Recently, many devices have appeared in the automotive market that help in such a difficult business as fuel economy. Reviews about them are very mixed. And it’s very difficult for an uninitiated person to understand this issue. In this article, we will discuss the most popular car fuel economy devices and find out how effective they are.
Hydrogen generator
Hydrogen is very difficult to adapt as a vehicle fuel due to its shortcomings: difficulties in production, storage and safety. But this does not stop inventors who want to cash in on profane motorists. So the hydrogen generator was born . It works as follows: it produces hydrogen and adds it to the fuel, thereby increasing the mileage due to the high energy of this gas.
The main problem of such devices is their capacity. The process of producing hydrogen is associated with high energy costs. This places an additional burden on the vehicle’s generator. That is, the machine will spend much more energy on the production of hydrogen fuel than it can then generate.
Is it possible to save fuel on a car in this case? Of course not. After all, a hydrogen generator is capable of producing only a small amount of gas. Even if it gets into the fuel system of the machine (in many artisanal generators it is simply impossible), it will not be enough to increase power and reduce fuel consumption.
Inlet Vortex Devices
Engineers always closely monitor the air flow in the motor. Turbulence of the flow can affect the quality of the mixture of air and fuel when they enter the combustion chamber, and this will affect the performance of the engine. As the advertisement says, the inlet vortex created by the devices changes the air flow so that it improves the quality of the fuel-air mixture. This, in turn, will improve fuel combustion and increase mileage.
Inexperienced car owners do not understand that this is an outdated technology. In modern machines, the engine is controlled by a computer unit, and the fuel flow is calibrated at the factory. Therefore, the inlet vortex will only reduce the efficiency of fuel consumption, and not improve it.
Fuel ionizer
This device is installed in the area between the injector and the fuel pump. Manufacturers claim that using an ionizer is a real saving on diesel fuel in a car (and, of course, gasoline).
The principle of operation of the device is as follows: clumps of oil molecules passing through the ionizer are separated by an ion field. Due to this, the fuel forms a more “vaporous” cloud in the combustion chamber, which leads to the rapid evaporation of fuel.
An advertising description of this type of device is aimed at a buyer who is not familiar with the principles of operation of modern motors. Even at the production stage, engine fuel nozzles are precisely tuned to supply ultra-fine fuel fog to the combustion chamber. This technology is so perfect that only a very small fraction of oil products do not burn. Even assuming that the ionizer will cause the fuel vapor to evaporate faster, it does not help to save fuel in your car.
Ignition amplifiers
A similar group of devices could be trusted 50 years ago. But in advertising, manufacturers say that these amp candles will burn the largest amount of fuel. Thus, the volume of unburned oil products that just flew into the exhaust pipe is reduced.
When the internal combustion engines were just released, there might have been some sense in this development. Indeed, at that time, mechanical distributors of the fuel supply to the cylinder misfired. As a result, unburned fuel was simply pumped through the chamber. Such a device would increase the reliability of motors with low performance.
But in modern engines there are no problems of this type. Due to the fact that the engine is controlled by a computer, misfires during ignition do not happen. This can only happen when there are serious problems with the motor. Well, of course, no fuel economy is possible here. Driver reviews on ignition amplifiers are mostly negative.
Alcohol and water injection
This technology was used back in World War II, when aviation engineers needed a device to combat detonation in a motor. In fighters with piston systems, premature ignition of the combustible mixture could lead to damage to engine parts. The solution to the problem was the injection of a mixture of alcohol and water into the air intake. She cooled the engine and maintained the proper level of ignition of the fuel.
At the moment, machine manufacturers have abandoned this method, as modern engine technologies can significantly reduce the risk of detonation without any additional water injections. That is, no fuel economy in the car is observed here. In a conventional vehicle that moves under standard conditions, detonation is unlikely. Water injection can only be useful in high-performance (racing) cars.
Magnets for fuel economy
What is so special about these devices? According to the manufacturers, the fuel economy in the car with magnets is due to the better combustion of fuel. This is very similar to the ionizer described above. Only here are oil molecules separated by a powerful magnetic field. Well, in the end, gasoline burns better.
