Tips for Improving Fuel Economy, Efficiency, and Mileage
With increasing fuel prices, it is becoming more prudent to use these tips to enhance your vehicle's fuel economy, efficiency, and mileage.
Use Your Gears Wisely
Driving in the highest gear possible without laboring the engine is a fuel-efficient way of driving. A vehicle traveling at 60 km/h in third gear uses 25 percent more fuel than at the same speed in fifth gear.
Drive Smoothly
Think ahead! By applying light throttle and avoiding heavy braking, you can reduce both fuel consumption and wear and tear. Try to predict traffic at junctions and when queuing to avoid accelerating and then braking. Research suggests driving techniques can influence car fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.
Switch Off Your Engine
There are two schools of thought on this one. Switching your engine off for short periods can actually increase fuel consumption, as it requires more fuel to get the engine started. Also, your catalytic converter will no longer be running at full temperature, so your car will be less efficient, increasing the amount of pollution you cause. However, if you are stopped for more than a few minutes, then your car will simply burn less fuel with the engine stopped.
Drive Off Promptly
To prevent wasting fuel, don't leave your engine running when you first start up. Drive off straight away if you can, but drive gently until the engine has reached its normal operating temperature. This doesn't increase fuel efficiency as such, but it does mean your engine is switched on for less time.
Lighten Your Load
Think carefully about what you need on a journey. If you do not need something, do not pack it. Remove roof racks if not needed. The lighter the load, the lower the fuel consumption and emissions, and the higher the fuel efficiency.
Tires Affect Fuel Efficiency
It is estimated that about 50% of tires on the road are underinflated. Aside from increasing the rate of wear, this wastes fuel and decreases your fuel efficiency. Check your tire pressures every fortnight. Worn tires will also decrease fuel efficiency (and your safety!), so check the tread regularly. If you are replacing tires, consider some of the newer "Eco" tires that are designed specifically to increase fuel efficiency.
Car Windows
Driving with your windows open drastically reduces your fuel efficiency, far more so than putting the air conditioning on when motorway driving. So in those hot summers, preferably keep the windows shut and the air conditioning on if you want to keep cool. Of course, the air conditioning decreases fuel efficiency too, so try not to overuse it.
Invest in a New Fuel-Efficient Car
New cars come in all shapes and sizes, but it is possible to pick a new car that can greatly reduce your fuel bill and emissions. Size matters. Choose an economical car—small cars use fuel more efficiently and produce lower emissions than large cars. Drive the most fuel-efficient car that meets your needs. Compare models and classes. Even similarly sized cars can vary in fuel efficiency by up to 45%. Consider diesel engines (with a particulate trap), LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) fueled cars—all have lower CO2 emissions than standard petrol cars. Consider "hybrid" vehicles—they combine a conventional engine with an electric motor and battery. These offer reduced fuel consumption and CO2 with potentially lower emissions of all pollutants.
Diesel Engines
If you're going to buy a diesel, ensure it is a new "common rail" type, as these are approximately 10% more efficient than older diesels. Also, replace (or clean if applicable) air cleaner elements as often as required by your vehicle's servicing schedule.
Regular Maintenance Maintains Fuel Efficiency
- **Air Filter:** One of the most common reasons for a drop in fuel efficiency is a dirty intake filter. This will decrease the amount of air entering the cylinders of the engine, resulting in incomplete combustion. Check the filter regularly to ensure that it is clean.
- **Spark Plugs:** Ensure your spark plugs are in good condition. Renew the plugs and wires at intervals specified by the owner's manual. This will keep all cylinders firing properly, resulting in higher efficiency.
- **Lube Oil:** Change the lube oil at intervals specified by the owner's manual. Use the recommended oil only, especially in newer cars. Use an engine flush before changing the oil to help get rid of much of the dirt that collects in the engine that a normal oil change will not remove. On older engines, it is advisable to use an oil treatment agent. This thickens the oil, creating a better seal between the piston and the liner, preventing blow past and consequent loss of combustion pressure, resulting in higher fuel efficiency.
Exhausts Alter Fuel Efficiency
Most cars have specific sizes for the exhaust. When cars are reasonably old, the silencer has to be changed. The garage people always try to fit a size that they have in the garage itself. This might not be the exact size recommended for the car. The wrong size, whether bigger or smaller, affects the MPG of the car and the HP of the car. It may be cheaper to put another size than your recommended size for your car, but in the long run, it will cost you in many ways, especially in fuel consumption. Always use the recommended size of the exhaust as indicated in your car manual because the car company knows how to optimize the performance of your car.
