Was looking for a new mpg site
 

There was a fuel-economy site that I liked, MPG Research, but I think they got hacked or something, and when they got the site up again, the members had gone away. So I was looking for something similar and found y'all.

You guys may be more hard-core about this than I. I wouldn't remove the passenger side rearview mirror just to clean up the aerodynamics, for instance. But, different strokes for different folks, as we old boomers used to say all the time.

Welcome to the site old jupiter. I used to visit mpgresearch a long while ago. I stopped going because nobody seemed genuinely helpful over there. Folks over here are much more helpful IMO.

What area of interest do you have specifically? What do you drive?

Welcome!

Mike Holler's website/forum is bettermpgtoday.com, I found it recently and joined but there is not very much activity. It is a place that gives you a chance to chat with Mike Holler. In this forum if you speak of some of the things that Mike Holler would talk about your post will end up in the unicorn corral.

...dont get me wrong I really do like this forum.

bettermpg.com = waste of perfectly good bandwidth. Mike "supertuner"- geesh. :rolleyes:

we really aren't nice guys........ :mad:

the moderators have shock collars :eek: on at least half of us ;)

(i'm kinda kidding.......)

anyway, sharp bunch here, lot to learn. very willing to share. We love anything thats aba tested. good or bad.:thumbup:

Sorry so late replying. Never heard of Mike Holler.

My interests are generally in applying those mostly-well-known hot rodding techniques that tend to improve fuel economy (the part in which I am more interested, for my own vehicles) as well as power, by making the engine more efficient. Improving intake and exhaust systems to reduce pumping losses and charge dilution is a common example. Rebuilding with increased compression, possibly to the point of needing water-injection is another. And even if one doesn't markedly increase compression, decking the block during a rebuild to get a good tight squish-height is a win-win, adding a little power while quelling any tendency to detonation. Employing an engine-heater, trans-heater, diff-heater, and in the case of diesels, a fuel heater, make the engine work better and easier when starting out on a cold morning. Finally, with any change made, the factory spark-timing curve usually becomes sub-optimal (maybe mixture does as well) so hearing how the better tuners develop a new timing curve for a modified engine is always worthwhile for me.

All of this is long-established technology. The manufacturer's can't take advantage of all of it because they have a million compromises they must make. I regard any factory-original vehicle as a kind of a "kit" that any decent amateur mechanic can play with and improve upon. With newer vehicles, the factories have done more, and we can do less. But I won't have any more new cars because they are too complicated for me, too heavy, with too many systems I don't want, and have too much plastic in them. So my thing is older cars, pre-computer at least.

So I'd have to say that my personal interest in such topics as plug-in hybrids, electrics, hydrogen fuel, extreme aerodynamic bodywork, and other cutting-edge tech is not great. OTOH, my interest in conventional techniques for improving fuel efficiency extends beyond little econo-boxes to include work-trucks, and maybe motorcycles, low-resistance boats, small engines that power welder-generators and other equipment, and so forth.

In the book "The ultimate fuel economy guide" (2008 eddition) low psi turbocharging for efficiency is discussed.

I also belong to fuel-saver.org Forum...(less areodynamics and more engine mod and computer manipulation)

Thanks, I'll look for that. I could have mentioned turbocharging, as a way of making a smaller engine do the work of a bigger engine with more cylinders and more wieght, etc.. But lately I am fixing up a little modern-style car with a tiny engine compartment that is already fairly tightly-packed with its crosswise four cylinder engine, accessories, and an A/C system if I decide to re-install it. I like to be able to work my hand and a wrench or rachet around the engine, and adding a turbo system makes that nearly impossible. I'm also working on an old van, and have the same preference for good accesibility, so even though I'm replacing a V-8 with a straight six, I don't want to have to work around a turbo system. About the only place that I personally would use a turbo would be in an old-fashioned rear-drive car with an inline four or six, oriented fore-and-aft (not sideways) as the gods intended, and not a lot of clutter around it. Something like an old Dart or Swinger with a Slant Six just begs for a turbocharger, but the cars I have now do not.