Bolt ons that actually help gas mileage?

webshot · Oct 18, 2005

Over the weekend I will be adding a few bolt ons to my 92 drop, not so much for power but for sounds,presence and from what I have been told better gas mileage. Thats the part I dont get. I will be adding cold air induction, bbk shorties, catted h-pipe and the meanest (smog legal) muffs I can find, probably flows. If money permits may get some MSD components. A mechanic friend of mine told me that those few bolt ons will help with my gas mileage. Is that true? If so what others can I add to help gas too .

Oh was thinking about putting in the 373's this weekend but not sure.

darthcual · Oct 18, 2005

Its true to a point.

*Edit* besides you didnt buy a mustang for gas mileage did you?

vristang · Oct 18, 2005

Webshot - Have you been keeping close tabs on your economy recently? It would be interesting to see if you experience a real world difference.

That stuff should help to improve engine efficiency, but all of those benefits will fade from sight as soon as the taller gears go in.

The fuel economy claims from the cold air kit are a little contraversial, but I have not seen definitive proof either way. I would guess no efficiency gain.

If your cooling system can handle it, make sure you have the stock coolant t-stat. The higher temps will improve efficiency (altough this is still debated a little). Be sure you are running the lowest viscosity oil that you can, but this can be hazardous. If your O2's are older, swap them out. (Locally I received a mail in voucher for $10 in fuel when I purchased (1) Bosch O2 from Schucks. For $20, it's worth looking into.)

Probably the most effective thing you can do is watch your driving habits.

Aftermarket ignition will probably not improve engine efficiency (although this is debated), unless there is a problem with the stock components that are replaced. Stock iginition is usually good for mild to moderate modifications.

I would like to hear what economy gains you realize, if any from the changes you plan.
Please let us know,
jason

big blue · Oct 18, 2005

I know it isn't a foxbody but we keep strict records of everything that goes onto or is done to my wifes 2003 GT. This includes gas fillup and mileage. With a K&N FIPK and Magnaflow catback mileage jumped 2-3 mpg. Documented. To a peak of 25.6 mpg when we were pulling 22-23. That was loaded with luggage, my wife, driving on slick roads with some stop and go. I am confidant that if there was no extra weight and a non-stop summer day we could have easily topped 27 mpg. Take it for what its worth. Oh yeah, a tune up is worth more for mpg than anything else (#1 check your tires!!! ).

webshot · Oct 18, 2005

I actually wasnt making these mods for fuel gains, as it was stated this is a 5.0 not a economy car. But it did come up when I was talking to a mechanic. So I brought the discussion here to see what you guys thought and maybe this would help others with their mod decisions. I am making these mods even if it meant I got 5mpg....lol. I just wanted to know if there was any validitity to what was told to me.

But I will let you guys know if I do find anything worth reporting. Right now I think I am around 22-24 mpg.

Look Its Aaron · Oct 18, 2005

vristang said:
That stuff should help to improve engine efficiency, but all of those benefits will fade from sight as soon as the taller gears go in.

Actually with a taller gear his city driving MPG may actually go up, but it will decrease a lot if he does a lot of highway.

95COBRA241 · Oct 18, 2005

Except for the gears, the other mods will all improve the efficiency of the motor, so with the same driving style fuel economy shoulkd increase

OL' WHITEY · Oct 18, 2005

If you change to the 3.73's and don't change the speedo gear, your mileage will be much better! Well, at least it will seem like it....

To throw a spin on this subject, I saw improved city mileage with the 3.73's. Many others have reported the same gains. I wonder if this could be due in part to the fact that the white 23 tooth gear we use to correct the speedo doesn't totally correct it and we think we're covering more ground per fill-up than we really are. As I understand it, the only way to get your speedo perfect with 3.73's or 4:10's is to replace the driven gear. What do you guys think of this theory?

webshot · Oct 18, 2005

hhhmmm....good point. I never thought of having to change speedo gear...

Dean85GT · Oct 18, 2005

I think the better city mileage is due to the fact that it takes a lot less force to get the car moving up to speed.

Look Its Aaron · Oct 18, 2005

I agree with Dean, I just didn't explain myself.

Michael Yount · Oct 18, 2005

The shorties will neither help fuel mileage or add power/torque with your set up -- they're a waste of your money unless your HP level gets up to around 300.

