Fuel and Oil Additives - Facts and
Myths/Maximizing Fuel Economy
2006 and Prior All
GM Cars and Trucks
A Statement About
Fuel Economy
As gasoline prices
have increased, the consumer has shifted priorities to become increasingly
concerned with fuel consumption. GM is presently proud to offer 20 cars in
the U.S. with EPA highway estimates of at least 30 mpg. The information
below contains reasonable and prudent advice for your dealership and the
consumer to get the most from every gallon of gas.
The information
below is presented in two easy to understand sections:
• What Not To Do:
Engine and Fuel Additives, Alternate Fuels, and "Miracle"
Products
• What to Do:
Maximizing Fuel Economy/Minimizing Costs
WHAT NOT TO DO:
Engine and Fuel Additives, Alternate Fuels, and "Miracle"
Products
Various unproven
products to improve vehicle fuel economy have been reported ranging from
magnets that align molecules to chemical combustion improvers.
Most products
claiming to provide benefits are based on unsubstantiated claims. Those
that do present "scientific" results generally either have too
little supporting data to be conclusive, have not conducted experiments in
a controlled fashion, or cannot be substantiated by anyone else but the
product's manufacturer.
The U.S. Federal
Trade Commission summarizes results for products tested by the federal
government at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/autos/gasave.htm. A review of
the list shows that the majority did not work, and for those that showed
some effect, the benefit was too small to be cost effective.
Harmful Ideas That
May Damage Your Vehicle and Increase Emissions
One more recent
poor idea to improve fuel economy that should not be attempted is to blend
either kerosene or diesel fuel into gasoline. Why? Both kerosene and diesel
fuel are distillate fuels meant for use in compression ignition engines,
not spark ignition engines. They have very low octane and since they are
heavier (higher density) than gasoline, they will cause heavy engine
deposits and degradation of engine oil.
Notice: Never put
Kerosene or Diesel Fuel in your Gasoline Engine vehicle. This may result in
inconsistent performance and permanent damage to your vehicle that is not
covered by your New Vehicle Warranty.
Chemicals that are
normally used as solvents also should not be used. These include acetone,
ketones, and methanol. These solvents can be incompatible with your
vehicles rubber or sealing components, and may dissolve the vehicle’s paint
finish. In the case of methanol, corrosion of metal parts in the fuel
system also may occur.
Notice: Never use
acetone, ketones, or methanol additives in your vehicle. Some of these
solvents may damage or corrode your fuel system. They are also very
damaging to the painted surfaces of the vehicle if spilled.
WHAT TO DO:
Maximizing Fuel Economy/Minimizing Costs
The best fuel
economy possible is the direct result of proper maintenance and good
driving habits. Listed below are GM's recommendations to achieve the best
mileage possible. The first group are things to consider for your vehicle,
while the second are tips relating to your driving habits.
Vehicle
Considerations:
• Tire Pressure -
One of the major contributors to poor fuel economy are under inflated
tires. Tires low on pressure create drag that the vehicle’s powertrain must
overcome, wasting dollars in fuel. Always keep your tires inflated to the
proper pressure as shown on the vehicle placard. This not only serves to
increase gas mileage but cuts down on tire wear, further decreasing your
costs per mile.
• Air Filter - A
vehicle that has a dirty air filter can’t efficiently draw air into the
engine. This restriction forces the engine to expend energy to
"breathe" wasting fuel in the process. Change recommendations are
found in your vehicle Owner’s Manual.
• Proper Viscosity
"Starburst" Rated Oil - Always use the proper viscosity oil in
your engine. Oil that has a higher than required viscosity will create more
drag on the internal components of the engine, causing more work for it,
especially when cold. Each Owner’s Manual contains information on the
proper type of oil for your vehicle. Look for the "starburst"
symbol on the front of the bottle, and the SM rating on the API circle on
the back label. If you are in doubt, stop by your dealer for an oil change,
and any other services required. Most current GM vehicles are equipped with
oil life monitors to further assist on the "when" to change your
oil. (Aveo/Wave/Optra/Epica currently do not have oil life monitors)
Notice: GM
Vehicles DO NOT require additional engine oil additives. Some additives may
cause harmful effects to the internal seals and additionally void the terms
of your vehicles New Car Warranty.
