Gas saving device disappearance
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Elder User
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 579
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From: Chaparral, NM
Gas saving device disappearance
It was a while back that I saw on TV that this couple had bought a car, took it on a trip and after traveling 200 miles thought that their gas gauge was broken because it hard barely moved. So they stopped to fill up the tank but it only took a gallon. Upon returning from their trip they called the dealer and found out that they had been given a test car by mistake and that there was a dealy bob about the size of a C battery that had been put on the engine which made the car get 200 miles to a gallon of gas. So, where did this device go? Why isn't it being manufactored? I thought they said that the gas complanies bought it. Is this type of thing fair? Isn't there something that can be done?
Gottaford
Gottaford
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 6,335
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From: Midwest
reminds me of what we did back in the late 80's when I was in the Army. a friend bought a small good mpg car,and was bragging about how GREAT his gas mileage was. little did he know we were slipping out at night and adding a gallon or two to the tank. we did this for a couple weeks,then stopped cold. he started complaining about how he was getting bad mileage all of a sudden,was thinking about taking it back to the dealer. we let him complain for a couple weeks before we spilled the beans!!
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
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From: Lafayette, IN
Total falsehood.
Even very efficient cars that get 40 MPG are still only about 40% efficient at best--meaning that 40% of the energy in each gallon of gas in its tank goes to getting the vehicle down the road. The other 60% is lost in heat, friction in the drivetrain and wheels, heat dissipated in braking and idling. So, even if the car would be perfectly efficient, it could only get 100 MPG.
Jason
Even very efficient cars that get 40 MPG are still only about 40% efficient at best--meaning that 40% of the energy in each gallon of gas in its tank goes to getting the vehicle down the road. The other 60% is lost in heat, friction in the drivetrain and wheels, heat dissipated in braking and idling. So, even if the car would be perfectly efficient, it could only get 100 MPG.
Jason
Frmr Ford Trans Engr
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: SE Florida
CO River Rat
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,209
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From: Lake Havasu City AZ
Back in the 60's, I ordered everything from J C Whitney that would save gas; spark plugs, fender skirts, oil additives, water injection, muffler cut-outs and a bunch of other stuff I've forgotten. I installed them all on my '56 Buick Special, drove 3 blocks, and the gas tank overflowed from the cap!!!
Steve
Steve
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Elder User
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: South-Central Kentucky
I know of a fellow who was an absolute brain who was getting 80mpg out of an old Mercedes diesel. When I asked him about it he said there was nothing really special, mostly gearing and a few minor adjustments to the fuel system so that it was running at its most efficient point.
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Joe Kucinski
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
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From: Campbell River, B.C.
Total falsehood.
Even very efficient cars that get 40 MPG are still only about 40% efficient at best--meaning that 40% of the energy in each gallon of gas in its tank goes to getting the vehicle down the road. The other 60% is lost in heat, friction in the drivetrain and wheels, heat dissipated in braking and idling. So, even if the car would be perfectly efficient, it could only get 100 MPG.
Jason
Even very efficient cars that get 40 MPG are still only about 40% efficient at best--meaning that 40% of the energy in each gallon of gas in its tank goes to getting the vehicle down the road. The other 60% is lost in heat, friction in the drivetrain and wheels, heat dissipated in braking and idling. So, even if the car would be perfectly efficient, it could only get 100 MPG.
Jason
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
The numbers were just estimates. Even if a vehicle is only 20% efficient and gets 40 MPG, only at 100% efficiency (impossible for the reasons in my previous post) could it get 200 MPG. However, vehicles that are 20% efficient tend not to get 40 MPG, more like 20 MPG, so, again, we're back to 100 MPG--if it somehow attains 100% efficiency.
Jason
Jason
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,900
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From: Campbell River, B.C.
100 MPG has been done before on gas and diesel, but the car around the engine was radicaly different from conventional thinking. Light weight and aerodynamics were key. You will see a lot more claims of 100 MPG and up in the next few years as plug in hybrids get avtertised with terms like "energy equivalent" MPG.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,473
Likes: 4
From: Lafayette, IN
I'm sure we'll have trouble getting beyond the 60 MPG barrier, as someone will come up with some more safety standards that will weigh the car down, or a few more super-light cars will blow off the Mackinac Bridge. 
Jason
Jason
Hotshot
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 11,794
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From: Kansas City, KS
First time I REALLY put my Escort on the highway, I thought the flippin gas gauge had broken. With some weight in the trunk and a tailwind, I was getting 44 mpg.
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,176
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From: Western Central NV
Some of you old school guys might remember when I believe Atkins Miller it was built a carb that was on the 200 CI Ford 6 cyl that was getting 50+ MPG. It was featured in Hot Rod or one of the car magazines. this was in the 60s. I have a friend with an 06 Jetta wagon TDI that he gets 50-60 MPG.