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pickfordite All-Star Author Michigan Posts:736 Points:94,020 Joined:Mar 2011	Message Posted: Feb 1, 2012 12:14:27 AM Ignore pickfordite Report Abuse People have used lots of approaches to try to improve their fuel mileage, including adding/subtracting equipment, adulterating the fuel, adopting various driving habits, etc. Some of the methods are good for a laugh. What's the stupidest thing you've heard of someone trying, something so wacko you can't believe they could possibly think it would work?

pickfordite

All-Star Author
Michigan

Posts:736
Points:94,020
Joined:Mar 2011

Message Posted: Feb 1, 2012 12:14:27 AM

Ignore pickfordite Report Abuse

People have used lots of approaches to try to improve their fuel mileage, including adding/subtracting equipment, adulterating the fuel, adopting various driving habits, etc.

Some of the methods are good for a laugh. What's the stupidest thing you've heard of someone trying, something so wacko you can't believe they could possibly think it would work?

REPLIES (newest first)Ignore Short Messages

node01 Rookie Author Quebec Posts:49 Points:12,050 Joined:Jul 2009	Message Posted: Sep 30, 2012 2:05:48 PM Ignore node01 Report Abuse not slowing down while turning street corners to keep your energy. Illegal (you missed a stop) and definitely dangerous as you could hit a kid trying to cross the street on the corner.
jay93LA Champion Author New Orleans Posts:2,439 Points:597,760 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Feb 10, 2012 9:22:00 AM Ignore jay93LA Report Abuse drafting dangerous
WEPSMAN Champion Author South Dakota Posts:10,513 Points:2,023,800 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Feb 9, 2012 6:30:05 PM Ignore WEPSMAN Report Abuse Cheapmonkee. Let us know how this works for you and what the break even point is going to be to pay for it. You are spending alot of money on something that is not proven other that the companies claims.
cheapmonkee Champion Author Portland Posts:30,306 Points:3,170,435 Joined:Jun 2004	Message Posted: Feb 7, 2012 10:35:16 PM Ignore cheapmonkee Report Abuse THIS Installed on my car today! Time will tell.
jimmy544 Champion Author Boston Posts:4,094 Points:651,905 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Feb 6, 2012 9:20:48 AM Ignore jimmy544 Report Abuse Waxing the car and fuel line magnets I think are the best ones:)) Grill shutters go way back probably to model T days or before. I know for sure that they were around in the 40s and likely before as it is a simple idea to keep the radiator from freezing if you have no or little anti-freeze and helps cold weather running quite a bit.
yohan3957 Rookie Author New Jersey Posts:13 Points:4,025 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 8:18:42 PM Ignore yohan3957 Report Abuse turbo magnet might help
marikSC Rookie Author Spartanburg Posts:3 Points:267,460 Joined:Dec 2011	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 8:15:41 PM Ignore marikSC Report Abuse magnets on fuel line acetone in tank
PuddinPal Champion Author California Posts:3,416 Points:669,415 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 5:02:18 PM Ignore PuddinPal Report Abuse The craziest one that I have heard of is turning off the engine and coasting. This one could get you killed. It could also destroy the automatic transmission.
WEPSMAN Champion Author South Dakota Posts:10,513 Points:2,023,800 Joined:Mar 2005	Message Posted: Feb 5, 2012 2:31:04 PM Ignore WEPSMAN Report Abuse putting duct tape over their lug nut holes in their rims to reduce drag.
dontuknowOH Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,098 Points:36,565 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2012 6:44:38 AM Ignore dontuknowOH Report Abuse Drafting soon ends in the Domino Effect depends on who is under who.
jay93LA Champion Author New Orleans Posts:2,439 Points:597,760 Joined:Aug 2011	Message Posted: Feb 4, 2012 6:23:06 AM Ignore jay93LA Report Abuse drafting
dontuknowOH Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,098 Points:36,565 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 8:44:53 AM Ignore dontuknowOH Report Abuse Well I can say only the battery solar chargers work also during any daylight hours but not as efficient on output. Same for a solar dual powered calculator,which is always a smaller source of energy,they can use incandesent light sources also for a power source,battery last a long time. The charger has an indicator which blinks if its working at all(suffcient light source)Blinks like a cursor fast if no connection is made,slow if charging (with a load),and can blink fast if battery is peaked when warmed. A bicycle AC wheel generator will put out more watts,voltage by comparison but takes a bit of effort,also.
