increase fuel flow to keep the A/F ratio constant. That is why you do not see mpg increases if you free up the restricions in the air intake. I have put 5 K&N filters on vehicles in the past 6 years and none of them saw an increase in MPG, only power.

Those so-called milleage miracle devices like the tornado work (slightly) because they introduce a blockage into the air track thus making the ECM pull fuel out. Wala.... better mpg but power drops.