Gas Saving Tips!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 20
From: NV
Rep Power: 811 
3+yrs of letting the light come on, heck I haven't even been filling it past 1/2 anymore to save weight. My car is doing just fine. And no the list isn't a joke. How do you think I get 42mpg on the highway otherwise?
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 20
From: NV
Rep Power: 811 oh and as far as engine braking or whatever, yes it does work to some extent. In my auto I can let go of the gas and the car will stop eventually. Rpms stay lower in gear than in neutral. So don't shift to neutral if you have a manual.
My rectum hurts........
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 555
Likes: 0
Rep Power: 0
Originally Posted by MajinB
maybe in an old 5.0 stang, but not in a civic that gets 30+ mpg. if you run out yeah you get screw something up, im not denying that, but saying if the light comes on its the end of the world is crap.
exept the big boy part lol but really 
Pretty friggin old-school member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 628
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma City
Rep Power: 268 the university of nebraska completed a study proving newer cars 2000+ (usually) tend to get better gas milage with the ac on and the windows up rather than the ac off and the windows down. Just something to think about
Registered!!
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,819
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Worth, Texas, US
Rep Power: 303
Originally Posted by silver_surfer
the university of nebraska completed a study proving newer cars 2000+ (usually) tend to get better gas milage with the ac on and the windows up rather than the ac off and the windows down. Just something to think about
Pretty friggin old-school member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 628
Likes: 0
From: Oklahoma City
Rep Power: 268
Originally Posted by Civicccc
Thats while driving on the freeway. The drag with windows open causes more gas to be used than the ac would. But its not the case if you are just driving through residential areas.
i know there was a mph in there.. i cant remember it though =/
my gas light is always on, the goes away, then comes up again but this is when its near empty. I ran out of gas once, my friends and I had to push my car ahha...
so u guys are saying, it is best not to fill up? put only 3-5 gal? And wtf 40 mpg??! **** i get nearly 32ish aha
so u guys are saying, it is best not to fill up? put only 3-5 gal? And wtf 40 mpg??! **** i get nearly 32ish aha
Last edited by zzsupermanzz15; Sep 1, 2005 at 01:10 AM.
Bone Stock!
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,879
Likes: 0
From: Rowland Heights, CA
Rep Power: 0 i disagree with keeping your gas tank near empty all the time. Yeah, you save like 60 lbs, but those extra trips to the gas station will cost you some gas (i.e. waiting in line, go out of your way to get to a gas station, acceleratiing and waiting for traffic to pass upon leaving), brakes (slowing down when pulling into the station, coming to a stop at the pump and to wait for traffic to pass), plus, you are wasting an enormous amount of time by going there 5 times a week instead of 1.
Last edited by dalaw; Sep 1, 2005 at 01:46 AM.
I just burnt my tongue
iTrader: (8)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,990
Likes: 0
From: Chino Hills, CA
Rep Power: 319 sorry guys to burst your bubble about the keeping the car near empty ALL the time is very very bad for your car...not neccessarily the engine but your fuel pump will burn up much much faster and can malfunction prematurely...
i HAVE studied this in my autotech classes and it is in my automotive technology book
in the gas tank the fuel pump is used to deliver fuel to the engine but doing so whenever the car is on makes the fuel pump very very hot...even though it gets very hot it does not igniite the gasoline on fire...the gasoline as a liquid actually keeps the fuel pump and the fuelpump pickup cool and regulates the temperature...since liquid gasoline without oxegen is impossible to light up (vapors are what is flamable)...so if u constantly keep you car on empty where the fuel never covers the fuel pump it will cause it to burn out quickly due to excessive heat damage so it will cost you more in the long run...also how do you know when u dont need your spare...a flat could happen anytime so a spare tire is there for emergencies not to be taken out "when you think you dont need it"...lol just my factoids about the gas and 2 cents about the spare...heh if you dont beleive me ask any ASE certified master technitian...yes a master tech because any idiot can get 1-2 certs...but all 8-9 is very very hard...or research it online...you could also lookin the book called "automotive technology" 4th edition
i HAVE studied this in my autotech classes and it is in my automotive technology book
in the gas tank the fuel pump is used to deliver fuel to the engine but doing so whenever the car is on makes the fuel pump very very hot...even though it gets very hot it does not igniite the gasoline on fire...the gasoline as a liquid actually keeps the fuel pump and the fuelpump pickup cool and regulates the temperature...since liquid gasoline without oxegen is impossible to light up (vapors are what is flamable)...so if u constantly keep you car on empty where the fuel never covers the fuel pump it will cause it to burn out quickly due to excessive heat damage so it will cost you more in the long run...also how do you know when u dont need your spare...a flat could happen anytime so a spare tire is there for emergencies not to be taken out "when you think you dont need it"...lol just my factoids about the gas and 2 cents about the spare...heh if you dont beleive me ask any ASE certified master technitian...yes a master tech because any idiot can get 1-2 certs...but all 8-9 is very very hard...or research it online...you could also lookin the book called "automotive technology" 4th edition
Registered!!
