[paulgator68]

OK performance nuts. If a person didn’t want to get super fancy or put a hole lot of money into an 04’ Armada 4x4…What would be the best and/or simplest way to increase horsepower and gas mileage? All without shorting the life of the expected engine life and staying California emissions compliant. What are the costs? Thanks for your input and knowlege.

 

[drcookie]

Try this:

:schla24: :schla24: :schla24:

Honestly, the only way to get better mileage is to have different driving style. Maintain the truck regularly, drive like a grandma and go easy on the gas pedal.

Cheers !!!

 

[baseballfanz]

My take is anytime you increase horsepower, it's hard to increase gas milage. I mean if I got an extra say 15-20 HP, I'll be flooring it all day long, can't be good for gas milage.

 

[paulgator68]

Thats funny

The Tornado? fuel additives? blue blockers? late night tv. that crap will never work. I mean like adding a new air intake or exhaust system. Which could be recommened? :teeth:

 

[92TripleBlack]

Neither will get you any gas mileage increases. Exhaust will get you some extra top end HP at the cost of low end torque. This means you'll have higher top end potental but might loose some low end pull 0-60. When they start coming out with promised parts, Heads, cams, etc. then you can add power. Exhaust is only good for adding power if it is restricting the system but this isn't a problem with most modern cars. In fact, Civics and other rice rockets actually loose a lot of power when someone bolts on a fart pipe because they don't have the backpressure necessary to make the engine work optimaly. If you want a good note or look, get the exhaust. Intake is worthless untess you like the look. If you add a supercharger and heads, the story changes.

If you want to save gas, accelerate slowly from stop and use cruise control as much as possible. Keep the speed under 74 and you'll save a lot. I improved mine by 4 mpg doing this, vs. fast starts and cruising at 80-85. :excellent

 

[a6franz]

Agree w/ tripleblack. Another simple (and cheap) thing to do is to make sure your tires are inflated properly (this alone saved me 1 1/2 mpg) and also run synthetic oil versus the conventional that comes w/ the vehicle.

 

[FL_Crushin]

Cruising Speed

If you want to save gas, accelerate slowly from stop and use cruise control as much as possible. Keep the speed under 74 and you'll save a lot. I improved mine by 4 mpg doing this, vs. fast starts and cruising at 80-85. :excellent

If you are not in a hurry I find that the Mada gets great mileage between 60-65 mph. I was traveling down I-4 from Orlando to Tampa and reset the computer just to see what I would get. No load except for me 1/2 tank of gas (87) cruise set at about 62ish. The computer said I was getting 21.4 mpg. Strictly highway miles. Not bad for a 5600 lb BEAST. :amazing:

 

[92TripleBlack]

If you are not in a hurry I find that the Mada gets great mileage between 60-65 mph. I was traveling down I-4 from Orlando to Tampa and reset the computer just to see what I would get. No load except for me 1/2 tank of gas (87) cruise set at about 62ish. The computer said I was getting 21.4 mpg. Strictly highway miles. Not bad for a 5600 lb BEAST. :amazing:

You go 65 on I-4? I didn't know someone could drive that slow.

 

[FL_Crushin]

No hurry...

You go 65 on I-4? I didn't know someone could drive that slow.

I didn't either. I thought 60 was just something you tested your acceleration to. Just crusin though (slow lane of course). Only guy I passed was some beater pulling a trailer. Not the norm for me, just testing the possible mileage of the truck. Couldn't stand to go any slower (wouldn't be safe either). About got run over at 60. I feel more comfortable at 80 but gas prices discourage me from this behavior... 'sometimes'.

 

[cfranzen]

Better mileage with synthetic

Agree w/ tripleblack. Another simple (and cheap) thing to do is to make sure your tires are inflated properly (this alone saved me 1 1/2 mpg) and also run synthetic oil versus the conventional that comes w/ the vehicle.

