Top 5 Products to Boost Fuel Efficiency

Stroll through any automotive store, and you’ll find countless products promising to enhance your car’s performance in various ways. However, not every claim on the packaging holds true. With gas prices consistently on the rise, drivers are eager to find affordable solutions that can help them save money over time.

The automotive market is flooded with products that promise to boost or restore your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. From fuel additives and air bleed devices to liquid injection systems and even magnets, each claims to maximize every gallon of gas. Some products assert they can clean your engine, thereby improving fuel economy, while others suggest they alter gasoline’s molecular structure, regulate its temperature, or add air to extend its lifespan. But do these products deliver on their promises?

We’ve compiled a list of five product categories that claim to enhance gas mileage and compared them against tests conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Popular Mechanics, and other reputable sources. It’s important to note that the government does not endorse or officially approve any of these products. Be cautious of gas-saving items that claim government backing, as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) explicitly warns against such misleading claims.

While some products might slightly improve your car’s mileage, the difference is often negligible and unlikely to impact your budget. Additionally, certain products can even damage your engine. Before investing in any gas-saving system or additive, read on to learn more.

5: Fuel Additives

Fuel additives are among the most popular products promising to boost your vehicle’s MPG. These pour-in solutions often fill entire shelves at auto parts stores, with most making two primary claims. First, they assert they can clean engine components. Second, they claim to enhance or restore fuel efficiency, often as a result of the cleaning process.

Determining whether these additives genuinely clean engine parts is challenging for most car owners. Many of the areas they claim to clean are difficult to access, making it hard to verify their effectiveness. Even if they do clean the engine, the impact on fuel efficiency is often so minimal that it goes unnoticed.

Some drivers use these additives with every fill-up, while others use them sporadically. However, in most cases, the benefits don’t justify the cost. According to EPA tests, no fuel additive has been proven to improve gas mileage. The EPA evaluated 14 different additives and found none had a measurable positive effect on fuel efficiency. Instead of spending money on these products, you’re better off saving that cash for an extra gallon of gas.

Additives are just one type of product claiming to boost your gas mileage. On the next page, we explore more complex systems designed to achieve the same goal.

4: Air Bleed and Vapor Bleed Devices

Air bleed and vapor bleed devices offer a more advanced method for improving fuel efficiency. These systems introduce extra air into the carburetor, often installed on the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) line or replacing idle-mixture screws.

The EPA has evaluated over 20 air bleed devices, finding only one that marginally improved fuel mileage. However, this came with the drawback of increased exhaust emissions. Additionally, some of these systems are considered illegal tampering by federal regulations, making them a risky choice for vehicle owners.

Vapor bleed systems, also known as mixture enhancers, operate similarly but go a step further by vaporizing fuel before it enters the PCV manifold. These systems combine liquid fuel with pressurized air in a chamber, creating a vaporized mixture that is then fed into the engine. This process aims to optimize combustion and improve efficiency.

The concept of vaporized fuel is based on the idea that the engine will burn fuel more efficiently, minimizing waste and maximizing mileage per gallon. Unlike additives, these systems require installation in the engine compartment and specific modifications to the engine. Despite testing numerous vapor bleed and mixture enhancer products, the EPA found none that improved gas mileage.

If you’re still searching for a miracle solution to boost your car’s fuel efficiency, the next page might offer some options worth exploring.

3: Liquid Injection

Liquid injection technology originated from World War II fighter planes. Pilots injected water or a water-alcohol mixture into the combustion chambers to cool the air heated by turbochargers. At high altitudes, the thinner air provided insufficient cooling, making this method essential for maintaining engine performance.

Pilots used water or a water-alcohol mix to cool the air, boosting engine power temporarily. Some car manufacturers have attempted to adapt this concept for vehicles, but with no proven success. Aftermarket kits don’t inject water directly into the combustion chamber but instead introduce it into the fuel and air intake system. Popular Mechanics tested one such system in a truck, but the results were underwhelming. Their setup used the intake manifold to draw water from a bottle into the system.

The truck experienced a drop in both power and fuel efficiency, with a 20 percent reduction in mileage when the water injection system was active. These results are far from ideal for anyone looking to save money. While the EPA observed slightly better outcomes with a liquid injection system, the improvement in fuel economy was minimal. Only one system showed a marginal increase in gas mileage, but it was negligible.

If the previous ideas seemed a bit unrealistic, the next page introduces even more unconventional methods that might leave you puzzled.

2: Engine Ionizer

Numerous gas-saving products claim to enhance fuel efficiency in the combustion chamber. The engine ionizer is one such product that fits this description.

The ionizer features rubber clips that attach to each spark plug wire near the cylinder heads. Each cylinder has a clip that supposedly captures a "corona charge," transferring energy from the firing cylinder to others. Proponents claim this process breaks down larger hydrocarbon molecules in non-firing cylinders, leading to improved combustion efficiency.

Beyond promising better gas mileage, some of these products also boast increased horsepower, lower emissions, smoother idling, and improved engine starts. However, during testing by Popular Mechanics, the experiment had to be halted due to a fire caused by the product. The ionizing rubber blocks attached to the spark plug wires melted onto the manifold, creating flare-ups akin to grilling a burger—hardly ideal for your engine compartment. Not only did it cause a fire, but the ionizer also reduced horsepower during the test.

A website selling an engine ionizer claims drivers can save $500 to $1,000 annually with the device. This is a bold claim, especially since a mechanics magazine had to stop testing it after their vehicle caught fire.

There’s still one more gas-saving trick to explore. Turn to the next page to learn how magnets can do more than just hold photos on your fridge.

1: Fuel Line Magnets

Magnets often appear as a universal solution to various problems. If you believe in magnetic wristbands that claim to improve health and balance, that’s your choice. But if you’re considering magnets to boost your gas mileage, you might want to reconsider.

Magnet products claim to work by attaching to the exterior or interior of your fuel line, supposedly breaking up clustered fuel particles for more efficient combustion. However, like other products mentioned, this claim is unfounded. Tests on fuel line magnets have demonstrated no measurable improvement in gas mileage.

Beyond the ineffectiveness of magnets, the notion that fuel in the engine burns inefficiently is itself flawed. Government studies reveal that 99 percent of the fuel entering your engine is burned, with only 1 percent remaining unburned. Even if a product could enhance combustion efficiency, the improvement would be negligible and not worth the investment.

True fuel savings come from practical, time-tested methods. Maintain a steady speed, reduce unnecessary weight, keep your engine well-maintained, plan trips efficiently, use cruise control, and avoid aggressive driving habits like sudden acceleration. Saving on gas is akin to fitness—it requires discipline, and there are no shortcuts to achieving meaningful results.