...but I'm sure some of it will be disputed. Let's discuss these!
Ultra MPG Super Tune Up
Here are twelve tried and true steps to better mileage.
These hints are the result of 50 years of scientific testing and experimentation.
Acetone is a major contributor to MPG savings in cars, trucks and aircraft. You should add this to your fuel because every make and model of automobile can utilize this technology to achieve higher fuel efficiency. Many foreign cars have better mileage than American cars but they ALL improve MPG with the addition of acetone.
1. Fuel Additive Formula: 100% pure acetone can safely be added to the fuel in the amount of 2 to 4 ounces per 10 gallons of gasoline. This superb mileage additive is technically dimethylketone and found in many hardware stores labeled as 100% acetone.
Advantage: Greatly increases engine life. Lowers surface tension in your fuel molecules so the fuel will evaporate fully to provide more power, lower emissions and greater mileage. But we encourage you to do the other things to further raise MPG. In any case your auto will NEVER run efficiently until you add acetone.
Directions: Add an amount between 2 ounces for some cars and up to 4 ounces to others. These are added per 10 gallons of gasoline. Use a long funnel to pour acetone into tank. Watch out for your paint. Use a ScanGauge to find the correct amount after some experimentation. Avoid more than that in attempts to increase power. Your MPG will improve immediately after adding this additive. Use a long ATF funnel and a stainless 2-oz. measuring cup to protect paint. If the acetone label says anything else (such as benzoate) is in the bottle or can--do not buy it. 100% pure only, such as Sunnyside acetone in quarts or gallon cans. The Sunnyside quart cans pour easily. Try hardware stores, Menards, Fleet Farm, Wal-Mart or K-Mart. We prefer to add one ounce of Torco GP-7 or Torco EAL into a 16 oz. bottle of acetone. This improves MPG and the lubricity of the fuel and also improves the anti-knock rating both to diesel fuel and gasoline. Shake the contents well just before you add this nice mix to the fuel. The amount remains 2 oz.per ten gallons in diesels and 2-4 oz. per ten gallons of gasoline. In gasoline only, we often add Techron right after the acetone. Techron is sold in most parts stores as a cleaner. We use 2-3 oz. of Techron per 10 gallons of gas. It is made by Texaco/Chevron.
MPG gain is 2 to 10 while percent boost is 10% to 50%.
2. Motor Oil Formula: Torco Engine Oil plus Torco Additives
Advantage: Greatly increases engine life. Increases oil lubricity to gain the best lubrication possible with present technology. Big jump in MPG.
Directions: Change oil with Torco 15W-40 Super Diesel oil in your crankcase in winter. In spring, autumn and summer we use Torco MPZ TR-1 10W-40 or 20W-50 petroleum-based oil. We normally overfill the crankcase with one quart of SR-1 20W-50 synthetic Torco in all cases. We add one bottle of MPZ Magnetic Friction Reducer additive along with one bottle of EAL Engine Assembly Lube that is a slippery supplement without equal on this planet. Super lubricity results from this combination and the best possible MPG and longest engine life will follow. Oil change intervals are now 6000 to 8000 miles with a new filter every 2000 to 3000. MPZ is the proprietary Torco super lubricant classification. It is on every item we purchase from Torco. The great advantage of the MPZ is that it plates the inside of the engine. You can feel the difference when you drive. For instance when you shift gears in a manual box, the RPM does not drop immediately but stays up there for some seconds. The slippery plating is so pronounced that even after five oil changes with ordinary oil, the effects of the MPZ are still noticeable. This is most apparent on a dyno.
MPG gain is 2 to 5 while percent increase is 10% to 25%.
3. Transmission Fluid Formula: any Dexron/Mercon ATF fluid mixed with 5W-40 Torco fully synthetic oil.
Advantage: Greatly increases automatic transmission life. Increases lubricity of the ATF to grant the best shifting, great lubrication and resistance to overheating.
