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  • Tips on Getting Better Gas Mileage...?

    Ok, my commuting days will begin again real soon (70 miles a day) and I've been working on my Cavalier Z24 all summer (looks-wise and routine maintainence.) Below are some things I've done. Please add more tips for getting better gas mileage in case I missed something.

    new fuel filter
    new plugs/plug boots (doesn't have wires)
    injector cleaner
    cleaned the EGR
    new air intake with K&N filter
    oil change
    coolant flush
    raised the PSI in the tires
    cleaned the throttle body
    hmmm...weight reduction? what about that acetone stuff??
    2004 CE Corvette 10.86@132mph
    1996 Supercharged/Nitrous Camaro RS (For Sale)
    2011 Cadillac CTS-V
    2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT-P
    2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS

  • #2
    i find just don't drive. heheh not that, that helps. i drive 6 miles to work and 6 miles home and that is it. i make all my other friends drive. my camaro only get 11 miles a gallon. not the best daily driver.
    WAWA-A-HOLIC

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    • #3
      keeping your foot out of it might help [img]smile.gif[/img]
      2011 Camaro LS 6M, in black.

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      • #4
        I just commented on this very topic on another thread. Here are the highlights.

        "I might be tipping my hand as the king of the geeks, but I've been tracking my fuel mileage for all of my car's 201+K miles in an Excel spread sheet. I've posted some of my charts at the links below.

        http://home.comcast.net/~rhouse21/Ka..._Mileage_1.jpg
        http://home.comcast.net/~rhouse21/Ka..._histogram.jpg

        If you look at the mileage histogram chart, you can see three humps for the different types of driving I do. From the chart I've averaged roughly:
        14-16 MPG for pure city driving,
        20-23 MPG for mixed city/highway driving, and
        26-31 MPH for straight Highway driving."

        "I might theorize that the synthetic lube, K&N filter, platinum plugs, or Bosch O2 filter might give me a few extra percent here or there, but the single biggest impact to my mileage that I've measured over 700 or so tank-fulls is how much I put my foot in it. Higher speeds and frequent gear changes KILL your mileage. Period.

        There are a lot of magic-bullets out there that claim to miraculously improve your mileage. I've tried a few, but they mostly didn't pan out in the data. Until one of you guys find the magic bolt-on that gives you 400 rwhp and 50 mpg, my best advice for good mileage is to flow with traffic, keep your revs low, and use cruise control if you have it. Yeah, driving like a grandma might not be that much fun, but I guarantee that your mileage will go up."

        The short version: I agree with navyblue. :D
        1997 Camaro, Y87 Perf. Package, iRotor Drilled & Slotted Brakes, Bilstien Shocks, Custom drive shaft, K&N Filter, & Mobil 1 synthetic. 202+K miles and still drives like new.<br />-If you can\'t stomp \'em in the straights, kill \'em in the corners...

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Shirl:
          Ok, my commuting days will begin again real soon (70 miles a day) and I've been working on my Cavalier Z24 all summer (looks-wise and routine maintainence.) Below are some things I've done. Please add more tips for getting better gas mileage in case I missed something.

          new fuel filter
          new plugs/plug boots (doesn't have wires)
          injector cleaner
          cleaned the EGR
          new air intake with K&N filter
          oil change
          coolant flush
          raised the PSI in the tires
          cleaned the throttle body
          hmmm...weight reduction? what about that acetone stuff??
          what year? Z24?

          I am just about to do most of that stuff today on my girlfriends '00 Z24 auto.

          I'm doing...
          -plugs/wire autolite non-platinums, (haven't seen the wireboot things yet ordered them last night they are coming to day at autozone but they are bosch)
          -fuel filter
          -thinking about pulling the throttle body, for a cleaning(haven't looked at it, and depends how ****ty I feel)

          and seafoam..
          seafoam in gastank
          seafoam in upper intake

          I was thinking of jacking her airpressure up too... I think the tire will dryrot before they wearout(original '00 with 35k and they have lots of tread) so I was thinking of bumping them up pretty high and not worrying about uneven wear.

          Still keeping the intake stock, I'll see if I can fab something up maybe. But not gonna buy one.


