Sent from my iPad Try using a lower octane rated fuel and Fuel Stick fuel conditioner. This will save you money and increase your power output so the savings can be substantial. Note: Fuel Stick will provide more power from the engine so you can either drive the same as you normally do and save fuel or you can use the power and sacrifice fuel savings. The worst gas mileage you can ever get is sitting at the lights idling. – like “0” MPG!- so avoid idling your vehicle any more than necessary. When idling at traffic lights etc. put the transmission in neutral. It will thank you for it at the pump. In cold climates there is no need to warm up the vehicle before driving it. Start it and let it run for 30 seconds to make sure the oil is circulating properly, and then drive it. It will warm up much quicker this way and it does not harm the engine. High speed highway driving uses much more fuel than driving at moderate speeds. Each vehicle has an optimum speed but on most vehicles, driving faster than 100 kph will increase your fuel consumption by as much as 5% for ever 5 kph over 100 Aggressive driving – erratic acceleration and braking – can increase fuel consumption by as much as 33% at highway speeds and 5-10% in town. Remove excess weight from the vehicle. Gulf clubs, old paint tins, spare car parts, the mother-in-law, all cost money to carry around if you don’t need them. The smaller the vehicle, the more this affects the fuel economy. Gasoline is heavy so only fill your tank when you are on a trip. It is better to keep the tank half full around town to reduce weight. Avoid using roof racks or any other add-ons that will affect the aerodynamics of the vehicle. Side window shields, whip aerials, grill guards, bike racks and most rear spoilers only add drag and increase fuel consumption Use cruise control on the highway where it is practical. This maintains a steady speed and saves fuel. If your vehicle is equipped with overdrive – use it above 60 kph. This reduces the engine RPM and saves fuel. Only use air conditioning when necessary. Remember, the air conditioner costs money to run. Open the widows at low speed around town but at highway speeds close the widows and use the fresh air setting. Keep the aerodynamics working for you. A convertible will use less fuel on the open road with the top up. Keep your tires inflated to the proper pressure for your vehicle. This will not only save fuel but it may also save your life – which is an even bigger bonus! Some things that people don’t think about – These tips will help reduce fuel consumption and increase the life of the engine. Change the oil in the engine regularly and use the proper grade oil for the engine. If the oil becomes heavy or if there is sludge in the engine, it is much harder to circulate and this reduces the power output considerably. This will increase your fuel consumption. The air cleaner must be kept clean at all times. If the engine can’t get enough air, it can’t burn the fuel properly so some of that fuel is just wasted and not used at all. If your car engine has an electronic management system and the battery is disconnected for more than 24 hours it may loose it’s settings so consult your mechanic and have the computer re-set by the proper service people. It is really important to have your engine tuned regularly - Worn spark plugs or faulty electronics can cost you plenty at the pump. Modern electronically controlled engines keep changing their settings to produce the optimum power but if something is faulty, it will just keep putting more fuel into the engine to compensate for the faulty bits. This will usually happen gradually so you don’t even notice it. The engine is running smoothly and has the same power so we just keep driving it (and paying) Low transmission and differential oil levels reduce the efficiency of the transmission and increase fuel consumption. Brakes that are dragging very slightly or tight or worn wheel bearings will probably not even be noticed but they will certainly increase fuel consumption (and compromise safety). Check to make sure all your wheels are turning freely. Feel the wheel hubs after a drive on the highway – if they are hot – get them checked out right away. Keep to the wheel and tire sizes your vehicle was designed for. Larger tires increase drag and may change the gear ratios if not matched properly. Remember, if you change tire sizes, the outside diameter of the tire must remain the same or you will affect the gear ratio of the vehicle. If you change to a wider tire you will need to reduce the tire profile to maintain the proper diameter. Your tire dealer can help you with this.
Posted on: Sat, 22 Jun 2013 16:21:58 +0000
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