Get more mileage from that Hummer

Nothing, we mean nothing, says success like rollin' in a big fat Hummer eh sparky? Only thing is, you can't stand the thought of those accusatory stares from your fellow highwaymen as you lumber along sucking-up fuel. Well, we guess you never heard of the Mileage Maximizer then? Don't sweat it, 'cause two friendly Detroit, rock city Hummer dealerships have, and they'll happily sell you the $190 wonder mod while touting its 30% increase in fuel efficiency. The promotion has been so successful at selling new Hummers in fact, that these boys are now considering expanding the modification to more stores and vehicles. Sure, GM and Hummer officials don't endorse the application of the "Vortex Valve" to the vehicle's intake manifold and may not even honor warranties. And just you never mind that no one will stand by those unofficial claims of increased efficiency or that tampering with the emission controls on EPA certified vehicles is, ehem, illegal. You go right on feeling better about yourself... after all, you tried, right?

[DG @ Jun 28th 2006 10:04AM]

Seriously? I think people that ride around in stretch Hummers, Navigators, and Explorers are all terrible, rotten people with little regard for their fellow citizens or the world they live in.

Truly, these stretch SUVs are a product of self-indugent, ignorant Americans and are completely irresponsible. Completely wasteful and totaly worthless. Shame on those that have anything to do with them.

[Benson Leung @ Jun 28th 2006 10:08AM]

Uhm. Did this get posted to Engadget by accident? Shouldn't this be like... an autoblog post?

[ksmith @ Jun 28th 2006 10:09AM]

Umm, these things never work. You might get a fraction of an MPG boost just because you're wallet is $190 lighter, but that's it. Just search google for a similar product, the turbonator.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=turbonator+myth

Plus, if this did what it claimed, wouldn't you think that GM would pony up the $190 to make their vehicles 30% more efficient? Yeah, I thought so.

[** Hello Moto ** @ Jun 28th 2006 10:11AM]

I remember in a magazine a few months ago (popular science, or popular macanics, or a similar one) they tested many different types of these wonder devices, many of which promissed 30-50% gains. And they all lowered the MPG and HP of the cars. I remember at the end they also said something similar to the car being 99% efficent, so no product could ever incease the effeciencey of an already produced car.

[Citizen Insane @ Jun 28th 2006 10:11AM]

What they are installing is pretty much the "Turbonator" device we've all seen on late night TV. I have not done extensive research on the topic, but I do know something about fluid flow and it tells me that all this vortex stuff is pure BS. Air flowing in one direction in a tube doesn't bennifit at all from spinning or turbulance, actually, it causes more resistance and lower flow. They use the example of the tornado simulators we all saw in preschool: when you attach 2 2-liter bottles together and spin, the water goes faster than if you just let it drop down. However, this is a completely useless example because you're dealing with 2 fluids flowing past each other. The reason it flows faster is because the centripital acceleration of the water pushes it to the edges, creating a hole in the middle for the air in the bottom bottle to go up. If you don't spin, the air has to bubble up through the water. Problem with this is that in your intake, you only have 1 fluid flowing in 1 direction, not two fluids flowing in oposite directions. What I'm getting at is, don't buy one of these stupid turbulance (or spin) generators, they don't do jack!

[JinKazama @ Jun 28th 2006 10:12AM]

WOW! Can't believe people are actually buying this. It has been proven time and time again that those things don't work. Just more proof that having money doesn't mean you're smart.

[trev @ Jun 28th 2006 10:19AM]

Even if these things did work, the hummer would still be drinking like a fish :P

[daaper @ Jun 28th 2006 10:20AM]

Hell, even if these claims were true, we're still only talking 12mpg (city) max...is that really acceptable? it's not for me...

[defcom1 @ Jun 28th 2006 10:36AM]

Mythbusters did an episode on various "enhancers" as well, you can all guess the results.

