I need better MPG ASAP........

[halistan]

Originally posted by svx_commuter


What would have to be done to burn regular gas???? What would that cost in power?

You could have a new crankshaft and pistons engineered for the SVX that would lower the compression ration to 8:1 instead of the 10:1 it is right now. Then it would burn regular gas just fine ....of course your SVX would only have like 186 horsepower but hey, i'm sure that you would get close to that 38mpg mark you want. Of course, the cost to have those parts made and installed would more than likely be more than how much you would save in burning regular gas over the next 4 years lol.

~Ray

[GreenMarine]

Originally posted by svx_commuter
Is there a propane change over kit?

Propane kits don't offer better MPG... They are just cheaper because propane is cheaper... My ded had a Propane conversion on his Holden estate in Australia... He actually lost about 10% in power when he drove with it on.... Usually went further on gas rather than Propane... Propane was just cheaper so he used that more

[Chiketkd]

Don't use regular gas unless you add a full bottle of octane boost - a knocking engine is not a pretty sight. A K&N filter (cone or panel) will return slightly better gas mileage, but the improvement will almost be negligible (<0.5mpg).

Also, listen to what Sonar said: "3. Making sure that everything in the engine, that has to do with fuel economy, is in top shape."

Doing little things like cleaning out your throttle bodies will = gas savings. I cleaned mine out today, and the whole process took about 25 minutes... A clean, well-maintained engine returns the best gas mileage.

-Chike

[shelfy]

Originally posted by svx_commuter
So how about a tranmission heater?

keep this mod far away from my car!

[dcarrb]

There simply are no miraculous, practical, economically sound measures to substantially increase fuel efficiency. But plain, old conventional wisdom will pay off with a few more miles per tankful: Conservative driving habits, properly inflated tires, clean filters and fluids, and timely, thorough maintenance.

In the long run, both your car and pocketbook will thank you.


dcb

[LarryIII]

SVXes already have an ATF heater in the bottom of the radiator. The '92 & '93 SVXes have a special version of this heater.
That is part of the problem.

[Sonar]

You can rest asure that if you do the things I previously posted, you can EASILY gain 5mpg, probably more!

My whole experience with cars and such, give no doubt about that.

/Sonny

[UberRoo]

Powerful engines provide lousy economy when not being run near peak horsepower. Yes, they use much more fuel near peak horsepower, but if your engine was smaller (or your vehicle was larger,) your best economy would be at a higher output than you currently use at cruise. Economy cars have a solution to this: they scale down the engine so it runs closer to peak power more of the time. The obvious downside it that when you're always at peak power, there's no more power available for passing or climbing hills or just driving fast. So, you could put a smaller engine in your SVX. Maybe the 2.2 litre Legacy motor?

Tires definitely. Narrow, tall, high tread-life, brand-name tires.

Weight. Lose the spare tire. Remove all the rear drive line. Install a manual transmission.

Engine. Lose the AC compressor belt. You can even lose the alternator and power steering belt as long as you charge the battery every night. Too bad our engines don't have rocker arms; we could remove a few, unplug the injectors, and run on fewer cylinders. (The MAF would need to be fooled.) Run the lowest octane fuel you can get away with. Lower octane will actually give you slightly better economy. The higher the compression ratio, the better. I've run on regular fuel several times. I haven't noticed a change in power, but it may be too subtle to feel. Ten-to-one compression isn't that high, and I haven't noticed any knocking as a result of low-octane fuel. Perhaps the knock sensors are very good at modulating timing to keep the pinking away. If running low octane worries you, switching to premium is cheap insurance. I just love to live dangerously.

Aerodynamics. Lose the spoiler. Lower the car. Batten up the underbody. Put flat wheel caps on. Remove the passenger mirror.

Or you could just get over it. Gas is still insanely cheap. (Visit just about any other country.)

[Tiamat-red]

Yes, you can remove the A/C belt. You could remove the entire A/C system and save even more weight.

