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 Keep Those Extra Miles Per Gallon |
LSG Halo Spark Plugs increase a vehicle’s miles per gallon (mpg) by an average of 12% because they ignite the entire air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber thirty-one percent (31%) faster than original equipment or standard after-market spark plugs. As a result, the vehicle’s on-board computer advances the timing of the ignition spark very close to top-dead-center – maximizing the full power of the detonation/combustion process. Yet, although LSG Halo Spark Plugs and a vehicle’s on-board computer are unquestionably the key components for increasing a vehicle’s mpg by a minimum average of 12% (or more), some unattended matters can lessen mpg.
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Explanation and What To Do
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1-2. Inherent trash in fuel distribution system and
Fouled injectors, intake valves & pistons
Fuel injectors, intake values, and the piston surface become fouled due to several factors. First, a certain amount of particulate matter inherent in crude oil remains throughout the refining process. Second, pipelines contain trash particulate and water. At distribution facilities, gasoline is stored in those big tanks where the water settles and is regularly withdrawn. Filters remove most of the larger particulate matter. However, the tanker trucks that deliver gasoline to retail gas outlets also transport diesel, kerosene, and other substances at different times (mostly either gasoline or diesel). The residue (up to several hundred gallons) will get mixed with a subsequent load of gasoline. The fuel filter on a vehicle is the last line of defense, but it does not filter out very fine soluble particulates. Third, PCV and EGR emission control systems, which circulate exhaust gases back into the intake system, increase deposit levels in the whole intake system. Fourth, deposits will form on the fuel injectors during the hot soak period after the engine has been turned off. This is because the gasoline trapped in the injector tip is exposed to a higher temperature for a longer period than when the gasoline flows through the injector while the engine was running (resulting in the heat degrading the gasoline and causing deposits to form). Without an effective level of additive, injector deposits will rapidly form if the base gasoline is relatively unstable and if a vehicle is used predominantly for short trips. Fifth, deposits will form on intake valves and injector ports because of the high temperatures in the combustion chamber. Low levels of intake valve deposits adversely affect cold-start and warm-up driveability because they act somewhat like a sponge, momentarily absorbing then releasing fuel, upsetting the delicate air/fuel ratio (which lowers performance and increases emissions). Heavy deposits will restrict air flow and alter air flow patterns within the cylinder, decreasing performance even more (which not only increases emissions but harms the conversion efficiency of the catalytic converter as well). Sixth, deposits in the combustion chamber result from the particulate in the gasoline, some fuel additives, and the engine oil. Some gasoline and engine oil will cause more deposits than others. In modern engines, it causes two problems: combustion chamber deposit interference (CCDI); and combustion chamber deposit flaking (CCDF). CCDI is the result of physical contact between deposits on the top of the piston and the cylinder head. It is noticeable as a loud, metallic banging sound when the engine is cold. CCDI occurs in engines designed to reduce emissions, and that have minimal clearance -1 millimeter or less - between some areas of the piston top and the cylinder head when the piston is at top dead center (TDC). CCDF causes low compression pressures due to improper sealing of the valves. The problem happens when pieces of CCD flake off and end up lodged between the valve face and the valve seat. CCDF is apparent as difficulty in starting and rough running when cold. The only quick, effective means of removing combustion chamber deposits is to add an aftermarket deposit control additive (i.e., the treatment level of the additive will be 10 to 20 times higher than in service station gasoline). Seventh, the design of some engines causes them to form heavier deposits than others. Also, some engine designs are extremely sensitive to deposits that do form. Eighth, since 1995 (1992 in California), all gasoline sold in the U.S. must contain a minimum level of additives (lowest additive concentration or LAC) to control deposits. However, since only higher the levels of additives provide improved performance, this minimum level (mostly in lesser brand and off-brand gasoline) is not very effective in controlling deposits. That is why certain flagship gasoline brands (Chevron, Citgo, Exxon, Amoco/BP, Phillips 66) have excellent deposit control.
If your engine's injectors and/or valves are fouled, or to keep the valves/injector’s clean, go to Wal-Mart (Wally-World) and buy a can of Berryman's B-12 injector cleaner. It comes in a spray can and a pour-it can. Get one of each. The pour-it can sells for around $2.56 or so. The spray can is a little bit more. The directions on the pour-it can say to add it when 15-20 gallons are in the tank. However, just add it to 12 gallons in your tank and don't add any more gas until you're close to empty. You must also spray clean the inside of the throttle body using the spray can (adding Berryman’s B-12 to your gas tank will not clean the front portion of the throttle body). If you are carefully, you can use a long screwdriver to hold the venturi open in order to thoroughly spray the inside of the throttle body. In the rare event that Berryman’s B-12 does not remove the fouling (i.e., because the injectors/values are extremely fouled with deposits) take the vehicle to a shop with an injector cleaning machine (it is connected to the vehicle) for a pressurized cleaning of the injectors.
