What is the best chip for fuel mileage?

[Mark Trochesset 2]

What is the best chip for a 2005 ST for mileage?

 

[swshawaii]

Your right foot, no kidding! The SCT XCal's are regarded the best tuners for ST's, by far.



Just got one from Torrie and while satisfied, gained 1-1.5 MPG at the most.

Same route, fuel, and driving after averaging three full tanks. Everything else is a plus.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Chips are B.S., JMHO. I've never known anyone that bought on and had it do was it claims.

 

[Richard L]

My take on using economy programmed chips is that they may make a very small improvement in MPG, but only under specific circumstances. I think that much of the mileage improvement comes from the driver wanting to save gas and subconciously easing up a bit on the gas pedal. People who spend a lot of money to buy something to get better gas mileage are going to drive more economicly to justify the expensive fuel saving device.



I suspect that if you were to have have a stranger drive the vehicle the same way, once with the fuel saving device on a closed circuit, and again without the device. Without the driver knowing when he is driving with or without the device and has no idea that he is testing a fuel saving device, any difference would be very negligable/



I think the fact that someone pays money for a fuel saving device mentally sets up that person to want to prove the device is really working. The fact that it's almost impossible to get the same gas mileage day after day, week after week, tankfull after tankfull because of the many factors that effect mileage that are often beyond our control. The weather, the volume of traffic, catching one more red light today that you did not catch yesterday, driving a mph or two faster or slower than you yesterday because of traffic, or accelerating just a wee-bit faster or slower than you normally do?



They all effect mileage and traffic is often the X-factor that makes a big difference in gas mileage. Everytime you slow down and speed up it cost you more fuel..and it only takes one or two cars getting in your way enough to cause you to hit the brakes a few times is all it takes to effect you mileage. Multiply that by all the vehicles you might encounter while driving back and forth to work and it becomes difficult to say if any gain or loss in MPG is due to the expensive device you installed.



...Rich

 

[Mark Trochesset 2]

Thank you for each of you who took time to answer my question, I already drive very conciously, I am using 100% regular fuel and get about 395 miles per tank. 05 ST has 72,000

miles and looking to put a cold air intake on it, already have a Tornado which does help believe or not, right now fuel average is about 20 miles per gal.



Thanks everyone!!! :grin:

 

[H D]

miles and looking to put a cold air intake on it, already have a Tornado which does help believe or not, right now fuel average is about 20 miles per gal.

You're right, I don't believe the Tornado helps. Not being ignorant, I just don't believe they work. If it was worth your money, that's all that matters.



I've got a body lift, 32s and no performance or "gas saving" additions with about 90k miles. I get about 20-21 mpg. I run no-ethanol gas like you and feel that really helps. Also, a light foot has proven to be most helpful.



I certainly wouldn't waste money on a chip. I've never heard of anyone I knew personally that really thought they worked.

 

[Tom Schindler]

already have a Tornado which does help believe or not, right now fuel average is about 20 miles per gal.

Seriously, Tornado Air doesn't work. You get 20 MPG, awesome. My wifes Explorer 4x4 with 208,000 miles on it got an average of 20.11 MPG going to, there, and from Florida.



I don't have a Tornado (they don't work and hurt performance), but I do have a K&N CAI, Aptin Delta chip, Underdrive pully, upgraded plug wires and the plugs are indexed. If I take my time on a trip and drive sensable, I can get 22 to 23 MPG on the highway.



The Tornado Air Managment System does not work.



You can not induce a swirl in the intake when there is a vacuum. plus the Tornado is installed BEFORE the throttle body. So, when the butterfly is partially open, any swirl in the intake (that could possibly be there) is eliminated. Remember, air will take the path of least resistance when going through a vacuum.



Tornado has one interesting function. It makes your intake duct smaller. That limits power and causes worse mileage.





Tom

 

[Tom Schindler]

Chips are B.S., JMHO. I've never known anyone that bought on and had it do was it claims.

Chips do work.



I know a guy that raced SCCA Pro Rally and played around with chips. He noticed, this was in the 90's, that when a chip manufacturer said there was a 20 HP gain, it was not a peak gain. It was a max gain somewhere along the power band. So, lets say peak HP is increased 2 HP, but at 2950 RPM, the boost was 20 HP but at 4,000 RPM, there was a drop is 3 HP, the "gain" the manufacturer claimed was the 20 HP max.



I know my chip makes a difference. For example, if I fill my Trac with 92 octane and let my wife drive it (She did not know what I did), she will comment about the extra power my Trac has. If I just fill up with 87 octane fuel and run the economy setting, she will not say anything.



