Whose fuel economy increased after installing an FTRA?
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From: Philly
Whose fuel economy increased after installing an FTRA? just like the title says: whose fuel economy increased after installing an FTRA? or an SLP CAI, SSRA and the like.
i ask because of my backwards experience. i installed my FTRA about 2 months ago. their product lists a 5%-10% increase in fuel economy. i figured "sweet, i'm getting 21-22 mpg consistently, i may be getting 23-24 mpg with this thing!"
well, i put the damn thing in and now i'm getting 19-20 mpg. so i ask, wtf? why in the hell did i lose about 2 mpg by installing a cold air scoop that claims to increase fuel economy 5%-10% ?
not only that, but i check my air filter on a weekly basis and it's never really dirty. people report all kinds of nasty being sucked up into their air filter. bugs, leaves, you name it. i'm having none of these problems
a pretty clean filter - well, it's not getting dirtier any faster than when my air box was stock - and a loss in mpg. any thoughts on this? it's been bothering me for a while.
i ask because of my backwards experience. i installed my FTRA about 2 months ago. their product lists a 5%-10% increase in fuel economy. i figured "sweet, i'm getting 21-22 mpg consistently, i may be getting 23-24 mpg with this thing!"
well, i put the damn thing in and now i'm getting 19-20 mpg. so i ask, wtf? why in the hell did i lose about 2 mpg by installing a cold air scoop that claims to increase fuel economy 5%-10% ?
not only that, but i check my air filter on a weekly basis and it's never really dirty. people report all kinds of nasty being sucked up into their air filter. bugs, leaves, you name it. i'm having none of these problems
a pretty clean filter - well, it's not getting dirtier any faster than when my air box was stock - and a loss in mpg. any thoughts on this? it's been bothering me for a while.
Originally Posted by ChocoTaco369
just like the title says: whose fuel economy increased after installing an FTRA? or an SLP CAI, SSRA and the like.
i ask because of my backwards experience. i installed my FTRA about 2 months ago. their product lists a 5%-10% increase in fuel economy. i figured "sweet, i'm getting 21-22 mpg consistently, i may be getting 23-24 mpg with this thing!"
well, i put the damn thing in and now i'm getting 19-20 mpg. so i ask, wtf? why in the hell did i lose about 2 mpg by installing a cold air scoop that claims to increase fuel economy 5%-10% ?
not only that, but i check my air filter on a weekly basis and it's never really dirty. people report all kinds of nasty being sucked up into their air filter. bugs, leaves, you name it. i'm having none of these problems
a pretty clean filter - well, it's not getting dirtier any faster than when my air box was stock - and a loss in mpg. any thoughts on this? it's been bothering me for a while.
i ask because of my backwards experience. i installed my FTRA about 2 months ago. their product lists a 5%-10% increase in fuel economy. i figured "sweet, i'm getting 21-22 mpg consistently, i may be getting 23-24 mpg with this thing!"
well, i put the damn thing in and now i'm getting 19-20 mpg. so i ask, wtf? why in the hell did i lose about 2 mpg by installing a cold air scoop that claims to increase fuel economy 5%-10% ?
not only that, but i check my air filter on a weekly basis and it's never really dirty. people report all kinds of nasty being sucked up into their air filter. bugs, leaves, you name it. i'm having none of these problems
a pretty clean filter - well, it's not getting dirtier any faster than when my air box was stock - and a loss in mpg. any thoughts on this? it's been bothering me for a while.
off topic, you got any pics of the rear of your car? Its hard to find nice tips for a Formula
Mine went up when I installed the FTRA and the whisper lid.. But then I put on the cut out and leave it open all the time and it dropped quite a bit..Its so hard to keep your foot off the gas when the engine sounds so good.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Philly
nah guys, it's not the foot issue. when i put my FTRA in, i immediately noticed a 1-2 mpg decrease in fuel economy. i know it's not the foot issue because i'm not driving any harder. since i'm done my internship, i'm actually doing A LOT less city driving, and it still went down
when i put my cutout on, it went down even more. again, not the foot factor, but the immediate loss of low end torque is responsible for this. i lost about 1 mpg due to that.
i used to get 22 mpg consistently, now i'm lucky to get 20. i got 18.5 mpg last week
i find it hard to believe that i need a tune after an intake. could it have leaned me out THAT BADLY?
