As the price of fuels is constantly rising, increasing fuel efficiency is the best way to protect your wallet. Here are some ways to spend less money on fuel, increasing the efficiency of using the car.
Steps
Step 1. Plan your car outings
Make a list of the things you need and for which you need the car, then try to run as many errands as possible with a single trip. This will not improve fuel consumption (i.e. you will not drive more kilometers with a liter of fuel), but it will allow you to use the car less (that is, to consume less fuel).
Step 2. Lighten the load
Get the lightest car possible that suits your needs. Weight is a major cause of kinetic energy loss in non-hybrid cars. If you don't have to buy a car, then remove any unnecessary load from the car you own and use normally. If the seats you don't typically use are removable, get them out of the way. If you are using the trunk as a storage to store heavy items, put them in another place. 50 kg of additional weight increase consumption by 1-2%. (The weight is very important if you drive in traffic in fits and starts in the city. If you drive on the motorway, it does not affect much, there the problem is only to eliminate the air from the road to reduce consumption). Do not remove items that you use frequently from the car; on the contrary, make sure they are always available, otherwise you will have to consume more fuel to go to recover them or to replace them with others.
Step 3. When refueling, make one half full and try to keep the tank full for at least one quarter full
In fact, below this level, the fuel pump is under stress. 45 liters of fuel adds at least 27 kilos of weight.
Step 4. Go slow
The faster you drive, the more work the engine will have to do to penetrate the air. Accelerating can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 33%. (Other factors, in addition to air resistance, reduce fuel efficiency below 90 km / h, so fuel economy is not a reason to drive slowly, but the situation also worsens by exceeding that speed)
Step 5. Use the automatic speed adjustment
In many situations, the automatic speed regulation reduces consumption by keeping the speed constant.
Step 6. Accelerate gently and moderately
The engines are more efficient with a moderately high air flow and at a number of revolutions (RPM) up to their maximum power (for small and medium displacement engines, the value is 4,000-5,000 rpm). In a manual transmission car, shift directly into the highest gear as soon as you reach the desired speed, skipping the intermediate gears. For example, accelerate to 60-70km / h using the first and second, then jump directly to the fourth (skipping the third) or, if the engine manages to maintain speed, to the fifth. (Pay attention that, if you have to hit the accelerator in fifth gear to maintain speed, you should be in fourth gear!).
Step 7. Choose the path well
Choose the route with fewer traffic lights, fewer curves and with the least possible traffic. Choose fast roads instead of urban roads whenever possible.
Step 8. Avoid braking when possible
Braking wastes the energy generated by the fuel you have already consumed and accelerating after braking consumes more fuel than driving at a constant speed. On urban roads, be careful and put in neutral when there is a red light or if you run into any traffic jam.
Step 9. Make sure the tires are at the correct pressure
Tires at the right pressure can reduce fuel consumption by up to 3%. In addition, tires can lose up to 70 millibars per month and when it is cold (for example in winter) their pressure will decrease due to the thermal contraction of the air. It is recommended to check the tire pressure at least once a month, preferably once a week. Furthermore, maintaining the right pressure will avoid asymmetrical wear of the treads. In some filling stations there are air compressors that stop automatically at a predetermined value. (To be safe, double-check the tires with your pressure gauge, especially if another pressure gauge tells you to blow in too much air. Extension valves allow you to blow in air without having to unscrew the caps, but check that they don't tend to get stuck. with foreign bodies or losing air. The recommended pressure values refer to cold tires; it increases by 200 millibars if the tires have been used for a while. Blow in air up to the recommended pressure found in the car's instruction booklet and not to the maximum value indicated on the tire. (In the authors' experience with cars and vans, never blow air up to the pressure indicated in the manufacturer's instruction manual, unless you have new tires. Too much pressure causes the tires to explode and too little has a bad effect on fuel consumption. Always blow in air at the pressure indicated on the sides.)
Step 10. Tune the engine
A tuned engine maximizes power and can greatly improve fuel economy. Be careful though, as fine-tuning the power will require disabling efficiency measures.
Step 11. Check the status of the air filter
An air filter will increase fuel consumption or stop the engine when idling. Just like cutting dusty grass, driving on dusty roads will clog the air filter: avoid clouds of dust.
Step 12. Replace the fuel filter according to the manufacturer's recommendations
This is very important for optimizing consumption.
Step 13. Avoid idling too long
Keeping it idle wastes significant amounts of fuel. The best way to warm up the engine is to drive slowly until it reaches the optimum temperature.
Step 14. Try to avoid using the air conditioner if you are driving in the city, as it puts stress on the engine and you will consume more fuel
However, studies show that cars are more fuel efficient at motorway speeds with the air conditioning on and the windows closed. The inertia caused by the windows down when driving at high speed increases fuel consumption more than the air conditioning system.
