How can I improve my gas mileage?

BrewMaster · 04-23-2002, 01:55 AM

OK, so as far as car maintenance goes, i'm pretty clueless. I was just wondering if there's anything i can do myself to improve the gas mileage on my 1989 Volvo 740GL station wagon? it's got about 176,000 miles on it and the gas mileage has been killing me lately since i've been driving more. also, if i take it to a mechanic for a tune up, what services should i expect from them? is it even worth taking it in for a professional tune up? thanks for the help.

spigidygak · 04-23-2002, 02:01 AM

I've heard of actual improvements from using motor-up. Worth a try for only 20 bucks.

nhbilly · 04-23-2002, 02:44 AM

new spark plug, change the rotor in the distributor cap and maybe the cap too, new plug wires, new air filter

basic maintenance stuff

don't let a mech. do what u can do, half the stuff they do should not even cost an arm or a leg. what i mention above it basic mech stuff done to ur car.

you can also have your engine literally flush out with cleaning chemicals literally, well they just clean out all the old oil residue
this u cannot do, but i heard it works.

oh, volvo stationwagon kick @ss, look d@mn good. i wish i had one

bachviet · 04-23-2002, 07:34 AM

Drive like a grandma! Don't punch @ every stop!

OC · 04-23-2002, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bachviet
Drive like a grandma! Don't punch @ every stop!

This is incorrect. Studies have shown that rapid acceleration to get up to speed quickly, then maintaining that speed, is more fuel-efficient than gentle acceleration. Of course, this is not possible in stop-and-go driving.

Get your fuel injectors cleaned and flow-balanced, and replace the oxygen sensor if it's more than 40k miles old.

-OC

~~DoPeY5007~~ · 04-23-2002, 10:09 AM

Don't Drive

Nanotech9 · 04-23-2002, 10:27 AM

get out and push?

and yeah - volvo wagons look really good. I didnt think there was anything better until i saw the euro-only e30 touring wagon.

BrewMaster · 04-23-2002, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by overclocked
...Studies have shown that rapid acceleration to get up to speed quickly....

um, you're both wrong, because i drive a 4-cyl '89 Volvo...there AIN'T NO "rapid acceleration."

the thing is slow off the line. period. just part of owning a Volvo wagon...

thanks to all for the suggestions. i'll see what i can do. a buddy of mine is good with cars (his dad's a mechanic) so i think i'll enlist his help too.

Aristo · 04-23-2002, 12:55 PM

You can add an intake that will help mpg.

04-23-2002, 06:08 PM

try a K&N filter. its not guarenteed, but it might lower your milage and possibly increase horsepower. even if it doesnt it will still last as long as you keep the car and maybe even pay for itself.

Burzhui · 04-23-2002, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DoPeY5007
Don't Drive

damn it you beat me to it

Aristo · 04-23-2002, 09:52 PM

When you add an intake or just intake filter, don't forget to reset the ECU by disconnect the battery for couple min. It "might" help the mpg a little.

Dave_7 · 04-23-2002, 10:12 PM

Maybe you have an exhaust leak. Does the engine make a "put-put-put" noise when you slowly accelerate?

Otherwise... I agree with nhbilly.

Dave.

irwin · 04-24-2002, 08:07 PM

About intakes

After reading some descriptions on air filter ebay auctions, I have a few questions.

1. How hard is it to install one of these?

2. I don't really care about the claimed 5hp increase with after installation of the filter, but I wanna know what the sellers mean by "sportier sounding car."

That's it for now.

thanks

Dave_7 · 04-24-2002, 08:12 PM

Intakes suck. Really... they do... they help the engine suck in more air... more easily. When you have a "high performance" intake, on some cars you will hear this sucking... and a little more engine growl during hard acceleration.

Dave.

DankNstickY · 04-25-2002, 03:44 PM

u guys know where i can get a pretty good intake..... for really cheap. dont know if thats possible but just wonderin. anybody got any special hookups??

