Anyone using magnets to increase milage?

[mcrews]

Frank Lee you make a very good point.
I remember several yrs ago, I bought one of those electronic gizmos (with a guarantee) and used it on one of my trips to Texas.
I EVEN TRIED to get better mileage and could only get about 1 mpg better.
I took it back.

[Arragonis]

The key here is the comparison between before and after. Take the EPA/ECE fuel test results. We all know they are pish because they are in a lab - thats not the point of them. They are there to provide a consistent comparison from one car to the next. Given the testing methods used the comparison can be seen as valid or not for the rest of us in Ecomodder land as we don't drive "normal"

Assuming the OP uses the same car and the same method of measuring and the same prep and the same method then I would suggest it is at least stage 1 in testing. If he/she/it details the testing method with photos etc. and comes up with results then we can start. Then others can follow up and redo the tests in the same way.

<opinion>
I don't think that magnets will make a difference as I have tapped earlier, but provable results make the difference between "hey I got this outcome with super-x" vs "super-x is a proven improvement.

I have an open mind on it.
</opinion>

The ball now lies in the OP's court.

[hondo434]

Gentlemen, You are starting to discuss this topic the way I had hoped you would 2 years ago. What is an method for a layman, without access to a laboratory to make a general test on a vehicle milage results that would be acceptable to a group of observers.
When I first tried to test the magnets I had no idea I would see such significant change in milage on the Altima, so I wasn't prepared to collect any data. When I was able to take the Maxima on a long trip and had a large change in milage, it verified the previous results.
Now I have a brand new vehicle of the same brand and model with virtually no miles and a 3-4k mile trip and a built-in milage gauge to do testing. This a great opportunity to make a test. I think in this case the strict a-b-a test should be waived because the only way a change in milage is achieved is through a change in ECU. With what I've read about ECUs is that they don't change quickly, they can take anywhere from 5-10 trips before behavior is changed, if ever without disconnecting the battery and erasing it.
I would suggest that we don't overthink this test. I think we should establish if there is any increase in milage when magnets are applied, I'm talking significant miles, not tenths.
I am going to fill up 5-7 times, there should be a time when we can agree what the base line mpg is. I can post fillup results each time. When we estabish this I can install magnets and proceed from there.
If this sounds like a viable plan then let's dicuss it.

[MetroMPG]

Tank to tank testing is not a viable way to test modifications.

It is simply too noisy (too many uncontrolled variables affecting fuel economy).

If you are convinced that the ECU is affected by these magnets (requiring significant time/distance to "settle" between changes), then you are correct in saying that only laboratory test conditions are acceptable.

At this point you should have the intellectual honesty to agree that this isn't testable, tank-to-tank, and that conclusions can't be drawn from attempts to do so.

[hondo434]

MetroMPG, I'm not sure of your interpretaion of "tank to tank". I'm saying average several tankful readings to establish a viable base mpg. nothing will be perfect. I drove the Maxima 13 years with no change in mpg readings then all of a sudden with a large increase of milage coupled with same effect on the Altima I think there is strong evidence something happened, the question is what.
If we can establish a base reading over several tanks of gas and control factors that are controllable and note differences there should be a base level that can be agreed on.
If after installing the magnets there is a LARGE difference then we can argue why.

[MetroMPG]

I disagree, but don't let me stop you.

[Arragonis]

Hondo - go and read the original Ecomodder and Metro MPG sites (there are links here) and look at the testing. Look on YouTube where people have made quite a few A-B-A tests - including a Metro testing a number of mods such as tyres, cruise vs DWL, even (god forbid) acetone - if I can find them I'll post a link.

Its not clear what you are proposing but it looks like running a few tanks with the mod off and then a few with it on. Sorry mate, not going to slice the mustard I'm afraid. If you can get tanks which are so consistent you can see an immediate change then you live in a place with no traffic variations, no seasons, no weather, no wind and in fact the perfect place. And you manage to drive so consistently that you never have a bad tank vs a good one.

Just look at the fuel logs here - even the masters of MPG don't manage that.

I'll stick my money where my keyboard is - you do it first including videos and photos of you methods and results as I described above. If you do it as described and it shows a difference I hereby promise I will repeat the test and report back - and I'll even pay for my own magnets and you can nominate the brand / type to use (subject to a little financial limits - I have a wife to placate and I won't be paying "your" company $3K for the experience (joke - honest...) ).

So how about it ?

If you win I'll buy you an Ecomodder T-shirt - can't get more tempting than that.

[roosterk0031]

Originally Posted by bestclimb

scan gauge and similar do not really show fuel metering. they know the air flow. the only thing that sees exactly what the injectors are doing is an MPGuino. If the magnets are actually doing something to the fuel, and the computer is sending less, this is the only system other than actually measuring the fuel flow via a highly calibrated tank that will show fuel flow accurately.

If the computers sending less fuel the fuel trim % should change, SGII should pick that up with the X gauges on some cars (not that I know how to use them).

[bestclimb]

Originally Posted by roosterk0031

If the computers sending less fuel the fuel trim % should change, SGII should pick that up with the X gauges on some cars (not that I know how to use them).

Hmmm if you were to get a car up to operating temp, keep a constant throttle position and load on a rolling road. pop the magnet on and off while logging the trim, I wonder if you could even pick an effect out of the noise?

The trim bounces up and down a couple of % constantly.

[hondo434]

Arragonis, Thanks for the post, it always entertaining! "I'll stick my money where my keyboard is - you do it first including videos and photos of you methods and results as I described above. If you do it as described and it shows a difference I hereby promise I will repeat the test and report back - and I'll even pay for my own magnets and you can nominate the brand / type to use (subject to a little financial limits - I have a wife to placate and I won't be paying "your" company $3K for the experience (joke - honest...) )."

I'm sorry I'm not making myself clear, I'm looking to get an outline of a plan to test the magnets in the real world with tools I have at my disposal.
I have a digital camera, so i can take pictures of anything you want. I can take video of mpg gauge in action at anytime, I can get instant read of mpg at that moment, (I will have to start reading over).In my experience, once the vehicle is warmed up and acheives top cruising speed I can do instant read and the mpg will stay steady if on flat straight road.The only time the milage would start at a level and continue to increase was when I first put on the Magnets and they were making thier effect.