 Probably what John Warner drives forth-and-back to Congress |
An influential Republican senator suggested Thursday that Congress might want to consider reimposing a national speed limit to save gasoline and possibly ease fuel prices.
Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia, asked Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman to look into what speed limit would provide optimum gasoline efficiency given current technology. He said he wants to know if the administration might support efforts in Congress to require a lower speed limit.
Congress in 1974 set a national 55 mph speed limit because of energy shortages caused by the Arab oil embargo. The speed limit was repealed in 1995 when crude oil dipped to $17 a barrel and gasoline cost $1.10 a gallon.
Warner cited studies that showed the 55 mph speed limit saved 167,000 barrels of oil a day, or 2 percent of the country’s highway fuel consumption, while avoiding up to 4,000 traffic deaths a year.
“Given the significant increase in the number of vehicles on America’s highway system from 1974 to 2008, one could assume that the amount of fuel that could be conserved today is far greater,” Warner wrote Bodman.
The article ends with a stupid question to Energy Department flunkeys – with an even dumber answer that illustrates how the Energy Department actually is the “Butt-Kissers for the Oil Patch Boys” Department.
But, seriously, is someone bringing back the double nickels in an election year? I think not.
ECA,
Are you claiming you got 35 MPG with an Oldsmobile with a 292 in it?
All the testing of motors was done on the OLD engines, to find what worked..the OLD big bore 292…then they reduced the engine size, and its CRAP.. a HIGH HEAT engine with an aluminum HEAD, and steal BLOCK(aluminum cant take the strain.
I get the idea that you dont know much about motors or engines..
For sure you don’t. A lot of fairy tales there but little substance.
The size of the engine is not as important as the efficiency. Most of the old low reving iron blocks got shit mileage and shit efficiency. The newer high reving, hotter running, aluminum engines are generally more efficient; getting more energy from the fuel to the wheels.
Some early iron blocks mated with aluminum heads had problems. Most did not. Many iron heads also had problems. But back 30 or 40 years ago, a car with 100,000 miles was considered an old car. Today, a car with 100,000 miles is usually considered broken in.
I am unaware of any Oldsmobiles using the 292. This was mostly a small truck / Chevrolet engine. Are you sure your Olds has a 292?
#65 – Mr. Catshit,
Gasoline cars averaged 9 percent fewer mpg.
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that the averages are what EPA says they are. They most certainly aren’t.
I was merely commenting that some people do get the mileage advertised or better. I was taking issue with Mr. Fusion’s statement that ‘no one ever actually achieved those numbers.’ Perhaps I shouldn’t take people so literally. I just can’t help it. I’m a geek.
I happen to be lucky. Or, more likely, I don’t mash the pedals. Cruise control is great for improving mileage. If you have a heavy foot, try the accelerate and decelerate feature of the cruise control instead of hitting the gas and brake yourself.
However, no, I doubt the mileage estimates are realistic for most people.
BTW, 1986 was the nation’s highest fuel economy year. We’ve been going downhill ever since. There are many factors to fuel economy. The basic though is that if you want to drive faster, you must burn gasoline faster. You can do it with larger more powerful engines or with lower gear ratios, etc. We’ve been using a combination of factors. Our cars are also not only faster, but much heavier as well.
My 1987 camry weighed 2700 lbs. My 1992 weights 3300. My father-in-law’s 2008 is 3700 lbs. The ’08 is a hybrid and gets slightly better highway mileage than I get with the 1992 but worse than I got with the 1987. He does do much better around town than either of the others with the hybrid.