Notices
2003-2009 Nissan 350Z

What performance mods WONT hurt my gas mileage?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 09-23-2006, 01:24 PM
  #1  
DanielW
Banned
Thread Starter
iTrader: (27)
 
DanielW's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Posts: 3,485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Lightbulb What performance mods WONT hurt my gas mileage?

hey guys just wondering what performance upgrades i can do that will boost my hp but wont hurt my gas mileage? or are there some that might even help it? When i talk about gas mileage I mean the mileage i get when I'm taking it easy with the car.
Old 09-23-2006, 01:25 PM
  #2  
20"makavelli
Registered User
 
20"makavelli's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Valencia, CA
Posts: 321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

i heard an intake actually improves your gas mileage...
Old 09-23-2006, 01:32 PM
  #3  
luty77
Registered User
 
luty77's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

omg this is like asking..
what kind of chocolate cake can i have without gaining fat
Old 09-23-2006, 02:30 PM
  #4  
davidv
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
davidv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 42,754
Likes: 0
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

None.

The explanation is simple. A motor that makes more horsepower uses more fuel. An example is one 350Z making 250 horsepower and another making 270 horsepower. Weight held constant. The 270 horsepower 350Z will use more fuel.

There are performance mods (such as a clutch) that do not increase horsepower. Fuel use will remain the same.

Last edited by davidv; 09-23-2006 at 02:34 PM.
Old 09-23-2006, 02:38 PM
  #5  
Bumpinjeep
New Member
iTrader: (3)
 
Bumpinjeep's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Bellevue Wa
Posts: 5,743
Received 25 Likes on 15 Posts
Default

Intake should increase HP and MPG. It does on our Jeeps.
Old 09-23-2006, 02:40 PM
  #6  
edvy
Registered User
 
edvy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toronto
Posts: 577
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

how about a final drive... better accel... no extra cost on gas
Old 09-23-2006, 02:41 PM
  #7  
chickmagnet
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
chickmagnet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: ON EARTH
Posts: 341
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

everone on this site has felt the pinc of increasing gas prices but hear is some food for thought:
the more horsepower the more gas and a perfect oxygen mix is needed to supply that power.
well thats the lesson for today,
be safe and have fun driving
Old 09-23-2006, 03:36 PM
  #8  
willha418
Registered User
iTrader: (3)
 
willha418's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Fountain Valley, Ca
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

I believe an Intake would add extra hp and better fuel economy, however; the intake sounds really nice when you mash the gas.. Chances are, you are going to mash the gas to hear the intake resulting in bad gas mileage... hahaha... CATCH 22 no?
Old 09-23-2006, 03:46 PM
  #9  
roast
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
 
roast's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Okay, see?
Posts: 4,092
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

how about a final drive... better accel... no extra cost on gas
No. A shorter FD is one of the worst mods for gas mileage. It increases cruising RPM in every gear. That's why our cars are geared so tall for like +180mph even though we don't have the power to ever see those speeds, not to mention the car is limited at 159. A taller FD lowers the cruising RPM and helps fuel economy.
Old 09-23-2006, 03:48 PM
  #10  
Armitage
350Z-holic
iTrader: (15)
 
Armitage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 5,163
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

^Roast is right. IIRC, the 3.9 changes your 80mph cruise RPM from like 3000 RPM's to like 3300-3400. Doesn't sound like much, but it does make it a little less fuel effecient.

Besides, gas has dropped like .60 per gallon in the last six weeks by me. Who's worrying now? Lol.
Old 09-23-2006, 03:49 PM
  #11  
julian
Registered User
 
julian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: redondo beach, ca
Posts: 712
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

lighter wheels and tires.
Old 09-23-2006, 03:50 PM
  #12  
Nexx
New Member
iTrader: (41)
 
Nexx's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DFW
Posts: 13,654
Received 8 Likes on 7 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by edvy
how about a final drive... better accel... no extra cost on gas
are you out of your mind? your rpms will be higher at all speeds.
Old 09-23-2006, 04:05 PM
  #13  
jungle
Registered User
 
jungle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: fl
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Mods that reduce intake and exhaust restrictions will improve mileage. Why? Becase the engine then has lower pumping loss, the power required to push exhaust out and intake air in. Yes, they will make more horsepower, but most of that is at the high end, and in cruise it results in better mileage. Anything that reduces weight-wheels, exhaust, losing unneeded tools/spare will also increase mileage.
Old 09-23-2006, 04:13 PM
  #14  
jsupetran
Registered User
iTrader: (4)
 
jsupetran's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

How about suspension mods?
Old 09-23-2006, 04:37 PM
  #15  
jungle
Registered User
 
jungle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: fl
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Lowering has potential to reduce drag as do aero mods, the problem is that most aero mods create more drag/downforce than the stock bodywork. Lowering drag is tough on most cars.
Old 09-23-2006, 05:11 PM
  #16  
Armitage
350Z-holic
iTrader: (15)
 
Armitage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: North Jersey
Posts: 5,163
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 2 Posts
Default

Especially a car like ours. It already comes with zero lift. There are really only a couple of kits out there that somehow manage to keep those performance features.
Old 09-23-2006, 06:00 PM
  #17  
kdogg24
Registered User
 
kdogg24's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 484
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Anything that reduces weight would be a good bet
Old 09-23-2006, 06:48 PM
  #19  
Z_Driver
Master
iTrader: (3)
 
Z_Driver's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 2,556
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Synthetic Oils should help a tad.

Iridium Plugs / K & N Filter (or any free flow filter)

Headers / Performance Exhaust

Better grounding - Questionable

Performance Intake - Smoother flow doesn't choke cylinders which makes others work harder.

Balancing / Blueprinting and polishing internal passages. This is an extreme art to get it just right.

Last edited by Z_Driver; 09-23-2006 at 06:51 PM.
Old 09-23-2006, 07:16 PM
  #20  
plumpzz
New Member
iTrader: (10)
 
plumpzz's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Jersey, New
Posts: 7,146
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by davidv
None.

The explanation is simple. A motor that makes more horsepower uses more fuel. An example is one 350Z making 250 horsepower and another making 270 horsepower. Weight held constant. The 270 horsepower 350Z will use more fuel.

There are performance mods (such as a clutch) that do not increase horsepower. Fuel use will remain the same.
For once your wrong. The car comes naturally running rich. You can increase HP by adding boltons, lean out the mixture and while you're running more HP, you're using the same amount of gas. If you dont romp on it like most people do once they have bolt ons, and if everything else is constant, temp, humidty, weight, oil weight, then you actually gain some fuel economy. I gained 5mpg going from 17 to 22 mpg, until i got my most recent exhaust, and it dropped to 15mpg cuz im always on it


Quick Reply: What performance mods WONT hurt my gas mileage?



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 06:05 AM.