Gas saving gimics

[SeansBlueXJ]

In the ever increasing fuel cost marketplace we see many a gimmick for different products. Some work, lots dont. Wonder what the consensus is on this one? Reading the "how it works" makes sense to me, but I’m not that versed in the chemistry either.

www.ca40g.com

 

[H8PVMT]

in my small engines class back in college the teacher went out of his way to tell us that all additives are junk, but that was about 10 years ago

 

[SeansBlueXJ]

in my small engines class back in college the teacher went out of his way to tell us that all additives are junk, but that was about 10 years ago

Yeah that's the thing, a) alot has changed in a decade and b) i see alot of people who say "there is nothing you can do to help out the condition of the gas etc" But it's common knowlage engines dont burn off as much as they could/should.

 

[COYOTE BLANCO]

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=64425&highlight=acetone
:confused1

 

[yardape]

You wanna know how to save gas? Sell your Jeep.

 

[SeansBlueXJ]

http://naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=64425&highlight=acetone
:confused1

it's not nor does it contain acetone. Did you check out the product? Im not saying it does or doesnt work, but it's a total diffrent theory.

 

[SeansBlueXJ]

You wanna know how to save gas? Sell your Jeep.

Oh how many times I have seen that adage here !!!1

I dont want a 35mpg Jeep, but I am sure there are things people havent though of yet to get small gains here and there.

To the overall crowd here, why is every and any potental way to gain some small MPG increase always touted as craziness and we accept the fact we can do nothing? Why when anyone with a new idea or any new product (again not saying this one does or doesnt work) comes out we all knock it down:dunno: . If we never try/give the new stuff a chance how will we really know if it can work, and maybe have a big change? (again not saying for this product persay but everything in general)

:badpc:

 

[Stumpalump]

That stuff is for diesel engines. I run Lucas fuel tratment in my diesel and you can feel and hear the difference. Quiet and smoth with it. USA gets the most garbage diesel in the word for some reason. Fuel treatment like that also works in gas engines by keeping stuff clean and lubricated and it helps atomize the fuel some. I talked to an engine builder in indy about my old 1951 Ford gas tractor and he told me to allways run lucas in it for best performance. Does it help milage? It makes things run smoother so probably a little. I use it in everthing thats not a daily driver but mainly because I get it by the gallon at truck stops for the pickup diesel. It's suposed to make the injector pump$$$ last longer also. I installed a 99 intake on my 98 with 145k miles on it last week and was suprised to see how clean everthing was around the valves. Lucas? I don't know but the jeep gets (flame) premium gas also because the jeep may have the same gas in the tank for months.

 

[RichP]

The fuel manufacturers have cut the additives to those required by law. They for sure cut the additives that used to let you store gas for 6-9 months, that I know for a fact from owning a motorcycle here in the NE. Part was to save money but I also think part was to keep people from buying in bulk and trying to save money as fuel goes up. I buy the quart bottles of stabil now and put some in my 5 gallon cans I fill up when down in NJ where I save about .35-40 cents a gallon.
There has to be a way though to get the engine to actually burn all the gas shot in there, using chemicals, don't know, I do know that fancy spark plugs don't do squat. I always felt that flat head engines got the best and most even combustion with the plug right on the top dead center of the cylinder vs where it is on our engine which is off to the side. There has to be a loss there.

 

[SeansBlueXJ]

Thanks Rich you proved two things to me. One someone can serisouly put up a response to a fuel efficency query discussion, and two I swear that in my 12 yrs of having a permit/dl gas has gotten worse on MPG itself.

 

[RichP]

Thanks Rich you proved two things to me. One someone can serisouly put up a response to a fuel efficency query discussion, and two I swear that in my 12 yrs of having a permit/dl gas has gotten worse on MPG itself.

Think of it from a money/corporate point of view, if you are selling a product would you put in additives that would increase mileage so you would sell less. My cynical side says I would not be surprised if they put in additives to REDUCE mileage while still going by the letter of the law as to what additives are REQUIRED by law to be in there. I already know they play with the mix, I've watched my gas mileage go up and down between tankfulls of gas and where I buy it. When commuting day after day, week after week you get pretty good at spotting something different. I get better mileage with NJ gas than PA gas, the reason I think is the NJ inspectors are a lot more diligent testing than PA inspectors are. If they can dump 200gallons of some cheap assed extender that costs them 2 or 3 cents a gallon into 2000 gallons of gas that won't get them in legal trouble then they will. Kind of like the way heroin and cocaine get cut from the first person on down the line.

