[Nomadic_Dragon]

Everyone talks about Performance mods in regards to increasing speed, torque, horsepower, etc. We've heard about all of them from from double-platinum sparkplugs to higher power distributers to CAI's, high flow filters, and Diablo chips, all the way to wet shot nitrous and superchargers.

But what about other ways a Taurus could go for high performance? Specifically, what mods will increase gas milage significantly in and out of town? I'm not talking all the well-known basic stuff like keep tires inflated, but stuff that we can take our mechanical skills, pop the hood, and find ways to get 5-10 more miles per gallon?

 

[DMX]

Hmmm never thought about this one before. I'd personally say its all about increasing the efficiency, making more power with the fuel you consume now....or in other words using less to make what you are now.

I'd probably start with advancing the timing..it does make more power with the same amount of fuel...however too much and you need to buy higher octane fuel..that may offset any cost savings from higher mpg.

Also, if dirty air filters eat into your fuel efficiency...its logical to assume that intake restrictions in general do the same so maybe larger intake tubing?


Short of shaving for higher compression and porting/polishing the heck out of the intakes and heads thats all I can think of.

Anyone care to add?

 

[sfblacksel]

Amsoil.

 

[jason8225]

A better exhaust and intake setup should increase gas mileage. I have a K & N filter and the intake silencer removed, plus a Flowmaster 40 series muffler and I get 3 mpg more than what the car is rated at (27 highway, I get 30 - I don't really keep track of in town).

Very good idea by the way!

 

[Nomadic_Dragon]

I've a K&N filter and have removed the intake silencer. Almost all my drivign is done in town, and I've refilled this car three times, the latter two times has been just over 18mpg each(18.163 the last time). I was halfway through the last tank when I put on the K&N and removed the silencer, though. Maybe next tank will be better. A flowmaster might help exhaust, true.

What about dropping two cylinders on the V6? Assuming you could also shut down the injector at the same time, as well as spark, that'd remove a third of the fuel consumption right here. Granted, you'd have no real horsepower, and the engine might run very rough....

 

[mwt]

Synthetic fluids will increase mileage

 

[-qaz-]

Originally posted by sfblacksel@Feb 16 2004, 09:03 PM
Amsoil.

Yes! Any fully synthetic oil will generally add some mpg, also lighter weigt oil will also add mpg. I noticed when when using 0w30 mobil 1 a couple mpg improovement vs dyno 5w30. With a ligher dyno oil but not synthetic i had same mpg as with synthetic at higher weigt so i guess 5w-20 full synthetic oil will give you best mpg while still protecting the engine.

QUOTE

What about dropping two cylinders on the V6? Assuming you could also shut down the injector at the same time, as well as spark, that'd remove a third of the fuel consumption right here. Granted, you'd have no real horsepower, and the engine might run very rough....[/b]

There goes your drivability... (heavy sarcasm) ever see a V4? No? Gee I wonder why...

Ofcourse we are forgeting one thing that will improove efficiency...
TURBOCHARGING!!

Since the impeler is spun by otherwise 'wasted' exsaust energy it improoves efficiency by using the 'wasted' energy to cram more air down the engines throught. As long as your A/F mix is still stoicheometric (sp?) your efficiency should increase.

Speaking of wich making sure that the A/F mix is stoich will also make sure the efficiency is best. The ECU tries to do this but as O2 sensors age and get crappier its feedback isnt as good so might not be stoich anymore.

Tranny has some stuff to do with efficiency also but its not my cup of tea so i dont know what to say...

OOOhh... Disabling the power steering pumpwill increase mpg also, hope you dont parallell park though

 

[jason8225]

I run 5w30 Valvoline full synthetic plus have the flowmaster, k&n and intake silencer removed and get 30 mpg on the highway. Haven't checked my city mileage in quite a while - it was 19 last time I checked (that was before the mods though, and driving nicely).

 

[Smola97GL]

If I could keep my foot out of the gas I would get great mpg. But it is so fun.

Drive like an old lady around town and that should save you a few bucks.

