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Weekend


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August 24, 2001

Strange But True!

  • A weekly column of incidental information, off-the-wall observations and other random facts about the world.
    • By BILL SONES and RICH SONES, Ph.D.
    Special to the Journal

    Q: Oh no, your car’s running low on gas and there’s not a station in sight. What gear(s) and speed(s) would maximize your chances of making it to the next refuel plaza?

    A: Steer for an optimum speed great enough that the engine is reasonably efficient but not so great that wind drag wastes lots of gas, says Penn State mechanical engineer Don Streit. A rule-of-thumb would be 45 mph for a small car, 40 for a big car, 35 for an SUV. Use the highest gear in each case, so long as the engine doesn’t knock or buck.


     
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