OceanArcher Champion Author Mississippi Posts:5,698 Points:1,326,425 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 8:11:31 AM Ignore OceanArcher Report Abuse Guess disconnecting the alternator wouldn't work in an area with a lot of clouds......
pper Champion Author Grand Rapids Posts:3,074 Points:668,670 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 6:21:51 AM Ignore pper Report Abuse Spending more to trade up to a car with better mileage that what it costs to trade up is more than what I would save in gas costs.
rhail2 Champion Author Kentucky Posts:1,452 Points:287,485 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: Feb 3, 2012 5:16:12 AM Ignore rhail2 Report Abuse Trading in my car for a Volt.
oilpan4 Champion Author Virginia Posts:12,041 Points:306,600 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Feb 2, 2012 11:47:05 PM Ignore oilpan4 Report Abuse Alternator deletion has been shown to improve fuel economy on small vehicles by 10% or more. Then the only problem is you have to figure out a way to keep the battery charged and forget about long road trips unless you just removed the belt.
dontuknowOH Champion Author Ohio Posts:2,098 Points:36,565 Joined:Aug 2009	Message Posted: Feb 2, 2012 5:05:06 AM Ignore dontuknowOH Report Abuse On clear days Summer I have disconnected the altenator for the drive to work and back. Using a solar charger to bring the battery back to stable balance. It was a DIY experiment,the alt.. load was nill,the substitute to recharge the battery was free solar energy,during work hours. Over a time period,savings was noticed,a week of sunny weather (day shift).The main reason for purchasing the S..charger was to keep the trucks battery in a healthy state when not driven > (gas @ $4.oo + gal).
oilpan4 Champion Author Virginia Posts:12,041 Points:306,600 Joined:Jul 2006	Message Posted: Feb 2, 2012 12:45:54 AM Ignore oilpan4 Report Abuse "Disconnecting the alternator from the engine". BMW and honda have been using this cheap trick to boost fuel economy and over all vehicle performance for may years. The computer will cut power to the alternators exciter field windings removing the electrical load allowing the alternator to free wheel. "Blocking front grill to eliminate cold air going into engine to keep temperature warmer. Could eventually lead to overheating". This a partial fixed grill block its done to improve aero dynamics and always set up in a way to make the blocker easily removealbe. Ford, GM and Dodge have started using grill shutters to improve aerodynamics and cut engine warm up times. So the idea isn't as crazy as you think. Grill shutters have been around since at least the 1960s.
Roadburner440 Sophomore Author Virginia Beach Posts:186 Points:82,285 Joined:Jan 2012	Message Posted: Feb 1, 2012 6:07:19 PM Ignore Roadburner440 Report Abuse Trading in my truck for a Volt.
kon75 Champion Author New York Posts:7,692 Points:893,995 Joined:Dec 2008	Message Posted: Feb 1, 2012 12:39:48 PM Ignore kon75 Report Abuse Blocking front grill to eliminate cold air going into engine to keep temperature warmer. Could eventually lead to overheating. Dumping in acetone into fuel. Installing a tornado air filter. Magnets on fuel line and other places. ( I use one super magnet only on my oil filter to clean tiny metal particles that could be floating in engine oil).
MOREDLEG Champion Author Missouri Posts:2,645 Points:609,710 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: Feb 1, 2012 12:24:16 PM Ignore MOREDLEG Report Abuse Drafting,
Cummins2500 Champion Author Iowa Posts:3,128 Points:752,375 Joined:Jan 2007	Message Posted: Feb 1, 2012 12:01:26 PM Ignore Cummins2500 Report Abuse HHO generator and then claim 20-40% increase in fuel mileage.
plastic Champion Author Virginia Posts:46,787 Points:2,837,170 Joined:May 2004	Message Posted: Feb 1, 2012 7:33:26 AM Ignore plastic Report Abuse Knew a guy who removed as much as he could from his car- all interior trim, door panels, etc. He even started cutting "unnecessary" metal from his car. Took out the window actuators and everything.
jimmy544 Champion Author Boston Posts:4,094 Points:651,905 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: Feb 1, 2012 7:00:25 AM Ignore jimmy544 Report Abuse 1. putting a magnet on the fuel line to improve fuel combustion. 2.Disconnecting the alternator from the engine and running larger batteries which would then be charged at home. Does not take account the energy that needs to be pumped into the batteries. 3 waxing the car to reduce drag. Might work if the car was completely covered in mud approaching an inch thick. The wash job might take some serious weight off the car. but the wax job wouldn't.
MertieMan Champion Author Lexington Posts:14,783 Points:2,894,635 Joined:May 2005	Message Posted: Feb 1, 2012 6:39:19 AM Ignore MertieMan Report Abuse Instilling acetone into their gas tank.