 

[SeansBlueXJ]

Ok so I decided to go ahead and be a test subject here. I purchased and am using this product. Despite the people quick to dismiss it or say it is for diesel engines (I’m not calling you out stump, but did you read the site at all? They used it and recommended it for all sorts of internal combustion engines, gas diesel and even 2 cycle.)

I assumed averages for cost of fuel where I live; and my standard mixed driving of mostly highway. I have a 2000 Sport with just over 100k, 2.5” of lift 31x10.5 Pro comp AT’s and stock 3.55 gears.

From 4 tanks before the additive I got an Average of 17.47 mpg

Using 4 full tanks with additive I have an average of 19.7 mpg (I will keep logging the numbers)

That’s an increase of 2.33mpg on average.

Using my average of 17gallon fill ups I do. That’s an extra 39.61miles between gas stops, or an extra 2.01 gal. This at $3.15 a gal is an extra $6.33 saved each fill up(before we cout the cost of the product).

With getting roughly 25 tanks treatment (at 17 gal per fill up) per qt and a quart, (with shipping) costing $42.87 it’s costing me $1.72 a tank treatment. So now we are at $4.61 saved after the cost of the treatment (assuming a $3.15 gal) per fill up. And over the life of the quart (25 treatments) that’s $115.25 saved, or an extra 36.59 gal (at $3.15 a gal of course)

I didn’t expect nor did I get “groundbreaking earth shattering” results but it is something real and something to be interested in once you start to do math. And the $$ numbers get even better the higher gas prices creep.

(Now my editorial rant)
As I said earlier you needn’t “sell your Jeep” to get better MPG just be willing to tinker and experiment with new products. I’m sure some more engine work, a better suited gear ratio (maybe 4.10) etc could even help net a few more MPG. So is it going to ever be able to run 30+ mpg on a lifted heap, no probably not with a 4.0 that’s for sure. Can we stretch some hydrocarbons a bit further? I’m sure of it. Is going to get tight with Gas prices and more inventive and ingenious things that were not before considered or necessary will surface. Just because it is new we shouldn’t write it off as a scam. Did I expect it to work? Not necessarily. Did it? Not as good as they advertised but enough to keep my interest through a whole bottle of the product to fully consider using it in the long run. Ill let you know if it keeps up or drops off after more usage.

 

[RichP]

The only valid method to run that test is get a family member to either add or not add the stuff so you don't know whether it's in there or not, that makes it a blind test... It's how I used to break shooters from flinching by putting dummy rounds in the magazine.
Subconsciously when you add it you may be 'holding back' on the skinny pedal whether you want to admit it or not...

 

[SeansBlueXJ]

I will indeed try that. However i will say this much for my "holding back" i drive 50 miles each way on. 287 in NJ and 78 out to PA every day and i alway lock the cruise control in the same place at 68mph. As you get from my post while I do see some results im not sold on it yet eithor. I might run it blind on the GF ill put it in her tank and track her MPG without telling her she's waiting to see what results i get before she uses it.

 

[DeftwillP]

While we all desperately want something like this to be true and may subconsciously lighten up on the go pedal, 2 mpg seems like a substantial difference. It would be one thing if he tested it and got .3 mpg better. That is something that easily swing one way or another. If you were already trying to get the best mileage possible, it seems like you could get the 19mpg without using the additive.

A little convoluted, but my point is this: 2 mpg seems substantial and like its more than placebo.

 

[rock rash]

This is my gas saving gimic...

 

[GrimmJeeper]

this is mine :repair:

if it aint runnin it aint usin gas

 

[SeansBlueXJ]

A little convoluted, but my point is this: 2 mpg seems substantial and like its more than placebo.

thanks i agree that 2mpg is a substantial gain without being un-believable. And yeah i couldnt have feathered the skiny pedal too much because out of my hour (50 mile) each way drive only 10 min of it is not on the high way and i always use cruise control and always lock it at the same speed. So the 5 min i spend in my negiborhood cant skew the results that much given how much i alotted for the test, roughly 1200 miles control and 1200 miles test.

and Rock Rash, i would LOVE to ride a bicycle to work but a 100 mile round trip each day just isnt feasable, if i was only a few miles, i would bike alot to work when the weather permited.

 

[SwissArmyJeep]

Thank you for being the test subject, and sharing your results.
I look forward to seeing what results you discover on you blind test.

 

[JNickel101]

Sean, excellent thread. Looks like this is something to look into - like you said, as gas prices go up, it will only save you more :cheers: