Category: gas mileage

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Just Say No To Ethanol, Again (Post #312) 1/12/2013

Like the sign says, don’t pay too much. Apparently this 7-Eleven believes its a huge conspiracy to charge more for gasoline than for ethanol. I couldn’t agree more.

On principle I have a problem with turning anything we can eat into fuel. Especially if it takes more fuel than it nets to get the product. It seems counter productive. I’m also against farm subsidies for giant corporate farms, like the ones that sell their corn to refineries to make ethanol.

I know that might be counter intuitive and all living in a farm state like Oklahoma. But I think more than a hand out our farmers wish they had a level play field and less government control. We’ll see I guess.

The price for straight petrol was just one cent more than the ethanol. And if we review the reduced gas mileage of ethanol and the possible fuel system and engine problems that’s a bargain. I’ve swore off of all ethanol and if more people would, the ethanol production would stop because it wouldn’t be profitable to make it any longer.

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Well, that’s my thoughts on the matter anyway.

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Transmission time (Post #266) 9/19/2011

It’s time to investigate getting the transmission overhauled. I’ve only had work done on the transmission once. That was a bad torque converter. I don’t believe it will be that “easy” this time. This time I believe its time for a told overhaul. The transmission has 190,000+ miles on it. I know I am experiencing slipping in fourth under load. I know the gas mileage has dropped off a lot too. I’m not sure how much the MPG is transmission and how much is perhaps another issue.

I intend to have the ye old transmission shoppe replace the “U” joints as well. They have to take them all down anyway so why not do that now and avoid this problem. I was thinking I could have some stronger “U” joints put in but I’m probably going to stick with OEM. I’d have to first trust that the transmission shoppe knows what upgraded “U” joints are best and/or they would have to trust me with buying the part and they installing it. Most shoppes don’t want any part of the “I’ll provide the parts.” mostly due to warranty issues. I don’t blame them.

I would like to have my work checked in regards to last year’s suspension changes. My poly bushing project may have not been properly done. I have some clunks and such from underneath that I do not think should be there. There is a sort of “off-road shoppe” on Porter Avenue that I have seen some 4×4 rigs loitering around. I am thinking about checking them out for this review.

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The building has an awesome art deco facade (façade). I hope the guys inside are just as awesome. Nothing disappoints me more than when I chose a shop to work on my Range Rover and people inside are pillocks. You’ve heard me rail on and on about how customer service is dead. I’ve been in too many shops that are now out of business where the guys inside complete douche bags. Is it any wonder they’ve had to fold up the tent? I’ll let you know if these guys pass my customer service muster.

And last, but definitely not least, I need a new exhaust. The last one did not survive the winter storms and Snowpocalypse of 2010. I’ve been driving around with the rattling noise of a bad muffler ever since. There might be some gas mileage issues in this as well. The last time I drove the old girl, I had an check engine light. Code 17. I don’t know why yet. THe good people over at Robison Service have that as…

Code 17 – Throttle potentiometer Usually indicates a bad throttle position sensor. Refer to test 17, continuity test procedure.

I have not confirmed this yet. And it didn’t pop up until after I ordered parts the last time. I ordered some of those plastic studs to put my door panels back on. This was in anticipation of fixing the door locks.

I also ordered a upper radiator hose to replace the one that sprung a leak. I also need to look into replacing the upper fill tubes plastic filler cap. Whoever thought that was a good idea needs to have their head examined. I think Expedition Exchange has a brass one to replace it. I’ll be looking in to that today as well.

Well this was a long and rambling post and for that I apologize. It’s more or less the next to-do list for me after we get done with the garage sale. Mrs. OkieRover is in the process of selling a lot of the stuff we got from my mother after her death. We also have a bunch of stuff from years and years of hoarding improper emotional attachment not properly getting rid of STUFF accumulating in the garage over the years.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

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We have a go at the ivy… (Post #257) 4/29/2011

I drove the Range Rover in this morning.
I could say I drove it in honor of the Prince and his lovely bride gettin’ hitched today, but that would not be true. I drove her in today because RovErica needed a car while her’s was in the shop getting the air conditioning refurbed. My best friend told me about a fellow Marine who works on the side as a mechanic. He needs the money now more than ever with his wife carrying a bun in the oven. In any event, RovErica gets air conditioning, I help out a fellow Marine, and I save a few bucks off the cost of a professional shoppe tapping me for A/C repair. That’s what winning is all about.

