It’s not surprising that now more than ever, those fuel saving gadgets and additives that used to be exclusively advertised on late night TV have suddenly become mainstream products. With everyone looking for an edge on gas mileage, you might have been tempted to purchase one of these devices and install it on your car or truck. Is it possible that any of these products live up to their promises, or is it all just snake oil in a box?

Sadly, it seems that almost all of these miracle cures for poor fuel mileage don’t add up to much more than marketing hype.

The ‘Turbonator’ is a device which is designed to be fit into the pipe that brings fresh air into the engine. Essentially, the makes of the device claim that by placing a stationary fan blade inside of the pipe, it can create a ‘vortex’ which will more efficiently burn fuel, increasing both mileage and horsepower. The makers of the Turbonator claim mileage increases of as much as 33%. Lofty claims like this one are an easy way to spot fakes and frauds. To begin with, if it were that simple to dramatically improve the fuel mileage of a vehicle, then Turbonators would all come stock on every car sold around the world. Unfortunately, automotive engineering is a lot more complicated than a one-size fits all vortex generator.

Another popular set of ‘fuel savers’ are devices which claim to use the power of magnetism to somehow improve your miles per gallon. These devices usually stick onto the fuel lines heading into the engine bay and make pseudo-scientific claims that the magnets ‘align’ the fuel molecules in order to promote quick burning. Sadly, magnets do not affect non-ferrous materials, negating any effect they might have on your engine’s performance. Even if these magnets were able to somehow re-arrange the molecular structure of fuel they way they claim, there still would not be a noticeable improvement in engine performance, as there is no evidence that this type of effect provides any real benefit.

The list of fuel additives and mileage increasing devices is quite long, but nowhere amongst any of those vaunted products will you find anything that will affect the efficiency of your vehicle more than a program of regular and consistent maintenance. Things like maintaining the proper air pressure in your truck’s tires, regularly changing your oil, spark plugs and air filter, and cleaning the carbon out of your intake manifold will not only increase your fuel mileage, but also lengthen the life of your truck. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of snake oil any day of the week.

Fortunately, the factory exhaust system is efficient and doesn’t require much modification for you to improve it. The first component in your exhaust system is the exhaust manifold - a part that directs exhaust from individual cylinders into one or two main exhaust pipes. Most exhaust manifolds are pretty efficient and don’t require replacement, but if you decide you’d like to replace this part, then you’re going to look at a set of headers. A good set of headers will offer a ceramic coating as well as factory mounting points for sensors. Again, most of the time the factory exhaust manifold is just fine.

The next components the exhaust gases travel thru are the catalytic converters. There’s really no benefit to changing or modifying these, and taking them off is a bad idea. Today’s modern catalytic converter is very efficient and legally required, so it makes sense to leave it alone. You would only consider replacing the factory catalytic if you were adding an extremely powerful engine upgrade, like a turbocharger or supercharger.

After the catalytic converters, the exhaust gases cool somewhat and enter the muffler. Again, the factory exhaust system is pretty good and the standard mufflers aren’t very restrictive. Replacing them usually won’t result in a significant hp or torque gain…3-5 hp and 5-10 ft-lbs of torque on average. However, after market mufflers will make your truck sound much better. The rumble you’ll hear with after market mufflers is exciting, and well worth the cost. After leaving the mufflers, the exhaust will exit out of the tailpipe. Tailpipe tips are a popular add-on, but they’re decorative only and have no impact on your exhaust system’s performance.

Since changing the factory muffler will have the biggest effect on your exhaust system, they’re the most logical component to replace. When you’re looking at after market mufflers, here are some things to consider:

First, do you want to hear the exhaust ALL the time? In other words, when you drive down the highway, is a little exhaust drone OK? If not, make sure you choose a muffler that’s not described as being loud. Check the web and ask your local muffler shop for advice on finding a good muffler. Many muffler manufacturers are even putting sound clips on their websites now.

Second, do you want something that people can slightly hear when you drive by, or do you want something so loud that the neighbors know exactly what time you leave for work every morning? Words like “racing” or “glasspack” usually indicate exceptionally loud mufflers, so watch out for those terms unless you want a lot of attention.

Another important choice when considering a new muffler is single or dual exhaust. Remember, most factory exhaust systems are pretty good. If your truck came from the factory with a single exhaust, it will work just fine and give good performance with a single after market exhaust system. Dual exhaust systems are more money, but they look and sound and single exhaust systems. If you decide to go with a dual exhaust, make sure that your installer works around your trailer hitch and/or leaves room for one in case you want to add it on later.

Finally, what exhaust system material is best? It’s a decision that should be based on geography. If you live anywhere near the corrosive effects of saltwater, stainless steel is the smart choice. While it’s more expensive up-front, it will last much longer than galvanized or aluminized steel in these climates. People living in dry climates really don’t need to purchase stainless steel — if rust attacks their system, it will be years before anything is damaged.