TFA: pour in an allegedly gas-saving additive

I've never heard of such a thing, but it doesn't surprise me in the least that people buy and use it. Hell, I wish I'd thought of such a magnificent scheme.

well, three and six are probably crap, but the rest, eh, they might be useful.

So if there really was an additive that made gas burn up more slowly, it wouldn't be sold over the Internet one bottle at a time.

Hm. You know, if there was an additive that made gas burn up more slowly, I have a feeling that this is *exactly* how it would be sold.

There's a list of fuel saving tips that has been circulating since the 1970s. You can recognize it by the phrases "jackrabbit starts" and "tuneups." Jackrabbit start is what some writer of the era thought would stick in people's heads, and he was right. But that's not such an issue with today's cars and their computer controlled fuel injection systems that are no longer optimized just for steady cruise. Which brings me to the second phrase: a tuneup was something you did to your carburetur, distributor, and related gadgets to make sure these mechanical components were in spec. Carburetors were outlawed almost 20 years ago because they were too hard to keep in spec and tended to cause pollution. New cars have computer controlled fuel injection which makes sure you don't spray unburned gas out your exhaust under wide open throttle and stuff like that. And they don't need regular mechanical adjustments to ensure the engine runs well.

I've never heard of having a clean air filter as being a bad idea, when it comes to gas milage, or complete combustion.

They're actually suggesting that having clogged filters makes no difference in efficiency?

WTF? Are people really that stupid?

CNN IS DEAD TO ME.

They're actually suggesting that having clogged filters makes no difference in efficiency?

More likely, the usual inspection schedule for an air filter is much, much shorter than the time it takes for the average air filter to get clogged enough to affect efficiency. The filter is one of those items that service stations will check occasionally to see if they can sell you a new one, and if it doesn't get replaced on spec it's part of scheduled maintenance. Very few drivers are towing trailers behind a convoy of trucks on a dirt road, which is probably the workload the scheduled interval was designed for.

Everyone should do what I did. Back in November, I got a transfer/promotion at work which not only resulted in a pay raise, but my daily round trip commute went from almost 80 miles each day to just under 3 miles a day. Rising gas prices have had no impact on my household whatsoever.

CheddarPants: but my daily round trip commute went from almost 80 miles each day to just under 3 miles a day. Rising gas prices have had no impact on my household whatsoever.

must be nice. My commute is currently about 8 miles round trip, and rising gas prices still suck for my household.

CheddarPants: Everyone should do what I did. Back in November, I got a transfer/promotion at work which not only resulted in a pay raise, but my daily round trip commute went from almost 80 miles each day to just under 3 miles a day. Rising gas prices have had no impact on my household whatsoever.

Really? Your family only eats food that you've raised/hunted yourself? That's pretty awesome.

Starting a land war in the Middle East surprisingly absent from the list

DRIVE WITH YOUR TAILGATE DOWN!!
COAST TO STOP LIGHTS!!
ACCELERATE SLOWLY!!
YOU'LL SAVE A MILE PER GALLON!!


Oh shut the hell up. Jesus.

an additive that made gas burn up more slowly

It's called water.

My country occupied this oil-rich nation and all I got were these 6 worthless tips from CNN.

Acetone.

/Thats what the internets say.

What a dumb list.

I just roll through stop signs, my fuel efficiency has gone up about 1 mile per gallon.

therewasahue: Starting a land war in the Middle East surprisingly absent from the list

Not surprisingly, as that's not why we're over there.

Chach 2008-05-18 09:56:31 PM
therewasahue: Starting a land war in the Middle East surprisingly absent from the list

Not surprisingly, as that's not why we're over there.


Ah my bad. I forgot it was all about Iraqi freedom. Someday we'll get that Saddam...

Selector: DRIVE WITH YOUR TAILGATE DOWN!!

No.

put sugar in your gas tank

you'll never have to buy gas again!

Carjacking is always a great gas saver for me.

What???

Selector: DRIVE WITH YOUR TAILGATE DOWN!!
COAST TO STOP LIGHTS!!
ACCELERATE SLOWLY!!
YOU'LL SAVE A MILE PER GALLON!!


Oh shut the hell up. Jesus.

(1) I don't have a "tailgate" should I leave the hatchback up or down?
(2) coast? you mean I shouldn't keep it gear with the clutch engaged and the throttle open when I want to stop?
(3) speed up slowly...um...gotcha...

Best milage tips don't buy some kinda gas hog, drive as little as possible, repair your car when needed. Oh and motorcycles only save gas if you take a tourbus instead of 50 harleys.

Maybe it is a stupid list, but part of CNN's purpose is to help the stupid be slightly less stupid - maybe this article can do that.

They could have added a Myth #7 to the list, but I'm not sure you can help people who are that stupid.

