But what I have found that works is not gimmicky at all, but based on pure science – better spark plugs and better air filter.

If your engine can spark hotter, more fuel will burn (lots of exhaust is unburned fuel vapor). And that means more miles for every gallon.

Pulstar Spark Plugs Burn Hotter for better Gas Mileage

Here is a nifty video showing the plug in action: Pulstar Spark Plug Test

I have tried splitfire and halo spark plugs in the past, only to find moderate success. But I recently ran across Pulstar Iridium spark plugs. The marketing touts a hotter burn from a better capacitor (iridium). The plugs are priced about 4 times more than other advanced plugs, but the premium material pays for itself in about 5 tanks of gas (or about 2 months). In my 2008 Subaru I have seen on average a 20 percent increase in gas mileage, reaching up to 30 percent when I drive 45 to 50 MPH. Of course, savings will vary by car.

Gas Milease, Horsepower and Torque Gains from Pulstar Spark Plug

I also run a permanent air filter from KN. I’ve forked over the $35 on my last four cars and trucks only to see a consistent MPG increase. Like the spark plugs, its a one time cost and pays for itself in a matter of months (not to mention, no more disposable air filters).

Both products provide greater torque and horsepower too.

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Image via Wikipedia

As a new father, I continue to stumble across tips and tricks about a month or two late. Here is a brief summary of some of those tips and tricks for other new and aspiring fathers:

The Five “S” from Dr. Karp: We ended up stumbling across some of these by chance, but missed a few of the powerful techniques. They only work for newborns, but they appear (and I can attest are) super effective. You can buy the book and DVD or catch the freebies on YouTube.

Magic baby hold: We came across this one late in the game. Simply hold your baby on their left side.

Skip night changings: Ever hear “never wake a sleeping baby”? There is a lot of truth to that because you may never get them back to sleep. At night we doubled up the diaper (reusable). It was saturated by AM but worked. He did not seem uncomfortable. The exception might be when the baby poops – if you know it, you might change it to prevent diaper rash.

Cosleep with your baby: It sounds “unamerican” but its the way most civilizations do it. In reality, it will save mom and dad a ton of sleep – no one needs to get up, out of bed, to tend to baby (well, unless you bottle feed). For breastfeeders, mom simply rolls over. The catch is you need to be conscious not to roll over on the baby or cover baby with a sheet or blanket.

Reusable diapers are less about the environment and more about saving money: For all the debate about diapers, it seems the green impacts are about equal. That aside, you’ll save thousands over the course of your baby’s diaper changing if you go reusable. There are no old-school pins anymore, so clipping with “snappies” is fast and easy. And make sure you buy good diapers, not the cheap Gerber ones at most stores. You need to wash small loads pretty frequently (every other day for us), but that depends on how many diapers you have stored and how big your pail is. If you don’t have a clothes washer, go the disposable route. The biggest drawback to reusable is traveling (we plan to use disposables when there is no washer near) and the stench from the laundry room when washing. But that can be remedied with an open window.

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You’ll find numerous styles, colors and materials, but they all share the same common concept: prevent your clothes from clumping together in the dryer. All of them share one feature in common – little “fingers” that “stick” to textiles and helps pull them apart. Clearly this is much better than a shoe or a tennis ball and they certainly work.

While the dryer balls claim to dry clothes faster, I haven’t found that to be the case. Howewver, if there are simply too many clothes in the dryer, the balls won’t work. But what I have found is that the dryer balls definitely make clothes feel softer and prevent some wrinkles. This result was obvious with bamboo towels we have. These towels consistently took a long time to dry and came out of the dryer rather “rough” – well with the dryer balls, the towels come out noticeably softer anyway.

So for around ten bucks, a set of dryer balls will easily pay for themselves in savings over dryer sheets or fabric softeners, plus no chemical residue.

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We bought our 1999 Mitsubishi Mirage in 2001 with 12,000 miles. After adding 178,000 miles in the past ten years, the car keeps on ticking and has had only one major repair: air conditioning leak (and that was a major cost only because the leak was buried in the dashboard).

