How to keep your SUV and beat OPEC!
Apr 06 '00
The price of fuel today is outrageous. In Rochester, where I live, the price of premium his risen to as much as $1.80 per gallon. Rochester, however, is not hardest hit by OPEC's wrath. In New York City, residents pay as much as $2.00 for premium unleaded. At that price, it would cost about $70.00 to fill up a new Ford Excursion. I just bought an '89 Chevy S-10 Blazer 4.3L. If left unmodified, I can expect an average of about 18-19mpg out of my SUV. Lets say I drive 200 miles per week, a little less than the average American. At $1.80 per gallon, I can expect to pay around $52.00 a month for gas. I can't afford that, and I don't expect to. That's because I know some tricks to get more mpg out of my vehicle. Here are some examples of how you can save money:
Ignition System:
SPARK PLUGS: The average spark plug has a service life of about 30,000 miles. The service life of a spark plug is measured based on how many miles before a spark plug accumulates too much carbon deposits and starts to foul. I recommend changing your spark plugs every 15,000 miles, to be sure of optimum efficiency. Also, the type of spark plug matters. Most specialty spark plug manufacturers, like Splitfire, advertise a huge improvement in gas mileage. I've used Splitfires, and I think the name should be changed to Misfires! They're overpriced junk. I recommend installing AC Delco Rapidfire spark plugs. They not only increase gas mileage, but provide a smooth idle.
IGNITION COILS AND WIRES: More voltage equals more efficiency here. Most SUVs and trucks today have a 40,000 volt coil. That's sufficient to provide a .045 inch plug gap. Let me explain the theory behind the plug gap. The spark plug gap is the distance between the two electrodes on a spark plug. The larger the gap, the more spark is exposed to the air/fuel mixture. A larger spark plug gap increases the efficiency of the burn in the combustion chamber. Now, don't go increasing your spark plug gaps yet!
If your ignition coil doesn't provide enough voltage, or your spark plug wires aren't efficient enough, increasing the gap on your spark plugs will result in fouling and misfiring. Modifying your ignition system can be tricky business. Buying a complete system is usually easier and more cost effective. That's why I recommend you call Jacobs Electronics Ignition. They'll provide a complete system including a computer, a 60,000+ volt coil, and great spark plug wires. Ask for their Mileage Master Team. It'll increase your gas mileage, horsepower, and decrease your emissions dramatically. The Mileage Master Team will cost about $350.00, but in my opinion it's worth the money. No, I don't work for them, but I've dealt with them before. They're located in California and they're a great bunch. When I make the money, they're the first place I'm calling. Anyway, you can see that the ignition system is a great place to start modifications.
WEIGHT: It's simple physics: it takes more power ( and therefore more fuel) to move more weight. Do you really need that 40 pound Baja-style grill guard for your Explorer? Sure, it might look cool, but at what cost? Take it off and lighten the load. Also, wheels and tires play a big role here. 1 pound removed from the rotating mass equals 7-8 pounds removed from the body of your vehicle. Do you really need 32 inch BF Goodrich All Terrain Radial T/A's? Not unless you take your Blazer rock climbing. I'd recommend a set of Pirelli Scorpion AT's in about a 215/75/R15 size. It'll save you money in the long run.
If your willing to spend the money, and try all these solutions, a conservative estimate would be a 4-6 mpg increase. Not only will your vehicle be more fuel efficient, this efficiency will spill over to more horsepower. How can anyone argue with that? Anyway, that's my 3 cents. If anyone has thought of other mileage solutions, E-Mail me and I'll include them. Failing that, keep these recommendations in mind in your personal war against OPEC. Happy Trucking!
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Member: Michael Modney
Location: Rochester, New York
Reviews written: 16
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