The drive in reminded me of why I love to drive this gas guzzling beast. I love the ride position in morning traffic. I love that when I change lanes people get out of the way. I love the revs when I accelerate. I do not love the 7.20$(US) it costs me to drive 24 miles to work (12 miles per gallon). And as you can imagine I don’t love the fact that 3 fivers are gone in fuel cost when I get home.

But it is what it is. I love my Range Rover.

With the royal wedding behind us I thought I’d share a video of the Queen driving her Defender. I love how cordial she is when she addresses the “poachers”. I thought it is amusing that they don’t like ivy on their trees. We don’t like ivy on our trees either. Unlike the English ivy they are referring to, our ivy is poison ivy and you don’t handle it if you can avoid it. Of course if I were the queen king of England I’d have some one pull all my ivy down as well.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

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I told you so… (Post #256) 4/8/2011

Some time ago I wrote a blog post about octane and the myth about fuel economy. I wrote a spreadsheet calculator, included a link to it and everything. I wish I could find it for you. You’ll have to settle for this link to an old post which includes another site about Fuel Myths. Very good stuff.

In short any mileage saved by buying higher octane fuel is off set by the additional cost of the fuel. It turns out, at least according to this article, the outlandish claims of the fuel producers are to say the least, EXAGGERATED (dramatic reverb).

In other news… Sofia Vergara drives a Range Rover.

Read on and enjoy.

HARD-PRESSED motorists being lured into buying expensive ‘premium’ fuel are wasting their money, new research shows.

Oil firms are shelling out millions advertising pricey super fuels, promising drivers up to 25 PER CENT extra mileage from a tank.

But an extensive study found premium fuels costing an average of five per cent more than standard fuel delivered just ONE per cent extra performance.

In tests by motoring mag What Car? high-octane premium fuels — including BP Ultimate, Esso Supreme, Tesco Momentum and Total Excellium — performed little or no better than their cheaper equivalents.

Thanks for reading and Happy Rovering.

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The Truth is Revealed!!! (Post #140) 4/21/2009


From Jalopnik:

As we expected, the Raser Electric Hummer H3 is a plug-in, extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) utilizing a 200 kW motor to drive the wheels and a turbocharged Ecotec four-cylinder to power a 100 kW generator to charge the batteries and run the e-motor.
If you’re good at math you immediately see the problem here. For the first sixty miles the Raser Hummer runs in all EV mode and from there it will run on a constantly operating generator, resulting in an asymptotic decline in average fuel economy. It does get the dramatic 100 MPG fuel economy the company claims — as long as you don’t go further than 60 miles in a day.

That figures…fuzzy math to get people excited about a product. Reading on in the article you will be informed that the Raser gets 33mpg. I’m pretty sure there are diesels that can get 33mpg in an SUV if you put in the money they did to design a vehicle. Matter of fact I’m sure of it. Hell even I COULD design one for that kind of money.

I can imagine several captions for Arnie in these pictures.
“What the eff, I told the people of Kalifornia this was awesome.”

So where is the 100mpg Discovery? Still in my head dear friends.

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Busting the Myths (Post #105) 9/16/2008

Now, more than ever, drivers are looking for ways to improve their car’s fuel economy in an effort to reduce fuel consumption and expenditure.

There have been many tips and tricks promoted and popularised over the years, but how many of these actually stand up to the test? Some are just the motoring equivalent of Urban Myths, others may have held true in the past but are no longer relevant with today’s technological advances.

In this (and next week’s blog) we will review some of these ideas and see which have merit and which can be discarded. In the next article, we’ll be looking at some fuel-saving ideas that actually work. For now though, let’s explore a few of the ideas that don’t stand up to closer inspection:

They say: “Idling your engine is more efficient than starting up and turning off repeatedly.”
We say: This was certainly true back when all cars were equipped with carburettors, and many drivers still believe that repeatedly starting up and turning off your car is a great way to waste fuel.
But with today’s modern fuel-injection technology, drivers will actually save fuel by turning off their engine rather than letting the car needlessly idle – just look at the Toyota Prius.

And many, many more like this. Check out this link.

What is it about chicks in lab coats?

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