• Top Tier Fuels -
Some fuel manufacturers provide gasoline advertised as TOP TIER DETERGENT
GASOLINE (Chevron, Conoco, Phillips 66, Shell, Entec Stations, MFA , 76,
Somerset Oil, QuikTrip, and Kwik Trip in the U.S. and Chevron in Canada.
These fuels are preferable when and where available. They help to keep your
fuel injectors and intake valves free of deposits. Clean engines provide
optimal fuel economy, performance and reduced emissions. When Top Tier
fuels are not available, consider a bottle of GM Fuel System treatment
PLUS, P/N# 88861011 (in Canada, #88861012), at oil change time which will
remove intake system and injector deposits. GM does not recommend any other
fuel system cleaner.
Important: DO NOT
confuse Top Tier Fuels with Higher Octane (Plus/Premium Grade Fuel)
commonly sold at most all gas stations. Plus and Premium fuels are required
in some high performance GM vehicles. However, they do not necessarily
represent higher detergency present in TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline.
Notice: E85 FUELS:
Only vehicles designated for use with E85 should use E85 blended fuel. E85
compatibility is designated for vehicles that are certified to run on up to
85% ethanol and 15% gasoline. All other gasoline engines are designed to
run on fuel that contains no more than 10% ethanol. Use of fuel containing
greater than 10% ethanol in non-E85 designated vehicles can cause
drivability issues, service engine soon indicators as well as increased
fuel system corrosion. See Corporate Bulletin Number 05-06-04-035 for
additional information.
• Use the
Recommended Grade (Octane) Fuel Purchasing higher than required octane fuel
is a waste of money. Using higher octane fuels in a vehicle that only
required regular unleaded fuel will neither increase performance nor
improve gas mileage. In all cases refer to your owners manual and ONLY use
the octane rated fuel recommended for your vehicle.
Important: In high
performance GM vehicles that DO require Premium (91 octane or higher) fuel,
you MUST use fuels of at least this octane. Use of lower octane fuel may result
in reduced performance, knocking, and/or permanent engine damage not
covered under the terms of the New Vehicle Warranty.
• Check
Engine/Service Engine Soon Light - Is the Check Engine/SES light on? When
this light is on, the vehicles On-Board diagnostics computer has noticed
that something is wrong. GM vehicles have many sensors that the computer
uses to both control and sense actual fuel usage. When the computer lights
the Check Engine/SES light it has lost some ability to run efficiently. This
may result in increased fuel consumption, increased emissions, and/or
drivability concerns.
• Spark Plugs -
Even though current GM vehicles have 160,000 km (100,000 mi) service
intervals for spark plugs if your vehicle is at that point in it's life,
have the spark plugs changed to assure proper running and continued
efficient, trouble free operation.
Changes In Driving
Habits:
• Slow Down, Drive
Smoothly - Avoid quick/full throttle acceleration from a standstill in town
and high cruising speeds on the interstates. While the optimum MPG for
highway cruising speed varies from vehicle to vehicle, faster is almost
always worse. If your vehicle is equipped with a Driver Information Center
that displays Instant Fuel Economy, select that read out and vary your
cruising speed while on the highway. The display will change continuously
with uphill and downhill sections but you should quickly be able to
identify on level ground the speed range that your vehicle does the best
in.
• Empty Your Trunk
- Avoid leaving unnecessary items in your trunk. It takes power to move
increased weight and that means more gasoline consumption and reduced
performance. While the change may be slight, multiplied by thousands of
miles, it all adds up.
• Avoid Extended
Idling - There is no need to idle your engine till it reaches operating
temperature. Idling wastes fuel.
• Combine Trips -
Your vehicle uses much more fuel when the engine is cold. This is
especially true in the winter months when the engine will take the longest
to warm up. Combine errands or trips so that the vehicle only needs to warm
up once to encompass many different stops.
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