ravensfan, i'll try to get you some pictures of my rear end sometime soon (insert joke here
)
when i put my cutout on, it went down even more. again, not the foot factor, but the immediate loss of low end torque is responsible for this. i lost about 1 mpg due to that.
i used to get 22 mpg consistently, now i'm lucky to get 20. i got 18.5 mpg last week
i find it hard to believe that i need a tune after an intake. could it have leaned me out THAT BADLY?
ravensfan, i'll try to get you some pictures of my rear end sometime soon (insert joke here
) My fuel economy went UP when I installed a cutout on the stock car. It just sounds so good that a lot of people are more aggressive and don't realize that their foot is what's hurting the fuel economy.
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Thread Starter
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Philly
i already had a corsa catback on so my exhaust flowed pretty well. the cutout just ruined my torque way down low, i can feel it for sure. i don't mind the 1 mpg i lost through the cutout. what i do mind is the 1-2 mpg i lost with the FTRA that claims to increase fuel economy 
i guess headers and a tune next year...
i guess headers and a tune next year...
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Thread Starter
Tech Resident
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 5,117
Likes: 3
From: Philly
i'm driving less city - a lot less city - and it still went down i'm off my internship and back to school so i'm driving on all back roads now. no more stop and go...and still a loss 
i'm off my internship and back to school so i'm driving on all back roads now. no more stop and go...and still a loss 
Originally Posted by ChocoTaco369
i already had a corsa catback on so my exhaust flowed pretty well. the cutout just ruined my torque way down low, i can feel it for sure. i don't mind the 1 mpg i lost through the cutout. what i do mind is the 1-2 mpg i lost with the FTRA that claims to increase fuel economy
i guess headers and a tune next year...
i guess headers and a tune next year...
Fuel Economy Check out www.installunivesity.com for their unbiased review of the FTRA including fuel economy increases.
The FTRA does increase fuel economy but lets look at possible causes for your lost fuel economy:
1. The first rule of hotrodding. Many mods can increase fuel economy but when people have new found HP, they tend to use it more often (even without realizing it).
2. Your air filter is dirty. The FTRA will make your filter dirty faster. Check it.
3. You need a tune up.
4. Your region has switched to winter gas blends. These typically yield poorer fuel economy.
5. Your testing parameters have changed. You cannot compare fuel economy from a different road on a different time of the year to the current time. Road conditions change, temperatures change etc.
To perform an accurate test of the FTRA in regard to fuel economy, do the following:
Install the block off plate and remove the front seal (disabling the FTRA) and fill the tank right to the top.
Go to the highway and set the cruise control to a set speed and drive a set distance.
No remove the block off plate and put the front seal back on. Repeat the above test on the same day in the same direction at the same speed for the same distance.
In the 8 years we have sold the kit, users typically report 5-10 % increase in fuel economy.
The FTRA does increase fuel economy but lets look at possible causes for your lost fuel economy:
1. The first rule of hotrodding. Many mods can increase fuel economy but when people have new found HP, they tend to use it more often (even without realizing it).
2. Your air filter is dirty. The FTRA will make your filter dirty faster. Check it.
3. You need a tune up.
4. Your region has switched to winter gas blends. These typically yield poorer fuel economy.
5. Your testing parameters have changed. You cannot compare fuel economy from a different road on a different time of the year to the current time. Road conditions change, temperatures change etc.
To perform an accurate test of the FTRA in regard to fuel economy, do the following:
Install the block off plate and remove the front seal (disabling the FTRA) and fill the tank right to the top.
Go to the highway and set the cruise control to a set speed and drive a set distance.
No remove the block off plate and put the front seal back on. Repeat the above test on the same day in the same direction at the same speed for the same distance.
In the 8 years we have sold the kit, users typically report 5-10 % increase in fuel economy.
Gained at least to mpg with my intake which is pretty similar to the FTRA just alot larger...i think if i remember correctly i got around 335 miles to the tank on the highway doing 75-80 last time i cam home from school...it definitely helped my gas mileage ever when i just had the ftra....
also i think the above post #5 sounds like a good reason
Also keep that cutout closed you are going to lose gas mileage with it open due to no back pressure from the exhaust...which is why the torque is lost...
also i think the above post #5 sounds like a good reason
Also keep that cutout closed you are going to lose gas mileage with it open due to no back pressure from the exhaust...which is why the torque is lost...
