Pain at the Pump

By Robert Snowden

I don't know about the rest of you, but it's gotten to the point where I hate to turn on the evening news… "Crude oil sets a new record", "gas prices at the pump jump again".
Some economists are now predicting $200 per barrel crude oil and $7.00 per gallon gas. Numbers like this are enough to make your head spin! To give you some idea of just how old I am, the least I can ever remember paying for gas was 19¢ per gallon. These high prices are having a real impact not only on our everyday commutes, but also on our old car hobby as well.
We're hearing from members that they're not certain they can drive to the next car show because of the high cost of fuel. We hear your pain… this gas issue hits everyone who owns any type of vehicle. However, just for fun I decided to punch a few numbers into my calculator for a trip to a show and here's what I found.

** An increase of only $52.50

Our additional cost to drive to the 2008 car show is $52.50 and when you look at it this way it's not so bad; most people will spend more than $52 just to take the family out to dinner. It's obvious, now, that the price of gas is going to impact the car hobby. Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, fuel economy and aerodynamics were not the issue they are today. In those days, no one ever said, "I chose the 409 engine because it gets such great gas mileage." The more I thought about this gas issue the more convinced I became that it was time to remind each of you out there that there are a few steps you can take to get better gas mileage out of your old Late Great Chevy.

SPEED: We all know how much fun it is to feel the power of those 3x2's, on a high performance 283ci engine, but speed equates to guzzled gas! Even in today's cars, for every 1 mph over 60 mph the cost is 1% in fuel economy. If your car gets 18 mpg at 60mph, it would be down to 15.3 mpg at 75 mph. This loss is even higher in Late Great Chevys with their poorer aerodynamics.

SMOOTH, NON-AGGRESSIVE DRIVING: Gas mileage savings can be 5 to 40% by accelerating smoothly and gradually in addition to keeping the Chevy moving instead of having to come to a complete stop between traffic lights.

AIR CONDITIONING: In city driving, using A/C drops fuel economy 1 to 5%.  For highway driving though, if you need A/C to be comfortable, it's better to use it than open the windows due to the increased aerodynamic drag.

UNECESSARY WEIGHT: An extra 100 pounds typically reduces mpg by up to 2%.  Or stated another way, every 200 pounds increases fuel consumption about 1 mpg. How much extra weight are you hauling around in your trunk? When it comes time to pack for the show, remember you're only going to be gone from home one or two nights.

UNDER-INFLATED TIRES: Gas mileage can drop by 0.4% for every pound psi loss of air pressure in all four tires.  Setting tire air pressure when tires are cold to the maximum listed on the sidewall (35-44 psi) will increase gas mileage about 3%. This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to improve gas mileage so check your tire pressure on a regular basis.

Radials VS Bias-Ply TIRES: Changing to the more modern radial construction can increase gas mileage up to 5%.  There are also "Low Rolling Resistance" radials that offer more savings over typical radial tires.  Oversize tires with their greater inertia, weight and rolling resistance require more gas to get rolling. With radial tires no longer constituting a change, the gas savings and improved handling make this a no-brainer upgrade.

TUNE-UP ENGINE & CLEAN AIR FILTER: A clogged air filter can reduce car mileage by as much as 10%. An engine that needs a tune-up can lose about 4% of its fuel efficiency.  Changing to an electronic ignition vs. "points" also helps.

IDLING ENGINE: Current recommendations are to shut off your engine if you're likely to be idling more than two minutes.  Idling gets the car precisely zero mpg.

INSTALL HEADERS & PERFORMANCE EXHAUST: Improved exhaust flow can improve gas mileage 1 to 2 mpg.

INSTALLING & USING OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION: Reducing engine speed while cruising can improve fuel mileage up to 50%. The Tremec TKO 600 manual 5-speed transmission is a perfect conversion for added gas mileage, I tend to question the stated 50% improvement, but you will see greatly improved highway mileage. If the majority of your driving is around town, then you may decide that the cost of this project prohibits the conversion.

REPLACE CARBURETOR WITH ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION: Improved fuel metering & efficiency can improve mpg up to 30%. 
 
USE SYNTHETIC LUBRICANTS: Synthetic motor and gear oil can improve gas mileage by up to 10%.  Use recommended weight of motor oil to keep internal engine friction low.  API "Energy Conserving" oil contains friction reducing additives.

There you have it, common, "it only makes sense", suggestions for additional gas mileage. If you only follow three or four of the above suggestions you'll improve your gas mileage and make that trip to the pump less painful.