          FOr those thinking of doing things to your car I also suggest a PCV valve, I went to pick one up last night and their is no replacement so I assume there isn't one in Z24s...
          -Eric<br /><a href=\"http://www.cardomain.com/id/mustangeater82\" target=\"_blank\">2000 NBM V6 Camaro 5-speed</a> T-top <i>converted</i><br /><b>14.467@95.45mph</b> <i>$0 in mods</i><br /><i>The member formerly known as MustangEater8251</i>

          Comment


          • #6
            Btw I have heard people see less mileage with colder Thermostats do to cooler combustion temps.

            Just throwing that out there since I might be dong coolant flush, power steering cooler, and thremostat on my car today.
            -Eric<br /><a href=\"http://www.cardomain.com/id/mustangeater82\" target=\"_blank\">2000 NBM V6 Camaro 5-speed</a> T-top <i>converted</i><br /><b>14.467@95.45mph</b> <i>$0 in mods</i><br /><i>The member formerly known as MustangEater8251</i>

            Comment


            • #7
              Eric, my Z24 is a 97' 2.4L twin cam. The plugs I use are Bosch platinum with 2 tips on them. The plugs and boots are very easy to do on these cars just be careful when you put the engine cover back on that you don't crack a boot. I did that once trying to force it back on to fit on the plugs. You'll know what I'm talking about when you do it. I raised the air pressure to 37psi yesterday. I have new 17" wheels and I just bent the lip on one of the rims the other day on a nasty pothole. The next project is to put new struts/springs in the front asap. Did the rears about a week ago. Also, I'm going to definately need to drive a little slower as suggested. Btw, you can get an intake for these cars pretty cheap. I think mine was like $80 shipped. You could probably do even better than that. I've seen them for like $60 on ebay. It's just a polished aluminum tube with a cone filter on the end and a bracket to mount it up, but what a difference it makes. Definately a great mod for these cars. I was VERY surprised. Anyway, what exactly is "seafoam" and where can I get it??
              2004 CE Corvette 10.86@132mph
              1996 Supercharged/Nitrous Camaro RS (For Sale)
              2011 Cadillac CTS-V
              2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT-P
              2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS

              Comment


              • #8
                P.S.: I also found a few websites that sing the praises of acetone to improve mileage, but I'm not really convinved yet. I'm an engineer and a sceptical one at that. I need to see a little more data before I'm willing to hop on that wagon.

                Pro:
                http://www.industrialnewsupdate.com/...ne_in_fuel.php

                Con:
                http://www.kptv.com/Global/story.asp...0&nav=aXwJYZQB

                Here's the way I look at the whole acetone thing. I've got just about 202K miles on my engine right now and according to my data, I've burned ~9,200 gallons of gas at a total cost of ~$14,000 over the past 8 years. If this acetone thing really works and I'd used it since the car was new, I would have saved ~$2,000. (That's ~$250 a year or ~$20 per month). Not bad, but not great.

                But what if the KPTV story is right and the acetone is slowly eating away at internal engine components and fuel lines/pumps? In my mind, $20 per month isn't enough savings to risk having to drop several thousand dollars to rebuild the engine or replumb the fuel system.

                Once again, just my 2 cents.
                1997 Camaro, Y87 Perf. Package, iRotor Drilled & Slotted Brakes, Bilstien Shocks, Custom drive shaft, K&N Filter, & Mobil 1 synthetic. 202+K miles and still drives like new.<br />-If you can\'t stomp \'em in the straights, kill \'em in the corners...

                Comment


                • #9
                  yeah car I am working on is the same, '00 2.4L twincam.

                  I'm also going to hook up hptuners and scan it. Not sure if it will read it though since hptuners has no 4 cyl software. But I heard it will still work with alot of GM stuff still.

                  Seafoam is a cleaner, they sell it at most autoparts stores(back in the day you had to look hard)

                  Its in a white can with red olf fashion fancy writing that says "Seafoam" Its with all the fuel cleaners and intake cleaners.


                  Basically you put some in your fuel, cleans injectors and such.