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57With increasing fuel prices, it is becoming more prudent to use these tips to enhance your vehicle's fuel economy, efficiency, and mileage.
Use Your Gears Wisely
Driving in the highest gear possible without laboring the engine is a fuel-efficient way of driving. A vehicle traveling at 60 km/h in third gear uses 25 percent more fuel than at the same speed in fifth gear.
Drive Smoothly
Think ahead! By applying light throttle and avoiding heavy braking, you can reduce both fuel consumption and wear and tear. Try to predict traffic at junctions and when queuing to avoid accelerating and then braking. Research suggests driving techniques can influence car fuel efficiency by as much as 30 percent.
Switch Off Your Engine
There are two schools of thought on this one. Switching your engine off for short periods can actually increase fuel consumption, as it requires more fuel to get the engine started. Also, your catalytic converter will no longer be running at full temperature, so your car will be less efficient, increasing the amount of pollution you cause. However, if you are stopped for more than a few minutes, then your car will simply burn less fuel with the engine stopped.
Drive Off Promptly
To prevent wasting fuel, don't leave your engine running when you first start up. Drive off straight away if you can, but drive gently until the engine has reached its normal operating temperature. This doesn't increase fuel efficiency as such, but it does mean your engine is switched on for less time.
Lighten Your Load
Think carefully about what you need on a journey. If you do not need something, do not pack it. Remove roof racks if not needed. The lighter the load, the lower the fuel consumption and emissions, and the higher the fuel efficiency.
Tires Affect Fuel Efficiency
It is estimated that about 50% of tires on the road are underinflated. Aside from increasing the rate of wear, this wastes fuel and decreases your fuel efficiency. Check your tire pressures every fortnight. Worn tires will also decrease fuel efficiency (and your safety!), so check the tread regularly. If you are replacing tires, consider some of the newer "Eco" tires that are designed specifically to increase fuel efficiency.
Car Windows
Driving with your windows open drastically reduces your fuel efficiency, far more so than putting the air conditioning on when motorway driving. So in those hot summers, preferably keep the windows shut and the air conditioning on if you want to keep cool. Of course, the air conditioning decreases fuel efficiency too, so try not to overuse it.
Invest in a New Fuel-Efficient Car
New cars come in all shapes and sizes, but it is possible to pick a new car that can greatly reduce your fuel bill and emissions. Size matters. Choose an economical car—small cars use fuel more efficiently and produce lower emissions than large cars. Drive the most fuel-efficient car that meets your needs. Compare models and classes. Even similarly sized cars can vary in fuel efficiency by up to 45%. Consider diesel engines (with a particulate trap), LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) fueled cars—all have lower CO2 emissions than standard petrol cars. Consider "hybrid" vehicles—they combine a conventional engine with an electric motor and battery. These offer reduced fuel consumption and CO2 with potentially lower emissions of all pollutants.
Diesel Engines
If you're going to buy a diesel, ensure it is a new "common rail" type, as these are approximately 10% more efficient than older diesels. Also, replace (or clean if applicable) air cleaner elements as often as required by your vehicle's servicing schedule.
Regular Maintenance Maintains Fuel Efficiency
- **Air Filter:** One of the most common reasons for a drop in fuel efficiency is a dirty intake filter. This will decrease the amount of air entering the cylinders of the engine, resulting in incomplete combustion. Check the filter regularly to ensure that it is clean.
- **Spark Plugs:** Ensure your spark plugs are in good condition. Renew the plugs and wires at intervals specified by the owner's manual. This will keep all cylinders firing properly, resulting in higher efficiency.
- **Lube Oil:** Change the lube oil at intervals specified by the owner's manual. Use the recommended oil only, especially in newer cars. Use an engine flush before changing the oil to help get rid of much of the dirt that collects in the engine that a normal oil change will not remove. On older engines, it is advisable to use an oil treatment agent. This thickens the oil, creating a better seal between the piston and the liner, preventing blow past and consequent loss of combustion pressure, resulting in higher fuel efficiency.
Exhausts Alter Fuel Efficiency
Most cars have specific sizes for the exhaust. When cars are reasonably old, the silencer has to be changed. The garage people always try to fit a size that they have in the garage itself. This might not be the exact size recommended for the car. The wrong size, whether bigger or smaller, affects the MPG of the car and the HP of the car. It may be cheaper to put another size than your recommended size for your car, but in the long run, it will cost you in many ways, especially in fuel consumption. Always use the recommended size of the exhaust as indicated in your car manual because the car company knows how to optimize the performance of your car.
From India, Secunderabad
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