Selector: DRIVE WITH YOUR TAILGATE DOWN!!
COAST TO STOP LIGHTS!!
ACCELERATE SLOWLY!!
YOU'LL SAVE A MILE PER GALLON!!


Oh shut the hell up. Jesus.

Actually the tailgate should be up for maximum aerodynamicity.

But you're still driving a 10mpg suck horse to inflate your e-penis, so it really doesn't matter either way.

you're already saving gas by wasting time on this thread instead of driving 30 minutes to see Speed Racer (and saving your mind)

Chach: therewasahue: Starting a land war in the Middle East surprisingly absent from the list

Not surprisingly, as that's not why we're over there.

It's true. We're there to stop Saddam Hussein and his Council of Islamic Evil from firing their nuclear smallpox bombs at us. Seeing as how we haven't suffered any nuclear smallpox attacks, I hereby declare this effort a success.

In light of the energy crisis, the Federal Government has instituted new regulations concerning traffic laws. In order to conserve gasoline (otherwise wasted by frequent stops and starts), they have created two different classes of stop signs: Mandatory, and stoptional. The ones with the white borders around red octagon are stoptional.

I think the air filter one is dead wrong. I get OBD-2 and all, and yes the fuel-air mixture will stay good, but if the engine has to work harder to pull air through a clogged air filter, well, doesn't take a physics major to see where I'm going with this, or does it?

Stay off the accelerator, I netted 2 mpg by doing so. Doing 5 over the limit helps, also.

I really like to go fast.

/90 miles round trip to classes and no job to speak of.

deevo: I just roll through stop signs, my fuel efficiency has gone up about 1 mile per gallon.

Yep - nothing is more of a waste of fuel than having to stop and restart. Of course, ya' gotta be careful because one ticket - or accident - could wipe out all those pennies you save with rolling stops.

IMO, cities should be required to use stop signs and lights sensibly. Last year, they replaced the 2-way stop signs at the end of my street with a four-way traffic light. Most of the time, I'm either stuck at a red light when traffic is clear and it turns green just as cross-traffic approaches. The other times, I'm racing at about twice the speed limit to make the light so I don't have to stop.

They should also be required to not do wasteful road construction. Since I moved to the little burg I live in now 2.5 years ago, there have been 3 re-pavings of a major thoroughfare that I have to drive on to get to work. Last year, they spent 5 months on the project and they haven't added a single lane.

Basically there has been month after month of screwing up traffic with no significant improvement - granted, there was a rough stretch in one of 4 lanes that lasted about 1/4 mile (out of about 5 that I drive each day) when I first moved here, but the first project took care of that.

And this city keeps complaining that they don't have any money - I'm convinced some politicians are either getting kick-backs from the construction companies or else simply own a majority share.

Cagey B 2008-05-18 10:04:51 PM
Chach: therewasahue: Starting a land war in the Middle East surprisingly absent from the list

Not surprisingly, as that's not why we're over there.

It's true. We're there to stop Saddam Hussein and his Council of Islamic Evil from firing their nuclear smallpox bombs at us. Seeing as how we haven't suffered any nuclear smallpox attacks, I hereby declare this effort a success.

Mission Accomplished?

thesubliminalman: Selector: DRIVE WITH YOUR TAILGATE DOWN!!
COAST TO STOP LIGHTS!!
ACCELERATE SLOWLY!!
YOU'LL SAVE A MILE PER GALLON!!


Oh shut the hell up. Jesus.

(1) I don't have a "tailgate" should I leave the hatchback up or down?
(2) coast? you mean I shouldn't keep it gear with the clutch engaged and the throttle open when I want to stop?
(3) speed up slowly...um...gotcha...

Best milage tips don't buy some kinda gas hog, drive as little as possible, repair your car when needed. Oh and motorcycles only save gas if you take a tourbus instead of 50 harleys.

1)that creates drag because usually there is a vortex circling in the truck and therefore the wind will just go over the bed instead of in it.
2) this doesn't do shiat. It's just that if you learn how to drive conservatively
3) yes, this slightly works but you have to do it everytime.
4) you'll save less if you rive a bigger ar

What someone should do is wax your damn car, drive 55 or 60 instead of 65 or 70. And make sure that your car is doing it's best and well maintained. i get about 36-37 in my saturn...and it's a 93...got 150k miles on it. It's all about reducing drag. I get about 3 or 4 MPG more when i wax it properly and the car has enough wax.

tfa: #3. Use premium fuel

With prices already over $4.00 a gallon, premium gasoline is a hard sell these days. But a lot of drivers think because their owners' manual recommends premium, they'll get better fuel economy with it. Really, they may be paying more money for nothing.


don't try that in my Audi A5... it will biatch at you thru the dash and run like shiat.

Siphoning gas tends to be a pretty good way of cutting back on fuel costs.

