New Myth Busters: Dirty Cars and Duel Efficiency

D

D Tailor

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I don't know if this has been covered here before, but, I just saw a commercial for the new Mythbusters. They are going to try and debunk the myth on whether or not a dirty car is less fuel efficient. Wednesday (October 21 @ 9pm).



Stay tuned! :xyxthumbs
 
Interesting....I've been watching the show since the first jet powered Impala episode. I would think a dirty car has a little more drag than a clean one but whether it is significant enough to detect....well we shall see!
 
It is less fuel efficient. You probably can't measure it well enough to tell. The extra weight of the dirt would lower the fuel economy.
 
AeroCleanse said:
It is less fuel efficient. You probably can't measure it well enough to tell. The extra weight of the dirt would lower the fuel economy.
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Be interesting to see if they test both theorys....dirty car=more drag. And dirty car=heavier car. Personally I think the drag would have more effect at high speeds than the extra weight. Drag is a constant effect but once the car comes up to speed, I think that it wouldn't take much more fuel to overcome the inertia of the extra weight. JMHO anyway!
 
as interesting as this "myth" would seem to autopians mythbusters will no doubt disappoint. that show is all wind up and no pitch.



john force says that white paint weighs less than other colors and that is why his cars are mostly white. he is my favorite athlete :)
 
Interesting . . . I've always felt that a freshly polished and waxed car "feels" faster than before the detail. Maybe I'm just crazy though.
 
I don't think that the weight of the dirt can make much difference. I could drive myself to a restaurant really hungry, pig out there, and then drive home after eating a pound of food, and that would hardly make a difference, let alone a few oz of dirt.
 
AeroCleanse said:
It is less fuel efficient. You probably can't measure it well enough to tell. The extra weight of the dirt would lower the fuel economy.
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In an opposing argument one could say that all the polishes and waxes layered on would have the same "weight affect" just like the dirt on the vehicle.



Personally I think something so minimal wouldn't even make a difference. :grinno:
 
A local mechanic here had a column in the newspaper once. In one of his columns he wrote that regular maintenance could enhance fuel efficiency. You know, the typical stuff you hear from carmakers, manufacturers, worthless auto online articles, blah blah blah.



Of particular interest is one of his sentence, which states that keeping the car clean could enhance fuel efficiency. This "myth" or "fact" has been around for many many MANY years, and it has yet been proven, nor refuted. We shall see what the crazy dudes or goth woman on Mythbuster find!
 
UPS did an efficiency study on the effects of dirt as it relates to drag on their fleet of freighter aircraft. They discovered that it does make a difference.



A clean aircraft did use its fuel load more efficiently.



For a car or UPS delivery truck, it may not be noticeable, but when you are burning thousands of pounds of JP4 an hour, it does add up!



Of course, winter in the snowbelt can add a few pounds to a vehicles weight in the form of "fenderbergs" that form in the wheel wells of vehicles.
 
jcandiman said:
as interesting as this "myth" would seem to autopians mythbusters will no doubt disappoint. that show is all wind up and no pitch.



john force says that white paint weighs less than other colors and that is why his cars are mostly white. he is my favorite athlete :)
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This is the same with the old Mercedes teams - they were silver (metal color)



For what it is worth - i believe chemical guys claim 7% better gas mileage with a clean car.
 
jcandiman said:
john force says that white paint weighs less than other colors and that is why his cars are mostly white. he is my favorite athlete :)
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:laugh:



He's a funny guy, isn't he.



I really miss his show, and I'm not much of a drag fan even.
 
JuneBug said:
I like Mythbusters, thanks for the tip - I'll make a note to watch. BTW - who knocked up the hot redhead?
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Some lucky guy





Either way I find the myth to be fact. Dirty car creates wind resistance



Ever notice that car designers are making their cars sleeker than their primitive counterparts



Hell I grew up in the late 80's early 90's when we had the old box cars..



When the new models taurus,escorts,cavaliers and such came out I thought they looked like space ships.



But if you put a bunch of resistance on that sleek design. Whether it be dirt Grime, Grease, Mud, it creates resistance to flow. requiring more effort to your vehicle to reach desired speeds. Might not be overly noticeable unless your driving through mudpuddles and covering it. But it should show a difference
 
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