Gas Saver

asphaltpilot · Feb 23, 2010

Keason1* said: ↑

Pause not. I get worse mpg with my K&N.
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hmmmm, doesn't sound right. Maybe your fuel/oxidizer ratio needs to be changed?

asphaltpilot · Feb 23, 2010

EAmonkey said: ↑

ummm.... no. mythbusters dedicated half a show to this myth. the worst thing you can do is cover the bed. the best thing you can do is put one of those mesh tailgates on. the second best thing you can do is leave your bed and tailgate stock.
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Motor Trend disagrees with Myth Busters....

http://www.trucktrend.com/features/consumer/163_0506_tailgate_myth/index.html

Someone recently told me about a guy who puts his pickup's tailgate down to save gas. People who follow that practice point to improved fuel-economy figures as proof it helps. Although this may sound like common sense to some, it's a myth: Driving in a stock pickup with the tailgate dropped won't save gas.

We can't blame you for thinking that a flat wall of vertical steel at the back of your truck might present some additional drag, which could hurt fuel economy. However, a raised tailgate doesn't hurt aerodynamics; it helps.

In the old days of blunt-face pickups, most of the wind noise came from the front, but modern trucks draw more noise from wind around the mirrors and exhaust and road noise from behind. Air that circles the cab gets sucked into the bed where it forms a pocket and is for the most part removed from air that flows over the truck. If you've ever had a paper cup or leaves in the bed, as the truck's speed increases, they migrate into the forward corners of the bed and don't get pulled out over the tailgate.

I'm not an aerodynamicist, and I don't have access to the sophisticated equipment and extensive resources to prove this point about airflow, but places like the National Research Council Canada, Ford Motor Company, and DaimlerChrysler do, and they've all come to the same conclusion: Driving with the tailgate down decreases highway fuel economy, and removing the tailgate usually makes it worse. In many instances, it also increases rear lift at speeds, an undesirable condition in a vehicle with only a third of its weight back there to start with.

Putting a tonneau or hard bed cover over your truck is the best thing you can do for highway fuel economy. A shell also can help. Since most of these are relatively light, the extra weight must be worth the improvement. This is one reason something like an Avalanche (which has a bed that's partially covered) often gets better highway mileage than an open pickup with the same drivetrain and tires--and weighs less.
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Evil Monkey · Feb 23, 2010

Lurkin said: ↑

Whatever you do, or decide to listen to, remember that at the end of the day what ever mod you do for milage needs to pay for itself over some period of time. If you spend $1000 on intake(s), exhaust(s), bed covers(s), etc. and possible net some magical +1,2,,,, number, how long is it going to take to offset that $1K? Do the math, it's probably longer then you'll have the truck.

If you are looking to increase milage, there is very little you can mod that makes $$$ sense. Now if you want something and are using milage to justify it, that's fine and it's your choice, but for milage, your foot and brain (driving habits) are the only $$$ way forward. Everthing else is about as accurate as the butt-dyno.

All IMHO of course.
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That's some good advice. I see it all the time with the Hybrid crowd. They'll pay $5-6K extra for a few mpg difference over gas not realizing that it's going to take about 8-10 years just to break even. By that time, the car's about ready to die or be traded in.

Toymaker · Feb 23, 2010

1) Lighten your load. Remove unecessary stuff from your truck, resist buying bigger heavier tires and wheels that will add weight to the truck and the rotating mass.

2) Lighten your right foot. Stay in the right lane and do the speed limit, keep your rpms below 2000 as much as possible, practice smooth gradual braking and takeoffs.

3)Make sure your truck is properly maintained and on schedule. Fluid changes, filters, alignment, tire pressure, etc. should be kept up.

4) Resist the temptation to buy 'stuff' that is claimed to give your truck better mileage. If your purpose in saving fuel is to save money then what's the point in spending money on 'stuff' that'll cost you more than you'll end up paying for fuel in the long run? Save your money and put it towards fuel and maintenance. You'll be surprised what a difference it'll make in your savings overall when you resist buying the junk.

5) And.....For God sakes.......it's a truck. You bought it to carry things in, to off road, to tow, etc. Enjoy the darn thing or get rid of it and get a prius.

Toyota Truck · Feb 23, 2010

I would stay away form CAI and full cat backs. If you want go with a high flow air filter, and a straight though muffler.

misterquad · Feb 23, 2010

Keason1* said: ↑

our trucks have cold air intakes from factory.
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Thank you!! I am glad somebody else sees this too. I felt alone in the woods.

Seriously, with all the market and government pressures on manufacturers to improve efficiencies, does anyone really believe that there is some trick idea out there that the manufacturers choose not to install? I doubt it.

The only thing we can do to improve mileage is behavior and driving habits.

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