Items to improve fuel economy

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Lowering the Tailgate or getting a tonneau cover have not shown to improve mileage on the Sport Trac. I suspect this may be due to the long cabin and short pickup bed. The air flow is less likely to drop into the bed and cause wind resistance or turbulence.



Some claim that the mileage gain from the tonneau cover is lost because of the weight. I don't believe that's the reason since other trucks do experience some improvement in mileage with a tonneau cover and their larger size would make them weigh at or near the same weight as the Sport Trac's OEM hard tonneau cover. Also, those who have purchased much lighter covers have not experience any significant mileage gains.



I think it's all in the aerodynamics of the Sport Trac.



...Rich
 
I was going through my fuel milage spreadsheet and decided to plot gas prices for the past couple of years. Yikes!



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I checked my log, too. The cheapest gas I bought since May '03 was in Nov '03 when I paid $1.22 for a gallon of 87 unleaded.
 
Tornado works well. I picked mine up at Discount for like $50... Got like 5-9MPG increase per gallon.



Hard to install, but it's made from hi quality soda cans.
 
Yeah, but with the E-85 vehicles, you need the beer can model, and it has to be a domestic for the highest gains.
 
true, forgot to mention that Jeff.



Oh, it's safe to buy 2 or 3 extra...letting them sit on the passanger seat adds I think (correct me if I am wrong) like 30 more HP?



 
You wouldn't suggest that the driver run on ethanol as well? :blink:



Consider this, when running E85, you almost get 100 mpg of gasoline. The rest is ethanol.



Try buying beer at only $2 a gallon (or Everclear for folks that want to remind me beer is only 3-5% ETOH). Bottled water is still more per gallon.



So, besides certain jail time, what would happen if you distilled your own straight ETOH and put it in the tank w/ 4 gallons of unleaded? Seems energy in is too low for any decent yield. I guess that's why people drink it.



Yeah, I'd have bought a Prius or a 4WD Matrix if I didn't haul garbage & wood, and tow a boat. Might need another trailer to haul grain now! :p
 
Maybe we should pull out the old "Mother Earth News", with their articles about converting a truck to run on methane, complete with a couple of "appropriately plumbed sheep"!
 
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