Save Gas Without Losing Your Shirt: 3 Gas Saving Devices with High Scam Potential
Fuel saving scams, er, devices, have been around for a long time, and now that fuel prices are soaring again, we decided it would be a good time to take a look at a few of the most popular and interesting ones out there.
Since the start of the Iraq War in 2003, oil prices have jumped from $28 per barrel to over $130, with most of that rise occurring in the last year. This fact is made even more stark considering that for all of the last century prior to the current meteoric rise, crude oil prices have averaged about $20 per barrel (adjusted for inflation).
Economists and pundits continue to tussle over who or what is to blame for this, and I could hypothesize about how we’re all being taken to the cleaners by corporate greed, but that’d be a waste of energy, no? The important issue is that fuel costs have gone past the “arm-and-a-leg” stage and are now approaching “firstborn son.”
So, while I’d love to say that hydrocarbon fuel prices don’t matter because we’ve entered the hybrid-biofuel- electric-fuel-cell-hydrogen society, the reality is that I need a fix for my old jalopy quick… and what better place to start than a perusal of some of the spectacular deals to be had on the internet?
First up: FuelMAX
Better living through magnets, grandad always said. FuelMAX is a magnetic device that you attach to your car’s fuel line to “fracture gasoline hydrocarbon chains through magnetic resonance.” According to the company this could increase your mileage by 27% along with a whole host of other interesting side effects.
Unfortunately, you can’t buy FuelMAX anymore (in the US that is - in Latvia it’s still alive and well). Apparently, it was so popular and worked so well that the US Federal Trade Commission told FuelMAX’s parent company, International Research and Development, to take it off the US market and give people their money back.
Damn big brother, always destroying the hopes and dreams of fledgling corporations. Not to worry though, there are a myriad of other companies out there that sell essentially the same thing and who the Feds have left alone up to this point. Some even go so far as to not only put magnets on the fuel line, but also on the coolant and air intake (Video).
My Take: Magnet fuel savers work so well that the US government is involved in a conspiracy to systematically remove them from existence.
Next up: Cyclone Fuel Saver
When I was younger we used to watch hours of late night infomercials for fun. You know, the kind where they cover a car in a special wax made of what looks like cosmic fairy dust, and then they shoot a laser at it to show those microscopic fairies in action deflecting the laser from your beautiful car?
In retrospect, watching infomercials for fun was kind of lame, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have fond memories of products like the Cyclone Fuel Saver. This baby purports to create “a swirling air motion, allowing the air to move faster and more efficiently by continuously whirling air around corners and bends.” Which does what exactly? Apparently the swirling effect helps “atomise the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber” which results in a “more complete and efficient burning of the fuel.”
Wow. That sounds totally rad. And I bet it works too. If for some reason you can’t get your hands on one, not to worry, there are lots of other air intake modifications to be had. For instance, the Turbonator comes with “FlowTru™” technology which allows for the maximum amount of air to get to your engine. Also, if you’re inclined to dig around on such things, the Turbonator will make you instantly more popular with women as evidenced in this photo.
My Take: The Cyclone Fuel Saver must not work that well because the Feds haven’t shut it down yet and its been around for at least 10 years.
Last, but for sure not least: Water4Gas
Although instantly less cool than other fuel savers because it’s not technically a product and more of a description, Water4Gas has been getting a lot of the limelight recently… as it should. I mean, this company website has it all: vibrant color schemes, third-grade HTML proficiency, a video featuring Jimmy Carter, endless scrolling possibilities, and a money back guarantee from some guy named Ozzie Freedom. Ozzie Friggin Freedom. With a name like that he must be on the up-and-up.
Plus, Water4Gas has been tested on like 30 continents, or something, further proving its reliability. For only $97 you can get access to some online manuals that describe how you can spend a minimum of another $100 to modify your car to inject “hydrogen-on-demand” into your engine. Sounds like a winner to me. Mr. Freedom even has his own fan club that provides an unbiased and totally trustworthy review of the Water4Gas system.
Actually, of the three fuel saving systems included in this article, the Water4Gas type seems to have a very loyal following. Known alternatively as “waterhybrids” or “HHO systems,” some of them have been tested by seemingly reputable news organizations with actual positive results. However, based on the fact that advertisements on the Hydro4000 website make it look like the news station and Hydro4000 are in on some kind of scheme together, my trust in the news story is quite low. Plus, at $1,200 you’d have to have a major stash of money set aside for delusions of grandeur to actually buy one of these things.
My Take: The Water4Gas website is so bad that it must be a good product.
All joking aside, the sane part of my mind screams to me that these waterhybrid claims are so far gone that the products can’t be for real. Yet, as much as it pains me, I’ve got to say the jury’s still out on this one. Anybody have any personal experience they care to share? Any idea of how much energy is required to split water into its component parts and the ensuing energy balance (or imbalance) that would be present in a waterhybrid?
A recent post on Gas 2.0 details a system similar to waterhybrids that appears to have the backing of a university. That post generated some good cautionary comments regarding free energy, conservation of energy, and overall energy efficiency of a whole system such as an entire automobile. Any further thoughts on this topic?
