Squeeze more MPG (Truck) and less GPH (Boat) fuel burn from your equipment

[Putershark]

Fuel costs are going through the roof again / still So here is some tips I found and edited to keep some money in your wallet or at least, not spend it as fast

1. Check your air filter: A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent and nearly one in four cars need a new one. It can save the equivalent of 28 cents a gallon, or carry you 23 more miles on a typical tank. I am a big fan of the K&N filters for just this very reason... Also dirty throttle bodies (Truck and Boat) can cause issues with higher than normal or jumping idle speeds as well as an air restriction into the engine which is just as bad.

2. Straighten out: Poor alignment forces your engine to work harder, which can reduce gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Fixing it would be like saving 28 cents per gallon as well as reducing some expensive tire wear at the same time. Also, when was the last time you inspected the wear pattern on your boat trailer tires? Maybe that axle / axles are not square having the very same effect? When upgrading your boat trailer tires, installing radial tires will also save fuel. I had a friend of mine save a whole tank fuel when making the same trip to the Keys when he put radial tires on his triple axle cat hull trailer.

3. Tune up: A properly tuned engine can improve mileage by 4 percent, which is like saving 11 cents a gallon. Though the word “Tune Up” really does not apply in today’s world of fuel injected computer controller engines, checking other ignition related items like spark plugs, plug wires, distributor caps (though not many of them left anymore either) and loose / dirty ground wires that could be worn, also effect performance and fuel burn rates.

4. Pump them up: More than one-quarter of vehicles have improperly inflated tires. The average under-inflation of 7.5 pounds costs drivers 8 cents a gallon of gas. This also applies to your boat trailer tires and if you need a reminder, just go let out about 20 psi of air out of your bicycle tires, and then go take a ride…

5. Check your cap: It's estimated that one in six cars on the road have broken or missing gas caps, which reduces gas mileage as well as possibly harming the environment. Fix it and save 2 cents per gallon.

6. Lose weight: For every 100 extra pounds carried around, your vehicle loses 1-2 percent in fuel efficiency, or 4 cents per gallon. Now this figure does not apply as much or as quickly to your pickup or SUV as it would a car since they are geared lower. But once you get into the 200 to 500 extra pound range it can. Also covering up the bed of the truck to clean up the air flow (mostly at 35 mph and higher) can return a reported saving of 5 to 15% and pay for install of the cover in due time.
Just don't tell your wife "Dave says you have to stay home to save on fuel" for no way am I taking the fall for that one Ha-Ha!

7. Don't speed: For every 5 mph you reduce highway speed, you can reduce fuel consumption by 7 percent. Slow from 70 on the highway to 65 and save about 19 cents a gallon. Even when towing (considering that Florida is flat) by driving less than 70 my Tundra will pull our 190 and stay in overdrive till it hits some kind of grade or I need to pass.
The difference for me when towing is I drop from about 20 mpg when empty to 17.5 / 16 mpg even though I am dragging an extra ton or so of weight behind me. To me it is foolish and unsafe (though I can with little effort from my truck) to try and run 70 plus mph while towing any boat. For it is way to easy to upset the whole mess and loose it all if not careful.

8. Drive smoother: The smoother you accelerate and decelerate, the better your gas mileage. Consumers who drive erratically can pocket the equivalent of 48 cents a gallon by driving more smoothly. Driving your truck as if it was pulling the boat all the time and extra space you allow to both speed up and slow down helps. Pay attention to don’t walk signs flashing as your near the next intersection. Most flash 10 times before the light changes to yellow. If flashing and you are too far to make the light safely, then just start coasting. The saves not only on fuel, but on brake pads and extends on their replacement intervals at the same time.

10. Don't idle: If stopped off the road for more than 30 seconds, turn off the engine. For every two minutes that you don't idle, you'll save the equivalent of nearly 1 cent per gallon (it all adds up). I also do not start my truck when I first get into it. I go ahead and take down the sun shade, lower the windows, put on my driving glasses and seat-belt long before I start the engine. About the only thing I don’t do before starting is crank up the CD deck. This way I at least give the engine a few seconds to turn the oil over before driving away as I fire up the tunes J.

I also do not hammer on the gas pedal for the first few minutes or so for the very same reason... I like the engine to get to FOT (Full Operating Temp) if possible before I do any serious snapping around of the engine. When shutting down turn the engine off first, then (without opening any doors) proceed to put up the windows and do other needed items. Many times I see people leave the engine running while doing such when there is no need.

11. Run quality fuel: and track how your engines (both automotive and outboard) are using it at each tank fill. On the board are some Excel sheets that you can download and use to track both the truck and boat engine fuel usage under ranging conditions. After a while you will get a much better picture of which fuels perform the best in your engine. Just remember that burning “more” of a lower quality and lower octane fuel than what your engine really needs, is of no savings and may cost you more in the long run…

[NCangler]

Great info Dave. Thanks!

[k9reno]

Puter
I just installed one of the K&N filters in my F150
supercrew. I could notice a differance right off the bat.
The truck accelerates much easier, even with the boat on bac. I am also running about 200 rpm lower at speed than I was. I havent been able to do a gas milage test yet. I cant afford to fill the thing all the way up.

[Putershark]

Originally Posted by k9reno

Puter
I just installed one of the K&N filters in my F150
supercrew. I could notice a differance right off the bat.
The truck accelerates much easier, even with the boat on bac. I am also running about 200 rpm lower at speed than I was. I havent been able to do a gas milage test yet. I cant afford to fill the thing all the way up.

I agree they work very well and save wear and tear on your engine at the same time. No need too fill it up to test though Dick. Just devide the # of gallons filled into the # of miles just traveled and the Excel sheets will work just as well. That is why I like having 2 trip meters on my trucks for that very reason

[couture]

Have had these K&N filters on both vehicles forever plus put headers and duals on both and boosted mpg and performance noticably. Be sure to service them regularly and they'll last forever. 1)...on a GMC Yukon XLand 2) ..on a Chevy 3/4 ton cargo van both with 350's or whatever they call them now

[ksr5]

I have always heard you should never put radial tires on a trailer that there not made for that. Has anyone else heard of this?

[Genelie]

so I am just wondering out east how is your gas prices??? here out west is
$3.50 +

[cagrove]

Originally Posted by Genelie

so I am just wondering out east how is your gas prices??? here out west is
$3.50 +

Here in Virginia it's $3.05 as of this morning. Who knows what it will be by this afternoon.

[k9reno]

3.45 to 359 in fort wayne

[Putershark]

Originally Posted by ksr5

I have always heard you should never put radial tires on a trailer that there not made for that. Has anyone else heard of this?

Trailer? no... and should not matter.

Now having rims "not" designed for radial tire use I can see. No biggie though, did you not need a nice new set of cool mag rims for your new radial tires on boat trailer anyway Got them on mine and love the low maintenance aspect as well as the good looks