DankNstickY · 04-25-2002, 03:45 PM

thats in the ventura, ca/santa barbara, ca area

irwin · 04-25-2002, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave_7
Intakes suck. Really... they do... they help the engine suck in more air... more easily. When you have a "high performance" intake, on some cars you will hear this sucking... and a little more engine growl during hard acceleration.

Dave.

How hard are they to install though? And if I do get one, is there any particular brand I should aim for?

Aristo · 04-25-2002, 10:59 PM

If you buy the OEM style drop-in intake filter such as TRD or TOM'S, they are very easy to install.

If you are going to get the aftermarket intake, it will be harder because you need to remove more parts but still doable. I installed the intake and soldered the ecu for like an hour while my friends and I were chilling.

DankNstickY,
depends on what kind of vehicle you have.

dRu168 · 04-26-2002, 02:57 AM

aftermarket intake and exhaust

i have a cold air intake in my car and I get least 4 MPG more then what i had. unbelievable =O

not into modding ur car like that? Try a K&N air filter and NGK copper spark plugs to have your fuel burn more efficiently

DankNstickY · 04-26-2002, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aristo

DankNstickY,
depends on what kind of vehicle you have.

oh yea... heh... sorry... i got a 99 honda civic.

JackHammer · 04-26-2002, 10:03 AM

AEM makes quality air intakes. The cold air intakes cost like $200 from them. They are not too hard to install yourself.

Aristo · 04-26-2002, 10:45 AM

4 mpg for just the intake without remapping the ECU? amazing!

Aristo · 04-26-2002, 10:51 AM

I'd highly recommend APEX power intake. The retail is $188 and you can definitely find a cheaper price. Nobody pays for retail.

There was a benchmark on apex, blitz, K&N and hks intake filter and apex really stands out on performance gain and the filtration.

here is the link: http://www.gtrowner.com/induction.html

I know couple places where you can get 25% discount or more if you live in LA/OC.

04-26-2002, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aristo
I'd highly recommend APEX power intake. The retail is $188 and you can definitely find a cheaper price. Nobody pays for retail.

There was a benchmark on apex, blitz, K&N and hks intake filter and apex really stands out on performance gain and the filtration.

here is the link: http://www.gtrowner.com/induction.html

I know couple places where you can get 25% discount or more if you live in LA/OC.

i know you mean well aristo, but to me that test really doesnt show that much. it doesnt show who tested the filters or really how they tested it.

Quote:

It is questionable how accurate the original source of data is, as HKS are proven to sell more induction kits than any one of the others featured in the test, and yet there induction kit rates as the worst kit in the test. This suggests that either HKS rely upon their brand name to sell their 'poorly' manufactured air filters, or that the original Japanese test was nothing more than a PR stunt to promote the lesser known equipment. HKS and Blitz continue to be the best selling induction kits in the UK, and are used by Middlehursts, Hiteq and Abbey Motorsport as their first choice when the induction kit modification is carried out.

it also doesnt show how they got the power improvement stats.

Quote:

One thing that does stand out is the fact that all the induction kits seem to offer similar performance gains, of around 13 - 14 bhp. This would seem consistant with actual power gains that have been confirmed by using a rolling road.

sounds like they might have used a dyno, but what exactly is a rolling road. im not saying that a'pexi does not make a very good product, but this particular test doesnt show me very much.
and that second filter paper used as evidence seems to work pretty good and let as much air or more as the tested intakes pass through in order for the test to work. seems like it would be a pretty good idea to make an air filter out of that material and just forget about the others or at the very least cover another filter up with the paper filter and throw it away when it gets dirty.

seems like nothing more than infomercial type tactics.

Aristo · 04-26-2002, 02:06 PM

Tommy,

I agree your statement. The benchmark doesn't show any power band and some other detail information but perhaps it's enough for beginners.
I've used Blitz, K&N, and HKS intake filters before on the same car. To be honest with you, I really couldn't feel the difference in performance. But the flitration of Blitz filter is REALLY BAD. It got dirty easily.

AEM is good, I had that on my M3 before.