Like an ionizer, magnets to save fuel are completely useless. The only thing is they help uninformed car owners say goodbye to their money. Currently, petroleum fuels are popular because of their stability. Of course, it cannot be compared with hydrogen in terms of the amount of energy generated, but it is the easiest and safest to handle. In addition, it has a “rigid” structure and high resistance to any external factors. And it is unlikely that some magnets can break this resistance. Even if they produce a strong magnetic field, it will instantly change the metal of the fuel tank, fuel line and other devices.
Engine ionization
This device is hung on spark plugs or attached to a machine distributor. Fuel economy in a car in this case is achieved by improving fuel consumption by forming an “ionic crown” around the motor. We can say that this device is similar to the ionizer described above. And, as in the previous case, it is completely useless.
Moreover, the test result allowed us to draw a disappointing conclusion: this is the worst device for saving fuel. Reviews of motorists only confirm this. During the testing of the device, the ionizer proved to be a bundle of beautifully packed wires, which can easily lead to a fire or short circuit if they are incorrectly connected.
Fuel vapor injector
The ability of a fuel to burn depends on its condition: in a liquid form, it burns slowly, and in vapor form it simply at an explosive speed. Merchants have been manipulating this fact for many years, selling such a device as a fuel vapor injector. According to them, it converts fuel to steam before it reaches the engine. This allows you to burn fuel quickly and efficiently.
In fact, this device for fuel economy (negative reviews about it) not only does not fulfill its main function, but also harms the exhaust system. The exhaust gas indicator shows the oxygen level in the exhaust gases of the machine. According to this indicator, it is possible to assess whether the engine receives enough air-fuel mixture. And this “miracle” -injector, forming additional pairs, will cause the motor to consume too much fuel with an acute shortage of air. Therefore, the machine computer will adjust the injectors so that a mixture with an optimal ratio of air to fuel enters the motor. This means that in the best case, the engine will be the same as without a vapor injector. In the worst case, an improperly installed device will undermine the motor due to the constant elimination by the computer of the imbalance of the air-fuel mixture.
Oil additives
Automobile stores are now full of these “witchcraft” mixtures: bottles and cans containing additives that increase power, reduce wear and improve engine performance. It is simple to apply them - you need to pour (pour out) the contents into the fuel tank or oil tank. Due to their low price, they are the most common means of saving fuel on cars. But they do not work at all as stated in the advertisement.
The engines of modern machines appeared thanks to the hard work of many years of engineers. Plus, every year there is an improvement. Of course, engine parts wear out over time, but engineers conduct such test tests that the motor is unlikely to encounter during actual operation. Therefore, long-running, multifunctional and reliable engines are released that cannot be lubricated and healed with some kind of “miracle” additives in case of wear.
Fuel additives
According to the manufacturer, fuel additives trigger a catalytic reaction in fuel, increasing its octane number by removing harmful impurities. Thanks to this, fuel is saved on the car. And some additives even remove harmful bacteria from the fuel. Apparently, so that your motor does not get the flu!
The usefulness of these devices is very difficult to evaluate even with the help of special equipment that measures the chemical changes that occur in petroleum products. But even without such experiments, it is safe to say the absurdity of such inventions, because all modern engines are optimized for working with the most common types of fuel. Changing the fuel can have a detrimental effect on the condition of the engine, because the latter may not be configured to work with it. Therefore, even if additives purify gasoline, making it burn better, this does not mean that the engine will spend it efficiently, increasing mileage.
Conclusion
So, we found out that all of the above fuel economy devices on cars are ... useless. That is, at the moment there are no devices that would allow this to be done. Now discuss the real ways to save fuel on a car:
1. “Appetite” of your car depends on the driving style. If you press hard on the gas pedal, it will increase the consumption of petroleum products by 15-25%. So we advise you to moderate your ardor.
2. A car consumes the required minimum fuel only when it is fully operational. This means that the compression in the engine cylinders should be optimal. There are no breakages in the fuel supply system . The bearings on the wheels of the machine rotate easily, and the brake pads do not touch the brake discs when driving.
3. Another way to save fuel is by pouring liquefied oil into the gearbox and engine crankcase. Only liquefaction should be within reasonable limits.
4. Do not overload the machine generator. For example, heated seats, the maximum volume of the radio, working without the need of a headlight, etc. All this significantly increases fuel consumption.
Now you know how to save fuel on a car. Stick to the tips above, and your expenses on petroleum products will be significantly reduced.