Typically, we tend to avoid chemicals that claim to improve fuel economy. We find it hard to believe anything you simply pour into an engine can significantly improve mileage. However, for this article we decided to test some additives to see if any of them actually worked. Now keep in mind, these results were obtained on an '05 Jeep Liberty CRD, and your results may vary, depending on driving style and other factors.
Approximate Gains: 1 to 2 mpg
What is it: Antifriction metal treatment (additive) We tested a quart of Maxi Lube antifriction metal treatment. Thanks to its secret synthetic formula, we noticed a 1.1mpg increase on our Liberty test mule. We like this product because it's environmentally safe and it actually works. Maxi Lube is not an oil additive as much as it's a metal treatment. We poured it into the transmission, transfer case, differentials, and crank case. Once treated, friction is virtually eliminated. Engines are said to run cooler, quieter, and cleaner with more power, reduced oil consumption, and in most cases, better mileage. Our test supported these claims.
Approximate Gains: 7 to 19 percent
What is it: Ethos Fuel Reformulator is a light-colored, multifunctional fuel reformulator. It's designed for use in all fuels to increase power and mileage, dissolve built-up gums and varnishes, lubricate upper cylinder components, and keep the entire fuel system clean and lubricated. It is recommended to use 1 fluid ounce per 10 gallons of fuel. This formula is a combination of non-toxic, specially designed esters that uses only the elements of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. This combination of low-molecular cleaning esters and the high-molecular lubricating esters reformulates any fuel, whether it's gasoline, diesel, methanol, ethanol, LNG, compressed natural gas, or biodiesel. We icked up an impressive 1.6 mpg in our '05 Jeep Liberty CRD test mule.
1. Avoid unnecessary idling. Turn off the engine if you anticipate a lengthy wait. No matter how efficient your vehicle is, unnecessary idling wastes fuel, costs you money, and pollutes our air.
2. Remove excess weight from the vehicle. Avoid carrying unneeded items such as multi-mount winches, tools, and spare tires. An extra 300 pounds can reduce any typical SUVs fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent.
3. Use cruise control if you have it. Using cruise control on highway trips can help you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, reduce your fuel consumption.
4. Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned. By law, car manufacturers must place a label in the car stating the correct tire pressure. The label is usually on the edge of the door or door jamb. If the label lists a pressure range, use the higher number to maximize your fuel efficiency. Underinflated tires work great on the trail but can increase fuel consumption by up to 6 percent.
5. Keep your engine tuned. Studies have shown that a poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by as much as 10 to 20 percent. Check air filters and change spark plugs and engine oil regularly. Follow the maintenance schedule in your owner's manual; you'll save fuel and your rig will perform better and last a lot longer.
6. Install proper gearing for your vehicle's use. If you drive a Jeep with 4.56:1 gearing to and from work each day, consider installing a lower low-range gear ratio in the transfer case for the trail, and running 3.73:1 gearing in the differentials for the street. You'll save a ton of fuel this way.
7. Run regular 87-octane gas. Most new vehicles will run perfectly fine on regular old 87-octane. Unless you've added some component(s) that require 92-octane, you'll be money ahead by sticking to regular unleaded. This will typically save over $10 per fillup on most late-model fullsize pickups.
8. Avoid bad traffic. It's been said that in city driving, nearly 50 percent of the energy needed to power your vehicle goes to acceleration. This is then scrubbed off by braking. The waste in stop-and-go traffic is ridiculous. We suggest leaving earlier or later to avoid "rush hour" traffic.
9. Buy a cheapo commuter car. If your lifestyle allows for it, get a second vehicle that's more fuel-efficient than your current rig. Sure, it won't get you to that remote fishing spot, but with the money you'll save in fuel expenses, you'll probably have that econo-box paid for within a year's time.
10. Consider fuel economy when buying your next vehicle. You may not be able to do much about your current vehicle's consumption, but everyone can think ahead and plan for the future when it comes to the next rig.