While trying different ways of obtaining lower gasoline usage, I discovered an interesting correlation. The tips that actually work to improve gasoline mileage also save you extra cash through not having to have repairs on your vehicle brought on by poor driving habits.
So unless you have £100’s spare to spend fixing your clapped out motor then if I were you I’d consider these simple tips that will save you fuel and money on more of a long term basis as well as short term fuel savings.
TIPS FOR SAVING YOUR HARD EARNED CASH AND FUEL
Fill gas during the coolest time of day. During these times, fuel is densest. Recognize that gas station pumps measure volumes of gas, not densities of fuel concentration. You pay according to the volume!
Secure that gas cap. Gasoline will evaporate from your vehicle’s gas tank and an under tightened cap will only facilitate this evaporation. So make sure to fully close that gas cap whenever you fuel up your vehicle.
Keep your engine tuned up. Fixing an automobile that is out of tune or has failed an emissions check can raise MPG by around 4 percent which is nothing to write home about. You should watch out for burnt spark plugs. A misfiring spark plug can reduce a vehicle’s gasoline performance by as much as 30 percent.
Ensure you have a clean air filter. Check it regularly. When the filter clogs up with debris, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to exert more effort and your vehicle becomes less fuel efficient. Replacing a clogged air filter could improve gasoline mileage by as much as ten percent. It is a good idea to make sure to have your auto’s air filter checked whenever you change your oil.
Your engine is just like your body.The better it breathes, the better it runs and uses less fuel. You wouldn’t run a marathon wrapped in a blanket while trying to breathe through a bath towel caked with dirt and bugs would you?
The newspapers at the moment are full of advice on how to get the maximum number of miles to the gallon and I’m afraid none of it is really relevant.
They say, for instance, that you should remove your roof rack, but the last people to use such a thing in England died in 1974. On their way to watch the latest Carry On film.
They also say you should remove the spare wheel and jack. Oh come on. By all means remove any soggy rolled up carpets you may have in the boot – that will make a difference – but dispensing with the spare is as daft as dispensing with your left leg. One day, you’re going to need it.
The simple fact of the matter is this; To save fuel, all you need to do is think ahead. Way, way ahead.
If you see the lights ahead are red, take your foot off the throttle immediately. If you wait and then use your brakes you are simply wasting the fuel you used to achieve a speed you didn’t need. Remember, a modern engine uses no fuel at all when it’s coasting in gear.
If your car has cruise control, ignore it. Cruise control is a blunt instrument for lazy people on the motorway. Rely on something more sensitive: your foot. Speaking of which, don’t drive in big shoes. They take away the sensitivity you need.
Think carefully about what electrical appliances you need. Even the quietest classical music takes a dibble of power from the engine. And that’s power which is costing you £1.18 a litre.
Never use your heated rear window unless you can’t see a thing. It’s the same story with your headlights. And don’t use the air conditioning either. Switch it off and in a normal family saloon, your fuel consumption will drop by as much as 12 per cent. That’s a big, big saving.
Next. Speed. SLOW it down. You don’t need to do 25 mph, but instead of doing 80 on the motorway, try 75. Or if you normally do 120mph, try 110.
56 mph, by the way, really is the optimum speed for good fuel consumption in most cars. Don’t try this in villages though or you will have to spend some time in a prison.
When going downhill, ease your throttle down and work with gravity to build up speed. Then, use that momentum to get you up the other side. Using the throttle going up hill is bad.
When leaving the lights, accelerate smartly. Not like a bat out of hell. But don’t dawdle. Get the car into top gear as quickly as is reasonable.
Finally, don’t short cut on any auto maintenance. Be serious about auto care. Your cars efficiency depends on it and your family’s safety does too.
So there you have it – some tried and tested ways of saving fuel by just driving more sensibly and thinking ahead!
Just think what you could save if you were to convert your vehicle to *burn water as well as fuel ...*
We’ve converted our van to run on hydrogen as well as fuel and are seeing a massive improvement in our gas mileage, so much so that we want to tell you about it!
Check out our other posts, *****here***** to see how much we’re saving!
Thanks for reading
Robbie Savage,
The Fuel Saving King (well I think so anyway)
ECOHHO.com
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