"Peter Scott is a professor of fluid dynamics and has conducted many measured tests on retail intake systems using manometers and dynometers. Generally they produce very minimal performance gains on naturally aspirated cars. I'm guessing the best of intakes (cold air box + high flow filter + ram-air) will make a mere 10hps gain and only so at high speeds. The wheel horsepower from there as you may guess is not worth all the high dollars you'll pay for a fancy setup. I've also experimented with about a dozen intake arrangements on my SC so I can second the menial performance gains. If you're going to buy a nice intake setup, expect nothing more than a lighter throttle, some noise, and a pretty engine dressing.

If you want cheap, easy power on an N/A car, the best bet is a free-flowing exhaust system. Loud, noisy, and resonant, but it gets the job done."

04-23-2002, 01:55 AM	#1
BrewMaster Ruler-Of-All-Things-Beer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Pasadena, CA Posts: 10,249	How can I improve my gas mileage? OK, so as far as car maintenance goes, i'm pretty clueless. I was just wondering if there's anything i can do myself to improve the gas mileage on my 1989 Volvo 740GL station wagon? it's got about 176,000 miles on it and the gas mileage has been killing me lately since i've been driving more. also, if i take it to a mechanic for a tune up, what services should i expect from them? is it even worth taking it in for a professional tune up? thanks for the help. __________________ respect beer.

04-23-2002, 02:01 AM	#2
spigidygak Admiral Join Date: May 2000 Location: Redlands & San Diego, CA. Posts: 5,882	I've heard of actual improvements from using motor-up. Worth a try for only 20 bucks. __________________

04-23-2002, 02:44 AM	#3
nhbilly Commander Join Date: May 2000 Location: santa ana ca usa Posts: 1,150	new spark plug, change the rotor in the distributor cap and maybe the cap too, new plug wires, new air filter basic maintenance stuff don't let a mech. do what u can do, half the stuff they do should not even cost an arm or a leg. what i mention above it basic mech stuff done to ur car. you can also have your engine literally flush out with cleaning chemicals literally, well they just clean out all the old oil residue this u cannot do, but i heard it works. oh, volvo stationwagon kick @ss, look d@mn good. i wish i had one __________________ PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING YOUR BODY.....

04-23-2002, 07:34 AM	#4
bachviet What's Da Pho*? Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: SoCal (714) Posts: 13,133	Drive like a grandma! Don't punch @ every stop! __________________ Dell Dimension 9200 \| Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 (2.4Ghz) \| 3x1GB DDR2 \| 256MB nVidia GeForce 8800GT Dell Inspiron 640m \| Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 (2.0GHz) \| 2x1GB DDR2 PC2-4200 \| Intel GMA 950 Intel P4-C 3.0GHz \| ECS 865PE-A \| 3x512MB PC3200 \| 128MB PNY GeForce 6600GT

04-23-2002, 10:27 AM	#7
Nanotech9 Vice Admiral Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Gone Wheeling! Posts: 4,408	get out and push? and yeah - volvo wagons look really good. I didnt think there was anything better until i saw the euro-only e30 touring wagon. __________________

04-23-2002, 10:09 AM	#6
~~DoPeY5007~~ court-martialled Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Brig Posts: 0	Don't Drive

04-23-2002, 12:55 PM	#9
Aristo Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,579	You can add an intake that will help mpg.

04-23-2002, 06:08 PM	#10
TommyBoomfiger Posts: n/a	try a K&N filter. its not guarenteed, but it might lower your milage and possibly increase horsepower. even if it doesnt it will still last as long as you keep the car and maybe even pay for itself.

04-23-2002, 09:52 PM	#12
Aristo Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,579	When you add an intake or just intake filter, don't forget to reset the ECU by disconnect the battery for couple min. It "might" help the mpg a little.

04-23-2002, 10:12 PM	#13
Dave_7 Captain Join Date: May 2000 Location: L.A..... Costa Mesa... Whatever, Man! Posts: 1,823	Maybe you have an exhaust leak. Does the engine make a "put-put-put" noise when you slowly accelerate? Otherwise... I agree with nhbilly. Dave.