Step 15. Find the ideal speed of your car
Some cars have optimal fuel economy at a specific speed, typically 80 km / h. The ideal speed of your car is the minimum speed at which the car moves with the highest gear engaged (observe the decrease in the number of revolutions when you accelerate to understand when your transmission is shifting into higher gears). For example, most Jeep Cherokee models peak at 90km / h, while Toyota 4Runners do it at 80km / h. Find the ideal speed of your car and approach your journeys in a timely manner.
Step 16. Use synthetic oil to save an average of 5% fuel
(For at least one author, it seems unlikely that synthetic oil will greatly relieve the strain of the engine, as it is not much less viscous.) Remember to replace it as recommended by your car manufacturer. Increasing the intervals between one oil change and the next can be detrimental to the life of the engine and the fuel economy is canceled out if the oil is dirty. If you can't use synthetic oil, choose the lightest oil possible, 5W-30 instead of 15W-50.
Step 17. After changing the oil, add an additive to both natural and synthetic oil
This can improve consumption by 15% if you follow the instructions for use. (For at least one author, it seems unlikely that a synthetic oil additive can greatly reduce consumption, as it cannot greatly reduce viscosity and because the circulation of the oil does not have much influence on consumption.)
Step 18. If your car is an automatic transmission with overspeed gears, be sure to disable it except when you are towing a very heavy trailer
The overspeed gear is generally in the “D” position. Many cars are equipped with a button to deactivate the overspeed gear. Do not turn it off except in situations where there is a need to do so, such as braking on a downhill or unable to proceed smoothly uphill with over-gear. Driving in overspeed gear saves fuel at high speeds by using a lower ratio of engine rpm to wheel speed - this allows for greater engine efficiency (reducing acceleration losses, etc).
Step 19. Learn to observe and predict traffic signs
Driving while continuously varying your speed is a real waste.
Step 20. Don't go in circles in a parking lot and keep your distance from the shop
Look for a place in a semi-empty area. Many people waste a lot of time wandering around, waiting for a seat near the store.
Step 21. Make a log, over time, indicating the kilometers traveled and the fuel you have put in
Put the data on a spreadsheet. This will keep your attention and other methods are not as accurate; you may never know if you are saving fuel or wasting it or if the refueling pump has failed.
Step 22. Keep a safe distance
Do not stay glued to the bumper of the car in front of yours. You will have to brake and accelerate more to maintain this very limited interval which is unnecessary and dangerous. Be calm. Hold back a bit. You are traveling at the same speed as the car in front of you even if you are 100 meters behind. This also gives you enough time to manage traffic lights. While he will have to brake sharply, you will only have to slow down and see if the light quickly turns green (sometimes it happens). You can also overtake his car as it clicks green and he'll have to accelerate from a standstill.
Step 23. Avoid idling for a long time
For example, in winter it warms up the engine for no more than 30 seconds. These are sufficient to ensure that the engine is properly lubricated. Typically, if you can avoid 10 seconds of idling, you'll save fuel by switching the engine off and on again. However, frequently restarting the engine can lead to excessive wear on the starter motor and circuitry.
Step 24. Select the narrowest possible tires suitable for your vehicle, which are suitable for your driving style and needs
Narrow tires have a smaller frontal area, resulting in a reduction in aerodynamic friction. Remember, however, that narrow tires have less grip on the road (this is why racing cars have very wide tires). Do not take a tire that is incompatible with your wheels and do not fit smaller wheels, unless they are allowed for your vehicle.
Step 25. Choose tires with low rolling resistance
Such tires can improve fuel consumption by a few percentage points. (The difference is not striking nor does their use replace the habit of maintaining the correct pressure. It would be a waste to buy these tires and replace the previous ones before they are not worn.)
Step 26. Select a gear reduction ratio that is appropriate for the engine, transmission and driving conditions
If you often drive on the freeway and don't have heavy loads, try a low gear (also known as top gear.) Be careful not to use too high a gear, which could strain the small engines, damaging them. Some manufacturers offer optional gears.
Step 27. In fuel-injected cars, make sure the oxygen sensors, engine emissions system and volatile emissions control systems are in good condition
Often, the illumination of the check engine light indicates that there is a problem with one of these components. A faulty oxygen sensor can give a mixture that is too rich in fuel, reducing the yield by 20% or even more.
Step 28. Follow a good forum on how to maintain the efficiency of cars
Suggestions
- Your mileage depends mainly on your driving habits. Drive content and you will notice the difference.
- When looking for a new car, always check how much it consumes.
- In cars where you have the "economy" and "power" options, the selected mode changes the throttle response curve. In general, in "economy" mode you will have power if you press the accelerator fully, in "power" mode you will already have more control by just touching the accelerator.
- The effects of the terrain, aerodynamic kits and accessories such as spoilers increase the friction of the car, increasing consumption. Often, these parts have only an aesthetic value and do not improve performance. In addition, if you have to load a load, put it on the roof, so that the smaller face of the object faces forward. This will decrease the frontal area and, consequently, also the friction.
- Some cars have a very bad shift pattern for their automatic gears, having 'fourth gear' and 'D (where D stands for Drive or drive; with D the gearbox intervenes automatically while driving) on the same line. Many people change to 'fourth' by jumping 'D' because it 'seems right', then they go slowly on the highway, complaining of excessive consumption.