Reality Check
Listen folks, if the claims make it seem like a product will do ridiculous things, then its probably a ridiculous product. Most experts say that fuel saving devices are largely scams and that, in lieu of expensive things like buying a more fuel efficient vehicle or completely changing your car’s aerodynamics, the only true way to increase your fuel mileage cheaply is the good old standby of changing your habits to up your car’s efficiency. In fact, in a post on Gas 2.0, Benjamin Jones points us to “100+ EcoDriving Tips to get Better Mileage in Your Car” and Edmunds.com has done its own field testing of many of these recommendations. Check them out and save your money.
Gas 2.0 Posts Related to Fuel Economy:
- How to Get 70 MPG Out of a Honda Civic
- 2009 Jetta BlueTDI Comes to US This Summer, Sports 60 MPG and Cleaner Emissions
- 100+ EcoDriving Tips to get Better Mileage in Your Car
- Can Improved Spark Plugs Boost Both Fuel Economy and Performance?
- Six New Technologies Will Help Manufacturers Reach the 35 MPG Goal (Without Hybrids)
- The World’s Most Fuel Efficient Car: 285 MPG, Not A Hybrid
Image Credit: adapted from d70Focus under Creative Commons
Well, just to point out #2, the cyclone, or turbine, or whatever the heck brand air turbulence producer product does actually work…. to an extent.
I installed a lightweight performance flywheel on my car that significantly increased my torque on my car, but also destroyed my gas mileage…. taking it from about 22mpg to 17mpg. I spent way too much money filling my tank for 3 tanks straight(thankfully it was when gas was still 2.50/gal here in sd, ca) so I was able to stabilize my fuel consumption over that time, with various street/highway/full highway driving. When I installed this device in my car, at the beginning of a new tank of fuel, I instantly changed my average gas mileage from 17mpg to 21mpg. I didn’t see any hp/torque gain which the product also advertised, but I did see a significant gain in mpg, so I have used it ever since. Also, I have chosen to remove it from the vehicle for 2 tanks previously to prove that it was the cyclone device making the difference, and it truly was.
So, essentially, most of these are scams, but some do actually make an impact on your vehicles fuel mileage.
PS: Now, with gas prices at $4.39 at the local gas station, I’m moving back to the stock flywheel… performance is too costly at this point. I’ll be giving updating mpg stats when that’s completed to see if it does anything for a stock vehicle.
Cheers!
I’m building an HHO system with a roommate (who is a mechanic) right now, and the hydrogen electrolizer (the goofy left half of Ozzie’s picture) does indeed produce a lot of hydrogen. And yes, if your alternator powers the device, it uses already-produced energy to do the heavy work. It makes for a 10-30% increase (conservatively) on fuel economy, but Ozzie’s two-bell-jar design is to a functional HHO system as a wooden club is to a Beretta 9mm. Make no mistake: If you try one of these out, it’ll give you some boost to fuel economy, but you have to be part scientist, part tinkerer, part mechanic, and willing to risk destroying a car (figuratively AND literally.)
The fallacy isn’t the idea of using water as gas — it’s that you can use ONLY water. The hydrogen is injected in much the same way as an NO2 system, and burns just as efficiently as gas (gas being, for all intents and purposes, a mixture of “hydrogen” and “other”). It burns WITH the gas, not INSTEAD of — and if you can get a 50% fuel economy boost, you’re either A) lucky or B) a voodoo priest.
Chuck,
I’d lean towards the Voodoo Priest end of things. I’ve heard they do good work.
Nick
I have installed a helical spacer between my throttle body and my air intake and it did noticably improve performance, and thus rpm (since I was driving the same way, same speeds and at a lower rpm).
This is the concept of the cyclone device that you hinted doesnt work. So I dont know if that particular product works, but do know that my engine did work better with a similar device.
Alternators only charge as needed, some power is constantly used, ignition, injection computer etc, so the alternator always works a little to power that. thats all, no wasted energy going, if you add more stuff for it to do, it works harder and thus wastes fuel.
In over 20 years driving, it comes down to simple things: a good service, air filter, correct tire pressures, a light foot, and smooth driving, using brakes as little as possible, gadgets just waste money, if they worked car makers would love to fit them, but they dont
I just saw a news story about fuel saving devices that included the cyclone. They installed 3 of them on 3 different AAA fleet vehicles. All 3 had the same drivers and routes as before. After 3 months of testing, they found no significant improvements in gas mileage. It’s a nice concept but reality bites.
#3 works.. some Toyota Dealers have been testing it.
Regarding the alternator - it depends on the car. Most cars’ alternators run constantly because they’re directly attached to the accessory/serpentine belt. Some newer cars have clutched alternators, where the computer engages the clutch when electricity is needed. This reduces the power draw of the alternator over time and improves fuel economy.
water4gas works, the HHO on demand systems work. you WILL get an increase in mileage, and a smoother running vehicle.
Water4Gas is the real deal. It is not a fraud.
The Science behind it is simple.
1. take a jar filled with water, some coil, and baking soda.
2. A small electrical current (DC, not AC) is required to separate the H and O elements. This is a simple process called electrolysis, and requires little energy to do it.
3. The Hydrogen, small amounts, is injected into the engine (somewhere) via a tube.
This improves the engines efficiency and makes it cleaner burning with cleaner exhaust.
Some report doubling their mileage. It really all depends on how well you teak your mod.
Cheers.