                  Then you unhook a vacuum line from your brake booster, with the car running, you "suck" some of the seafoam into the motor(they have instructions don't remember off the top fo my head, haven't done it in like 2 years)

                  It basically cleans out carbon deposits in the upper intake and combusiton chambers. Will blows TONS of smoke out of the tailpipe if your car is older and never had it done. So don't do it in your garage.

                  here is some info on it...
                  http://members.nuvox.net/~on.roz/cars/z28/seafoam.html

                  also do a search in gen tech, tons of boardmembers use it


                  I DON"T suggest running it in your oil. I have heard some people say they ran into problems with it there. But I do suggest flushing the oil with a detergent, that they sell off the shelf, if you haven't done it in awhile, helps clean a little sludge out.
                  -Eric<br /><a href=\"http://www.cardomain.com/id/mustangeater82\" target=\"_blank\">2000 NBM V6 Camaro 5-speed</a> T-top <i>converted</i><br /><b>14.467@95.45mph</b> <i>$0 in mods</i><br /><i>The member formerly known as MustangEater8251</i>

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    ooo look nate was kind enough to take some pic...

                    his is on a 3rd gen though

                    http://camaroz28.cardomain.com/ride/325040/9
                    -Eric<br /><a href=\"http://www.cardomain.com/id/mustangeater82\" target=\"_blank\">2000 NBM V6 Camaro 5-speed</a> T-top <i>converted</i><br /><b>14.467@95.45mph</b> <i>$0 in mods</i><br /><i>The member formerly known as MustangEater8251</i>

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Oh cool! Thanks for posting that! Definately will try it.
                      2004 CE Corvette 10.86@132mph
                      1996 Supercharged/Nitrous Camaro RS (For Sale)
                      2011 Cadillac CTS-V
                      2011 Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder GT-P
                      2006 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Shirl:
                        Oh cool! Thanks for posting that! Definately will try it.
                        I've used it on 5 cars and nothign but good results from everyone... ESPECIALLY the older higher mileage ones.
                        -Eric<br /><a href=\"http://www.cardomain.com/id/mustangeater82\" target=\"_blank\">2000 NBM V6 Camaro 5-speed</a> T-top <i>converted</i><br /><b>14.467@95.45mph</b> <i>$0 in mods</i><br /><i>The member formerly known as MustangEater8251</i>

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I paid ~$70 to have some quickie lube place do almost the same freakin thing!!!!

                          Arghh!!! :mad:
                          1997 Camaro, Y87 Perf. Package, iRotor Drilled & Slotted Brakes, Bilstien Shocks, Custom drive shaft, K&N Filter, & Mobil 1 synthetic. 202+K miles and still drives like new.<br />-If you can\'t stomp \'em in the straights, kill \'em in the corners...

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I finished up today...

                            shirl definitely seafoam that thing. my g/f '00 with 36k was smoking like a mofo... I don't know what it is about cavaliers but damn they alwasy smoke like 100X's worse then my camaros.


                            btw, you were right that cover was a *****. Woudl have been alot easier if it was like 1 in. smaller, which they could have easily done. Some stupid hard lines get in the way of lining it up just right.

                            Wither way...

                            -4 autolite plugs
                            -Bosch boot/wire whatever they are
                            -seafoamed
                            -cleaned the TB

                            still need to do a fuel filter.


                            btw cavalier brakes suck, I was doing some hard runs, up to 85, and I thought I ws gonna die how long it took the brakes to get back down, compared to my car(and my brakes are dead)


                            Should be getting good mileage, this thing feels a ton faster, almost barked 2nd with the auto. [img]graemlins/rofl.gif[/img]

                            I think I am going to get it out ot the track on wed and see if it pulls some new times I see it dong 15s.
                            -Eric<br /><a href=\"http://www.cardomain.com/id/mustangeater82\" target=\"_blank\">2000 NBM V6 Camaro 5-speed</a> T-top <i>converted</i><br /><b>14.467@95.45mph</b> <i>$0 in mods</i><br /><i>The member formerly known as MustangEater8251</i>

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              CAI and exhaust will boost your MPG around 2-4, so long as you stay out of the gas, if not, you'll end up sucking more gas down.

                              If your car doesnt have cruise control, you might want to look into getting it. That right there will make a 5-10MPG difference on the highway.

                              If its cool enough outside that you can use your fan instead of your AC, that will help to.

                              I used to drive 60 miles one way to work, so I feel your pain.
                              <a href=\"http://pics.projectpredator.com/thumbnails.php?album=16\" target=\"_blank\">2003 Zinc Yellow Mustang GT</a> 1 of 701<br />ET : TBD<br />But our shenanigans are cheeky and fun! Yeah, and his shenanigans are cruel and tragic. Which... makes t

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