Fuel Economy Modifications That Don’t Work

Here are some fuel economy tips that works. Almost everyone now wants to improve our fuel economy. Many tips are here say, assumptions and plain wrong because cars today are very different from those of yester years.

These are tips from a person with many years of experience building, re-building and modifying car engines. He know what he’s talking about. Here are modifications your car buddies always talk about doing but absolutely don’t work. They will cost you more in the long run either in getting worse fuel economy or cause permanent damage to your engine.

• Exhaust manifolds, extractors or headers as they are called elsewhere. Although shops selling after market parts want you to believe better engine breathing saves fuel, it is usually the opposite. Usually they are only good for high rpm with your throttle wide open. A well designed exhaust might increase you top end power but usually makes your fuel consumption worst. Original manifolds exhaust manifold are designed with a restriction to increase low rpm torque and this actually lowers fuel consumption.

• Air intake. Bigger air intake and also high flow filters makes ZERO difference except at high rpm’s. Unless you are at the race track looking for higher horse power at high RPM, these change will do absolutely nothing for getting better fuel economy.

High flow air filters do nothing for your car except allow dirt to get into your engine and slowly damage it. Your car’s ECU will compensate for the higher air flow and adjust the amount of fuel to desired fuel-air ratio.

• Spiral intake inserts, turbulence generator, electric “superchargers” and other dubious gadget usually gives worse fuel economy. Automakers and very smart engineers spend millions of dollars and man hours on research. What makes you think someone with a few bucks and some theory can get 5% better fuel economy by introducing something that disturbs the air flow?
• Don’t mess around with the ECU. Yes, there are lots of piggy back units and other expensive gadgets to modify the air fuel mapping. Unless you know what you are doing, making the ratio too lean will get you great fuel economy …….. until you burned your valves and spend a small fortune to repair the damage.
• Lighten crank pulley. The original crank pulley acts as a vibration damper. Light alloy crank pulley don’t have dampening effect and can break your crankshaft at certain rpm’s.

Now that you know which fuel economy modifications that don’t work, you can save yourself a ton of money.