Aside from following the prescribed maintenance schedule, there are a few other things I’ve learned to follow:

Use 100% Synthetic Oil and Change it Often

Most cars come with and are replaced with the conventional oil pumped from the ground. Fully synthetic oil is just that, made in a lab to behave like the stuff from the ground. However, synthetic oil is much more durable – it lasts longer under heat, is more viscous (slick) so it lasts longer in an engine and lubricates better. The primary drawback to synthetic oil is the cost: it typically runs more than twice as much as conventional oil. On the flip side, most shops will recommend changing conventional oil every three to four thousand miles while suggesting six to eight thousand miles for synthetic, effectively making them cost the same. I’ve tended to change my synthetic oil every five or six thousand miles for extra protection. And don’t forget to have the filter changed each time! Keep in mind there are synthetic “blends” available too – these are a mix of conventional and synthetic oil. While blends are cheaper than full synthetics, they will also not last as long. If Formula 1 race cars all use full synthetic, the stuff must work! Mobil 1 is the most common brand of full synthetic, but can be expensive. Royal Purple is the pick of many motor heads.

Use Premium Spark Plugs like Splitfire, E3 or Halo

Like oil, spark plugs are another part where you’ll usually get the cheapest, basic part. Cheap spark plugs go for under a buck, while the good ones can be as much as ten bucks. But you get what you pay for: increased performance, fuel efficiency, less pollution an in some cases a 100,000 mile warranty! These advanced spark plugs typically use two things: increased surface area to “spark” and greater conductive metal surfaces for a hotter spark. Iridium and platinum are commonly used, though its hard to say which is better. Splitfire and E3 plugs use a fork contact surface (as opposed to a single prong on standard plugs) and the Halo plug uses a ring (hence, “halo”). With increased surface area and burn temperature, you’ll see increased combustion. This means more fuel burns more complete,  so you are getting all of the stored up energy out of the gas. And as a result, you’ll have less air pollution from uncombusted fuel or fumes being exhausted. I was able to quantify this years ago with a before and after emissions test.

Use a Permanent Air Filter like K&N

Like oil and plugs, you usually get the cheapest filter unless you ask. And most filters are disposable. But what a permanent filter can provide is less waste and increased horsepower. Permanent filters simply allow more air to pass to the engine than disposable paper filters, all the while keeping the engine clean. Increases air intake results in greater horsepower. Permanent filters should last the life of your car and require occasional cleaning with a kit you must purchase separately. While being a tad pricey up front, they more than pay for themselves over the lifetime of your car. K&N are the most common brand of filter and I’ve used them for years.

Maximize Tire Inflation

If you’ve ever looked at your tire and compared it to your owners manual, the maximum inflation pressures probably differ. The manufacturer of the tire will typically provide a maximum pressure independent of the car. The auto manufacturer will typically provide an inflation pressure max designed to support the car’s purpose, which for most cars is comfort. As a result, most car makers recommend a lower tire pressure to make for a smoother, cushioned ride. However, the maximum tire pressure from the tire maker will give you increased gas mileage, usually at a slight cost to ride comfort. It all comes down to resistance on the road, and a fully inflated tire simply rolls farther!

Aside from making your car last, you should see improved gas mileage or maintain what you are getting. In addition, you’ll likely see a slight horsepower boost and reduction in emissions.

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Electric dryers use 5,000 watts of electricity – that’s about the same as three space heaters. Numerous cheap ($10) and simple products exist that make it super simple to divert your clothes dryer vent heat inside your house rather than outside.

Some make it a snap to flip a switch so you don’t heat your house when it’s warm out through some sort of diverter. Most offer some degree of additional lint filtering in the form of a mesh screen or panty hose stocking. The model I use (pictured left) uses a tray of water to collect finer particles of lint (it’s the only one with a water+screen filter and is the most expensive; I would avoid the Heat Saver Tee they sell since it tends to leak a ton of heat which is inefficient in the summer). If the one you choose doesn’t have a filter (and it should) you can attach a panty hose or vacuum cleaner bag to catch the small stuff. In any case, it’s essential to keep these traps clean to prevent fire.

But this technique isn’t for all homes: don’t use this with gas dryers (carbon monoxide in the vented air); the exhaust air is wet, so don’t use in poorly ventilated, wet or closed spaces (could result in mold); the air will smell like the fabric softner or other things in the dryer (Trader Joe’s makes nice lavender dryer bags).

Check out the inline diverters from Ace. Dundas Jafine makes the inline and end style.

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