In addition, the article claims it forces more air into the system. This is nothing new. It's called either a turbo or a supercharger! They do increase efficiency (and boost power!) but nowhere near 30%.

[x23 @ Jun 28th 2006 10:39AM]

in all fairness the H3 gets 16/20 for mileage. which is about average and close enough to something much less vilified like the Honda Pilot AWD (17/22). if GM wised up and put a small diesel in the H3 it would get actual *good* mileage... in addition to being a much more suitable/useful powerplant than the I5 currently in the H3.

$190 for one of those "Vortex Valves"? yeah right. not bad enough that they are complete bullcrap... but then massively over-charging for it? i hope someone sues them when the promises fail to deliver.

- - -

"that tampering with the emission controls on EPA certified vehicles is, ehem, illegal."

a chunk of metal in the air intake is tampering with the emissions controls? i suppose a K&N is too right? or hell... even a non-factory air filter? OMG! teh tamper!

- - -

"the valve works by rechanneling and increasing the air that goes into a vehicle's intake manifold"

based on the ones i have seen on TV ... where they are placed would make no difference... they were placed right past the air filter... there is no way after X number of bends in the intake tubing that somehow the magic vortex-ified air would still be in "channels". give me a break.

[Shizy @ Jun 28th 2006 10:41AM]

SUCH a scam.

However, you definitely CAN improve on a production engine's efficiency... which is why aftermarket exhaust and cold air intakes, etc. are so effective in boosting both power and MPG. Why doesnt the factory use them then? Simple. They allow for "unacceptable" levels of noise, as well as increased production costs.

Bottom line: dont trust anything sold on late night TV.

[Brian Hague @ Jun 28th 2006 10:46AM]

Can't wait until the electric craze comes along, then we'll be complaining about the electrical grids failing, and the ozone pollution from all of those electric motors running all the time.

Is it just me, or should we just start sticking giant HEPA filters on the front ends of cars to start cleaning the air?

creating a vortex is what the combustion chamber is for, most of the US designs are two valves per cylinder with a heart-shaped CC which helps with the flow of the intake and exhaust. Adding a vortex generator on top of all of this can only decrease the amount of air (and fuel), meaning you will just need to add more pedal to keep the beast "humming" along. Besides, the Coriolis effect will "spin" the air/fuel for you... you can thank physics for that.

[three60 @ Jun 28th 2006 10:49AM]

CNBC did a short feature on this a few days ago. This is all a total crock. Even GM doesn't condone this stuff. If it did, you can bet they would be all over it and making these mods in the first place.

[KingVolcano @ Jun 28th 2006 10:51AM]

Check this out. Great insight on such products.
http://www.fuelsaving.info/turbulence.htm

[Magallanes @ Jun 28th 2006 11:32AM]

I don't find the point to have a Hummer and to think in economy?. You have a Hummer because you want power, and power = eat fuel, more power more fuel you will spend. Horsepowers don't come from thin air.

Anyways, many idio.. i say many "wrong people" buy a Hummer only for go to shopping in the city with the kids.
Another people buy a Hummer to impresionate but you can impresionate more buying a Willys, also more cheap.

[Nick @ Jun 28th 2006 11:39AM]

Most drivers could probably increase their gas mileage 30% by driving smarter/better.

I live on a corner and every time a car makes the turn on to the small side street, they slam on the gas (I can hear the engine rev) to go about 100 feet to the stop sign, "stop", and then slam on the gas again to accelerate around the corner, to go another 100 feet to the next stop sign.

Its also not uncommon to see people to come to a red/yellow light and instead of slowing to a stop, continue their rate of speed and then slam on the brakes at the last second.

[tim @ Jun 28th 2006 11:54AM]

Nothing says "I'm a brain dead asshat" like driving/buying/being seen in a Hummer. How come I am not suprised that somebody that's enough of a sucker to buy a Hummer, would also think that youc an pay $190 for some valve that is going to increase your fuel effeciency 30%. If that really worked, they would be standard featrue on every vehicle produced and tha crappy local news channels would be blabering on and on about it.