Directions: Drop oil pan, replace transmission filter and gasket. Check gap settings for the bands and for excessive band wear. Blow out the transmission cooler lines to radiator. Do not flush or attempt to flush the torque converter. Fill with new ATF fluid and use the Havoline synthetic oil to top it off with the engine running at idle. Do not be afraid to have the fluid level a little over full. It does not matter. The tranny will shift smoothly and have less internal slippage during normal operation. It should run a bit cooler also. Do not do this if the tranny was running with synthetic ATF because you should not mix synthetic oils. Do not use just any synthetic and never employ any ordinary motor oil that will cake and plug the fluid filter.
MPG gain is 1 to 2 and percent increase is 5 to 10%.
NOTES ON MANUALS:*************************************
You can easily test the idea that added viscosity improves lubrication by adding an 85W-140 gear oil to your manual transmission. It will probably shift dramatically easier. In fact too thick of an oil (straight 140) in your manual gearbox may cause so little synchronizer friction that the gears will clash or grind when shifting. This is called cold-clash, caused by excessive viscosity. Conversely, too light a viscosity causes hard shifting and rapid transmission wear. In manual boxes that take ATF instead of gear lube, you might use Texaco synthetic ATF. Gear lubes are in a special class by themselves. NEVER add any gear lube to ATF or into any engine for any reason. Synthetic oils are NOT made directly from petroleum, so they are generally safe to add to an automatic transmission. Remember you can safely mix most modern petroleum based oils. Just never mix different synthetics or you might create a kind of Frankenstein oil. In general, synthetic oils carry greater additive content but petroleum oils will adhere better to metal.************************************************
4. High Amp Spark Plugs: Use NGK V-Power spark plugs.
Advantage: Improves engine performance. Provides better ignition amperage for best (hottest) spark to ignite fuel. Other plugs have excessive resistance that causes missing. This is most apparent in cold or wet weather. Excessive resistance creates a corona effect in the dark. This is a way to find too much secondary resistance. The resistance in the plug should never be more than about 7000 ohms.
Directions: Set the spark plug gap to 0.025 for best results. Or close your factory gap by .010. Use dielectric grease on your plugs and in the plug wire boots and on the metal contacts. Silicone spray is okay but the grease is better because the next time you remove the boots, it is possible to rip the cables and damage the wires to introduce a missing condition in the ignition. Be sure the cables are like new by viewing the ignition system on a scope. Replace cables if older than ten years. With a tighter gap, voltage is less but amperage is much greater. Amps mean HEAT and that is what fires the air-fuel mixture, not voltage. It is okay to use NGK Standard or Bosch Super spark plugs as they have the proper resistance levels. We avoid platinum and iridium plugs because people tell us their cars do not run as well.
MPG gain is 1 to 2 and percent gain is 5 to 10%.
5. Best Quality Filters: Use Baldwin Filters for clean oil, air and fuel.
Advantage: Greatly increases engine life. Improves cleanliness and lubricity of the oil. Provides the best lubrication with the best filtering possible. Removes the tiniest particles normally found in used engine oil, inlet air and fuel. For all cars and trucks.
Directions: Order oil, air and fuel filters from the nearest PeterBilt Truck shop. If possible change the oil filter every 2000 to 3000 miles; even if you only change the oil every 6000 to 8000 miles you will see an improvement. A new oil filter improves MPG as does a new air filter and fuel filter. The HPG designation is the best filter material we have seen. We use the B2-HPG in Fords, Chrysler Products, Mazda and many others. We like to buy filters that are bigger than standard when the threads and seals are the same specs. Check this with Baldwin.
MPG gain is 1 to 2 while percent increase is 5 to 10%.
6. Use Warm Air Intake: Modify intake to draw warm air near radiator.
Advantage: Deliver warm and smooth air to the intake for best MPG.
