DIY: How to get great fuel economy

[91cavgt]

Sorry but nobody gets 23 mpg out of a 2004 3/4 dodge hemi.

I did, I have, and I can do it again. Try the techniques I listed above and you will see that they work.


I can get better gas mileage than what the EPA rates them out of ANY vehicle.

[EarleyBird]

Sorry but nobody gets 23 mpg out of a 2004 3/4 dodge hemi.

Yep

[Txfirerescue]

Sorry but nobody gets 23 mpg out of a 2004 3/4 dodge hemi.

BWAHAHAHAHA...I may not have had a 3/4 ton but I had a 450hp HEMI that regularly saw 26mpg on highway...and yes that was dynoed

[Snacks]

Sorry but nobody gets 23 mpg out of a 2004 3/4 dodge hemi.

I've got a buddy who gets 22 mpg in a 2014 3/4 hemi.

[cowboy1g5]

Thanks for sharing. Excellent advice.

[hoythitman]

I never saw an increase in mileage with a K&N, and several other hypermilers I have talked to have similar experiences. But, it is still worth it since you can just clean it and put it back in so it still saves money that way.


I didn't mention it, but by allowing the vehicle to slow slightly going up hill, this normally keeps the torque converter locked up, and in some vehicles it also prevents the transmission from downshifting. Good point!

I actually did get a K&N on my new truck, I have noticed an average of .9mpg increase.

[Remchesterby]

I try to put miles on my motorcycle. I easily get 40+ without even trying AND I have a lot of fun.

[PSD Ryan]

I've decided comfort and safety are worth the slight added fuel cost. I like my AC on full cold and full blast. I like my lights on during the day so other drivers can see me more easily (somehow people will still not see the big F-350 driving down the road). I don't like tailgating, so the draft is out, and I won't drive slower than the flow of traffic.

[lilbradford]

I try to put miles on my motorcycle. I easily get 40+ without even trying AND I have a lot of fun.

You can probably have a lot of fun without trying in an accident on that donorcycle too! Jk. Not a knock at you I just don't trust other people enough to drive one.

[Remchesterby]

You can probably have a lot of fun without trying in an accident on that donorcycle too! Jk. Not a knock at you I just don't trust other people enough to drive one.

No offense taken, riding is dangerous as hell and I know it. I do what I can - ride defensively, wear my gear, stay visible - and leave the rest up to the big guy upstairs.

[Mike D]

I agree with everything you say except the replacement air filter. Every gas motor I've had benefited from a K&N filter. It's 3/4mpg out of the box. And they do pay for themselves over the course of ownership.

Also, I don't see where you mentioned anything about recognizing and keeping the torque converter locked up. Some might not even realize what I'm talking about. After getting up to speed in top gear, pay attention to the rpm's. You will notice they usually drop by a couple hundred. What that is essentially doing is making a direct coupling of the drivetrain to limit lost energy.

The main benefit to torque converter lock is to help the transmission run cooler because there is no slip in the converter. When you put most modern trucks in tow/haul mode it not only holds the gear longer and firms up the shifts it also keeps the converter locked longer to avoid slip.

Any additional fuel mileage you might see is just a side benefit.

[91cavgt]

I forgot to add this;


15. Avoid using the brake pedal. It doesn't matter how well you drive if you are negating all your gains by not planning stops and wasting fuel. So if you are driving a route every day, you start to learn when the lights will be green. You also need to look ahead 1/2 a mile to a full mile in order to time the stop lights so you don't come to a full stop. It takes some practice to do this, and it is very difficult to do in areas that you are not familiar with.

[Dale Moser]

Exactly. The more the electrical load, the harder it is to turn the alternator, so the more fuel is burned (wasted) to power those electrical accessories.


If it did not take more power to turn an alternator with more electrical load on it, then a 10,000 watt generator would only have a small 25cc motor to run it. That simply is not the case which is why the engines get larger the higher the generator power output. Automotive alternators work in much the same way. The more electrical accessories that are being used, the more power you need to keep that alternator turning.

Unless you have a bunch of high load accessories added to your rig, there will be no change fuel mileage.

At anything above idle your alternator is making more electricity than your car can use, there is no further load on the engine whether you have the radio or headlights on or not.

[thorshammer]

Unless you have a bunch of high load accessories added to your rig, there will be no change fuel mileage.

At anything above idle your alternator is making more electricity than your car can use, there is no further load on the engine whether you have the radio or headlights on or not.

On older vehicles, you would be correct. Now days the alternator is controlled through the PCM to regulate voltage. GM calls it smart charge. Long read from the top, but you can scroll down to the regulated voltage section to get a little better understanding.

http://www.diagnosticnews.com/are-you-smarter-than-a-smart-charging-system/

[westtexducks]

What is this hyper miler pulse and glide technique? If I try I can get good fuel mileage out of my truck but it isn't worth it in my opinion, a 3 bucks and getting there late just isn't worth the effort for me. I can save 3 bucks by eating a sandwich instead of whataburger one week.