A Hummer is just like buying a big sign to wear around your neck that says, "Hey Everybody, I'm a stupid asshole."

[Hogee @ Jun 28th 2006 11:56AM]

Neil Young owns a hummer that runs on biodiesel. He said in a Times article, "I love it when people yell at me about the environment... and then I tell them that I'm burning 90% cleaner than them."

[macona @ Jun 28th 2006 12:08PM]

Ozone pollution from electric cars? Hows that? These motors dont run at near high enough voltage to get corona discharge and there is no UV light involved, so how can there be Ozone?

[fuzzylollipop @ Jun 28th 2006 12:17PM]

this just proves if you are stupid enough to buy a Hummer you are stupid enough to fall for this scam.

[Jeff @ Jun 28th 2006 12:23PM]

''Ozone pollution from electric cars? Hows that? These motors dont run at near high enough voltage to get corona discharge and there is no UV light involved, so how can there be Ozone?''

Because the electricity has to come from somewhere. The only difference is that the polution is coming from GE's plant down the block instead of out your exhuast pipe.

Electric cars are not a good idea. Hybrids bring much more to the table, but are also not perfect. I'll let someone else field that one though. =)

[Oddmanout @ Jun 28th 2006 12:35PM]

Yeah, I'd tend to think if such things worked GM and the like would throw in the extra $2 worth of metal or plastic so they could brag about actually getting mileage in the 30s (which would then justify a $2000 price hike) right out of the factory. And then they could throw in a pair of those "magnetic resonance" stones to attach to your fuel line to make your gasoline more powerfull and efficient.

People, the problem with your Hummer is not that the air isn't spinning enough in the engine, it's that you are hauling around a few THOUSAND extra pounds of useless metal as you stop and go in the morning commute BY YOURSELF.

The truly nutty thing about this post is that they are charging $190 for this thing. I've seen these things online and on tv for $39 to $69, which is the sweet sucker spot for what they're promising. The uneducated will reason that even if it doesn't work it won't be a big loss, and if it does it will be a big gain. Like playing the lottery...and the odds are about the same. But $190 ? You could easily get a K&N air filter and/or a cold air intake for that (on many but not all cars). And as mentioned those WOULD give you some benfit. Even an eRam electric supercharger would be better, at least it genuinely moves a volume of air (though I think a 5% hp increase is sort of pointless).

My advice to the average joe/joanne motorist, take your $190 bucks, change your oil, your plugs, your wires, and your air filter (a stock one will do though a high flow one is better in a lot of ways). Buy/use a $3 - $5 bottle of STP fuel system cleaner. Make sure your tires are properly inflated and that you have the right amount / mixture of water and coolant. You do that and you will get at least noticeable improvements in power and efficiency (certainly more than a turbonator will ever give you) and have enough money left over to put a couple gallons of gas in your fly ride and actually go somewhere.

My advice to the average Hummer driver...try to find yourself a rube to unload your behemoth on before you get too far upside down...

[scott @ Jun 28th 2006 12:55PM]

look at engadget getting all environmental with this story and the cell phone recycling article. man, your soapbox just gets bigger and bigger.

i certainly hope this will not infringe on the space devoted to ant-sony and anti-apple storylines!

[Christopher Somsook @ Jun 28th 2006 1:03PM]

"Because the electricity has to come from somewhere. The only difference is that the polution is coming from GE's plant down the block instead of out your exhuast pipe."


Electricity is still cleaner overall than gas because getting energy from one source (the plant) is better than having gas tanks/trucks all over the country filling up gas stations

[morcheeba @ Jun 28th 2006 1:37PM]

Cars are only about 20% efficient. We get all these whackos because there is so much room for improvement. http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/102spring2002_Web_projects/Z.Yates/Zach's%20Web%20Project%20Folder/EICE%20-%20power%20losses.htm

When engines are 100% efficient, you'll know because they will not generate any heat or noise. Think how powerful the heater is in the winter time - my old car was spec'ed at 9.8kW -- that's 13hp wasted!