Directions: Disconnect the cold air hose or housing from the fender well. Remove filter. Clean up the parts. Bore about 10 1-3/4 inch holes into plastic housing (if this applies) to draw air from the engine compartment directly to the air filter. Deburr the holes and clean the parts. Plug up the cold air inlet leading to the air collector box. Reinstall the air filter assembly. This will improve the engine Thermal Efficiency and mileage.
MPG gain is 1 to 2 and percent gain is 5 to 10%.
7. Slow Down Engine: Use larger than standard tires.
Advantage: Better traction and less noise. The slightly larger tires reduce the number of times the pistons reach top center where nearly all the friction occurs in the engine. With lower RPM, the engine can be more efficient for that reason. Better efficiency gives you better mileage. High MPG is all about efficiency. Increases engine life through reduced RPM for a given speed. Speedometer/odometer correction is needed.
Directions: Find a size and brand that fits your car. If your original tire size is 185, go to a 195 tire, etc. Keep the same wheel (rim size) of course. Look at the tire catalog for the specs on tire diameters. We have found over the years that Yokohama tires give great traction in winter, have a great tire pattern and are cost effective. Another way to bigger tires is to keep the same width but use a taller height of the tire like this example: 185 35 R15 to 185 45 R15.
MPG gain is 1 to 2 while percent improvement is 5 to 10%.
8. Keep Engine at Warmer Level: Use a 195-degree thermostat.
Advantage: Hotter engine operates better and allows more efficient vaporization of fuel. This also reduces combustion heat escaping from the combustion chamber and going to heat the block and heads which is a waste of heat. Oil works better in this temperature range and fuel has less of a chance to wash down cylinder walls which also increases engine life.
Directions: If the thermostat housing is in plain sight and you are a mechanic and the engine is cold, you could do this yourself. Otherwise take the car to your mechanic and you might request new coolant as the old coolant may be old and turning corrosive. The gain is from better Thermal Efficiency by keeping more heat inside the combustion zone where the heat from the fuel can be put into useful work to move the pistons and produce torque on the crankshaft. Your comfort in the winter is better too. Never run an engine without a thermostat.
MPG gain is 1 to 3 and percent gain is 5 to 15%.
9. Find the best Gasoline Available: Try to use ethanol-free gasoline.
Advantage: Get only the best fuel with good additives so the fuel gives efficient MPG. Better fuel generally
keeps the engine cleaner which increases it's life span.
Directions: Some areas only have ethanol doped gasoline. That is unfortunate and strictly a local political decision because it ruins MPG. Good gas can be obtained from Texaco, WalMart, Chevron, Shell, Cenex or CalTex stations in your area. Canadian Shell Bronze is one of the best. At least in many cars. The real trick is to use the ScanGauge to determine which stations have better gasoline mileage (and less ethanol) and eliminate those that deliver poor or bad MPG. The really great station is consistent. The proof is available for you to demonstrate the correctness of your choice. Then tell other drivers what you have discovered. The idea is to force "bad" stations to improve their gasoline or else.
MPG gain is 4 to 8 and percent boost is 20 to 40%.
10. Reset Vehicle Computer System: Disconnect battery so the ECU can recalibrate itself for a fresh start.
Advantage: The automatic car computer system has calibrated adjustments that are bumped automatically as the car is driven. When fresh engine changes are made, for best fuel mixture and engine timing adjustments that must be learned quickly, it is best to dump the old settings and data.
Directions: Disconnect your battery (negative cable only) for 10 minutes to reset the computer. Reset your clock. This gives the computer a chance to adjust itself to your current (new) engine configuration for best efficiency. Do this especially after tuning the engine. Then drive normally. The recalibration will take anywhere from 1 hour to 1 day depending on how long you drive after your changes have been made. After the learning period, the efficiency of the vehicle will be set for best MPG.
MPG gain is 1 to 2 and percent boost is 5 to 10%.
11. Cover Oxygen Sensors with Aluminum Foil: Wrap your oxygen sensors in the exhaust pipe with 7 to 10 layers of shiny foil.
