The Fuel Economy Thread

Combine trips!

We all have weeks where it seems we spend a few minutes every single day at the grocery store, Wal Mart, etc. Start combining those trips into a single trip each week if you can - you'd be amazed how much gas it saves, depending on how far you live from the store.

If you live close enough to the store, WALK! Invest in one of those little pull-behind carts to haul your stuff. (yes, I know you'll look like a bag lady, but the gas savings are worth it!)

We live 22 miles from the nearest Wal Mart or larger grocery store. Combining trips has become a necessity. We have a small grocery store where we live, but like most small towns with only one small store, prices can be pretty steep.

I'd definitely love to hear any ideas!

All I know is that it's difficult with the weather starting to turn hot ( at least over here in California, anyway )but try NOT to run the air conditioner, which sucks up your gasoline even faster. Try rolling down windows, or doing the majority of your errands early in he morning, or later in the evening, when it is cooler. I saw some guy on the news who did all sorts of crazy things to make his car gasoline last longer. He even wore a special "ice vest" under his clothing to keep him cool since he stopped running the car's air conditioner.

When my buick's air conditioner broke, I bought a "dashboard fan" that plugged into the cigarette lighter. Sometimes it worked, and other times it just blew hot air in my face. It depended on how hot it was inside the car already. I have a new Jeep now, but between the two of the vehicles, they both guzzle the same amount of gas.

I've heard that keeping your tires nicely inflated helps cut back on gasoline usage, too.

Actually running the A/c does not suck down fuel. With your windows open you are creating drag,parachute effect. With windows closed youre using an aerodynamic balance,thus saving fuel.

I also look for routes with the least amount of turns and cornering. Look for straight aways.

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I just watched something on CNN about how to help save gas..tips, etc and they did talk about the issue with the windows rolled down creating the drag. Although, to Amaranth's point, the AC does use up a bit more fuel on the norm.

But if I had the choice between the two "evils" during the summer, I would rather use up the fuel staying cool with the AC on than having the windows down :)

The news also talked about ensuring you have a clean air filter, clean out your trunk of excess weight/junk, and remove luggage racks if possible.

Gas here just reached $3.92 today...I am now spending $85.00/week (x2, for our other car too) on gas due to my commute.

We have been planning to buy our 16-yr old a car, but sadly we cannot afford the gas on a 3rd car. Her and her dad car pool in the AM, she drops him off at work then drives to school (its on the way) and then I pick him up on my way home.

When the A/C is running, it engages a clutch on the engine and uses the serpentine belt to drive the A/C compressor. Because of that, you will definitely burn more fuel with than without the A/C. How that extra drag from the windows factors in, I don't know.

My A/C has a bad compressor, so it's windows for me regardless. I always joked around that I would buy one of those A/C converters that plug into your cigarette lighter, and then buy a window air conditioner that I could plug into it.

I'm glad I only live about 3 miles from my work, so I only have to fill up about twice a month. So far I've only spent $88.21 more this year on gas than I did up to this time last year, so that's only about $20/month. I guess I'm lucky to say that the price increase really hasn't hit me that hard.

I think it was from msnbc.com:

> 50 MPH: use AC
< 50 MPH: open windows

[quote=DebtCruncher]My A/C has a bad compressor, so it's windows for me regardless.[/quote]

Down home, they used to refer to that as '4/40 air conditioning.' 4 windows down, 40 miles per hour.

Want to save gas? Ride more, drive less. Seriously. There are other ways to get from point A to point B than driving your car.

Bicycles are cheap. Almost anybody can operate one, they require no registration, insurance, etc., and burn no fuel other than what you had for lunch.

Public transportation is cheap, too. I know it's more elsewhere, but in this beautiful, sun-dappled corner of Hell, you can ride the bus pretty much anywhere for fifty cents each way. And it's air-conditioned, too.

And then there's my favorite way to get around:



It's fast, maneuverable, air-conditioned, and fun to ride. It's also capable of carrying $150 worth of groceries with the bags on it. 46 MPG most times, 53-55 if I can stay off the throttle. 150 miles between fill-ups, on a 3.4 gallon tank.

I know a lot of folks will say that they couldn't ride something like that, don't know how, etc. I agree, a heavy cruiser isn't for everyone. But consider this...