The stock airbox IS a CAI -- remove the silencer and put a flat panel K&N in -- that'll help performance, perhaps marginally help mileage and will work as well, if not look as good, as any cold air kit. At your power level an aftermarket CAI is only helpful cosmetically compared to the stock box with a K&N and removal of the silencer.

Your downstream exhaust changes may help a bit.

Putting more gear in will likely HELP city mileage -- you can move the car off with less throttle opening because of the gears' torque multiplication. However, the extra revs will probably hurt you just a bit on the highway. If you're willing to lower your highway roadspeed a bit -- the 3.73's won't hurt bad. My car (mild H/C/I combo) runs the equivalent of a Stang with 3.90 gears, and I have the .625 5th gear. I routinely get 24-27 mpg highway turning over between 2000-2500 at cruising speeds.

I'd bump the timing up to around 14 btdc - that should help mileage a bit (back off if you're experiencing detonation).

Sicarius428 · Oct 18, 2005

UD pullies and an electric fan may help alleviate some of the parasitic loss on the crank but probalby not nearly enough to offset the cost of a new 130A alt. to keep up with the fan. I am not sure if roller rockers will free up much friction hp or give you better mileage but just a thought.
Kevin

fiveohGT · Oct 18, 2005

i agree with mike

darthcual · Oct 18, 2005

I'm not sure where everyone is getting the info that headers do not add hp? I've heard this b4, I think Hissin mentioned it. This is not correct I dont believe, However you really need the whole package as in o/r h pipe and some high flow mufflers to see the full potential. To those who think the stock headers are good to 300hp I say have you ever seen those restrictive m/fers? And are you refering to rwhp or flywheel? I've seen dynos give numbers of as much as 20 hp on a stock motor with a full exhaust set up and silencer removed w/ k&n filter. Surely all 20hp is not coming from the filter alone.

darthcual · Oct 18, 2005

Sicarius428 said:
UD pullies and an electric fan may help alleviate some of the parasitic loss on the crank but probalby not nearly enough to offset the cost of a new 130A alt. to keep up with the fan. I am not sure if roller rockers will free up much friction hp or give you better mileage but just a thought.
Kevin

This is also a misnomer! I have installed 3 black magic electric fans, two on my cars, one on a friends and have had zero problems with the stock alt? Where are yall gettin this info?

webshot · Oct 18, 2005

Michael Yount said:
The stock airbox IS a CAI -- remove the silencer and put a flat panel K&N in -- Your downstream exhaust changes may help a bit.

Thanks for the info......I was doing the cold air for more of the "look" so you got that right.... Also the headers I was kinda aware that they would not add much to my current set up as for right now I am going more after the sound. It is just part of my mod schedule. I planned to do full exhaust....then Alum D/S and 373s....Then move up front the motor with h/c/i.....Then onto suspension and Subframe. Inbetween that is the beat/interior (seats) and paint.

So for right now I guess you can say I am just posing.

Michael Yount · Oct 18, 2005

dar - the info comes from people with actual track data and dyno data. Despite their appearance, the stock headers (just the header - NOT the rest of the exhaust system) aren't a significant flow restricition until you get the HP level quite a bit higher than stock. I've got my dyno runs -- we actually lost 3HP at peak; didn't gain any power or torque anywhere in the curve when we added Ford Racing 1 5/8" shorties on my mild build. But it's not just me -- there are many others that post similarly - and this is with the downstream system in place. If you really want to help mileage/performance -- ADD A SET OF LONG TUBES. They may not help peak that much for mildly modded engines -- but they will help the bottom end BIG TIME. And more bottom end torque almost always translates into better fuel efficiency.

The Black Magic fan has a nickname - Black Tragic. The reason it doesn't tax the stock alternator is because it doesn't pull much current and it doesn't move much air. Some get lucky and get by with it -- it's called the Tragic because MANY end up ditching it for something that will move enough air to cool their cars. And when they move up to a fan that moves the air -- the stock alternator can't keep up.

C'mon now -- keep up.

QDRHRSE · Oct 18, 2005

darthcual said:
This is also a misnomer! I have installed 3 black magic electric fans, two on my cars, one on a friends and have had zero problems with the stock alt? Where are yall gettin this info?

As long as you aren't using a race pulley and don't have a monster stereo system I agree fully.

QDRHRSE · Oct 18, 2005

MK-

I love the Black Magic. Granted, its not the best, but it works. You can put it on and go in less than a half an hour.

Bolt ons that actually help gas mileage?

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Bolt ons that actually help gas mileage?

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