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Old 12-13-2012, 01:21 PM   #31 (permalink)
oil pan 4
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Location: NewMexico (USA)
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Sub - '84 Chevy Diesel Suburban C10
SUV
90 day: 19.5 mpg (US)

camaro - '85 Chevy Camaro Z28

Riot - '03 Kia Rio POS
Team Hyundai
90 day: 30.21 mpg (US)

Bug - '01 VW Beetle GLSturbo
90 day: 26.43 mpg (US)

Sub2500 - '86 GMC Suburban C2500
90 day: 11.95 mpg (US)

Snow flake - '11 Nissan Leaf SL
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If you want more power in general or for towing, a good tow machine and better fuel economy starting off with a gas engine is the wrong way to go about it.

With a gas engine your mods are going to be fighting each other, most of your go fast mods will be trying to move more air through the engine and there for you will burn fuel, going against any eco engine mods.

The worst thing about a gas engine is the otto cycle its self, there is nothing you can do to fight isobaric expansion that starts off the cycle. The is the main process responsible for limiting power and fuel economy on a gas engine.

This is why we like diesels. Big intakes are good, bigger air fiters are better, ram air is great. Even bigger turbo chargers can help both power and FE. On the exhaust side big free flowing straight pipes do offer improvement in all driving conditions.
Why, because on a diesel you replace the pesky isobaric expansion that is all but impossible to work around. With diesels we have isentropic compression and isentropic expansion, that means the more air you can start off the cycle the more efficient and powerful it will be. On a diesel your isentropic expansion can be filled with air or burned fuel. So more air is better.

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1984 chevy suburban, custom made 6.5L diesel turbocharged with a Garrett T76 and Holset HE351VE, 22:1 compression 13psi of intercooled boost.
1989 firebird mostly stock. Aside from the 6-speed manual trans, corvette gen 5 front brakes, 1LE drive shaft, 4th Gen disc brake fbody rear end.
2011 leaf SL, white, portable 240v CHAdeMO, trailer hitch, new batt as of 2014.
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