ain’t fuelin’

Honda Civic HX – MPG Project Slambo Preview

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Last spring, I ran a Kickstarter campaign to get a new video series off the ground. Ain’t Fuelin’ is a show unlike any other. At its core, it asks a simple question: is it possible to increase the fuel efficiency of an older vehicle and to what degree? But it wraps that question in a bigger idea, specifically: can you bring new life to old paint by infusing high tech on a low budget? Ain’t Fuelin’ draws inspiration from a host of big time shows that paved the way, from Overhaulin’ and Mythbusters to Pimp My Ride and Top Gear.

It’s been a long time coming …

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Reinvention : Boot Up

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When it comes to older cars and trucks, the ranks of pure restoration aficionados have long been outshadowed by the flash and thunder crowd. But the space in-between the two is widening. Restomodders update yesterday’s hot rides using the coolest technology from today, without performing major sheet metal changes … vehicle bodies look close to period stock, with faded paint on the skin hiding state-of-the-art mechanicals.

Valvoline Engine Builder's Boot Camp at Hendrick Motorsports

Valvoline’s Reinvention Project takes restomodding to a whole new level, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson – two of today’s biggest NASCAR stars given free reign to reimagine two classic Chevrolet pickup trucks with the resources of Hendrick Motorsports, one of the biggest baddest race car shops on Earth.

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Getting Real with Synthetic Fluids – Part I

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Synthetic fluids are a cornerstone of Ain’t Fuelin’s Mindful Maintenance program. They offer a higher level of protection for the drivetrain, reduced friction, and the potential for an incremental improvement in fuel efficiency. All that said, one of the best parts about switching to synthetic oil is the increase in the number of miles driven between oil changes.

In the video that accompanies this post, I demonstrate how easy it is to perform a D-I-Y oil change on a (slightly) lifted Jeep Wrangler TJ. We affectionately call our ’98 TJ “The Heep.” It’s also known as “The Black Hole” for all the money that we’ve poured into it over the years …

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Why Am I Getting Bad Gas Mileage?

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Have you noticed a recent drop in your vehicle’s fuel economy? Does it seem like you’re filling up at the gas station more frequently? Has the cost of your weekly commute begun to eat into your budget for other essentials? We’re here to help! This article takes a look at a wide range of factors that may be effecting your car’s average gas mileage. These factors can be divided into three basic categories: driving conditions, environmental conditions, and vehicle condition.

Your fuel economy is a result of many elements on any given day. A change in traffic, the route that you follow, weather (whether inclement or not), and your vehicle’s state of tune can have a significant effect on the amount of cash you drop at the pump each month.

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Ain’t Fuelin’ Update: How Can I Increase My Gas Mileage?

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Fuel economy is the number one consideration of new car buyers these days, the surveys say (or so we’ve been told). But what about used car buyers? For every new car sold in America each year, three used cars change hands. Aren’t used car buyers similarly concerned about gas mileage? Of course they are … but no one seems to be doing anything about it. That’s why I’m rolling out my Ain’t Fuelin’ video series. I want to improve the fuel efficiency of half of the older cars on the road by ten percent through a mindful maintenance process.

I just finished testing the first vehicle for Ain’t Fuelin’, a 2010 Hyundai Sonata Limited, equipped with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and automatic transmission. [Complete Hyundai Sonata Gas Mileage Charts for model years 1989 through 2013.] To bring folks up to speed, I ran an impromptu Google Hangout last night to share some observations and interesting stuff I’ve found while poking around on the Internet.

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