Sagus and I have two automobiles (a 1997 Cavalier and 2000 Kia Sportage) and we were trying to determine if there were ways to increase the gas mileage.

We have been seeing these gas "nebulizers" advertised.

Here is one such device called a "Tornado".

Another is called a "Turbonator".

Can you tell us whether any of these products can help us out?

Is there anything else we can do?

The easiest way to make this kind of decision is by asking yourself one question. If this device helps so much, why hasn't at least one auto manufacturer made it standard, or even optional, equipment? Surely, if the device worked, it would help the sales of such a manufacturer.

Sense the begging of time, folks have come out with all sorts of gadgets to help save fuel. The easiest way to save fuel and improve HP is air fuel mixture. The more fuel and air mixture rammed down to the cylinders, the more HP. The better the mix, the better the burn, the better the economy.

These items work. Now, with that said, they work with in reason. Remember both state “Up to” XX miles per gallon. “Up to” XX hp. This may be true, under certain conditions, but everyday driving, I don’t think so.

The dynamics of airflow is something we watch very closely in racing. “Porting and polishing” the intake and exhaust manifold helps the race car “Breathe” easier. They spend lots of money to be sure that the airflow has as little turbulence as possible. Turbulent air restricts airflow. A smooth, clean manifold moves more air.

If I had a “Normally Aspirated” engine, that is one with out fuel injection, I might try it just to see if it worked. It those engines, the more air I could force down the throat of the carburetor the better my engine would run.

With the modern fuel injected engine, with its computer-controlled injectors and air/fuel mixture control, I don’t think you will save the cost of the unit. All looks good on paper and in the proper setting.

Don is right on, if they were so good, the manufactures would have installed them. If they were so good, the fuel suppliers would have bought out the patent. I have heard, do not know for sure, that they have bought up patents in the past.

The gadget I really like is the magnet you attach to your fuel line “Guaranteed” to save you fuel. NOT. Your “Turbo Booster” has a better chance of saving pennies.

Now how can you improve your mpg?In city traffic, open your windows and turn off the A/C. That will save bucks. The A/C puts a lot of drag on the engine at lower speeds and stop & go driving.

In high speed, interstate driving, close those windows and use the A/C. Why? At high speeds, the air drag on your car out weighs the load on you engine from the A/C.

When the light turns green, don't try to be the first off the line. Ease on the gas and slowly bring it up to speed. Use the proper gear if youhave an manual transmission.

When highway driving, use the cruse control. This well help you stay at a steady speed with out the constant changing of speed.

Use the PROPER fuel for you car. Some engine are designed to operate on low test fuels. To put high test in is wasting money. To use low test in a car the was designed for high test, you may not get the mpg that is right for you car.

In a pick up truck, test show the tail gate down DOES NOT improve mpg. The tail gate up gives better aero dynamics and improved mpg. I would not have believed this if I had not read it myself. That open bed with the gate up should be one big air dam drag. Not so.

Do you carry around a trunk full of junk that you will never need? Get rid of it. This halling is cost you money.

Don't go out hunting for the cheapest gas. Your wasting gas. If you see it for a good price while you out going to or from work or the store, top off you tank then. Now this trick has cost me a couple of times. Topped her off only to find it even cheaper someplace else.

Lastly, around here, I find gas is cheaper mid-week. Stay away from the weekend when folks are getting ready for a trip or just getting back. Do not buy gas near freeways. They are normally higher then in the city where there is some competion.

Thanks for the information and opinions gentlemen.

No use wasting $$ if it isn't really doing any good.

use your foot to save gas. let up on the gas peddle not down. i can drive my 4 wheel drive jeep about 20 miles on one gallon of gas but if i use my heavy foot i only get about 7 miles.
thats a big difference. try it . just drive very softly dont excede 35 miles an hour and you will see a big change. now i have a gas guzzling chevy with a big carb and i mean big.
i get about 6 or 7 miles to the gallon but if i drive it softly it will get about 12. but i really like the power it has and i like to use it . oh ya you got to get into high gear as fast as it will let you but dont jab that gas peddle no matter what.

Something my dad told me: "Don't be in a hurry to be first in line at a red light."

WoW, did what you read about the tail gate say anything about using one of those hard covers for the bed? I mean the kind that turn the bed into a trunk.

It's hard to add to all the good suggestions above. Another avoidable bad habit -- for some drivers -- is running the engine while standing still. You don't have to be a math whiz to realize that periods of zero miles per gallon will ruin your average fuel consumption. Turn off your engine while: waiting in the fast food drive-thru lane; waiting for a long freight train to pass; waiting while your passenger runs in to the post office; etc. Slightly more wear on the starter, but overall it's sensible. I'm surprised how many cars sit idling for very long periods of time, often for no apparent reason.

Extremists claim that you should stop the engine anytime you expect to stand still more than about sixty seconds, which includes many red lights. This might or might not help, depending on your individual traffic conditions.

Also in this category are drivers who start the engine in the winter and run it long enough to warm up the interior of the vehicle before driving off. In reality the engine only needs about 30 seconds of warm-up to get the oil pressure up & ready to drive. Wear a coat until the heat comes on! Try to convert that precious gasoline into kinetic energy -- not just heat -- as much as possible.

DG, it did mention that bed covers, whether hard or soft, are better then the open bed. Some report a 4 -5% savings with bed covers over the open bed. Most test show no improvement at city speeds. A cap is almost as bad as the open bed because you still have the flat back section causing drag. The whole trick to fuel saving aerodynamics is to cleanly “Slice” through the air with out creating any turbulence behind you.

The trick with the tailgate being up is it helps breaks the vacuum behind the cab which out weighs the drag of the tailgate being up.

As the pickup travels forward at high speeds, there is a tremendous vacuum created behind the cab that really puts a lot of drag on the truck. The tailgate catches some of the air following over the cab and forces it back towards the cab breaking that vacuum and forms a bubble of dead air that the on coming air rides up and over the cab and flows cleanly over the truck bed.

There is a company that sells a device that goes on the tailgate at the top and runs at a 45 deg. angle down towards the bed that improves this greatly according to them. You probably can do the same with a piece of plywood.

These test where done in Lockheed's “Slow Speed” wind tunnel.

See

Road & Track

Take a look at advice here. And don't forget to check your tire pressure (preferably weekly but at least regularly).

The only way to really increase the milage in older vehicles is to keep them tuned up, have the newst tires on them, inflated properly (right PSI), and to really run them (drive them) to keep the engine burning clean which also ups the efficency of the burn.