Advantage: The car computer system depends on the oxygen sensors to adjust the air-fuel mixture being fed to the engine. The cooler the exhaust gases, more fuel gets sent to the engine. The hotter the exhaust gases, less fuel will be sent to the engine.
Directions: To seal maximum warmth inside the exhaust pipe, insulation in the form of Reynolds Aluminum Foil is employed to insulate the oxygen sensor. Wrap five inches in front and five inches after the sensor to keep it much warmer. We double a one-foot section of foil and wrap that around the pipe and around the sensor itself. Do not remove the sensor. Then we repeat the process four more times. Finally we use .030" copper or aluminum wire to wind around the aluminum foil to keep it from blowing away and be sealed against water. The wire comes from any welding supply. The goal is to fool the car's computer into sensing too rich a mixture so it adjusts with a slightly leaner mixture and possibly a slight advance in timing. The end result is smoother engine operation and better MPG. This trick is especially important in severe winter climates.
MPG gain is 1 to 2 and percent boost is 5 to 10%.
12. Maintain a Light Depression on Throttle: Back off on your accelerator pedal as often as possible while you drive.
Advantage: The car computer system reads engine vacuum and the throttle position sensor as you drive. The less you depress the throttle, the less fuel is sent to the injectors. The higher your manifold vacuum, the less fuel is received by the engine.
Directions: When you have a ScanGauge on your car, you soon see that backing off the accelerator while going down a slight hill sends the ScanGauge reading over 100 MPG. Of course this is averaged into the overall reading on trip setting. But the immediate reading shows a huge MPG reading during this condition. Do not put the car into neutral. Just try to keep your foot off the accelerator as much as you can and still maintain a reasonable speed. It helps to have a vacuum gauge on your dash.
MPG gain is 1 to 2 and percent boost is 5 to 10%.
SUMMARY:
MPG total gain is 17 to 37 with the overall steps combined. This depends greatly on every specific vehicle and is a rough (conservative) estimate only. But it is as truthful as we can make it.
Watch carefully for signs on the gas pumps warning the fuel contains alcohol. Ten-percent ethanol is common but not all stations contain that much. Not all stations carry a sign on their pumps. Some only have 3 or 5-percent ethanol to keep their customers happy regardless of the laws. Some have none. But the ones that warn you of ten-percent or HIGHER--go somewhere else. And test all the stations in your area to be sure you use the best one. They certainly vary a lot because in general, the less alcohol, the better the mileage.
Most stations do not usually sell high mileage gasoline. You still should test the gas even if you find a good one because there is no way to be sure except by careful and consistent MPG testing. You cannot mix gasolines and be sure of results. Often it takes about five tanks of ONE good fuel to gain accurate results and get rid of all remnants of the old fuel. We prefer Cenex gasoline in Wisconsin because it does NOT contain alcohol and the MPG is a healthy 30-percent or so better. North and South Dakota have similar stations such as Wal-Mart where the choice for alcohol or straight gasoline is up to you. It should be that way all over.
IC engines CANNOT operate efficiently without some acetone in the fuel.
Special thanks to Justin Kalis for the format of these suggestions.
QUESTIONS ? Call 1-612-788-4034 or write to:
info@SmartGas.net
(c) Copyright 1998, 2005 Bright Enterprises All Rights Reserved
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I have done some of these, currently trying others, and some are definitely
good suggestions but may not work for everyone. You gotta test YOUR
combo and see what works! The acetone BTW is showing results so far
as I can tell, I have an 89 Mercury Tracer 5 speed getting up to 42 MPG
with basically acetone in straight gas (no alky) with sensible driving.
My brother also gto a 10-11% mileage increase in a big supercab F-150 with
the 5.4, he went from 19.8-ish to 22 MPG highway which is great on a big
hog like that!
Re: An article I found on mileage, mostly good info 
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