Sorry but I don't bye it. Not only have I recently changed to synthetic with no difference in mpg it really doesn't make much sense. How is a different oil going to give better mpg? There is such a small change in the amount of friction and weight in the oil that on modern engines I don't see how there would be any noticable change. If someone has a good explanation please elaborate, I would like to know.

 

[andy]

I don't buy either but the arguement is that less friction burns up less hp. So engine load is slightly less. THus, better mpg.
I'd buy like 1% better, maybe.

 

[92TripleBlack]

I don't buy either but the arguement is that less friction burns up less hp. So engine load is slightly less. THus, better mpg.
I'd buy like 1% better, maybe.

I'd say it was negligable on average. After a fresh change, probably no difference. 3000 miles later, maybe some but not signifigant. However,the wear long term on the motor is worth the use of synthetic.

 

[blkjack]

OK performance nuts. If a person didn’t want to get super fancy or put a hole lot of money into an 04’ Armada 4x4…What would be the best and/or simplest way to increase horsepower and gas mileage? All without shorting the life of the expected engine life and staying California emissions compliant. What are the costs? Thanks for your input and knowlege.

Drive downhill....

 

[Campfamily]

Drive downhill....

Never drive into the wind......

 

[92TripleBlack]

Never drive into the wind......

That goes for spittin' and pissin' also. Good advise.
If you have to drive into the wind, try tacking back and forth.

 

[cfranzen]

Better keep it really clean and waxed too. I'm sure that dirt and dead bugs increase the amount of drag. :itsfriday

 

[Campfamily]

That goes for spittin' and pissin' also. Good advise.
If you have to drive into the wind, try tacking back and forth.

But, then you'd wear out your tires.........

 

[Armadaof1]

geek-speak

Mileage is a product of how much power is required to overcome drag. Drag is dependent on a few items, none of which you can really effect:

drag coefficient - result of vehicle design (and your most recent wax job)
denisty of air - move to some place less humid
area - basically the dimensions of the front of the truck

But drag is also dependent on your velocity squared. So the biggest adjustment you can make to increase your mileage is to drive slower. From another website...

"A car cruising on a highway at 50 mph (80 km/h) may require only 10 horsepower (7 kW) to overcome air drag, but that same car at 100 mph (160 km/h) requires 80 hp (60 kW). This is because the force exerted by drag quadruples (2² = 4), and the power required equals force times velocity."

 

[92TripleBlack]

Mileage is a product of how much power is required to overcome drag. Drag is dependent on a few items, none of which you can really effect:

drag coefficient - result of vehicle design (and your most recent wax job)
denisty of air - move to some place less humid
area - basically the dimensions of the front of the truck

But drag is also dependent on your velocity squared. So the biggest adjustment you can make to increase your mileage is to drive slower. From another website...

"A car cruising on a highway at 50 mph (80 km/h) may require only 10 horsepower (7 kW) to overcome air drag, but that same car at 100 mph (160 km/h) requires 80 hp (60 kW). This is because the force exerted by drag quadruples (2² = 4), and the power required equals force times velocity."

That's not funny. :crikey:

 

[armoody]

Mileage is a product of how much power is required to overcome drag. Drag is dependent on a few items, none of which you can really effect:

drag coefficient - result of vehicle design (and your most recent wax job)
denisty of air - move to some place less humid
area - basically the dimensions of the front of the truck

But drag is also dependent on your velocity squared. So the biggest adjustment you can make to increase your mileage is to drive slower. From another website...

"A car cruising on a highway at 50 mph (80 km/h) may require only 10 horsepower (7 kW) to overcome air drag, but that same car at 100 mph (160 km/h) requires 80 hp (60 kW). This is because the force exerted by drag quadruples (2² = 4), and the power required equals force times velocity."

Chop the top
Remove the side mirrors
Ace the roof rack
Lower the beast
Record your trip mileage wrong (this is the easiest way to increase MPG)
Only drive somewhere if there is a tailwind
Those will all increase your MPG!