There are classes available almost everywhere for people who want to learn to ride. If you can handle a bicycle, you can learn to handle a motorcycle. And the classes are good for a discount on your insurance, most places, in addition to being excellent training. And a starter bike, like a Honda Rebel 250 is gonna get more like 70+ MPG. A scooter [think Vespa] can get 85-100+!

Change your oil, change your air filter and don't speed. Occasionally you may want to use an octane booster but I wouldn't recommend at every fill up. I've also heard that keeping your car clean on the inside and out is helpful. Keep any extra weight out of your trunk that you don't need.

I thought the A/C thing didn't apply to the newer cars? I try and turn my A/C off when I am just sitting at a stop sign though.

I haven't had a vehicle with (operable) A/C for several years now. I just purchased one in February that DOES have A/C, but we've travelled for so long without one that we probably won't use it, unless we absolutely have to. I've noticed on long trips, it does eat up the fuel faster if I use it.

One very memorable trip was in the dog days of summer, temps over 100 degrees, and we got caught in a traffic jam on the highway due to an accident. 2 kids and 2 dogs in the van, with no A/C, no breeze coming in the open windows, and moving at about 10 miles an hour for 2 hours. :evil: If I'd had A/C at the time, I probably still wouldn't have used it, because I would have run out of gas!!

A clean air filter is an excellent point FYI.

It takes about the same amount of air in a standard size livingroom to burn 1 Gallon of gas.

Consider investing in a long life air filter.

Also keeping your car washed and waxed helps.

In the town I live in they passed something last summer letting us use ATV's and golf carts on the city streets. So you see alot of them running around now. They are much easier on gas, plus then you can't buy a ton of food from the store lol. I am thankful that all I have to do is cross my backyard and I am at work. I haven't filled up my truck for almost a month now and I still have 3/4 of a tank left :) You see more scooters/mopeds around.

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Also! use cruise control if you are going a fair distance. It will help even out your milage and save gas.

Uncle I am with you on your ride. I was just able to get my motorcycle out and am loving the gas mileage. What are you riding - it looks great.

I took a class 3 summers ago. Never even sat a a bike before the class. Now when the weather is warm enough, you can not get me off my bike. It is so true - you just need a bike that fits.

I am 5' 2" 130 lbs and not very strong. I ride my little Suzuki Savage and can handle it well.

Everyone should at least give it a try. :lol:

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening....your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.

A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.

When you're filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode. If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3)stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some other liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY. The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine. Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.

Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up--most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

Great tips hevnly. I did not know most of this. Thanks for the info.

[quote=spatterson_40]Uncle I am with you on your ride. I was just able to get my motorcycle out and am loving the gas mileage. What are you riding - it looks great.[/quote]

Mine was born a 1999 Suzuki VS1400 Intruder. It's been, um... modified a bit, to suit my needs better. I'm one of those who needs the ocasional 500-800 mile or longer day, just to keep my sanity.

[quote=spatterson_40]I took a class 3 summers ago. Never even sat a a bike before the class. Now when the weather is warm enough, you can not get me off my bike. It is so true - you just need a bike that fits.[/quote]

Amazing how effective a weekend's worth of quality instruction can be, ain't it? I've been riding for 40 years, and I still squeeze in an MSF Experienced Rider Course every so often. Helps keep the bad habits down, and the insurance discount pays for the class and then some.

Where are you located? And how cold has it been??? I ride anytime I can get my old ****to start. So far, that's been down to 16* F with this bike.

[quote=spatterson_40]I am 5' 2" 130 lbs and not very strong. I ride my little Suzuki Savage and can handle it well.[/quote]

Good on you! But don't sell the LS650 short. For a thumper, it's a great bike. I know a guy in Canada that tours all over on his. And there's a guy around here who's running a side hack on a Savage....

[quote=spatterson_40]Everyone should at least give it a try.[/quote]

Sure beats putting gas in a cage, don't it? Come to think of it, it beats the hell outta riding in a cage...

[color=Red]****Adult term removed - Jason[/color]

another way to help save gas is to every other month put a bottle of fuel injector cleaner in your tank.it costs 15.00,but keeps fuel injectors clean and working properly.

Something to think about...our work site implemented a van pool through a van pool company. I have cut my driving in half and i do not pay to ride the van as long as there are the required number of riders. I save 40 miles a day by riding the van.

You guys have excellent advice, lots of it I didn't even know, thanks.