The ongoing quest for better MPG

[Cornfield creations]

With gas prices soaring over $3 a gallon, is there relief for those with older gas hungry vehicles? My k-5 only has a 4" with 33's and I am getting 10 mpg in town, w/o the a/c on and babying it, and thats no fun. I know of other people with other older trucks that get better than that with bigger tires. I know theres plenty factors that play but.. They're not much different from my own.

Having an older vehicle to me is better than anything newer(after owning a new truck and going back to the k-5). The insurance is cheaper, the plates are cheaper, but the gas is more. I think we need a good thread of ideas, tricks and anything that comes to mind to help us all out on this issue.


I have heard of the "Fitch Fuel Catalyst," they have been in many magazines promoting better gas mileage and being able to run a lower octane, like 87, when a higher is required like 92. That in itself would pay off eventually.

I have also heard of the acetone trick, but I hear it eats anything with rubber. Anyone try of these products, know of any more, or have any ideas that may help us all.

 

[Kp]

I feel your pain. I just did a MPG calculation on my sub, and I wish I hadn't!
9.5 MPG's in mixed city/hwy driving. Now consider that I have a 60 mile roundtrip commute everyday, and you can bet I can't wait to demote(promote?) this thing to "weekends only" status.
If only I can get my trooper to stop burning up starter relays........

 

[OffRoad]

honda civic, geo metro, etc. buy one. i'm not joking. i'm not flaming you, this is what everyone does.

"our" trucks get crappy mileage. unless you want a diesel... but that still won't get you 35mpg.

sorry, i know that's not what you want ot hear.

 

[RootBreaker]

well the only solution to bad gas milage is a car for a dd... guy at work has a geo metro.. bought for $300 and gets 65mpg..
I have a 96 camaro v6 as my dd... 20-25mpg....

now back to the truck....

I calculated 11mpg in my pickup and yeah that would kill me on the current gas prices....as a dd.... on all 3 vehicles I added k&n air filters as a store was going out of business..... got em cheap.. every car got 1-3mpg better.... however I paid $20 each for the filters.. if you have to pay $80 then it will take longer to regain your bucks.... and that is even if it works for ya...

something else to consider... if you do more highway mileage... try a larger tire... will be more to get rolling but once rolling... the r's should be less.. for better mileage.....

at one point I had 33's and 3.73 gears... with a 305 pushing the truck.... got 10mpg.. once I put a 350 in... I was getting 14mpg.. I think it is due to the 305 having to work harder to push the truck... the 305 was out of a monte carlo.. and the 350 out of a pickup....

 

[muddybuddy]

diesel dude. i had a "built" k5 with a 350tbi on 39.5 iroks and it would give me bout 10mpg city or highway. it started getting rediculous last year, but i knew i still wanted to drive a truck daily. around here diesel is 20+ cents cheaper than gas so that made perfect sense. i know have a lifted k30 on 39.5's and it gets about 15mpg in the city, i havent driven it on the highway much yet but id hope itd be closer to 20mpg there.

consider that diesel is cheaper and youll see a substantial improvement in mpg. it was a no-brainer to me.

if you dont mind not driving your truck everyday, then get a small commuter car that will give you 30+ mpg. but beware, there are additional expenses, insurance, money to purchase the car, and any repairs it needs.