04-24-2002, 08:07 PM	#14
irwin Vice Admiral Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: ohi Posts: 4,512	About intakes After reading some descriptions on air filter ebay auctions, I have a few questions. 1. How hard is it to install one of these? 2. I don't really care about the claimed 5hp increase with after installation of the filter, but I wanna know what the sellers mean by "sportier sounding car." That's it for now. thanks __________________

04-24-2002, 08:12 PM	#15
Dave_7 Captain Join Date: May 2000 Location: L.A..... Costa Mesa... Whatever, Man! Posts: 1,823	Intakes suck. Really... they do... they help the engine suck in more air... more easily. When you have a "high performance" intake, on some cars you will hear this sucking... and a little more engine growl during hard acceleration. Dave.

04-25-2002, 03:45 PM	#17
DankNstickY Rear Admiral Upper Half Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: deep in the throat of ... cali? Posts: 3,019	thats in the ventura, ca/santa barbara, ca area

04-25-2002, 10:59 PM	#19
Aristo Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,579	If you buy the OEM style drop-in intake filter such as TRD or TOM'S, they are very easy to install. If you are going to get the aftermarket intake, it will be harder because you need to remove more parts but still doable. I installed the intake and soldered the ecu for like an hour while my friends and I were chilling. DankNstickY, depends on what kind of vehicle you have.

04-26-2002, 02:57 AM	#20
dRu168 Lieutenant Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Sacramento & San Luis Obispo (CPSU) Posts: 406	aftermarket intake and exhaust i have a cold air intake in my car and I get least 4 MPG more then what i had. unbelievable =O not into modding ur car like that? Try a K&N air filter and NGK copper spark plugs to have your fuel burn more efficiently __________________ Just say 'No' to Altezzas. Friends don't let friends drive automatic

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04-26-2002, 10:03 AM	#22
JackHammer Commander Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: The Toilet Capital of America Posts: 1,309	AEM makes quality air intakes. The cold air intakes cost like $200 from them. They are not too hard to install yourself. __________________ "I'm very sorry for your loss. Your mother was a terribly attractive woman." -Royal Tenebaum "Oh yeah. Oh yeah. I would do everything to her, I don't care what she looks like. I would wreck that chick." -Brian from the Family Guy after Peter asked him whether he would have sex with Lois.

04-26-2002, 10:45 AM	#23
Aristo Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,579	4 mpg for just the intake without remapping the ECU? amazing!

04-26-2002, 10:51 AM	#24
Aristo Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,579	I'd highly recommend APEX power intake. The retail is $188 and you can definitely find a cheaper price. Nobody pays for retail. There was a benchmark on apex, blitz, K&N and hks intake filter and apex really stands out on performance gain and the filtration. here is the link: http://www.gtrowner.com/induction.html I know couple places where you can get 25% discount or more if you live in LA/OC.

04-26-2002, 02:06 PM	#26
Aristo Rear Admiral Lower Half Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,579	Tommy, I agree your statement. The benchmark doesn't show any power band and some other detail information but perhaps it's enough for beginners. I've used Blitz, K&N, and HKS intake filters before on the same car. To be honest with you, I really couldn't feel the difference in performance. But the flitration of Blitz filter is REALLY BAD. It got dirty easily. AEM is good, I had that on my M3 before. "Peter Scott is a professor of fluid dynamics and has conducted many measured tests on retail intake systems using manometers and dynometers. Generally they produce very minimal performance gains on naturally aspirated cars. I'm guessing the best of intakes (cold air box + high flow filter + ram-air) will make a mere 10hps gain and only so at high speeds. The wheel horsepower from there as you may guess is not worth all the high dollars you'll pay for a fancy setup. I've also experimented with about a dozen intake arrangements on my SC so I can second the menial performance gains. If you're going to buy a nice intake setup, expect nothing more than a lighter throttle, some noise, and a pretty engine dressing. If you want cheap, easy power on an N/A car, the best bet is a free-flowing exhaust system. Loud, noisy, and resonant, but it gets the job done."