Me, I'm happy with the 50 mpg I get on my superbike ;-)

[Gr1zz @ Jun 28th 2006 1:42PM]

If you belive this will give you 30% fueal efficiency, then i have an amazing cell phone booster that sticks onto your battery for the amazing low-low price of....

[Jeff Foster @ Jun 28th 2006 1:59PM]

hahaha Hummer owners are dumb.


who the hell would believe that a bent piece of scrap metal stuck inside their intake would actually INCREASE fuel efficiency!?!? - or increase anything, for that matter: it's something in the way!

dumbasses. Not to mention simply adding more air would make the engine run lean, damaging the engine, and more to the point, today's engines will compensate for the extra air BY ADDING MORE FUEL to even the ratio, resulting in LOWER mpg!

these hummer buyers are apparently f**king morons.

[bill @ Jun 28th 2006 5:10PM]

Brian Hague:

The coriolis effect actually came up during lunch today which led me a trip to wikipedia about an hour ago. The effect does not have nearly enough force to cause such a short lived packet of air to get any kind of rotation going.

[sev4 pri1 @ Jun 28th 2006 5:24PM]

your stock ecu can adjust for small mods like intake and exhaust. my '96 VW 2.0 4 banger is listed at 32mpg or so freeway. with chip, k&n cone filter and modified (higher flowing) exhaust I get a religeouse 35mpg on road trips.

hummers are stupid. try sitting in the back of one. I'm only 6'1" but my head hits the ceiling... total short man syndrome.
i'd like a new car but there is nothing on the market that is as fast and efficient as my 10yr old car.

[Eric @ Jun 28th 2006 10:26PM]

The only way to justify buying a Hummer is if you're using it off road like probably 0.1% of the people who own them do.

[Mike @ Jun 28th 2006 11:14PM]

I love it when I see a Hummer with a "Support Our Troops" bumper sticker. It's like saying, "yes, I support our troops by guzzling all the gas that they give their lives for."

[Brian Hague @ Jun 29th 2006 1:13AM]

"The coriolis effect actually came up during lunch today which led me a trip to wikipedia about an hour ago. The effect does not have nearly enough force to cause such a short lived packet of air to get any kind of rotation going."

Thanks for pointing that out bill... and your point is?

"Ozone pollution from electric cars? Hows that? These motors dont run at near high enough voltage to get corona discharge and there is no UV light involved, so how can there be Ozone?"

Thanks for pointing that out Macona...

Who said anything about the electric motors... but they will produce ozone, but not in the quantities I was thinking... you should start looking into what happens when you discharge your battery, then charge it back up again (the entire chain, not just one component)... until newer technologies start coming out with Li-Ion or vanadium-flow (I can see the Vanadium filling stations now... wonder how that stuff's produced LOL!!!) I don't think the polution game is over anytime soon...

BTW, you should look at the Carnegie-Mellon University study on LA and NY. It did actually reduce pollution by 10% on a hypothetical "switch everyone to electric cars" study a couple of years ago... before you add in the waste costs, "overcharging" explosions of Li-Ion Batteries, and disposal of misc...

I think Pluggable Hybrids are the way to go right now, until I start seeing Vanadium stations and watching the roads for purple and yellow stains, I'll stick with my Prius (city car: 40 MPG City, 32 Highway), and Grand Prix (Highway Car: 24 City, 33 Highway)

...and Toyota says there's nothing wrong with my car...

Macona your point is well taken, get a nice brushless motor and we'll talk. Nice to hear someone who can think for themselves for once!