- Try to plan your trips and your commissions when there is little traffic. By doing this, your mental health will improve, as you will be less stressed when driving.
- Be careful with the injector cleaners you find at auto parts, as these additives can damage the injectors of older models.
- If you are systematically stuck in traffic at rush hour after work, instead of undergoing this stress, find something to do near your workplace, until the traffic clears up.
- To improve the grip of a rear-wheel drive vehicle in winter, one or two bags of stones placed in the trunk are a good idea. If increasing grip means greater safety for people and things, it is worth consuming a little more fuel. Remember to remove the weight when it is no longer needed.
- Manual transmission cars tend to have better fuel economy, as they have a power loss of 15% at the transmission level, while in an automatic drive car, the losses can be as high as 20%.
- The 'regen' recovers less energy than that required by acceleration. To stay in neutral further, preventing regenerative braking from slowing your hybrid car with automatic transmission too much, giving the right pressure to the accelerator can avoid the inertia of the 'regen', without adding power.
- Avoid the 'drive in' shops. By letting the engine idle to wait your turn, you waste fuel. Turn off the car and enter the shop.
- Look for parking in an acceptable place to carry out all your errands, moving on foot between one and the other. At least you will save yourself from entering and exiting a parking lot, from moving continuously and slowly from one parking lot to another and you will also do some physical exercise.
- If your car has a roof rack on the roof, take it apart when you don't need it. If this is not possible, at least disassemble the cross bars to reduce the frontal area and the friction it generates.
- Prevents carbon waste from building up in the engine by running it at high revs at least once a week. To do this, you can take advantage of a motorway or the moment you overtake another vehicle.
- If you are looking for a way to directly control your consumption, know that monitoring when the engine is under load is essential. The air conditioning, acceleration and speed affect the amount of work of the engine, but they are not direct indicators anyway. Try to monitor the number of revolutions at which the engine usually turns. It is like monitoring your pulse to understand how much your heart is working. You will find that there are ranges of values that are ideal for your car, while others are not at all. For example, in some cars, whenever the engine exceeds 3,000 rpm, you may find yourself accelerating in a low gear. So, you could let go of the accelerator and you would notice that the engine increases in speed with a lower number of revolutions. The lower the number of revolutions, the less the effort of the engine will be and this is what directly determines the efficiency of consumption. How do you track the number of laps? Just read the indicator on the dashboard next to the speedometer. This measures the number of revolutions (which you can find indicated by the abbreviation 'RPM', Revolutions Per Minute) multiplied by 1,000, which means that, if the hand is intermediate between 2 and 3, you are going to approximately 2,500 revolutions. Try to identify the right number of revolutions to optimize consumption and perhaps you will be able to increase the number of kilometers per liter by checking well when the engine is under stress !!
- For optimal consumption in the city, consider buying a hybrid vehicle.
- If you own an SUV, keep the two-wheel drive mode for normal driving, as you will consume less than the four-wheel drive mode. Make sure you unlock the hubs to reduce friction. More moving parts on the transmission cause more friction, more wear and less efficiency.
- When queuing at the toll booth or petrol station, do not let the engine idle. Turn off and on again when it's time to move forward.
- Suggestions from environmental protection agencies, such as the EPA in the United States, which demonstrate better fuel efficiency with automatic transmission vehicles, are elaborated without considering the possibility of saving fuel. In other words, if you're really trying to save fuel, the automatic transmission won't be as efficient as the manual drive. At least, not until the cars are equipped with artificial intelligence and are able to drive themselves.
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Traffic You can reduce the engine load using the 'N (where N stands for Neutral or neutral)' mode, as long as you are waiting. However, constantly changing from "N" to "D" increases the wear of the transmission, so do not use the 'N' mode if you have reduced waiting times.
Warnings
- Driving at low speeds on the freeway can be dangerous. It is against the law to march at a speed of less than 40 km / h without having turned on the four emergency arrows.
- Driving very close to another vehicle is * always * risky; tailing the car in front of you (to take advantage of the aerodynamic effect) is even more so. Driving close to another car also has legal aspects. Other dangers include the car in front of you: braking or stopping suddenly, turning sharply to avoid an obstacle, crossing an obstacle without having sufficient room to maneuver, lifting material on the road, having an accident. Always stay a safe distance from traffic.
- Be careful when using additives, some can void the warranty. Read the instructions for use on the back of the package carefully or consult your garage.
- Generally, a distance corresponding to a time of 3 seconds is the best thing to maintain a good level of safety, and to avoid road hazards even if hidden by the car in front of you.
- Beware of any engine modifications that, however small, could be significant. These will certainly void your warranty and, even if they save you fuel, could seriously damage your engine, resulting in significant repair costs.
- Be on the lookout for quackery and eye-popping fuel economy testimonials. Every magnetic and wonderful device that was unmasked in the 1970s has reappeared again to try again with a new generation.
