mileage tips (1 of ?)

[pharmer <pharmer@domain.elided>]

Since we are talking gas tips, here are some from a mid-70s book I've
got about that subject.  The book is:

     Title:         How_to_Get_More_Miles_per_Gallon 
     Author:        Robert Sikorsky
     Publisher:     St. Martin's Press
     Year:          1978
     ISBN:          0-312-39590-6

This book is probably out of print, but probably addresses our
IHs better than most modern versions.  The suggestions range from
good ideas, thru common-sense ideas all the way to really anal stuff.
Here are some highlights (I'll try to leave most of the anal stuff
out).  I will only include the notes from the first half of the
book or so, if this is valuable let me know, and I'll do the last
half.

The following notes were paraphrased from the text, and I obviously
bear no responsibility for the accuracy of the text.  My comments 
are in paranthesis.  These notes only cover about 1/3 of the book,
but I already had them typed up.  The next sections, including
inspection/repair, I think would be most valuable to us.  If anyone
really likes this, I'll send the rest.


********************************************************************
DRIVING TECHNIQUES
********************************************************************     
1.   Drive more slowly (duh, but supported with charts that demonstrate
     how, for instance the typical car going 70 mph only gets
     2/3 the economy of one going 45 mph).
2.   Drive with your windows closed
3.   Preserve your momentum in stop-and-go traffic
4.   Coast to stop lights (unless I'm behind you!)
5.   In cold weather use a warmed-up car rather than a cold one
     if you have a choice on a short trip (at 10 degrees Farenheit
     a car gets less than 10% of its normal fuel economy on trips
     of 2 miles or less)
6.   If your engine is going to idle for more than 60 seconds
     it is cheaper to turn it off.  
7.   Fast starts off the line use 50% more gas than slow starts.
8.   Drive steadily - avoiding constant braking & acceleration
     on the highway:  varying highway speed by as little as 5
     mph can cost you about 1.3 mpg.  Cruise control could be
     helpful here.
9.   When driving with an automatic transmission ease off the
     accelerator slightly when approaching a shift point.
10.  Start a cold engine by pushing the accelerater pedal all
     the way to the floor to ensure choke engagement (rather
     than pumping).
11.  Start the cold engine moving immediately - don't let it
     idle for 2 minutes or so because lubrication will occur
     faster under light load conditions than during idle.
12.  Use the telephone rather than driving someplace.


********************************************************************
PARKING TECHNIQUES
********************************************************************     
1.   Park inside when possible - up to a quart of gas can be lost
     on an extremely hot windy day.

********************************************************************
WAYS TO SAVE AT THE GAS STATION
********************************************************************     
1.   Remember to consider the accuracy of your speedometer when
     calculating mpg.  You can easily check it using highway mile
     markers.
2.   Avoid over-filling the tank - up to a half-gallon can be
     lost on some vehicles due to sloshing at stops, or gas being
     forced out of over-full tanks on hot days.
3.   Keep tanks generally full to minimize evaporation.
4.   Don't pay for higher octane gas than you need.
5.   You need less octane at high altitude than at sea level.
6.   Vehicle requirements can vary considerably due to manufacturing
     variables.
7.   As vehicles age their octane requirements increase until
     combustion deposits stabilize.  Octane requirement usually
     levels off 5 numbers higher than when it was new.

********************************************************************
GAS-SAVING ITEMS FOR YOUR CAR
********************************************************************     
1.   Install a vacuum gauge in car to see when you are using the
     accelerator pedal efficiently (and also gain a valuable diagnostic
     aid).
2.   Use a water-vapor or water/alcohol-vapor injector.  Weigh
     costs of unit & alcohol against mileage gains.
3.   Install an automatic choke conversion kit to allow choke
     setting from within vehicle.  Also consider a hand throttle.
4.   Fuel pump pressure regulator to even out flow to carb.
5.   Cruise control to maintain even steady highway travel.
6.   Overdrive units can save 25% on highway mileage.
7.   Use a freeflow muffler.
8.   Use a scavenger tip on the exhaust pipe (points pipe end
     downwards) to cause the wind to suck the exhaust out, easing
     engine backpressure.
9.   Use a dash-mounted timing selector to advance/retard distributor
     spark depending on hot/cold engine, idling, acceleration,
     cruising, hills, heavy loads. (warning:  continuous tweaking
     of unit to optimize for hills, cruising, accelerating could
     get you seriously slapped around by other vehicular occupants).
10.  Use a 185-195 degree thermostat rather than a 160-170 degree
     one.  The lower one was needed when pure alcohol antifreezes
     were used.
11.  Use a lower axle ratio (2.72 rather than 4.88).  However,
     here in the hilly country of Colorado a higher gear such
     as 3.73 is supposedly much better than a Kansas gearing of
     2.72.
12.  Don't use high-resistance spark plug wires with stock or
     weak coils.
13.  Get a hotter coil.
14.  Get a capacitive or electronic ignition.
15.  Block off part of the radiator on cold days to keep the engine
     temperature up.
16.  Consider switching to a smaller carb when it is time for
     a replacement.
17.  Consider getting a mileage-economy kit for your carberator.
     These can provide as much as a 4 mpg gain thru leaner jets,
     metering rods with longer economy steps, and redesigned 
     accelerator pumps.
18.  Use a wire-mesh screen between carb & intake manifold (I don't
     think that this has ever been proven)
19.  Consider fabricating or buying a ram-air charger that will
     take oncoming air and force it into air cleaner.  (this
     can also be harmful to economy since the new air flow can
     be disruptive)
20.  If the cylinder heads need to be removed for any reason 
     consider having them milled a fraction or having a extra-thin
     head gasket installed.
21.  If you are going to do an overhaul, get an economy-grind
     camshaft.
22.  A spoiler added beneath the front of the car can add an extra
     1-3 mpg.  
23.  Use a flex, clutch, or electric fan over a standard one for
     an extra 3-5 hp at 50 mph.
24.  Expect severe reductions in mileage at 3000+ ft altitude
     (25% worse at 40 mph at 4000 feet).
25.  2-12% increase in mileage can be attained thru use of oils
     with molybdenum di-sulphide (MoS2).
26.  If you live in an area that has severe winters consider
     switching to a lighter grade differential and gear lubricant.
27.  Consider teflon gasoline treatments.  The author mentions
     that these are new and reletively untested. (and mounting
     research is begining to show that these products, like Slick50,
     can cause premature engine death)
28.  A heavier engine oil will increase compression in a worn
     engine, but a thinner oil generally provides better gas mileage.
29.  Synthetic oils generally produce a 2-5% increase in mileage.