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by Type_R on June 13th, 2005

Type_R

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How can I make my car more fuel efficient?

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  • by ggonnigan on June 15th, 2005

    ggonnigan

    The list below shows you easy and effective ways to improve you fuel efficiency and so reduce your car fuel bill:

    Use your gears wisely.
    Driving in the highest gear possible without labouring the engine is a fuel-efficient way of driving. A vehicle travelling at 37mph 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 in 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 of time 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 and 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 effect fuel efficiency
    It is estimated that about 50% of tires on the road are under inflated. Aside from increasing the rate of wear, this wastes fuel and decreased 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 then 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 over use it.

    Leave the car at home!
    Probably the best way to decrease the amount of petrol you burn, is to leave the car and home, and take a bike, bus, or train, or to walk. A quarter of all car journeys in Britain are less than two miles long, and walking or cycling are cheap and clean alternatives, and healthy too!
    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 your fuel emissions.

    Size matters. Choose an economical car – small cars use far more fuel efficient 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%. Fuel efficiency is shown as MPG.

    Consider diesel engines (with a particulate trap), and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) fuelled 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 is required by your vehicles servicing schedule.


    Regluar 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 owners manual. This will keep all cylinders firing properly resulting in higher efficiency.

    Lube Oil:
    Change the lube oil at intervals specified by the owners manual. Use the recommended oil only especially in newer cars. Use of an engine flush before changing the oil will help to get rid of a lot 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 basically thickens the oil which creates 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 special sizes for the exhaust. When cars are reasonably old the silences has to be changed. The garage people always try to fit a size that they have in the garage it self. Which might not be the exact size recommended for the car. The wrong size a bigger or smaller silencer size effects on 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 on the long run it will cost you in many ways, especially on fuel consumption. Always put the recommended size of the exhaust that is indicated in your car manual because the car company knows how to optimize the performance of your car.


    Reference Links:

    http://www.whatprice.co.uk/tips/fuel-efficiency.html

    http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ab_auto_fuel_system/article/0,2021,DIY_13679_2276262,00.html

    Comments

    • Amazingly informative, learnt a lot!

      Type_R

      by Type_R on June 16th, 2005

    • Great answer, except for the questionable numbers regarding the gearing (they vary car to car)

      8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009

      by 8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009 on September 16th, 2005

    • Informative and handy. I don't know about the car windows thing, though--I've seen things for and against that theory.

      Geekette

      by Geekette on September 29th, 2005

    • If you're going to stop for more than 30s, switch it off.

      RedJohn

      by RedJohn on October 10th, 2005

    • if you're on the highway (or doing above 45, really), set the cruise control. you're foot is NOT steady enough, and with all the feathering of the gas pedal (you won't notice it without a micrometer), you waste gas. and i would say unless you're gonna be away from it for more than, oh, about 90 seconds, turn it off. it does use quite a bit of gas (not a gallon, or close, but a lot) to turn over your engine. a.k.a. if you go to your nearest hy-vee and drive-up, then leave your car on. it's not worth starting again. (of course, if you shop at hy-vee, you can afford the gas, i guess...): ]

      2wd-off-road

      by 2wd-off-road on April 18th, 2009

    • As for the thinking ahead, I also tend to take a racing line through corners.
      Racers want to get through a corner as smoothly and quickly as possible. Improper apexing will rob you of momentum and slow you down. On the race track, that means that your laptimes suffer and you might get passed by someone who maintained more speed through the corner because they drove smoother.
      On the road, slowing down means you have to give it a little more gas to maintain speed. Any time you have to accelerate by pressing the pedal, you use more gas than you would if you just coasted through and conserved the momentum you already had.
      Put another way, say I lose 3 MPH in a turn and you lose 7. You would have to goose the engine harder than I would in order to avoid catching a tailgating Hummer between the tail-lights, and that would mean that I would use less gas. Considering how many corners there are on the average NH highway, that little bit adds up quickly.

      8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009

      by 8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009 on April 18th, 2009

    • Smooth driving is how I got my '89 Aerostar from an average of 15 MPG to over 23 MPG on the same route, and I didn't drive any slower or make any changes to the vehicle.

      8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009

      by 8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009 on April 18th, 2009

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