I am looking for any ~cheap performance enhancements that don't hurt the mpg and esp. ones that help it. I have some specifics I am considering:
Has anybody tried one of the pulley underdrive kits?
Does the exhaust wrap on the manifold help with the 06's?
How about that air intake trick listed on the front page is that for older Corolla's?
Anybody try Splitfire plugs on one of these?
How much does a computer chip help on power?
Does changing the exhaust help any, perhaps even a high flow catalytic converter or muffler?
Does synthetic seem to help performance any?
Has anybody checked to see if an engine oil heater or radiator hose heater helps in the winter time? This is my big one because I get 39-41mpg in the summer when temps get up into the 80's. In the winter I get anywhere from 33-35mpg. I assume warming up is the issue and I have a feeling that investing in the oil heater or the radiator heater would help greatly without raising my electricity bill to much.
I drive about 106 miles a day and it is 95% highway speed so obviously I feel it is time to work on any possible improvements.
Don't do a any kind of pulley underdrive kit it only give 7 hp at max most likely 3-5hp.
Now I have heard that the exhaust wrap will give up to 5hp and it shouldn't have any effect on mpg
Iif you go with a short ram or cold air intake (cold air is the best) it won't mess with your mpg and will give you a nice boost
I have tried different sparkpluges in many cars and Bosch is always the best
There was a big debate on a ECU chip a little while ago and I say it does help and other say it doesn't really up to you. But you might see a difference in mpg mainly due to a new lead foot you may get. I say though you could get up to 10-15hp out of it with 91 octane.
I have a catback in my 01 rolla and didn't see any change in mph but a really nice boost in hp. Mainly got it for the sound though
Tests show that synthethic does help with hp and mpg.
Now the main reason why you have a difference in mpg going from summer to winter is because of the air temp. If it is hotter out the air is thinner. So if the air is colder it will be more dense making it hard for the car to move. An example is it isn't that hard to walk on the sidewalk but it is harder to walk in a pool.
Now if you drive at a cruising speed of 60mph, slowly accelerate to speed, and use engine braking to stop you will most likely see the biggest improvement in mpg
I would suggest getting a cold air intake, perforance header or wrap it, catback with high flow cat (if the laws permit it in your state), Bosch Platinum+2 or better spark pluges, and on your next oil change go with the synthetic.
I would suggest getting a cold air intake, perforance header or wrap it, catback with high flow cat (if the laws permit it in your state), Bosch Platinum+2 or better spark pluges, and on your next oil change go with the synthetic.
Great thanks for all that info. I have some wrap laying around I used on my old Suburban, it should be enough I just need to get some straps. I do see some cheap cold air kits ($160) but will wait until my next air filter change to get it. I am surprised about the plugs I always had bad luck with the Bosch but will try them and the synthetic next week is tune-up time.
As far as the catback it is legal. In fact 1/2 the people here don't have the cat on at all, it takes a REALLY loud car to get their attention. What catback did you use? I will do that later this year because the muffler is getting rusty anyway.
I think by "cat" xqwerty meant a catalytic converter. "cat-back" refers to an
exhaust system that is installed after the catalytic converter (cat). Magnaflow
sells universal high flow cats that should be legal in all states but California. In
California it is not legal to replace a cat unless the new one has a California Air
Resources Board (CARB) exemption even if the new cat passes smog-check
inspection. There maybe some other legal issues with replacing your cat.
Technically, according to EPA regulations the aftermarket cat cannot be installed
unless the original is broken/defective, but I am not sure if that rule is ever enforced.
Anyway, if your are willing to negotiate the legal obstacles, I have seen some
dyno tests that show that high flow cats really do add a little bit of HP.
YOU DO NOT NEED TO CHANGE OE SPARK PLUGS UNTIL ATLEAST 120K!!! THEY ARE ALSO IRIDIUM PLUGS MORE EXPENSIVE DO NOT GET PLATINUM OR SOME OTHER CRAP USE IRIDIUM PLUGS ALWAYS CHECK OWNERS MANUAL. also keep in mind INTAKE and EXHAUST upgrades WILL lower your fuel consumption. think... MORE air goiing in needs MORE fuel to combust and MORE exhaust will come out and your car will go MORE faster. point is MORE fuel. also if your driving so much to work why get performance upgrades? just try to keep mpg as high as possible. oil changes, filter changes, tires properly inflated, weight is also considered not too much though. synthetic oil i am really unsure about i have read alot and seems it is of course BETTER but not necessarily necessary.
on a side note correct me if im wrong, but i thought cold air helps car go faster, but the cold air outside is dense and will slow us down?? is it better to drive at 60degree lets say or 80-90 degrees?
