gas mileage

[horsepwr]

TweetYa remember growing up, hearing the term about cars, "blow it out", or how it has to be blown out now and then? Well I believe that term is correct, still to this day. Of course engines get nasty build up in low rpm city driving. Ya know how they've shown pictures of grungy valves, pistons, etc... Well, I drove the Passat several times (6/7) back and forth on a few hour weekly commute. Well, the first 2 or 3 times, it took exactly (x) amount of gas. I'm not one to figure my mileage exactly. I just don't think about it. But on the 3rd or 4th trip, I reached the destination with a quarter tank more gas left than the first 2/3. I just wrote it off as a kinda, wtf...kinda thing. Then I make the same trip the next Monday morning, and it was left holding the same amount of gas. I realized then that it flat out was getting more miles per gallon. by a decent little bit too. Every trip from there on out it got the same, which was better.
Then, I get this company truck. It's used. It's got a few years and miles under it's belt. But I'm relocated farther away too. So the first trip home with this truck, it went through 2 in-a-half tanks of gas. The next trip, it got a little farther on 2 tanks. Almost to the destination. I just get home yesterday. 1 tank and 3/4. I was in a state of holy shyt. That's a huge difference. But that might've been about what the Passat did too on that longer haul.

But isn't that something? I wouldn't believe it if you told me. At a difference like that, I woulda told you that the vehicle would've had to have been noticably running bad, but they both ran fine. The only noticable difference is the gas milage.

On the Passat, I thought it was because when we first got it, we ran regular through it for a couple months until I noticed the big bold stickers inside the fuel door that read (91 OCTANE OR BETTER ONLY) But, maybe it's the computer. Ya know what? Here's a conspiracy theory. Maybe they program the computers like that in production...to use more gas. They pass the EPA standards, then slowly adjust. Sorta like how a transmission will adjust to the driver. My granfather bought a brand new Toyota Corrola a few years back. First compact those 2 have ever owned. They got it for the mileage. I remember at Thanksgiving dinner, he told me that it got so many miles to the gallon when he first got it. Then when they started putting "that additive" in the fuel, that it got like 12 less miles per gallon. I just remember it being over 10. He thought it was because of the ethanol. I bet the computer does it. Also, that was the first brand new car they, the grandparents, had bought in over 2 deceades. since the 70s. but he knew that it got so many miles per gallon at first. Then, after just a few tanks, if I remember correctly, he said it got that much worse. I went through a little process of elimination with him too. About different gas, different brands, etc...he told me all variables were unchanged. except for "that additive they started puttting in the gas".

Thoughts?..comments...

[deepsouth]

TweetI "Blow" mine out daily. I have a nice little 20+ mile strech to the house w/ no interuptions and race co-workers on a regular basis. The only complaint is that the governor kicks in @120mph. Long steady trips IMHO are great for vehicles and the stop and go of the city commute are very rough on a car. As far as running higher octanes ( whic my wifes BMW requires) doesn't do as well or I should say show me much difference in my truck for the money, her car on the other hand is tuned for high octane and if you try and run regular unleaded- it runs like crap. If you have ever run a preformance programmer in a car/truck that requires running super unleaded and try putting regular in it- you won't make that mistake again-LOL

[daved150]

Tweeti've always heard you had to "blow 'em out" also...when i first met my wife, she had a firebird formula. she baby'd it, so every one in a while, i'd jam on it. it seemed to have run better for few days after, but i dont know about gas milage...never really paid too much attention to that back then...i really dont think there's a conspieracy with the oil company's and the auto manufactor's though...it's partly becouse of those assholes that we're in the situation that we are!!! (5$ a gallon gas??!! wtf...fukin theives)

[horsepwr]

Tweetyeah, you know me dave. I'm know conspiracy theorist. I just threw that in for fun.

But I don't run down the interstate at 70mph. I put 'em in the wind. I was bouncing this truck off the governor constantly on the first trip.(90mph..pfft) but I never found the governor on the Passat. It'd get on up there, but I never got it over about 110. I have proven through 2 different vehicles, though, that getting them on a long higher rpm haul and running them definitely cleans the motor out, and makes for a better running vehicle. Like I said, you can't really tell that it's running any better, but it is by getting that much better gas mileage. I think I could actually tell a little difference with the little Turbo Passat though.

And yeah, deep. you don't wanna run regular through a vehicle that's tuned for higher octane, like we did with the Passat for a while. That ain't good. And I heard a tap when I popped the hood, that just sounded bad wrong, shortly after we got it. Once I saw that sticker in the fuel door, I knew why then.
I've always told people to run atleast 89octane in their modular motor Fords. Ever since my first mod motor, '98 Mustang GT, would do a little valve rattle with at least a half a tank or more, with the A/C on, and when I would gas it to pass or something. It would rattle just for a second or 2 right off the bottom when I gassed it to pass or something. 89 octane stopped that. Then I saw a comparison of the big 3 trucks on Speed channel a couple yrs ago, and they were showing wheather or not running higher octane made a difference. The Dodge Ram, and the Chevrolet 1500 produced no more torque or horsepower what-so-ever. No reason to run anything higher than 87 in those 2. Last, the guy came out with the dyno sheet after running the Ford F150 5.4, and he said, "now check this out". The Ford produced 9 more horsepower, forgot the torque, but 9hp better with the premium octane! That's absolutely amazing from a vehicle that's made to run on regular. The guy on the show said, "so run regular during the week, and put high octane fuel in the Ford on the weekend for some fun..." Kinda backs up my statement about not running regular in mod-motor Fords. That's an absolute fact by it pulling that dramatic of difference on the dyno. I try to tell everybody not to run regular in mod-motors. I got through to my mother. She's a Stanger. If it runs better with higher octane, then it isn't liking something about the regular, period. I learned with my '98 Stang loaded down on a trip with 87oct in it when I hit the gas to pass with the A/C on and a full tank. That little tap was gone in the same scenario with just mid-grade. So, if I had to run mid-grade in my mod-motors, then why not go ahead and get a chip or programmer. Hence the Diablosport in my last pickup. and pick-up it did when I loaded the program to it. wow! That thing awoke from the dead.

[bionic redneck]

Tweetmine ranges from 18-20 on my duramax.. unloaded..

[Waterboy]

TweetI still take mine out about once every six weeks and blow it out.
If you think it doesn't make a difference, just look at the exhaust when you first
get on it.

[deepsouth]

TweetOh -just for the record- I get 15-16mpg driving like normal and when I do the speed limit- I get 18-20mpg unloaded. I run loaded with the horses around 75-85 and get 9-11mpg