Improve MPG??

[Minirailz]

Few days ago I saw a capacitor for sale.
Not the chunky ones used for high-end amplifiers but a smaller one to plug in your cigarette lighter.

The description was quite simple:
By using this capacitor, your fuel efficiency increases.

More technological story:
The capacitor reduces the spikes created by the alternator.
Therefor the mechanical resistance of the alternator would decrease, which means less fuel consumption.

The first part is definitely true, spikes will be smaller.
But the rest of the story sounds like:

So, what do you guys think?

Dennis
ps: since i am a newbe here ( ) I can't post a link to the magical device...

[gazza82]

If it sounds too good to be true ... that's probably because it is ...

Stay well clear ...

[Capncol]

Snake oil!!
In these times of high fuel prices, the car manufacturers invest vast sums of money to make cars cleaner and more efficient. I'm sure if it did work, it would already be incorporated ( like one way alternator clutches already are, and they're more expensive to produce than a capacitor)

Some bloke in a shed flogging stuff on ebay (or where ever) won't convince me they know more than the car makers.

ps: since i am a newbe here ( ) I can't post a link to the magical device...

That's because we had a load of spammers a while back that came on, posted a link to something they were selling, and buggered off with absolutely no other interest in the site. Lyndon (site admin) made it so you have to post so many posts before you have full site functionality.
Sorry.

[Minirailz]

I did some more research and I found some flabbergasting devices
Magnets for your fuel line to swirl your (non magnetic) fuel.
But also special fans for the air intake.

The fans would make the air go like a tornado and therefor the fuel/air mix would be better.
In reality you would lose around 10bhp because you're blocking the air intake...

So much scam these days.

Dennis
Btw: I know why you keep the policy about url and img's, it can be a real pain with al these advertisers...

[gazza82]

The majority are clip-on power enhancers for the ECU ... it reality they just fool the ecu in to making the fuel mixture richer so you get minimal increase in performance, lower MPG therefore more expensive to run, and potential to damage the cat by blowing out fuel with the exhaust ...

wizard idea ... not!