NationStates Jolt Archive

I know for a fact I am not the only person here who is sick of watching gas prices go up all the time. Yes there has been a recent drop, but they are still insanely high. Nothing bothers me more thn having a noticable percentage of what I make be lost on just going to and from work. That doesn't even account for errands or leisure activities that I have to drive to. Since I was debating gas prices with someone here earlier, I figured this was the perfect time to post this.

Below is a link to an article I recently wrote on another site. It details the stuff you can do to reduce the amount of money you put into your car at the pump.

http://www.thewirecutters.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61&Itemid=58

-If you have a pickup truck, drop your tailgate when there's no cargo in the back. Doing so won't damage it any, but leaving it up will decrease MPG by about 15%, and create unneccesary strain on your engine, resulting in more maintainence being needed. So it costs you more than just gas.


Actually, Mythbusters did this one-Turns out that it's better to keep the tailgate up.

There's also these guys:
http://www.frybrid.com/
http://www.greasecar.com/
http://www.plantdrive.com/
http://www.greasel.com/

If you have a diesel...

Actually, Mythbusters did this one-Turns out that it's better to keep the tailgate up.
I thought that was the case--I was looking for that in order to post it here.

28 years ago, I decided Americans wouldn't stand for $1/gallon gasoline, so I sold my car and started riding the bus. Don't expect anything will change 'til we use it all up ;)

28 years ago, I decided Americans wouldn't stand for $1/gallon gasoline, so I sold my car and started riding the bus. Don't expect anything will change 'til we use it all up ;)
It would be nice to have that option.

I thought that was the case--I was looking for that in order to post it here.
I don't want to botch the explination, though. But I've been spending my time trying (unsuccessfully) to find something else, but I found some articles on it, like this one (http://www.ngvglobal.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&lang=en&id=341&Itemid=2)

Actually, Mythbusters did this one-Turns out that it's better to keep the tailgate up.

I fail to see how this is so. Leaving it up would create more resistance to horizontal motion.

I fail to see how this is so. Leaving it up would create more resistance to horizontal motion.
I'm going to botch this, so I hope someone better at explaining this comes along.

The bed creates a circular 'pocket' of air that creates a smooth flow over the truck, with the tailgate down the air behind the truck is turbulant which actually creates a suction drag on the truck. You'd have to watch a wind tunnel to really get it, but it was damned interesting.

EDIT: Here's someone's summary of the test-
Tailgate: Up or down?

Myth: Driving your pickup with the tailgate down gives you better fuel efficiency than with the tailgate up.
Test Setup

Adam and Jamie were each given identical, new model pickup trucks. They both had equal mileage, same tire pressure, and 30 gallons of gas. Jamie drove with the tailgate up and Adam the tailgate down.

The rules:

1. They have to maintain the speed limit
2. All acceleration must be done by cruise control
3. No drafting
4. Windows up, A/C must be exactly the same in both cars

The Test

After 300 miles there didn't appear to be much difference in the gas consumed, but after 500 miles Adam (tailgate down) ran out of gas. Jamie made it another 30 miles before he ran out of gas. This result was the exact opposite of the myth.
Water tunnel visualization

According to the experts, a circular pillow of air forms behidn the cab of the truck when the tailgate is up. This "separated bubble"/"locked vortex flow" keep the faster moving air from contacting the truck, and thus reduces drag. With the tailgate down, the bubble breaks down and is no longer able to keep the fast moving air out, increasing drag.

In their scale model with the water tunnel, they were able to see that the increased drag. With the tailgate down, the particles in the water were dropping down and hitting the tailgate.

mythbusted

Drive a diesel car. Seriously, those things get some GOOD MPGs.

Here's (http://sitemaker.umich.edu/um.gm.truck/no_tailgate) a University of Michigan study on the subject, if you don't want to go by Mythbusters findings.

Or a Diesel truck!

Heres my tips on how to stick it to the oil companies:

1. GO TO SCHOOL and educate yourselves.

2. Sell your goddamn SUV and buy a Toyota. You don't need a gigantic behemoth on the road. Giant cars are for people with small penises, and American cars are substandard. Besides, who actually uses all that space? Got kids? Get a cheap minivan.

3. Don't like minivans? Then STOP HAVING KIDS. Those damn brats cost too much anyway.

4. VOTE.

5. Move to Saudi Arabia, where gasoline is 73 cents a gallon.

6. WALK. Use your legs dammit!!! If your supermarket is 4 blocks away and all you need a gallon of milk, then hoof it! Your fat asses could use the excercise.