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 788
Likes: 0
From: Oakland, CA
Rep Power: 0 Forgot to say the most important rule to save gas:
Go 50-55 mph on the freeway. Yeah, it's slow as heck (I average 70-80), but it makes a *huge* difference. I get about 30 mpg going bout 80, and 40 going about 55.
Go 50-55 mph on the freeway. Yeah, it's slow as heck (I average 70-80), but it makes a *huge* difference. I get about 30 mpg going bout 80, and 40 going about 55.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 20
From: NV
Rep Power: 811
Originally Posted by dalaw
i disagree with keeping your gas tank near empty all the time. Yeah, you save like 60 lbs, but those extra trips to the gas station will cost you some gas (i.e. waiting in line, go out of your way to get to a gas station, acceleratiing and waiting for traffic to pass upon leaving), brakes (slowing down when pulling into the station, coming to a stop at the pump and to wait for traffic to pass), plus, you are wasting an enormous amount of time by going there 5 times a week instead of 1.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 20
From: NV
Rep Power: 811 yes idle does use alot of gas. Even your owners manual says don't idle more than a minute cause it wastes gas. I'm not sure how much it takes to start up, but I know one of the gas saving features of the hybrid is auto-engine off at stop lights.
Also about the tank low thing and fuel pump, how do you know that the fuel pump isn't being covered by gas all the time? Imo some engineers are really stupid if they designed it to burn up eventually when gas is low. Anyway, I've been keeping it low for about a year with daily driving and no problems at all. Any guess on how long it takes to burn it up? Cause I still got a couple years of ext. warranty to use up.
Also about the tank low thing and fuel pump, how do you know that the fuel pump isn't being covered by gas all the time? Imo some engineers are really stupid if they designed it to burn up eventually when gas is low. Anyway, I've been keeping it low for about a year with daily driving and no problems at all. Any guess on how long it takes to burn it up? Cause I still got a couple years of ext. warranty to use up.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 20
From: NV
Rep Power: 811 if you don't want a spare taking up weight, get a can of fix-a-flat. There is no reason for a spare in the city where you can call a tow-truck or walk to a store and call. If I go on a long distance trip, then ya I'll prolly throw it in the back in a plastic bag just in case.
fix a flat its a glue that fixes flats. if you have triple a have them tow you to an america's tire co they will fix small holes for free. and how do we clean the throttle body properly? o and 9 times out of 10 if someone mentions a product type www. then product name then .com like so www.fixaflat.com
My SL65 rim, because a rim is all I can afford
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (3)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 4,818
Likes: 0
From: Medina Ohio
Rep Power: 318
Originally Posted by dalaw
i disagree with keeping your gas tank near empty all the time. Yeah, you save like 60 lbs, but those extra trips to the gas station will cost you some gas (i.e. waiting in line, go out of your way to get to a gas station, acceleratiing and waiting for traffic to pass upon leaving), brakes (slowing down when pulling into the station, coming to a stop at the pump and to wait for traffic to pass), plus, you are wasting an enormous amount of time by going there 5 times a week instead of 1.
I think this something that is different for everybody. For instance, my mom works not even 5minutes from home and passes a gas station on her way to and from work, so for here it doesn't make much sence. On the other hand I sometimes can drive 100+ mile for work, this would mean stopping to fill up every day, doesn't make sence. I think the rule should be changed to something like try to keep 3 days worth of gas, about half a tank for me.
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 20
From: NV
Rep Power: 811 fix a flat is a can of goo that ytou use to seal and fill a flat tire with air. I just have regular tires so i'm pretty sure it would work. But like I said emergency only. I doubt it would ever get used anyway cause I bring the spare on long trips.
Last time I had this much fun some furniture got broken!
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,839
Likes: 2
From: PA
Rep Power: 360 lol i ran over 40 miles on the gas light once, but thats with 2 gallons left so nothing that impressive.
Proud to be a civic owner
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 1,847
Likes: 0
From: Daly City, CA
Rep Power: 0
Originally Posted by aki
Forgot to say the most important rule to save gas:
Go 50-55 mph on the freeway. Yeah, it's slow as heck (I average 70-80), but it makes a *huge* difference. I get about 30 mpg going bout 80, and 40 going about 55.
Go 50-55 mph on the freeway. Yeah, it's slow as heck (I average 70-80), but it makes a *huge* difference. I get about 30 mpg going bout 80, and 40 going about 55.
(maybe i partially used cruise control during the long trip)
There is no substitute
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Rep Power: 0 you have to remember that air resistance (aerodynamic drag) increases by the square of the factor. Example, when you're going 80mph, compared to 55mph, even though you've only increased your speed by about 1.45 times, you've also increased drag by more than twice. At those high speeds, drag is a BIG factor. I've started to drive slower than usual (around 62mph or 100km/h) on the highway, and I've definitely noticed a difference. Food for thought.