You could even remove the power steering "belt"(it's also the alternator belt). Make sure to remove the PS fluid out of the rack first though. Unless you like driving a tank.

I've done both of these things before to different cars. And they both do increase mileage. I was getting 35-40 on a supercharged civic.

But I'm pretty sure if you remove your alternator belt your car battery will only power the car for a couple of miles before it dies.
Since the car runs off the alternator.

But you would get better mileage for those several miles.

C/D magazine did an article about how to increase the mileage on any car. Actually they were aiming at better acceleration, but they same principles apply. And they proved it can be done.

Basicly remove all unecessary weight. Like all emission hardware. Then remove all of your exhaust from the manifolds back.(added benifit of "that deep performance rumble")
Then your passenger, and rear seats.(who sits back there anyway?)
Then go to the junkyard and find 3 spare tires for your vehicle. Those along with your current spare will now become not only narrow more effecient shoes for your vehicle, but also cheap and effective lowering. To reduce drag.
Then remove all carpeting, headliner, door panels, interior panels, sound deadening material, cupholders, etc.(ala nascar)
Then any and all stereo equipment. 20 pound subs just arent going to win you any mileage awards are they?
But if you absolutely have to have a radio, then remove the CD player part of the factory unit and use that. And the factory speakers aren't junk! They're lightweight racing speakers!
Then you need to really get serious about your plans.
I would recommend removing all of your windows. Glass is heavy.
And windshields are for sissies.
Then remove your trunk, rear bumper, and exterior side panels.
You may want to leave the hood and front bumper. Better yet go carbon fibre!
Then take a sawzall and remove your roof.(the ladies love a convertable)
Drill some holes in what's left of your frame. And you're done!

Now you sould be able to run an 11 second quarter mile. Maybe even high 10's!
And have awsome gas mileage while doing it!

[AppStateSVX]

^ HAHAHAHA, thank you, that was VERY entertaining, the gas prices are simply a labor of love for the SVX, which is why i'm not even worrying about them anymore, of course, i've been without the SVX for about 3 weeks now....

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by Tiamat-red
But I'm pretty sure if you remove your alternator belt your car battery will only power the car for a couple of miles before it dies.
Since the car runs off the alternator.

When my alternator went bad very suddenly, I was lucky enough to only be 5 miles from home, because I barely made it.

Removing the alternator belt is not a viable solution. The car will not run for very long without it.

Originally posted by Mr. Pockets


When my alternator went bad very suddenly, I was lucky enough to only be 5 miles from home, because I barely made it.

Removing the alternator belt is not a viable solution. The car will not run for very long without it.

I have to disagree. My alternator was out for two days and I had no clue. I drove the car for about 25 - 30 miles before it completely died (I believe I got 3 starts out of it during the whole ordeal).

Fuel economy is not an issue w/ my SVX whatsoever. I average 34 mpg on the highway at a steady speed of 60 mph and that includes about 15-20 miles of city driving as well. I don't know exactly why I get absurdly good gas mileage but I think it's attributable to the K&N Air Filter I installed. The only other mod that I've done is a Small Car shift kit.

I can't wait to see how good my gas mileage will be once I replace my obnoxiously-loud wheel bearings!

[Chiketkd]

Damn! That has to be some kind of SVX record! That's better than my wife's little econo '02 Lancer ES - which avg's 33 mpg city/hwy.

The K&N does improve things a little, but not by that much. Do you like drive at like 1/8 throttle 24/7?

-Chike

Originally posted by jklmnopqrst
Fuel economy is not an issue w/ my SVX whatsoever. I average 34 mpg on the highway at a steady speed of 60 mph and that includes about 15-20 miles of city driving as well.

[UberRoo]

You can easily drive for days without the alternator. ...unless you have a thumping stereo system or are driving with the headlights or rear defogger on. Otherwise, the fuel and ignition system draws relatively little current. With a healthy battery and miserly use of the accessories, you should be able to go for at least a week.

Removing the windows will increase wind resistance. Mileage would probably suffer horribly.

Amusing subject.