Gas $3.12/gal - What have you done to improve MPG?

[mrein3]

Originally Posted by JRB

I worked on gas pumps when I first got out of the Navy and believe it or not when you pump gas on the slow setting you actually get more gas. I cant tell you how many times I have had pissed off gas station owners calling me because there pumps were pumping slow. Most of the time they might get some gas with a little more water in it than usual and the filters would clog making the pumps pump slower. I would calibrate the pumps with a calibrated 5 gallon gas container and it would always over flow when pumping 5 gallons according to what the pump said and pumping slow. When pumping fast it was right on the mark. I probably calibrated every kind of pump know to man and they all work the same. So if your not in a hurry pump slow.
JRB

In college I worked at a service station that had 3 full service pumps. I was there the day that the state guy came by to certify the pump. (If you look close at a pump here in MN you'll see a little sticker from the state. This keeps the station owners honest.)

Anyways the guy had a one gallon container. He job was to fill one gallon and then look to see what the meter on the pump said. He told me the EXACT same thing JRB posted. You get more gas when you pump slow.

[glock35ipsc]

Hmmmm, I'm gonna have to try that the next time I fill up the 03!

[glock35ipsc]

Another reason gas is so high:

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortu...6854/index.htm

[farside847]

$3.37 in the bay area this morn. Crappers.

[Ackattack]

I'm switching from 3.08 gears to 3.73 gears to hopefully gain some gas mileage. I know that sounds crazy, but I think it will actually help. With the 3.08, and 700r4, my truck seems to really lug down the highway, so I'm thinking with the 3.73s it will put the engine in it's sweet spot and really help out. I also got a new bigger k&n filter.

Last year I swapped from my carbed 327 and TH350 to TPI350 and 700r4. Went from 12 mpg to 13mpg....wtf?

Oh, I also got new calipers and pins a few weeks ago. I think the old front brakes were dragging a bit.

[Boog]

Ack. Before you spend any $ on gears try running your truck down the road in D instead of OD for a couple of tanks of gas and see if your mileage goes up. Running in Drive should be the equivalent of a rear gear change to about a 3.42 or so. I'm thinking the 3.73 may be too far to the other side.

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Originally Posted by thecatseye66

I sit in my trucks and pretend I'm driving...

But its cheaper
Shane

[Chevrolet4x4s]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Know what the next step is (they tried this in cali years ago and it failed miserably)???? All vehicles older than 15 or 20 years old are no longer legal to drive. No I HAVE NOT heard that from ANYWHERE, it's just my own thought of what might happen next.

..............Smiles approiate for this section of the board cannotdescribe how stupid this it......what a load of commie crap
Shane

[Americanrider]

All this jabber and not one mention about Propane? Where is Hank Hill when you need him....lol There must be at least one board truck out there running a CNG system. Anyone?

[glock35ipsc]

I have one at the shop we use to pick up material from our suppliers, but when it is on propane, it is such a gutless wonder, we never use the propane. I don't think that cylinder has been filled in at least 5 or 6 years, and I doubt it is even less than half full! Only bought it because we got a good price, but not for the propane.

Hank Hill would "kick my ass, I tell ya whut!"

[OhNoJoe]

To fight high gas prices, I bought an all electric S-10. It was a kit conversion that I had to fix up. It was the easiest thing in the world to do. It goes about 50 miles on an over night charge. Top spead is about 70mph. Pick up is about the same as a little 4 banger. It is hasn't effected my electric bill in a way that I can notice.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Joe welcome to t6he board from southern oregon. Where did you pick-up a e-kit for your s-dime? I am only guessing that its a pretty penny for the kit.

[xfsketch]

I have a 92 cavalier as a daily driver (4 cylinder, 5 speed). It gets 20-25 MPG on average. I drive 20 mins to and from work and hang out in the opposite direction in another town. It suites me well as a beater with a heater! My truck has a 350 (3 on the tree) with a holley 750 and roller rockers and cam. Im not exact on the MPG but its hard as heck on gas! I just have to keep from driving it as much until I get a better job which is hard because I love the thing so much and just started driving it since I got it.

[MisterMan]

just now hit 3.11 where im from. my truck just sits and does nothing while i work on it, but parents used to use that shell (??) gas. the corn crap. they swore by it. my personal view.... trucks almost 40 yrs old, it wasent made for corn on the cob crap. im gonna burn me some dinosaurs.....

[67ChevyRedneck]

The corn crap you're talking about, do you mean E85 fuel? It's meant to only be used in vehicles that are flex fuel capable only. These vehicles have all stainless steel fuel lines and fuel tank. I believe they have different components in the engine as well that will not be damaged by using E85.

[soonrfish]

the way you drive is pretty important. dont accellerate hard and fast or brake hard. both wastes alot of fuel.

I can get 14 mpg out of my blazer, but when my wife drives it for a week, she only gets 12. It all because she likes to get up to the speed limit real fast and I take my time like a granpa...

[jacobs]

Originally Posted by Americanrider

There must be at least one board truck out there running a CNG system. Anyone?

About 18 years ago I was working for Public Service Company (now owned by Excel Energy) in Denver, Colorado as a mechanic. I converted many of their trucks and pickups to CNG. They claimed the cost of CNG was comparable to gasoline at $0.15/gallon but that was their cost (wholesale not retail) and the price of natural gas has also escalated since then. At that time it cost them about $1500 just for the parts not including labor. CNG has an octane rating of 130 so if you run a compression ratio of about 13:1 you can still have the performance you had with gasoline and factory compression ratio. If I had natural gas available, I would defiantly convert my pickup but it's not available out here miles from town.

[Americanrider]

At 9 thousand feet in elevation you must be doing some tricky tuning to keep your truck running. I lived in Westminster CO. [about 5400ft] years back and took a jeep trip up to the high mountains once, I almost had to get out & push above 72k.

I have hear that the dual fuel CNG/Gas systems where junk and they are hard on motors. Is there any chance of getting one large ground tank and having it filled once/twice a year? Then doing your own transfer into the truck's tank? The intial outlay of cash would be huge but after a couple of years it may pay for itself. I don't think we will ever go back to any price near $2 a gal. CNG is around $1.86 here (last time I checked) but I'm close to a big city.

[69sixpackbee]

Quit driving.

[wibilly]

if nobody bought gas for just 3 days gas would come down in a hurry

[67CHIP72]

Hitch aride now and again with a bud, but gotta buy gas when I need to. Most importantly, make sure wife and kids have enough to keep'em goin. Otherwise she'll complain I'm spending too much on my truck!

[GREASEMONKEY72]

ill have to try that pumping slow trick

but for the most part i drive the same depending but i usually take it easy when accelerating and try my best to brake easy when i can and i just drive the speed limit or 5mph over

hard to belive comin from a 19yo aint it?

[Bishops Trucks]

Drive like my Grandma!

[bwright]

I bought a $1,500 '92 GMC Sonoma (2.8L 5spd). It gets 26 mpg and is cheap to repair if needed.

[glock35ipsc]

Originally Posted by wibilly

if nobody bought gas for just 3 days gas would come down in a hurry

I haven't bought gas in over a week!