Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > Motorcycles / Scooters
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 10-15-2012, 05:39 PM   #381 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: West Coast, USA
Posts: 516

B2300 - '96 Mazda B2300 SE

Focus - '05 Ford Focus ST

The red car - '00 Honda Insight
Thanks: 6
Thanked 77 Times in 56 Posts
Using the engine oil and not, I haven't been able to solidly confirm a difference in fuel mileage. I just don't want to give the BTUs away though. The bike seems to run just a bit better, and it's really subjective at that. It just seems a little smoother. If there is any MPG gain it would be by the replacement of 5 oz of gasoline with the 5 oz of oil. Doing a little math, 132oz/gallon x 5 gallons=660 oz per average fill. 5oz of oil/660 oz of gas = 0.7%. At 50 mpg x 1.007=50.37 for a .37mpg increase. Well within the noise of the mpg variance of my riding cycle.

Anything more than 1oz per gallon seems too much for my bike as pre-detonation becomes noticeable in hot weather. Also, there is a slight amount of ash on the plugs at this mixture. No smoke is visible, ever.

Some old timers state that they used to add oil to gas on some engines as an upper cylinder lubricant. The Concours engines seem to never wear out so it's not an issue with my bike, but I suppose it couldn't hurt. With 5000 mile oil change intervals I use up all the oil from the 3 quart drain well before the next drain occurs.

Adding used engine oil to gasoline is unconventional and not rooted in science as far as I know. Adding used engine oil to diesel works pretty well and is an acceptable practice as I've read in several diesel forum discussions. I use 20:1 diesel and used engine oil acceptably but used ATF works really well up to 30%. This is in my Chinese diesel tractor.

__________________
Good design is simple. Getting there isn't.
  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 10-15-2012, 09:58 PM   #382 (permalink)
wrx4me...
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: goode, va
Posts: 143

no worries - '91 Subaru legacy L
90 day: 31.45 mpg (US)

weevee - '08 suzuki vstrom dl650
90 day: 61.22 mpg (US)

wrx - '09 Subaru wrx sedan
90 day: 29.8 mpg (US)

Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine - '09 kawasaki ninja 250 se

Connie - '09 kawasaki concours
Thanks: 42
Thanked 7 Times in 7 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by cvetter View Post
Considering all the different kinds of fuel... Gasoline, Diesel, direct sun, wood, coal, natural gas, nukes, etc etc... isn't cost a good way to measure?

It only becomes difficult if the government has meddled... subsidizing... depletion allowances... applying road taxes... not applying road taxes...

They wouldn't do that, would they?
You are a very funny guy, Craig....your question just popped off a 10watt lightbulb for me as i just realized the actual truth about how different energy sources fluctuate in popularity based on the support or lack thereof from the government. Very astute observation Craig. How do we as consumers choose the 'energy du jur' for our present and future needs for heating our homes, powering our transportation, etc when the marketplace is artificially manipulated by government intervention, and the chosen flavor seems to change so often...yikes.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-16-2012, 10:29 PM   #383 (permalink)
Moderate your Moderation.
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Troy, Pa.
Posts: 8,919

Pasta - '96 Volkswagen Passat TDi
90 day: 45.22 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,369
Thanked 430 Times in 353 Posts
I burn used motor oil in my truck in lieu of using road diesel. Straight. Unless I have raw gas or kerosene that I don't have a use for. The only thing I do with the oil as far as adding anything to it is just to get the viscosity closer to that of normal diesel fuel.

I've blended water with small amounts to see if the truck would run on it. I think I got it up to 30% before noticing any problems or obvious power loss with a warm engine.
__________________
"¿ʞɐǝɹɟ ɐ ǝɹ,noʎ uǝɥʍ 'ʇı ʇ,usı 'ʎlǝuol s,ʇı"

  Reply With Quote
Old 10-16-2012, 10:36 PM   #384 (permalink)
ron
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: slo county ca.
Posts: 277

double eagles - '99 Dodge ram slt
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.48 mpg (US)
Thanks: 24
Thanked 17 Times in 16 Posts
oil and water does not mix, unless I missed something and water does not burn.ARE U SURE
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-16-2012, 10:39 PM   #385 (permalink)
Moderate your Moderation.
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Troy, Pa.
Posts: 8,919

Pasta - '96 Volkswagen Passat TDi
90 day: 45.22 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,369
Thanked 430 Times in 353 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by ron View Post
oil and water does not mix, unless I missed something and water does not burn.ARE U SURE
You probably could have just asked for clarification.

Water DOES burn, but that's not why I do it. Less fuel into the combustion chamber per event, and all other things equal, means better fuel economy. Simple. If I'm introducing water, which then turns to steam, I don't sacrifice as much power from the loss of fuel value since steam expands to 1600 times it's water volume, but I maintain a clean engine, free of soot and coke from burning lubrican't oils. (Yes, I placed the apostrophe on purpose.)

Google "water oil emulsion". You'll instantly learn that not only are you incorrect in your assumption that water and oil will not mix, but people have been doing exactly that for years.

