Record of gas & mileage for last 2 years and 20k miles w/Fuel Power observation

[1 FMF]

been recording everytime I fill up what the odometer was and figured mileage. Kind of amazing how much gas gets used.
Just started using Fuel Power, the gallons in red are with FP.
Comments on the right highlight relevant stuff/maintenance performed including oil changes and what was used.

Trip mpg refers to octane of previous line.

 

[JonS]

What kind of car? Why the 93 octane? It is very hard to keep track every time. Good job.

 

[1 FMF]

ohyeah, 2002 camaro ss, 5.7L V-8, rated 350 hp & tq.
6-speed manual: 1000 rpm @ 45mph 6th, 1500 rpm @ 65mph 6th.

not hard at all, just have to get into habit of writing it down whenever you fill up, and keep a pad and pen in the car.

 

[jtantare]

I thought Camaros were supposed to be far more fuel efficient than this. I'm surprised. It doesn't look like fuel power is doing anything.

 

[Big O Dave]

quote:

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Originally posted by jtantare:
I thought Camaros were supposed to be far more fuel efficient than this. I'm surprised. It doesn't look like fuel power is doing anything.

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I was thinking just the opposite! He's getting pretty good mileage for a 350hp, 3300lb car.

Must have a lot of self-control...

 

[surfstar]

keep a pen and just right down the odometer reading on the receipt. its already got the gallons and price on there. takes about 10 seconds tops and i've managed to miss one tank in 4+ years (i swear it was when my mom borrowed the car)

 

[Ugly3]

2002 EPA estimate is 19/28.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by jtantare:
I thought Camaros were supposed to be far more fuel efficient than this. I'm surprised. It doesn't look like fuel power is doing anything.

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It didn't do anything for my Corvette's mileage either. It got 27mpg plus/minus about 0.3mpg on long freeway runs at quasi-legal speed before fuel power and still got the same after 4,000 miles of fuel power. I finally quit using it in that car. It wasn't worth mucking around with it everytime I got gas.

 

[Ryan00TJ]

I went through one gal of FP in my 420rwhp LS1 Camaro and my Wrangler. I kept track of the MPG every fill up and saw no difference with FP or without in both vehicles. I've never bought anymore and just throw in a bottle of Techron before changing the oil to clean the CC's and injectors.

BTW I usually get 17mpg city and as high as 29mpg on the freeway. Not bad at all for a 470 flywheel HP V8.

 

[1 FMF]

the 17/28 rating on mine is city/highway.
My numbers are averaged an entire tank of gas, which is including warmup, idling at traffic lights, etc. So all that brings mpg down quickly.
A few of the #'s show around 26, and they were strictly highway trips where the car was warm, I filled up, went on the trip, maybe parked for 6 hours, then came back and filled back up to get gallons used.

With my '99 when I had it, same exact car, I was getting around 24mpg average over a tank but that was when I was living 20 miles away from work and the car was 90% of the time on the highway in 6th. Now it's at least 50% city, with only 15 miles to work, 10 on the highway the rest leaving home and sitting in the city at lights.
With this car, I do a lot of 2nd-3rd gear runs on entrance ramps, and haven't driven as conservatively as possible. This next mpg recording should be interesting.

 

[kenw]

so with farily real data collected over a long time with real-world driving experiences and in multiple cars and multiple drivers with varying driving habits: FP does nothing.

somehow I feel vindicated.

 

[1 FMF]

in all fairness, I don't think I have enough data to tell. Looking at the numbers, it doesn't give me a warm fuzzy considering what the product cost. But check them out plotted.
Also, the average economy over all for not using FP from the beginning is 19.58 mpg vs. 19.86 mpg with FP. So by that reckoning FP isn't hurting mpg. But,

There's a lot of variables that have a far greater impact- driving style, gasoline quality, where you're driving, weather and time of year especially, which all have an order of magnitude greater influence on economy than FP. I've also swapped thermostats between 160 and 190 over the past 2 years, changed spark plugs, engine oil weights, tranny and differential oils.

But for what difference I have now, for a 0.25 mile per gallon increase in economy how far do I have to drive and how much gas do I have to buy to make my money back:
if FP costs $35/gal not incl shipping or tax,
at 20mpg without FP and with 20.25mpg with,
after 20000 miles of driving, 20mpg = 1000 gal gas vs 20.25mpg = 987.6 gal gas. That's a savings of just 12.4 gallons, and at $2/gal that's roughly $25. At $3/gal it's $37. If you gain 0.5mpg with FP, that cuts it down to 10000 miles.

[ September 02, 2005, 02:06 PM: Message edited by: 1 FMF ]

 

[LubeOiler]

My SER only gets 21-27 and I have a very light car with 165 HP. So for a gas powered 3300 lb. car with 350 hp.to get 18-26 is very good. The driving style is a big factor I (1)Run the A/C all the time (2) jackrabbit drive (3) don't drive on the highway enough. The FP issue sounds to be correct it will not give you a extra 3/4 mpg if you expected that. I use it more the keep the fuel system clean to avoid hurendous mpg.or Hiccuping when driving.

 

[LCD]

1 FMF,

Thanks for doing this. I had not seen your chart unitl it was pointed out to us.

We realize FP60 does not increase everyones mileage and that is really not what we even push as the reason to use it.

Most people on this board take care of their cars better than the average joe which means the engines on this board are cleaner than most and FP will no have that much effect on mileage.

FP60 has many benefits beyond a potential mpg increase.