I wish I could use regular in my PT Crusier. Tried that once. Worked for the first tank, by the second tank power dropped and it ran like shiat. It cost me $150 to have the fuel system cleaned. Power went right back to normal.
Premium "recommended" is a crock. The car DEMANDS it.

Between that and the damn tires, dunno which is worse.

I thought the whole thing about filling up in the morning wasn't because the "molecules are denser" ... but because the afternoon heat caused more fumes to come from the gas, thus you were actually wasting more than you were getting inside the tank...

2008-05-18 10:07:50 PM
deevo: I just roll through stop signs, my fuel efficiency has gone up about 1 mile per gallon.

Just stop signs? I roll through traffic lights, police baracades, and pedestrians. It really helps my efficiency.

There's an energy crisis? *shrug*

/ bikes to work

About the gas additives....

I don't believe that any can add mileage, but what about the ones that clean the injectors and such, do those work.

I've tried a bottle or two of that stuff, can't say I noticed a difference, but then again, I did not expect one, I'm thinking that it might help clean the injectors and such in the long run and help the car run better.

I've seen the difference when I did get the injectors cleaned, would those bottles really help in between injector "real" cleanings?

What about those tune-ups/lube ones?

Anyone knows?

Wow. You all missed the sarcasm, didn't you??

Look carefully -- both ways -- and go through any red lights and stop signs you can get away with.

Here's a tip that works - siphon gas from neighbor's tank in middle of the night.

itdood: I think the air filter one is dead wrong. I get OBD-2 and all, and yes the fuel-air mixture will stay good, but if the engine has to work harder to pull air through a clogged air filter, well, doesn't take a physics major to see where I'm going with this, or does it?

stop trying to make sense.

i think people do these little things for their own peace of mind and the unwitting placebo effect. shoot, if it makes people feel better and that they're making a difference, quit being a pahty poopah, cnn.

/'02 cadi deville v8 32v, 24 miles each way to work. but i drive comfortably, not in a little econo-tin can.
//trying to get a job closer to home.
//charlotte fark party anyone?

wotnartd Stay off the accelerator, I netted 2 mpg by doing so. Doing 5 over the limit helps, also.

I really like to go fast.

/90 miles round trip to classes and no job to speak of.

I, too, have a 90-mile round trip to classes, though luckily, I get paid to do research for grad school. Slowing down and leaving WAY before rush hour (less stop/go) have increased my mpg and netted me a better parking spot on campus . . . though I'd much rather have the 3 or 8-miles commute some of you Farkers have been gloating about.

/Also commute 180 miles roundtrip to teach whiny vocational students about environmental science every Friday
//Required by my grant so I HAVE to do it
///Last Friday to teach is in 4 days. WHOO!

Assuming your car is well maintained and up to specs, you really can squeeze more MPG out of your car by driving smarter. Not alot mind you, but it's still higher efficiency.

-Any time you brake you lose mileage, as the work required to accelerate the car back up is much more than the work required to coast at a constant pace - which means being the tailgating asshat accelerating up to the next person to brake behind them until they move over, yeah, they're getting screwed on mileage.

-Know your car's gears, drive at the bottom of the gears, and you've improved your gas mileage. Pretty much as simple as that... going 80 is not the ideal efficient speed to coast at.

-Knowing the above, drafting while going an optimal speed (which is usually 60-70 highway - not hard to find a semi / truck doing that speed) dramatically increases gas mileage too. So not only are you travelling during your engines peak efficiency, but you negate a large portion of the resistance to the engine's work.

Drive smart, turn that 25mpg car into a 35 highway.

Oh, also, Apparently if I say Obama '08 all the worlds oil problems will go away. That's what they tell me.
/Obey.

Mythbusters proved that driving with the tailgate down actually decreases your MPG. with identical vehicles with the same measured gallons of gas.

I also heard that turning your vehicle off at red lights will save gas.

Converting over to LNG, any savings to be had?

If I had a diesel I would convert it to burn oil from restaurant deep fryers. I might get a project car and do just that one day soon if gas keep going up...save 150 a week / 7,800 a year in gas.

I was recently informed by my pastor that studies have proven that prayer increases gas mileage by approximately 12%. I've tried it and, sure enough, it works!

llamalord: I was recently informed by my pastor that studies have proven that prayer increases gas mileage by approximately 12%. I've tried it and, sure enough, it works!

douche.

When I get to my job I have to pretend I'm working so now I'll just sit in my car and pretend I'm driving to work.

Will I save more gas if I don't make the tire screeching noise when I pretend I'm pulling out of the driveway?

llamalord 2008-05-18 10:17:50 PM
I was recently informed by my pastor that studies have proven that prayer increases gas mileage by approximately 12%. I've tried it and, sure enough, it works!

The sad part is most christians would probably believe that.