30mpg in the stang, possible?

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squeeeg said:
One more thing that you need to know. The label on the pumps is not necessarily and usually isn't the company that has refinery.

I have heard that before. The pump label has more to do with the additives in the fuel than where it came from.
 
mr.b said:
what would it take to get as close to 30mpg (on the highway) as possible with the stang. My thoughts are, 5 speed, 2.73 gear, all synthetics throughout the drivetrain, lean fuel mixture (with egr functioning good), drop some weight, pump up the tires, what else? This is just something i have been thinking about with the costs of gas rising.

Your best solution is a 4-cylinder beater. :shrug:
 
I have to wonder what the downside is. If acetone is so inexpensive, and improves fuel economy why is it not added to all fuels. The automanufacturers would convince the oil companies to do this if money could be saved.
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You're kidding, right? Auto manufacturers are so in bed with the oil companies that it's really sickening. The oil companies are not interested in saving you money. The auto manufacturers aren't either. They are more interested in selling cars and keeping the government and the oil companies on their side. They don't want to make waves. Why do you think it has taken so long to produce a hybrid vehicle? It's not exactly new technology, you know. The auto companies have bought up patents on numerous gas saving vehicles and alternate fuel vehicles and they are sitting on them with no intention of ever releasing these vehicles for sale. They will never be available to you and me.
 
well I pulled my thermostat housing off today and it had NO thermostat! which I'm sure was causing me to have the choke loop syndrome! therefore effectively causing my fuel mileage to be NOLT! (none) lol
I have new thermostat installed and will log the mileage starting today!
before just for the record was only 18-19 mpg on hwy! :rolleyes:
thanks
Jack
 
Okay, for the vacuum gauge users, I have a few questions.

I had always wanted to get one, and after reading these posts I went ahead and picked one up and installed it.

In order to keep the vacuum around 10-15 while accelerating, I'm driving like grandma... not very surprised at that. BUT, won't the extended accelerating time period negate the efficiency savings? Is it better to get to your speed quickly and than hit cruise control, or actually take your sweet time getting there while keeping vacuum high?

This is in a 2.3L 4cyl, so my torque is definitely non existent vs the 5.0Ls.
 
OL' WHITEY said:
I have to wonder what the downside is. If acetone is so inexpensive, and improves fuel economy why is it not added to all fuels. The automanufacturers would convince the oil companies to do this if money could be saved.
__________________
You're kidding, right? Auto manufacturers are so in bed with the oil companies that it's really sickening. The oil companies are not interested in saving you money. The auto manufacturers aren't either. They are more interested in selling cars and keeping the government and the oil companies on their side. They don't want to make waves. Why do you think it has taken so long to produce a hybrid vehicle? It's not exactly new technology, you know. The auto companies have bought up patents on numerous gas saving vehicles and alternate fuel vehicles and they are sitting on them with no intention of ever releasing these vehicles for sale. They will never be available to you and me.

With all due respect you are a little off base. The Automakers want to sell cars, for BIG profit. The oil Co. want to sell oil, for BIG profit. Automanufacturers are actually taxed based upon fuel economy. If the fuel sold provided better econmomy, the profit margin per vehicle would increase. This is why automanufacturers constantly lobby the oil companies and gov. to get better quality fuel. A prime example is Sulfur in diesel. The smell of sulfur in diesel exhaust has been one of the things preventing diesel from selling better in this country. Only recently has the sulfur content of diesel changed, this was due to lobbying efforts of the Automanufacturers. They had to beg the gov. for years to get the quality of fuel they needed to eliminate sulfur smell in the exhaust. The oil companies resisted this because it would not have added to the value of their fuel (from the consumers point of view), but would significantly increase the cost of fuel production.
Now moving on to Hybrid Technology. Yes the Automanufacturers have been buying up alot of patents. This is done for two reasons. One, increase the technology within the company. Two, to prevent other companies from advancing with the technology. This can be applied to any emerging technology, not just hybrid vehicles. The automanufacturers do not care if you have access to their knowledge. You pose no threat to their profitability. Unless you plan on building more than 2,000 or so CNG/Electric SUVs in your garage, to sell for profit.
No hybrid technology (you can include all alternative fuels here) is not new, it has been being researched for quite a while now. Steam engines have been around longer than hybrid technology though, and they still suck in a passenger car. The performance (acceleration, braking, agility, etc.) that the US market demands is only now acheivable due to advances in the technology. The biggest challenge with Electric and hybrid (again, you can include all alternative fuels here) vehicles is the power to weight ratio. The batteries are pretty damn heavy.
Bottom line is, if you look at the rate of progress for hybrid technology and compare that to the rate of progress acheived when the IC was in its infancy you will see how quickly progress is being made. The problem is there are a lot of HIPPIES who have no technical knowledge saying that it can be done now. Well it can, but for what price, it is not as simple as putting a couple extra batteries and an electric motor in the car and driving off.
Don't be so quick to lump Automanufacturers and oil companies together. They have very different motives and are taxed in very different ways.
 
speaking of hybrids.........my buddy at work (55 year old man) has a honda hybrid half electric/gas, and gets 47 mpg hwy! his car has 181 batterys in it that he said would only cost him around $360 to replace once their life expenctecy is up. about 3-5 years. HE also says under braking the engine/motor completely shuts off, then recranks as he removes his foot from the brake pedal..and applies throttle.....Im gusessing like a golf cart or simular. Hes owned it for a year May 28 of 05............I'll keep you guys posted as to his maintence schedule. So far he has done nothing but changed the oil!
Jack
 
I am surprised to hear that the batteries are so inexpensive to replace. Honda must be making some compromise to keep the cost down for the consumer. I remember hearing about 2yrs ago that the best you could hope for was $1500-$2000 to replace the batteries.

