The joys of driving with 1-bar-left tank.

[Carl242]

a) get liposuction
b) replace arm and leg bones, ribs with hollowed-out aluminium bones
c) remove non-vital organs such as appendix, sexual organs, nose
d) remove all areas of the brain not necessary for driving
e) replace hands with mechanical hands designed for super-fast paddle-shifting

You will then become this:

[NY Smartie]

ain't that Kung Fu?? ;)

[unicycle]

Lovely photo.

Anyhoo, I'm quickly learning more about hypermiling. One writer mentions that before he embarks on one of his test runs to see just how good his fuel efficiency is, he removes the luggage from his car, in order to reduce weight. So maybe weight is a factor after all. There is the sloshing issue, of course (gas in a half-empty tank sloshes; luggage doesn't), but perhaps there is something to be said for improved efficiency, even if it's only 1-2%.

Put differently: It's probably not possible to 'feel' the difference, but the difference might show up on a SG or if you're really exact with your measurement of mileage.

Good driving techniques, such as simply driving under 65 mph, will account for A LOT more than anything else, like sparkier spark plugs or 27 fewer pounds of gas in the tank.

[randyzimmer]

Most in-tank (modern European) fuel pumps (like in the SAABs I sell parts for) use the fuel for cooling and lubrication.
A SAAB fuel pump lasts about a minute when starved for fuel.
We sell one a month (@ $500) to people who run out of gas
but then gas doesn't fix it.
Just a friendly warning.

[VinceLA]

I can think of 27lb as hauling maybe a BBS LM 19" wheel in the trunk. That is a mighty load.

Maybe just me...been racing for a while, hence I am more sensitive to weight transfer in a car. Either way, I am going half-a-tank from here now.

Also, I may go with a lighter battery pack.

[Dave777]

VinceLA, at least no one is going to be giving you advice you never asked for and already knew, like, "You know, you shouldn't be overfilling your tank. It's bad for it."