NOTE: Berryman's B-12 is also great for removing water or moisture in a gas tank.
NOTE: Berryman’s B-12 is toxic so do not let the Wal-Mart cashier put it in the same plastic bag as any food or other item that may be ingested.
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3. Gasoline quality (level of additives)
The quality of conventional and oxygenated gasoline substantially affects engine performance and efficiency. To date, gasoline quality is reflected in the quality of refining and the amount of anti-deposit additives mixed in a brand of gasoline. The following is a subjective breakdown of the quality of the major brands of 87 octane rated gasolines:
#1. Chevron and Citgo. They are in a class by themselves.
#2. Exxon/Mobile, Amoco/BP, & Phillips 66/Conoco. They are in the next but "close" class.
#3. Texaco & Shell. They are in a distant third place.
#4. Unocal, Marathon, Sunoco & Ashland. They are in the next but "close" class.
#5. Big independents (Sheetz, Wawa, Pilot, QT, etc) usually rate in 4th or 5th place.
#5. Sinclair, Fina, Diamond Shamrock, Getty, Crown, Murphy, etc. Avoid them.
#6. Unless they buy from #1, #2, or #3 companies, try to avoid small independents.
NOTE: When Chevron and Citgo is mixed approximately 50/50, it does extremely well.
NOTE: When Chevron or Citgo is used and more than 15% of a lesser brand is added to the tank, the extra edge of those two brands will be lost. The same rationale applies if Exxon, Amoco/BP, or Phillips 66 is used and more than 15% of a lesser brand is added.
NOTE: Gasoline will start expanding when the temperature reaches the mid-80’s range (Fahrenheit). During the hot summer time, fill up your tank early in the morning.
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4. Dirty/clogged air filter
Most air filters are so well made that most dirty air filters can usually be easily cleaned with compressed air. Always clean/wipe-out the compartment containing the air filter (use a paper towel) to before placing an air filter back in the compartment.
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5. Oxygenated gasoline has 5% less BTU’s
For 100+ years, it has been good sound advice to allow a vehicle’s gasoline engine to warm up before starting to drive. Primarily, this advice was based on the necessity of warming up the engine’s lubricating oil. Yet today, largely as the result of all the marketing hype based on the enhanced lubrication properties (viscosity) of synthetic oil or oil containing advanced additives, the owners of later model gasoline engine powered vehicles are being told that it is unnecessary to warm up the engine before driving (except where engine heat is need or desired). Although it may be technically true as to synthetic or advanced lubricating oil (on then on a hot or very warm day), there is another reason to at least partially warm up the engine before driving. When a cold gasoline engine is started, deposits instantly begin to form on the insulated “hot” electrode of the spark plug. Until the spark plug heats up to over 600º C (the temperature where no new deposits will form and existing deposits are burned off), the ignition spark will be less than 100% and the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber will not detonate as quickly/efficiently as it should. That is the reason behind expensive platinum spark plugs (because platinum heats up quicker it decreases the warm up time). However, platinum plugs still require some warm up time. Also, they do not improve the quality of the ignition spark nor increase the speed the air-fuel mixture is detonated. Therefore, every vehicle’s gasoline engine should be sufficiently warmed up to allow the spark plugs to heat up to over 600º C. Here is a chart suggesting warm up times.
| TEMP: | | COST OF REPAIRING VEHICLE ADVICE: | | MINIMUM TIME: |
| HOT | | Allow engine to at least partially warm up | | 1/2 minute or more |
| WARM | | Allow engine to warm up one-fourth of way | | 1 minute or more |
| COOL | | Allow engine to warm up one-half of way | | 2 minutes or more |
| COLD | | Allow engine to warm up three-fourths of way | | 3 minutes or more |
| FREEZING | | Allow engine to warm up all the way | | 4 minutes or more |
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6. Driving without letting engine warm up
There is a difference between conventional and reformulated gasoline (RFG or oxygenated gasoline that is usually 10% ethanol or 15% methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE)). Both have less energy (BTU or British Thermal Unit) than conventional gasoline - roughly 50% less as to ethanol and 25% less as to MTBE. In other words, a tank of reformulated gasoline has 95% of the BTU's of a tank of regular gasoline while costing at least 3% more than regular gasoline. Particularly as to stop and go city driving, using oxygenated gasoline results in 5% less mpg while costing 3% more. So, at $3.00 per gallon, using 1,000 gallons of oxygenated gasoline per year to drive the same distance as conventional gasoline will roughly cost $240 more than using conventional gasoline (i.e., costing 24 cents more per gallon to travel the same distance).
