Get 50 mpg -- In Your Own Car

[GLF]

I came across this article and thought it would be a good one to share with everyone. With the price of gas the way it is, and my boat being located 73 miles away, I have been watching my driving techniques lately trying to squeeze every mpg out of my car.

Speed kills. "My Honda Accord, with good tire pressure and synthetic oil (see below), driven at 50 to 55 miles per hour, will get an average of 50 miles per gallon. It's EPA rated at 24/34." So just follow the speed limit, or go at a slightly slower speed. To make himself and his slower speed conspicuous to faster drivers behind, Gerdes "ridge rides," meaning he keeps his right tires on the white line that defines the far right side of the slow lane.

Get 50 mpg -- in your own car

[GLF]

How many of you are using synthetic oil in your boat engine?

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

All of my engines, inluding the boat, run synthetic motor oil.

[Priority1]

All of my engines, inluding the boat, run synthetic motor oil.

What kind of synthetic oil do you run? I have been running a synthetic blend in my car and truck. I may try synthetic in my boat if I can find a viscosity range of 20W40 or 25W40. Or maybe a straight weight oil would be OK also. Boats don't have to start in below zero temps.

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

I choose to run synthetic simply because the owners manual in my pickup specifies it and the owners manual for my wife's car specifies it. It's easier for me just to run all synthetic because all of my cars use similiar oil viscosities and grades, so I buy it in bulk at a discount for all of the engines.

I buy mobile oil just because I use the same vendor our farm does, so, again, a slight bulk discount.

I worked for a company out of the Chicago area that did development and research on industrial engines. Believe it or not, synthetic is cheaper to use when operating an engine 6000+hrs/year continous duty. The company did a big motor oil test on many various oils, and, as expected, the synthetics performed best while synthetic blends followed and traditional oils last. I won't bore you with any other details.

I'd have zero problem running synthetic blends in my vehicles. That's a very good alternative for automotive type applications, which I'd also lump in most boats. I also wouldn't have a problem with running traditional oils in most automotive applications if the conditions aren't unussually dirty and maintenence is kept up on.

If you do switch an engine that has run traditional oil over to a pure synthetic, it is not uncommon for the engine to use a slight bit of oil for the first fill up. It's dependent on the type of sealing/bearing material used in the engine. The consumption will be very small. It will go back to normal after first oil cycle. Just something to be aware of; don't get nervous if the dipstick yields a small(way less than 10% of fill capacity) bit of ussage.

[GLF]

I squeaked out 440 miles on my last tank of gas since I read this article, and incorporated some of the things I read. Not wanting to take a chance on running out of gas....just in case the gas gauge was wrong, I filled up the car today. I had just over an 1/8th of a tank of gas left when I filled it.

My wife drove the car one day, and I drove it up to the boat and back yesterday to go fishing. I still get excited when its time to go fishing. I always have, and always will! Yesterday was no exception. Instead of the 5 - 10 mph under I had been driving, it was 5 - 10 over.

I had been averaging 30 - 31 mpg. This last tank of gas, I averaged 37mpg!

My wife use to tell me I was driving to fast. Now she tells me I am driving to slow. Whats a guy to do?

[Satisfaxion_Gauranteed]

That give you more $$$ to buy fishing gear!

I think we may be married to the same woman! I'm always being told I'm driving too fast/too slow!