[asdf @ Jun 29th 2006 5:28AM]

you americans with your priuses are such dumbasses. funny how you're so willing to buy these expensive and complicated hybrids sporting some crappy 6-7 l/100km, you're getting ripped off. 6-7 l is an average car in europe and japan, many even having better economy, and that running only on regular diesel or petrol.

[Brian Hague @ Jun 29th 2006 11:52AM]

"you americans with your priuses are such dumbasses. funny how you're so willing to buy these expensive and complicated hybrids sporting some crappy 6-7 l/100km, you're getting ripped off. 6-7 l is an average car in europe and japan, many even having better economy, and that running only on regular diesel or petrol."

You obviously haven't lived here... We don't have the same Diesel as you do, We don't have the same cars available to us... for an example, just this year we got the Honda Fit (the Honda Jazz), and Toyota Yaris (the "BIG" Toyota Vitz)... Previous to this, the smallest car we could get was the Kia Rio (Hyundai Getz). Soon we'll actually be able to buy a smart. The smallest VW TDI we can buy is the Golf, and that's been modified to work with our diesel. The reason why I bought my Prius is the "EV" button. After I'm done bumping up the battery in mine, and adding a charger, I will be able to go to work and back without firing up the gas engine... It's a "toy"-o-ta... I would say that the Japanese and Europeans are also just as stupid for not getting these cars in here sooner... But I can tell you this, I don't know anyone who thinks the hummers are acceptable vehicles; Even before our gas crunch (still cheaper than everywhere else!). They don't off road (except the H1, and the H3), They don't fit in parking spaces, They enjoy long breaks at the gas pumps, They don't do well in an accident with an equal sized car, and they're shaped like a box... They're going to lose value, and Hummer will be another "Geo", in the US.

[syukton @ Jul 1st 2006 10:51PM]

Both my dad (mid-90's 5.0L V8) and I (late-80's 2.8L V6) each have a Tornado Fuel Saver. You can go on and on all you want about studies and how "the science shows that..." but I've gotten an 11% increase in fuel economy since installing mine four years ago, and my dad just got his a year ago and he's seeing a 10% increase. I went from 260 miles/tank (14.444444...mpg) to 290 miles/tank (16.111111...) just by installing the device. I can't speak for all of these types of devices, but I can speak from my own experience that the Tornade Fuel Saver really works.

[Frederik @ Aug 30th 2007 1:18PM]

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Fuel Freedom International, http://www.enviromental.myffi.biz/, LLC is pleased to introduce products, that works with all types of fuels, gas, diesel, biodiesel and ethanol-gasoline blends, based on its AFT catalyst, will help you save your money while delivering greater efficiency and performance results at the same time. The products – which you can find at: http://www.enviromental.myffi.biz/ - will condition your engine and help your engine last longer, those products has been scientifically proven to help reduce fuel consumption and improve performance too!

[Mark Yax @ Jul 12th 2006 10:25AM]

One of my friends had a 63 corvette split window coupe with a 350hp 327 and a four speed, he claimed that if this car was driven normally he managed to get 18mpg in the city. Granted this was a pretty light car but here we are 43 years later and with all the computer controls my 2004 silverado with a 5.3liter 325c.i. 295hp.gets about the same mileage. something is definetly wrong here. The technology is out there the just won't give it out

[Mark @ Jul 12th 2006 9:12PM]

Reading all of the whiny comments about Hummers makes me want to buy one even more.

"The only way to justify buying a Hummer is if you're using it off road like probably 0.1% of the people who own them do."

Uh...no. How about that some people just like them for their appearance.

Try to turn your irrational hatred into something useful.

[Vince Blackham @ Jul 14th 2006 12:44PM]

I've been a firm believer in a combination of cold air intakes and catback exhausts for my own cars and trucks and my customers'. It's not like it's a HUGE savings in MPG, but anything is beneficial nowadays, plus you get better performance and a nice roar from your engine. Who wouldn't want more horsepower and torque while saving a few bucks at the pump???