Fuel saving techniques

Today everyone prefers to move around using their vehicles. This is but obvious to save time and time is money. Due to this the demand for fuel is increasing and thus it may get exhausted in nearby future. This is the reason we must realize the importance of fuel. Doesn't matter where you stay or what you drive you can optimize your fuel to full efficiency by using the following techniques. Here's how:
A major portion of people drive their vehicles with an engine which is not in proper working condition. This means that unnecessarily more fuel is required for the working of an engine. A good practice is to keep the vehicle well maintained with regular servicing to obtain maximum efficiency. What worse than having an inefficient engine with fouled spark plugs. It's just inviting for more and more stress on our valet. See that the air filter and the fuel filter are clean. Use new filters if required. If engine is not maintained properly it will increase fuel consumption by 10 to 20 percent. A clogged air filter increases 10 percent of fuel consumption. One remedy is that use new oxygen sensor this improves gas mileage by almost 15 percent.

While going on a long drive try to keep the windows close since open windows increases resistance to wind flow that increases fuel consumption by as much as 20%. This logically means that if one spends Rs200 a week on petrol, he can save Rs40 a week, which sum up to Rs160 a month. This may seem silly to some who feel they don't require to do saving but one must know that same money piles up to big amount in long terms and will pay off during their rainy days.

Never compromise for quality. Feed multi-grade oil to your engine because it lessens drag. Change the oil from time to time. Certain engines work better with particular kind or grade of fuel see the vehicle manual for it. Most of the vehicles on the roads have fuel tank caps that are either loose, damaged or are not there at all, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year. Be sure that you close the cap properly every time you open it.

Ensure that air pressure in tires are proper; poorly inflated tires require more energy to roll, which not only cause wastage of fuel, but also wear and tear of the tires. Verify your vehicle's tire pressure at least once in a month, when the tires are not rolling. It's good to have radial ply tires because they offer comparatively less rolling resistance and longer life than the cross ply variety. By keeping tires inflated to recommended pressure improves gas mileage approximately by 6 percent, also by ensuring that wheel alignments are proper gives 10 percent saving of fuel.

Avoid running engine idle for longer time. Generally many people spend time in warming up the engine after starting the car in the morning start driving straight away. The engine warms up faster while driving. If your engine uses gasoline as fuel than it is more efficient to turn off the engine than to run it idle it more than 30 sec.
As vehicle speed increases, air resistance increases in an exponential fashion. While going on long tour try to maintain constant speed it improves fuel efficiency. See that you don't use A/C frequently use it when required. With a/c on an extra load is put on the engine forcing more fuel to be used by about 20%.The engine runs inefficiently when it's cold.

Try to plan your trips during less-congested times of day. With less traffic, you can maintain smooth engine running without applying harsh brakes. Use new methods for getting the information just as an internet to follow shortest route. Never put extra luggage on car's roof rack it increases weight. Road and weather conditions also play a major role in the fuel economy of your vehicle. Driving on a plain road can reduce fuel economy by as much as 6 percent. On the contrary on a road with upward slope causes 7 percent loss of fuel. Examine suspension and chassis parts for misalignment such as axles, bad shocks, bent wheels, or broken springs.

Go for the four-cylinder engine rather than going for V6 or V8. Light cars consume less fuel than large vehicles. Before buying a new vehicle look at its rated efficiency. So enjoy driving without worrying for fuel consumed if you follow above techniques.
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Last Updated: 10/12/2011
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