7. Ride a bike. Again, your fat asses...

8. Eat at home. You don't have to eat out every other day! Why waste gas on useless crap? Again, your fat asses....

9. Take care of your car. Low tire pressure, cheap oil, not changing our oil, all contribute to poor mileage.

10. Take the bus. Or the train. Or the light rail. Or carpool. Why do Americans think they are "too good" to use public transport??? If Public Transport sucks where you live, demand change and use it.

http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3893

Heres my tips on how to stick it to the oil companies:

1. GO TO SCHOOL and educate yourselves.

2. Sell your goddamn SUV and buy a Toyota. You don't need a gigantic behemoth on the road. Giant cars are for people with small penises, and American cars are substandard. Besides, who actually uses all that space? Got kids? Get a cheap minivan.

3. Don't like minivans? Then STOP HAVING KIDS. Those damn brats cost too much anyway.

4. VOTE.

5. Move to Saudi Arabia, where gasoline is 73 cents a gallon.

6. WALK. Use your legs dammit!!! If your supermarket is 4 blocks away and all you need a gallon of milk, then hoof it! Your fat asses could use the excercise.

7. Ride a bike. Again, your fat asses...

8. Eat at home. You don't have to eat out every other day! Why waste gas on useless crap? Again, your fat asses....

9. Take care of your car. Low tire pressure, cheap oil, not changing our oil, all contribute to poor mileage.

10. Take the bus. Or the train. Or the light rail. Or carpool. Why do Americans think they are "too good" to use public transport??? If Public Transport sucks where you live, demand change and use it.

http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3893
agreed and applauded.

agreed and applauded.

Thank you. I just wish more people used their brains instead of whining about their problems.

I traded my car for a smaller Honda last year and I can honestly say It was the best decision I made. And I do practice what I preach, I walk, save trips, take care of my car, etc. Even with gas at $2.90 where I live, I still manage to fill my tank with $20 bucks. I've cut back on uneccessary trips and I walk to the store for just about everything, unless I need a big haul.

Just use common sense.

Heres my tips on how to stick it to the oil companies:

1. GO TO SCHOOL and educate yourselves.

2. Sell your goddamn SUV and buy a Toyota. You don't need a gigantic behemoth on the road. Giant cars are for people with small penises, and American cars are substandard. Besides, who actually uses all that space? Got kids? Get a cheap minivan.

3. Don't like minivans? Then STOP HAVING KIDS. Those damn brats cost too much anyway.

4. VOTE.

5. Move to Saudi Arabia, where gasoline is 73 cents a gallon.

6. WALK. Use your legs dammit!!! If your supermarket is 4 blocks away and all you need a gallon of milk, then hoof it! Your fat asses could use the excercise.

7. Ride a bike. Again, your fat asses...

8. Eat at home. You don't have to eat out every other day! Why waste gas on useless crap? Again, your fat asses....

9. Take care of your car. Low tire pressure, cheap oil, not changing our oil, all contribute to poor mileage.

10. Take the bus. Or the train. Or the light rail. Or carpool. Why do Americans think they are "too good" to use public transport??? If Public Transport sucks where you live, demand change and use it.

http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3893

Much of that is indeed in the article I wrote.

Also, I ammended the article a bit. Though I won't discount the tailgate thing entirely, it still seems reasonable to assume it may save gas. Why? Well none of the evidence against it is solid, take myth busters for instance, the way it was driven, temperature of the engine, and other factors which effect MPG may have been different. It is at least reasonable to assume it won't boost MPG by 15% though.

Much of that is indeed in the article I wrote.

Also, I ammended the article a bit. Though I won't discount the tailgate thing entirely, it still seems reasonable to assume it may save gas. Why? Well none of the evidence against it is solid, take myth busters for instance, the way it was driven, temperature of the engine, and other factors which effect MPG may have been different. It is at least reasonable to assume it won't boost MPG by 15% though.
Did you look at the University of Michigan evidence, then?

28 years ago, I decided Americans wouldn't stand for $1/gallon gasoline, so I sold my car and started riding the bus. Don't expect anything will change 'til we use it all up ;)
Actually, things will start to change when we use about half of it. It's all downhill from there.

Did you look at the University of Michigan evidence, then?
Got anything on bed covers?

Did you look at the University of Michigan evidence, then?

Yes, it does make sense to an extent, and is a possible explaination for why it is true, if it is true. It's also possible the air bounces back and forth and does nothing one way or the other, or that it bounces off the tailgate then goes over and behind it(the drag chute theory). Without extensive tests to confirm it, I still leave myself open to the possibility it is wrong.