PS - Have you ever seen brown oil? It's got water emulsified in it.
__________________
"¿ʞɐǝɹɟ ɐ ǝɹ,noʎ uǝɥʍ 'ʇı ʇ,usı 'ʎlǝuol s,ʇı"

  Reply With Quote
Old 10-16-2012, 11:32 PM   #386 (permalink)
ron
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: slo county ca.
Posts: 277

double eagles - '99 Dodge ram slt
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.48 mpg (US)
Thanks: 24
Thanked 17 Times in 16 Posts
"brown oil" when left alone will separate or the water will evaporate. perhaps you should have said water injection .Ive used that and agree it keeps the combustion chamber clean.to say water burns you must be referring to splitting hydrogen off or HHO
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-16-2012, 11:35 PM   #387 (permalink)
Moderate your Moderation.
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Troy, Pa.
Posts: 8,919

Pasta - '96 Volkswagen Passat TDi
90 day: 45.22 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,369
Thanked 430 Times in 353 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by ron View Post
"brown oil" when left alone will separate or the water will evaporate. perhaps you should have said water injection .Ive used that and agree it keeps the combustion chamber clean.to say water burns you must be referring to splitting hydrogen off or HHO
Hence the "small quantities" of emulsion. I burn it faster than it can separate. I don't have a mix tank installed on the vehicle so I have to mix only what I can use for the tests.

I don't use water injection on my diesels, though I'm considering it, since it's so easy to mount a carb and feed it water and meter it properly.

I said water burns because it's true. I didn't say I'm burning water.
__________________
"¿ʞɐǝɹɟ ɐ ǝɹ,noʎ uǝɥʍ 'ʇı ʇ,usı 'ʎlǝuol s,ʇı"

  Reply With Quote
Old 10-20-2012, 12:56 PM   #388 (permalink)
the crazy guy in back
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Columbus, IN
Posts: 39

Cressy - '90 Toyota Cressida

Pickup - '91 Toyota Pickup base
Thanks: 0
Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts
Send a message via AIM to kamesama980
'90 Suzuki VX800 (carbed water cooled V-twin)
gets 50-55 doing 70+ like I stole it or 50-65 country roads. From what I've seen on the vx800 forums that's about as much as they get unmodified. from 40mph on up you go from not quite in good VE but less drag, great VE more drag, OK VE lots of drag.

1 mile commute to work that I should be using the pedal bike still gets 30 mpg.
__________________
-2003 Subaru Baja 2.5 5MT
-2005 Subaru Baja 2.5T 5MT
-1994 Pontiac Firebird 5.7 V8/6MT
-2001 BMW R1200c
-1970 VW Beetle
-2015 Prius (for the wife)
"You don't get to blame me for how I fix what you broke."
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2012, 02:44 PM   #389 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Carson City, Nevada
Posts: 612

Jimmy - '00 GMC Jimmy SLT
90 day: 21.18 mpg (US)

The White Gnat - '99 Suzuki Swift
Team Suzuki
90 day: 51.87 mpg (US)
Thanks: 240
Thanked 114 Times in 90 Posts
I had a Honda Nighhawk 450 back in the early to mid 80's and got 70 mpg on the highway until I had the clear plastic "PlexiFairing" installed on it. Then I started getting 75 on the highway! What a surprise! But the dealer told me it was probably because the air hit the smooth fairing, got pushed outta the way, and that was "cleaner" than hitting the handlbars & mirror, then hitting me, then hitting the seat back, etc.

Best tank was 76-something mpg. And I beleive it was when the "national speed limit" was still 55. I took it out a couple years later later & tried to make a trip on the freeway where the speed limit was 70 or 75. First of all, it couldn't got that fast!! Secondly, my mileage dropped into the low 40s.
  Reply With Quote
Old 10-28-2012, 02:52 PM   #390 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Carson City, Nevada
Posts: 612

Jimmy - '00 GMC Jimmy SLT
90 day: 21.18 mpg (US)

The White Gnat - '99 Suzuki Swift
Team Suzuki
90 day: 51.87 mpg (US)
Thanks: 240
Thanked 114 Times in 90 Posts
I read about this supposedly super-duper "Rifle fairing" that was supposed to be so low in drag and improve fuel economy so much. So I bought one and replaced the PlexiFairing with it. Mileage went DOWN!!! - Low 70s. It didn't protect me from the wind as well, either - especially my legs. So I guess more air hit me after the fairing, causing drag to go up. (?)

I wrecked the bike & that fairing got demolished. Being the genius I am, not learning too quickly, I got got the bike repaired and ANOTHER Rifle fairing!! HAH!! But awhile later, I had another minor wreck that screwed up that new fairing, and after that, I put the old PlexiFairing back on, and presto!! Mileage went back up to 75!!

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Motorcycle fuel economy champ's advice for efficient cross-country touring... MetroMPG Motorcycles / Scooters 6 01-31-2008 02:38 AM



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com