68 vehicle mpg mods

[DimondColorCloud]

I like the DIY spirit of the ecomodder.com site, and a number of these mods are cheap and easy to do.
Food for thought, and maybe you will enjoy looking though them, too,


http://ecomodder.com/forum/fuel-economy-mpg-modifications.php

 

[highdesertranger]

just a thought here but the single best thing you can do to improve MPG, is to not press the accelerator pedal so hard. highdesertranger

 

[flying kurbmaster]

HDR is right and the first thing Ecomoders suggest is to learn how to hypermile whicih is all about how you drive, the second best mod is likely a front air dam.

 

[DimondColorCloud]

HDR is right and the first thing Ecomoders suggest is to learn how to hypermile whicih is all about how you drive, the second best mod is likely a front air dam.

The front air dam was cool, looks simple to do, too.  Thought the "remove alternator" one was really interesting. There was some mention about solar or not really solar compatible, but I'll have to give it a closer look.

 

[highdesertranger]

of all the accessories removing the AC will help the most or just never use it. highdesertranger

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I have done a few ecomods on my vehicles and was thinking of taking off the air pump for the emission thing on the kurbmaster, been looking for a different set up for the belt for the power steering which is hooked up with it. However I was happy as last summer I was pulled over by some enviro department cop and he made me pull the doghouse so he could check out the air pollution stuff, because of it's age it does not require air testing, that is why he pulled me over. It would have been thousands of dollars worth of fines had I tampered with it.

 

[FALCON]

I definitely want to take out my AC. That's on the "someday" list. I'd also love to get one of the devices that can show instantaneous MPG and similar data ( I guess I need to check first if those will work with my van. I've assumed so since it has ODB2).

 

[eDJ_]

I don't know if anyone remembers them, but there used to be a device called an Air Conditioner Cut Out.   It was
a contactor switch that went inline with the wire that signaled the A/C clutch and was operated by vacuum from the carb or manifold.

The idea was if you were going to pass a car or were going up a hill where the A/C would be a real drag on the engine at those points,  the contacts would break and drop out the A/C.     Otherwise if you were on level land
or going down hill the A/C would stay on and cycle normally.

The A/C is a luxury convenience, but sometimes it's nice to have it and it can even assure safety when it comes to defogging windows on rainy days.

 

[SternWake]

Pretty sure most vehicles will cut power to AC compressor under full throttle.

I never recharged my AC after my engine was rebuilt, and a few years after that I removed all its peripherals except the AC compressor which just acts like a pulley. thing does weigh 25+ lbs though and the pulley does not align perfectly with other pulleys.

Even when my AC worked, somewhat anemically, I never used it as I hated the throttle feel when it was robbing the engine of its power.

MPGs around town, well I've given up on them. Running traffic lights would be the best mpg improvement I could hope to achieve

On the highway, I try and drive at night outside any possibility of traffic, and drive 65 to 68mph. There is a MPG wall after that speed I've noticed.

The Van is a leaded barn door. heavy and unaerodynamic. Easiest thing to do is slow down, and keep a steady speed. With the added ride height, look 3 or 4 cars ahead of the one infront of you.
Who no doubt is checking and LOL'ing their instagram oblivious of their surroundings as they chant "me me me me me"

 

[FALCON]

look 3 or 4 cars ahead of the one infront of you.
Who no doubt is checking and LOL'ing their instagram oblivious of their surroundings as they chant "me me me me me"

That made me laugh. It also reminded me of this poster at work that I found really funny. It shows a crashed car and says "No one is LOLing now"

 

[Gary68]

not only will driving habits change your mpg but your vehicle wear rate,hard breaking and acceleration will take its toll