Cold Air Intake Cheap!

[OffTrac]

Those would be impressive feats in the V8 due to your modifications, as you claim, if my '01 Sport Trac with 32s and a drop in K&N (not done for fuel-efficiency) didn't average 17-19 mpg as well. Supposing I put a V8 in mine and did your modifications, should I expect 20+ mpg?

 

[IZwack]

Simple question: why does my v-8 gain on the next guy's V-6 going up the slightest of an incline when we both have on our cruise control? Based on Newtonian diatribe, we should coast together... right?

In that situation, yes that engine would be "working harder" - but I myself wouldnt describe an engine turning at 5k rpm in 3rd gear on "cruise" (even with the cruise control on). The situation I described in my previous post is, as I quote myself here, "a flat highway", not an uphill.

An "uphill" has an acceleration vector component that's vertical. In other words, going back to elementary school physics, the engine is accelerating the vehicle vertically. When an engine can not sustain enough power output per unit of time to maintain speed, the transmission downshifts a gear (or two) to increase RPM. My guess is, that's what's happening to the v6 engine - it simply can not produce enough Force / Torque. So yes, the v6 is working harder... to accelerate, not to cruise.

but you're not, on this Earth.. it just doesn't work out mathematically...

It ALWAYS works out mathematically. The only problem is variables. But even all those variables can be summed up into simple factors.

 

[2002GreyHD150]

I worded that last statement wrong... you're right it always will work mathematically.. I should have said something to the effect that the WOLRD doesn't work mathematically... LOL.

Our Monty has always given us 16-19mpg from day 1. I am a firm believer in brakes, tire pressures, good tires, and paying attention to what the vehicle being moded says/how it responds to each mod.

I am obviously not of the "internet cows following to slaughter" mind set. I don't do things because they claim or are "supposed too...." just cuz someone said so. I research, compare and try to use a shockingly simple concept called LOGIC to my mods and when spending my mod $$.

I've worked in the automotive aftermarket my entire working career (25+ years). I am all too familiar with the marketing hype, the bogus HP &/or MPG gains, and most importantly how easy it is for all of us as human enthusiasts, to justify every $$ with a perceived gain, aka "seat-of-the-pants-meter". If I can't put a time slip, a data log, or comparing miles versus replaced gallons on the fill up (not the trip computer MPG) I'm skeptical at best.

I try very hard to be open minded to other's experiences and willing to share mine as well. Although many of my own successes are contradictory to the advertising hype so many want to believe. K&N filters, e3 or any exotic spark plug, Mystery Oils of the week/month, & coil over suspension systems just to name a few.

Rob