Very rapid progress!
Pretty soon we'll all have hybrid Mustangs!? :shrug:
 
I guess its kinda like Nitrous as a power adder..........normal driving, is normal driving...........then when you need the extra power instead of pushing a button for the nitrous to come on, the actual gas engine will come on lol :rolleyes:
kewl
Jack
 
Cruise control is not the way to get the best gas milage. I have noticed a 2-3 mpg difference when using the cruise control instead of just using my foot. The cruise control cannot sense when hills are comming (up or down). Modulating the throttle to adjust for hills will result in much better milage than the cruise control can give u. I guess if u are only driving on flat ass roads then CC is alright, but i have found it to be worse than just using your foot.
 
ninety15.0 said:
Cruise control is not the way to get the best gas milage. I have noticed a 2-3 mpg difference when using the cruise control instead of just using my foot. The cruise control cannot sense when hills are comming (up or down). Modulating the throttle to adjust for hills will result in much better milage than the cruise control can give u. I guess if u are only driving on flat ass roads then CC is alright, but i have found it to be worse than just using your foot.

I'd have to experiment in the stang to check. But in newer vehicles, even my old Aerostar, the cruise control would modulate when the van went up/down hills. :nice:
 
who uses CC on hills? I do see your point - the car sees speed, load, etc input but cant see the 'bigger picture' (a hill one might be ready to climb) so it does not modulate throttle very well. i still dont see how one can do much better than using CC on freeways, etc (which i generally assume to be pretty flat). note: topography to vary with location. :)
 
my 1988 GT 5spd CONVERTIBLE w/ 3.55 gear and 200,000+ miles with stock unrebuilt everything got 27mpg REGULARLY on the highway at 65mph and 20-21 in town. I changed the speedo gear and verified it to read correct mph too. I used sythetic oil 10w30, 1/2qt duralube every oil change, 6k oil change intervals, synthetic gear lube and trans fluid, in fender cold air, stock fuel pressure regulator etc... The one thing I did notice that helped was MAC underdrive pulleys - I was expecting more power but I did not notice any power difference but I did notice a big change (23 changed to 27mpg) in gas mileage. I could attribute this to the fact that I also replaced the radiator with a three core unit, new fan clutch, new aluminum water pump, new stock setting thermostat, new clutch, timing bumped to 14 degrees advance, 16 inch pony wheels (feel so much better driving than 15's) 35 psi tire pressure, repacked bearings, new plugs, new wires, new cap, new distributor, new motorcraft ignition module, etc.... to get it in top running condition. --- I have no idea how this got posted to this thread - I was responding to a thread that was saying if you could get 30mpg in a 5.0 -- sorry.....
 
vristang said:
Very rapid progress!
Pretty soon we'll all have hybrid Mustangs!? :shrug:

Possibly. Gm has a light hybrid 1500 xcab with a 5.3 and an auto. The motor doubles as a 5.3 liter, 3500watt generator with A/C plugs in the bed.

http://www.gmc.com/sierra/hybrid_popup.jsp?brand=sierra&vehicle=1500

Here is some info on it. Cant remember where I saw the detail article.

IMO electric/hybrids are not the answer. The answer is alternative renewal fuels. Alcohol or gas blends, hydrogen, etc. Gasoline is very high in energy density, safety and quickly refuels. This is tough to compete with.
I filled my truck this week and it was $73. Since we are close to the gulf, gas is a bit cheaper in southern Louisiana.
 
bsedwebt70-5.0 said:
my 1988 GT 5spd CONVERTIBLE w/ 3.55 gear and 200,000+ miles with stock unrebuilt everything got 27mpg REGULARLY on the highway at 65mph and 20-21 in town. I changed the speedo gear and verified it to read correct mph too. I used sythetic oil 10w30, 1/2qt duralube every oil change, 6k oil change intervals, synthetic gear lube and trans fluid, in fender cold air, stock fuel pressure regulator etc... The one thing I did notice that helped was MAC underdrive pulleys - I was expecting more power but I did not notice any power difference but I did notice a big change (23 changed to 27mpg) in gas mileage. I could attribute this to the fact that I also replaced the radiator with a three core unit, new fan clutch, new aluminum water pump, new stock setting thermostat, new clutch, timing bumped to 14 degrees advance, 16 inch pony wheels (feel so much better driving than 15's) 35 psi tire pressure, repacked bearings, new plugs, new wires, new cap, new distributor, new motorcraft ignition module, etc.... to get it in top running condition. --- I have no idea how this got posted to this thread - I was responding to a thread that was saying if you could get 30mpg in a 5.0 -- sorry.....

i think you got the right thread. somewhere in page two or three, it took a serious turn and has not recovered (interesting nonetheless). :)