 

[dant98]

I just filled mine last night. It was sad. I do pretty much all city driving and I have a bad lead foot. Running premium and I just have 147 miles on 10.8 Gallons of fuel. I think that's around 15 mpg...

So, yeah, I could use some advice on upping the fuel milage. Maybe I need to clean something in the engine? Do I need better spark plugs? Are my O2 sensors not working well? Maybe I need a better intake setup?

-Dan

 

[mikehawk]

Originally posted by dant98@Feb 17 2004, 12:12 PM
I just filled mine last night. It was sad. I do pretty much all city driving and I have a bad lead foot. Running premium and I just have 147 miles on 10.8 Gallons of fuel. I think that's around 15 mpg...

So, yeah, I could use some advice on upping the fuel milage. Maybe I need to clean something in the engine? Do I need better spark plugs? Are my O2 sensors not working well? Maybe I need a better intake setup?

-Dan

:uhoh2: Stop blaming the car. You just wrote that you have a lead foot and do most of your driving in the city.

 

[sfblacksel]

15 is about average in the city for us lead footers Dan. If you keep off it you will see 19-20, but that only happenes when I don't have to manuver in traffic and I listen to jazz or classical music.

 

[Nomadic_Dragon]

Well, so there isn't mucht hat can be done to increase gas milage. 5mpg at best, using high-flow intakes and exhaust. What about driving techniques?
With gas prices going up again, I guess just changing how we drive can save us money. I know when I'm low on fuel, I drop down to the speed limit, then coast to +10mph over the limit on downslopes, until I have to hit the gas to keep from gonig under the limit. Crude, dunno how effective it is, but I haven't run out of gas in my bull before getting to a station yet.

 

[Ryne]

Well, as far as driving techniques go, you'll save gas if you keep your speed as close to a constant as you can. For instance, don't speed up to 60 and then coast down to 50 and speed back up again to 60 all the time. I remember my physics teacher in high school telling us that a vehicle will perform most efficient at around 55 MPH. This all makes sense if you think about the MPG estimates on the sticker... highway is usually higher...

Also running AC or heat on full blast uses up more energy, which makes the engine work harder... at the same time 4-60 AC (4 windows down, 60 mph) causes a lot of drag

 

[FatTortoise]

Originally posted by Nomadic_Dragon@Feb 16 2004, 11:38 PM
What about dropping two cylinders on the V6? Assuming you could also shut down the injector at the same time, as well as spark, that'd remove a third of the fuel consumption right here. Granted, you'd have no real horsepower, and the engine might run very rough....

I unplugged 2 plugs like that.. the car runs.. but it is like a lawnmower.. I floor it, and it accelerates SLOW.. not like 0-60 in 13 secs.. more like 0-60 in 2 mins

 

[jason8225]

Originally posted by sfblacksel@Feb 17 2004, 07:06 PM
15 is about average in the city for us lead footers Dan. If you keep off it you will see 19-20, but that only happenes when I don't have to manuver in traffic and I listen to jazz or classical music.

That's why I haven't bothered to check my city mileage in a long time, I know it's horrible!

 

[Nomadic_Dragon]

Ran like a lawnmower, eh?

I don't know which two you unplugged, but I know it should matter harmonics-wise.

 

[FatTortoise]

well, on my gen4, the last 2 on the plug box thing.. then I went to plug them back in while the car was running.. And it shoked the HELL out of me

 

[indysho90]

good topic, another thing that can increase mileage is better aerodynamics. i did some calcs and at 55mph it take 9hp to over come form drag, at 75mph it's over 22hp, kinda what ryne said, slow down! undercar skid plates, small spoilers and clean lines help a bunch reducing the drag coefficient. Corey

i like the spell checker, that is a great thing!!

 

[93taurusSX]

Also, keep your tires inflated properly, and dont have any excess weight in the car (use a donut or fix-a-flat, instead of a full-sized spare, no tools, just a jack and wrench, etc.).

Oh yeah, I remember watching somewhere that for every 5 mph that you go over the speed limit (55 mph), you loose 1 mpg per hour I think...it pays to use the accelerator as little as possible, and when you have to, use it as if there's an egg behind the pedal