If located in a metropolitan area subject to one of the three oxygenated gasoline programs1, there is little that can be done except to use LSG Brisk Halo spark plugs to increase mpg by an average of 12% or more and to fill-up whenever outside the area. Some states, but not all states, require gasoline pumps in affected metropolitan areas to be labeled as having oxygenated gasoline. In order to know where the red-line boundaries separating the regular and oxygenated gasoline areas, a map of the entire U.S. along with a detailed list of the metropolitan areas required to use reformulated gasoline (RFG) is located at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/rfg/whereyoulive.htm.
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7-8. Carrying unnecessary weight in vehicle and
Quick acceleration (having a lead foot)
The one aspect/factor of driving that uses the largest amount of gasoline by percentage is the acceleration of the vehicle. As the weight of the vehicle increases extra energy (gasoline) is required to accelerate the vehicle. Thus, a vehicle manufacturer’s declaration as to the average city/highway mpg regarding a given vehicle will not be based on that vehicle carrying any extra weight. Therefore, particularly as to stop and go driving, unnecessarily carrying around heavy items in a vehicle (or carrying many lighter items that cumulatively would be heavy) will have some negative effect on that vehicle’s mpg. The same reasons apply to the lead-footed driver. An engine’s consumption of gasoline increases in a much higher proportion by percentage the more quickly a vehicle accelerates. Thus, a vehicle manufacturer’s declaration as to the average city/highway mpg regarding a given vehicle will not be based on the quick acceleration of that vehicle (i.e., the 0-60 acceleration declarations are not factored into the mpg estimates). In other words, avoid quick acceleration as much as possible (i.e., and slower is almost always safer).
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9. Driving on under-inflated tires
Driving on under-inflated tires reduces highway mpg by at least 1 mpg and reduces stop and go (city) mpg by up to 1½ mpg. As a general rule, do not allow the inflation of a vehicle’s tires to be less than 5-6 psi less than the tire manufacturer’s maximum psi rating (which will be given on a tire’s sidewall). For example, if your tires are rated at 35-36 psi maximum inflation, then do not inflate them less than 30 psi.
NOTE: Many tire places under-inflate a vehicle’s tires to give the vehicle a very, very soft ride. This is a trick so the customer will think the tire place did something magical. However, intentionally lowering a vehicle’s mpg, without the owner’s consent, is fraud.
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10. Unnecessary stop and go driving
The more that a vehicle is subjected to stop and go driving, the lower the mpg (i.e., not to mention more wear on the engine, transmission, exhaust system, brakes, and suspension system). Try to avoid stop and go driving as much as possible, including avoiding rush hour traffic.
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Due to LSG Brisk Halo spark plugs and post-1994 engineered gasoline engines, the federal government mandated oxygenated fuel program, based on out-of-date 1980’s technology, is now obsolete. In any event, the three now obsolete oxygenated gasoline programs are:
Winter Oxyfuel Program: Implemented in 1992, it requires oxygenated fuel (gasoline containing 2.7% oxygen by weight) to be used during the cold months in cities that have elevated levels of carbon monoxide. Ethanol is the primary oxygenate used in this program. However, the price of ethanol is directly related to the price of corn and the cost of rail transport (i.e., it is impossible to keep pipelines dry and water in the pipeline will reduce the ethanol content of the gasoline). The mid-west is the primary source of ethanol production (i.e., Illinois accounts for roughly 40% of all ethanol production in the U.S.).
Year-round RFG Program: Implemented in 1995, it requires the full time use of RFG (2% oxygen by weight) in cities having the worst ground-level ozone (smog). In metropolitan areas outside the Midwest, MTBE is primarily used in RFG due to economic reasons and its blending characteristics. Unlike ethanol, MTBE can be transported in existing pipelines. However, soon after the RFG Program was implemented it was discovered that MTBE was a huge threat to contaminating ground water supplies. In 1999, the EPA recommended that MTBE be phased-out nationally. Soon thereafter, Connecticut, New York, and California moved to ban MTBE.
California RFG Program: Implemented in 199_, California adopted more stringent requirements for its gasoline due to its unique air pollution problems. However, when the EPA recommended that MTBE be phased-out nationally California correctly claimed that it did not produce enough ethanol to replace MTBE and argued that transporting ethanol by rail from the mid-west would be prohibitively expensive. In 2000, California requested the EPA to waive compliance with the PFG program on the grounds of detrimental impact on the California economy (i.e., permitted by the 1990 Amendment to the Clean Air Act). In 2001, California requested President Bush to also grant the waiver on the technically correct ground that the advance in automotive emissions technology accomplished the same result as the RFG program. However, California had voted for Al Gore in 2000 and in November 2001 President Bush denied the request. As of January 1, 2004, all use of MTBE in California has been banned. Ethanol is now the primary oxygenate but it is more expensive than MTBE and it must be shipped by rail from the mid-west (i.e., the reason gasoline is so expensive in California).
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