How to improve my MPG - Please help!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #11  
Old 01-05-2009, 12:52 PM
Larryb's Avatar
Enthusiast
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 9
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

We have noticed our winter mileage has dropped considerably but also that our tire pressure after driving several miles is down 2 or 3 lbs. So we are now overinflating the tires by that amount. We will have to see how much difference that makes but it should work.
 
  #12  
Old 01-05-2009, 06:33 PM
wwest's Avatar
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Beautiful Pacific NW
Posts: 1,678
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

Yes, increasing your tires' circumference by raising the air pressure will definitely result in increased ODO mileage distance for each gallon of fuel..
 
  #13  
Old 01-06-2009, 07:14 AM
RazzMaTazz's Avatar
Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 17
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

What should the tire pressure be for winter driving and what should it be for summer driving?
 
  #14  
Old 01-06-2009, 12:53 PM
wwest's Avatar
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Beautiful Pacific NW
Posts: 1,678
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

Originally Posted by RazzMaTazz
What should the tire pressure be for winter driving and what should it be for summer driving?
What ever it says on the door post, glove box door, or owners manual.

Anything else is just inexperienced experimentation with random results.
 
  #15  
Old 01-13-2009, 10:56 PM
MMooney's Avatar
Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 196
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

Originally Posted by wwest
Yes, increasing your tires' circumference by raising the air pressure will definitely result in increased ODO mileage distance for each gallon of fuel..

No, a smaller circumference will make the car seem to go more miles.
A larger circumference will travel more distance per revolution and make the mileage seem perhaps less.

Of course the increased inflation pressure will improve mileage, so the mpg loss may be less apparent.
 
  #16  
Old 01-14-2009, 05:00 AM
jdenenberg's Avatar
Engineering Professor
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 375
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

Originally Posted by MMooney
No, a smaller circumference will make the car seem to go more miles.
A larger circumference will travel more distance per revolution and make the mileage seem perhaps less.

Of course the increased inflation pressure will improve mileage, so the mpg loss may be less apparent.
All true, but the revolutions/mile of a modern belted radial tire is relatively insensitive to the inflation pressure so with higher PSI you get better MPG and a little harsher ride, not a change in revs/mile.

Please make certain to limit your tire's cold psi to less than the MAX rating on the sidewall of your particular tires for safety.

JeffD
 
  #17  
Old 01-14-2009, 09:25 AM
wwest's Avatar
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Beautiful Pacific NW
Posts: 1,678
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

"...relatively insensitive to inflation pressure..."

By what "measure", "relative" to what...??

10% normally vs only ~5% on a modern belted...??

Certainly not valid for calibrating speed radar via use of the patrol car speedometer.
 
  #18  
Old 01-14-2009, 08:34 PM
MMooney's Avatar
Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 196
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

Originally Posted by jdenenberg
All true, but the revolutions/mile of a modern belted radial tire is relatively insensitive to the inflation pressure so with higher PSI you get better MPG and a little harsher ride, not a change in revs/mile.

Please make certain to limit your tire's cold psi to less than the MAX rating on the sidewall of your particular tires for safety.

JeffD

I run 48 psi in the tires on the FEH, they have 46,000 miles on them and no centerwear. The sidewall says 44.

I ran 44 in the michelins on the Highlander Hybrid. It's sidewall said 35, I think. I only got 33,000 on them.

Burst pressure on a modern radial according to the retread community is about 300 psi. Advertised sidewall pressure is a matter of regulation from the tire industry and has little actual bearing on the capability of the tire.

If either vehicle's tire pressure slips below 40, the mileage suffers by about 2 mpg.

Mark
 
  #19  
Old 01-14-2009, 08:38 PM
MMooney's Avatar
Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 196
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

Originally Posted by wwest
"...relatively insensitive to inflation pressure..."

By what "measure", "relative" to what...??

10% normally vs only ~5% on a modern belted...??

Certainly not valid for calibrating speed radar via use of the patrol car speedometer.
No Willard, what he meant was that old bias ply tires used to grow in the center a lot when over inflated, but modern belted radials don't because of the belt.

No mention was made of percentage diameter change or police radar,or what have you.

What was mentioned earlier was that a smaller circumference will produce a situation where more rotations per mile occur, such that the speedo will read high and the mpg will read low, while a larger circumference will provide the opposite, lower tire rotations per mile, so lower percieved speed and number of miles.

Mark
 
  #20  
Old 01-15-2009, 09:51 AM
wwest's Avatar
Ridiculously Active Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Beautiful Pacific NW
Posts: 1,678
Default Re: How to improve my MPG - Please help!

Originally Posted by MMooney
No Willard, what he meant was that old bias ply tires

used to grow in the center a lot

So what is your definition of...."a lot"....??

when over inflated, but modern belted radials

don't

Again, by what "measure'...??

because of the belt.

No mention was made of percentage diameter change

My POINT, exactly..!!

or police radar,or what have you.

What was mentioned earlier was that a smaller circumference will produce a situation where more rotations per mile occur, such that the speedo will read high and the mpg will read low, while a larger circumference will provide the opposite, lower tire rotations per mile, so lower percieved speed and number of miles.

Mark
 


Quick Reply: How to improve my MPG - Please help!


Contact Us -

  • Manage Preferences
  • Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Your Privacy Choices -

    When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

    © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands


    All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:02 AM.