It either makes more power or changes the shift patterns to make it feel like it has more power. Either way, I don't care. If my wife notices it without her knowing what I dad speaks volumes as to if my chip works.



I would love to try a SCT flasher, but I just can't justify to cost.





Tom

 

[EddieS'04]

Several magazines have ran test on the tornado and other devices, None worked. The only one that did was the disc between TB and intake, "On CARBURATED ONLY".



As far as creating the swirl of air. FI engines need laminer air to the upper plenum. Swirl is created at the intake valve and fuel injector location. As per the manufactor.



Not sure about direct injection. Havent studied it yet. I suspect there is still air swirl created at the intake valves.



Remove the tornado. Popular mechanics showed on the dyno. It actualy starved air to the motor at certain rpms.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

I know my chip makes a difference. For example, if I fill my Trac with 92 octane and let my wife drive it (She did not know what I did), she will comment about the extra power my Trac has. If I just fill up with 87 octane fuel and run the economy setting, she will not say anything.

Tom, is your Chip a tuner or a Chip? What kind of Chip do you have? Not argueing, just wanna know what actually works.

:haveabeer:



I'm not familair with all the different types of chips but know alot of people that have tried various brands and types on different vehicles and had little to zero effect. That's just from their experiences.

:banghead:MONEY:toilet:



I've been thinking about doing something to increase MPG's. I took off the Yakima Roof Basket and found a huge improvement just in driving because of aerodynamics, I haven't averaged a couple of tanks of gas to see actual numbers yet because I just took it off two days ago. I'll be taking everything I absolutely don't need (wintertime emergency stuff) out of the truck this weekend and doing some other things. I know I need to switch to 4.56 gears in both my rearends Bigger tires (speedo's off) but that's not in the cards at this time.

:banana::driving:

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Answer: A potato chip.



Simply put it between your foot and the gas pedal and drive with the objective of NOT smashing the chip.



Seriously though, most chip/programs are about performance, as in MORE performance, MORE HP, running richer, etc, and those tend to use more fuel, not less. I am sure the reason most want to increase MPG is to save money. Well, spending money to increase MPG to save money will rarely, if ever, have a ROI (return on investment), IMHO.



TJR

 

[Tom Schindler]

Tom, is your Chip a tuner or a Chip? What kind of Chip do you have? Not argueing, just wanna know what actually works.

It is a chip. Quoted from my original post on this subject...

...but I do have a K&N CAI, Aptin Delta chip, Underdrive...

So I have an actual chip, though the output on a chip is nowhere near that of a tuner, but I just can't (personally, as I can afford it but don't want to) spend the money.





Tom

 

[H D]

For me, and speaking only for myself so as to not get any undies in a wad, I did not buy the Sport Trac for fuel efficiency or speed. Therefore, FOR ME, spending money on those things for this vehicle would be a waste of money.



Here's how I do the math:



To make it fast: This thing is heavy and has the aerodynamics of a barn door. How much money am I willing to spend to be just barely faster than a '93 Honda Civic DX? None. If I want to be the fastest truck in my town: gonna need roughly 400rwhp or more. Thousands of dollars to barely run sub-12 quarter miles, nah. Not me.



To be fuel efficient: Spend thousands to swap in a bio-diesel engine. Even if you're getting 45mpg, how much money are you saving? Although, that would be a pretty awesome swap, so if anybody wants to jump on that, I'll support you.



To try to do just a little of either for a couple hundred bucks at a time...sorry, that's just bad math, too. You're neither going to get amazing power nor money saving miles per gallon.



Don't get me wrong, I have my vices. My math will probably seem bad to some people when I put a solid axle in the front of my Sport Trac. Jeep simply doesn't make a 4 door, short wheel based truck, so I had to start somewhere. But for my goal, the Sport Trac is the perfect starting point of making a 4 door, smaller truck that is easier to maneuver off road than a full size and more comfortable than a Jeep.



If your ultimate goal is a fuel efficient vehicle, you should never have started with a Sport Trac. If your goal is a rocket midsize pickup, maybe you have the right vehicle but you better have some deep pockets as well.

 

[Jerry Gerner 2]

Ok, does your chip have settings on it? Like I said, I'm not familair with chips personally so just curious cause you said

If I just fill up with 87 octane fuel and run the economy setting, she will not say anything.

Is there a switch on the side of the box or something? I thought chips were just plug n' play.

:banana::haveabeer: