better gas mileage ?

You want better gas mileage? Then do things that really work. A long warmup before driving is not only unnecessary, but also wasteful - I never let it idle more than a minute.

Drive the speed limit because higher speed means lower fuel mileage.

Keep your tires properly inflated (run them toward the upper end of the inflation range to decrease rolling resistance).

Keep the vehicle in proper tune so the engine is running at peak efficiency.

Make sure the front end is properly aligned to limit rolling resistance from misaligned tires.

Remove unneeded cargo from the vehicle to lighten the load.

Check/change the air filter regularly.

Forget about "gas saving" devices because 99.999% of them don't work.

Group: alt.autos.gm Date: Fri, Apr 21, 2006, 11:25pm From: snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.commie (Charles) How would I get better gas mileage. Should I let the engine idle for 3

-5 minutes, while waiting for a school bus, after driving 1/2 mile after a cold start ? Or should I turn it off as I do now =A0=A0I have an '06 Sienna. In the morning my commute begins by taking my 3rd grade son to his bus top, 1/2 mile away. Then I take his 4 y.o. brother to pre-school about 4 miles away. Then I drive about 10 miles to work. I know about the cold start process of emission controls. Yeah yeah yeah, it's the topic du jour ...

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% "Sometimes, when you're up to your butt in alligators, it's hard to remember that the intial objective was to drain the swamp." ~ Unknown ~

Drive the speed limit because higher speed means lower fuel mileage.

Keep your tires properly inflated (run them toward the upper end of the inflation range to decrease rolling resistance).

Keep the vehicle in proper tune so the engine is running at peak efficiency.

Make sure the front end is properly aligned to limit rolling resistance from misaligned tires.

Remove unneeded cargo from the vehicle to lighten the load.

Check/change the air filter regularly.

Forget about "gas saving" devices because 99.999% of them don't work.

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Leave the four wheel drive vehicle at home. The typical four wheel drive vehicle gets 4 mpg less than the same vehicle with two wheel drive. It's summer, the roads to and from work are paved, put the four wheel drive Godzilla up on blocks till it snows.

Better yet, use the Godzilla and car pool with 14 of your neighbors.

Jim

Somehow, I don't see how this would apply to a 2WD van. But, I guess if you say so, then it must be true. I get better gas mileage out of my Godzilla than many people do out of their econo-boxes because I know how to do it.

Group: alt.autos.gm Date: Sun, Apr 23, 2006, 6:38am (EDT-1) From: ka0mgm@#remove#yahoo.com (George=A0Jetson)

Leave the four wheel drive vehicle at home. The typical four wheel drive vehicle gets 4 mpg less than the same vehicle with two wheel drive. It's summer, the roads to and from work are paved, put the four wheel drive Godzilla up on blocks till it snows. Better yet, use the Godzilla and car pool with 14 of your neighbors. =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Jim

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% "Sometimes, when you're up to your butt in alligators, it's hard to remember that the intial objective was to drain the swamp." ~ Unknown ~

resistance

Not true. There are MANY 4X4s that get as good as the 2WDs.

Such as?

The 4x4 Jimmys and Blazers dont count, their not 'true' 4x4 anyways. Only one rear and one front wheel drive, even in 4x4. i'd like to see a 4x4 that gets better MPG than a 2wd anykind.

Thats any 4x4 without lockers in the front and rear.

My 2004 silverado is listed at 1mpg less than the 2wd silverado. My 1988 S10 4x4 was able top hit 27mpg where my 2000 s10 2wd would only get 21.

A little warmup is a good thing for an engine to have before it is put under load. It may not help fuel economy but will treat the engine better. Over doing the warmup time is no help and just wastes fuel.

Drive the speed limit because it is your civic duty and you owe it to your fellow citizens. As for mileage though, depending on the vehicle, the sweet spot for fuel economy can be, and often is different than the posted speed limit.

It's good to stay on top of proper tire inflation, but optimizing for fuel economy is not optimizing for traction (and thus safety). Keep inflation levels up to date but the level should be what is stated for the vehicle. not the tire's max inflation pressure.

Absolutely. Many other benefits too.

Another good tip.

But not that spare tire!

Also go "lite" on the accelerator. Braking is throwing away momentum that you paid for with fuel.

If they are not "true" 4X4s then there are NO "true" 4X4s sold in the US. Other than full time AWD the rest all have the same open diffs and act the same as the Blazers and Jimmys.

However if that is your criteria then take a look at Subarus or Audi Quatros or even VWs with AWD. Add in the Bravada and Astro s with AWD.

BUT using your non-4X4s as a starting point my 2002 Blazer with a 4.3 in it gets 27-28 on the highway. The S P/Us get about 16 in 2WD. Take a 2WD 1500 GMC that gets 14 with a 6.0 against a K1500 with the 6.0 that gets 16 normally. A LOT of the difference is in the driver not the hardware.

This also means no tailgating. I've been behind cars that are following the lead car very close and the brake lights will com on every few seconds. Wasted gas. Just hang back a bit and ease off the gas and coast if the gap is narrowing and don't touch the brakes.

Same with coming up to an exit ramp. Coast up to it (within safe limits for traffic) instead of doing 65 to the top of the ramp and hitting the brakes hard for the turn.

Don't drive like many of us did as teenagers.

Yes, there are true 4x4's I have a friend that has one, 77 Chevy CK20 p/u, cant shift it out of 4x4 it has the NP203 transfer case.

So it is actually an AWD. AND came from the factory with open differentials JUST LIKE THE BLAZERS that had the same transfer case. The only vehicles that came out of the factory set up so they drive all 4 wheels at the same time are equipped with either limited slip or selectable locker differentials in both axles. Your friends 77 didn't come from the factory that way, it MAY have a limited slip in the rear but the factory didn't offer one in the front in 77. SO it is NOT what you seem to think is a 4X4.

So your saying that it is posi in the front but not in back? Thats funny cause when he used it to shove his exwives 98 Taurus up the tree out front all four wheels spun and dug in the yard then. And it wasnt even in 4lo Made the local news on tv too