Gearz fuel economy episode
 

Over the week-end on the SPEED channel, this show called GEARZ did a episode on improving mpg. I like the show, but this epp. told you that you have to buy a set of headers, cat back exhaust, cold air intake, fancy plugs, power programmer, & sythetic lubes. Other than the lubes, this epp. might as well been an infomercial for improving your 1/4 mile times. He didn't go into technics, tuning engines, aero mods, weight reduction, or taller gearing. Anyone else see this show?

ex-x-fire -

I didn't see it. If the "power programmer" allows you to reprogram the fuel maps, I think that's all you'd need. The synthetics don't hurt, either.

CarloSW2

That must have been just as good as the Monster Diesel OCC episode...

Didn't see it, but it bugs me big time when the mainstream media get it wrong (or partially wrong).

As a result of shows like that (and poorly done Mythbusters episodes, as another example), you can be guaranteed that uncritical people in the forums will be pointing to the show as "proof" that the mods they did are good for MPG.

performance mods and mileage mods go hand in hand.

the exhaust system mods would make less restriction on the engine but if you go to free flowing you can hurt the low end power so it is a thin line to figure out what works best for mileage and for performance.

spark plugs, would not make a noticeable difference unless you upgrade the whole ignition system. if anything it would be better to run cheaper plugs and swap em out more often.

Cold Air intake, It seems to get better performance / mpg than the stock air box and resonators which depending on the car can be very restrictive.

Synthetic lubes are good.

Power programmer can modify shift points, and adjust fuel maps. most have options for more power or more mpg.


I think what should have been included is just plain old basic maintenance. all the things that people commonly overlook are the things that make a vehicle lose mileage.

For my car, the f/e went up when i went back to the stock air box after having a CAI.

air boxes are diffrent in diffrent vehicals, more "plush" cars have more than one resonator and other things that restrict the intake tract.

I love that show!!!

All I know is freeing up the flow of the intake & exhaust means the engine will require more fuel.
He needs to do show on the basics, I've seen guys w/ cars that have t-stats that are stuck open & the engine never warms up(gauge is always near C), they didn't have a clue it effects mpg at all. They think their cooling system is just fine. Or the guys who ignore the check eng. light. Or hauling around a bunch of junk.
I think mpg is improved more by the quality of the combustion than by more air flow.
Didn't the show HORSE POWER do a mpg Camaro build last year, I think they put a cold t-stat in that one, cai kit, exhaust, ignition upgrades, & headlight covers. Their gains weren't too impresive. They called it the mean green machine I think.

Metro, did you see that Mythbusters episode where they tested a fuel mileage myth by having two Explorers driving side-by-side around a track until one of them ran out of fuel? I think that was possibly the worst experiment I've ever seen done. I wonder just how many more uncontrolled variables they possibly could have introduced to that test.