One thing that we all really care about is driving economically. From maintenance to instant fix-its, people tend to invest a lot when it comes to buying and maintaining a car. But with the changes in the price of fuel, many people have to think about the way they drive.
For many drivers, the key focus remains on the mileage. However, inefficient driving techniques not only affect the performance of the cars but also end up damaging our precious vehicles. Therefore, you should adopt the right driving habits to increase the utility of fuel. Here are some essential techniques to improve the mileage of your car.
You might already know this method. Coasting basically involves the improvement of the car’s fuel efficiency and minimizing the brake wear. When the car does not accelerate, the kinetic energy produced in the engine is responsible for taking the vehicle forward. In this way, you can use the momentum built in the engine for moving instead of pressing the accelerator continuously.
For instance, if you see a red traffic light, you can let your car move smoothly towards the traffic junction instead of accelerating towards it. Accordingly, the car will reduce its speed or come to a stop on its own. Therefore, you should try to use the energy produced by the car’s engine for covering the distance.
We understand that during hot summer days, you might be compelled to use the air conditioner and that too, on maximum setting. However, it is essential to understand that doing so can decrease the average mileage of your car up to a staggering amount of 30%. In other words, if a full tank of fuel can allow you to travel 400 km with the AC on, you can travel almost 520 km without using it.
Many people come to car aircon services, asking how they can optimize their aircon use without influencing the mileage of the car. But the thing is, mileage will be affected if you use the aircon. Therefore, if mileage is your topmost priority, then you should drive the car without using the AC.
The pressure in the tyre also plays a crucial role when it comes to checking the mileage of your car. By keeping your tyres inflated according to the recommended pressure, you can improve the mileage anywhere from 0.6% to 3%. Under-inflated tyres can reduce the gas mileage for every 1 psi drop by 0.2%, which makes adequately inflated tyres useful.
The width of the tyre also impacts the fuel economy. Many people use wider tires that create more significant contact patches and improve performance. However, wider tyres also make more massive resistance to coasting. In this way, engines have to use more fuel and power to maintain speed.
The way you use gear can also affect your fuel efficiency. Sudden bursts of acceleration can decrease your car’s performance and even affect the mileage. Therefore, it is recommended to accelerate vehicle linearly.
The fuel efficiency will also increase if the RMP needle of your car stays between 1500 – 2000. The higher your RMP is, the more torque will be produced by the engine, and therefore, the vehicle will requires more fuel.
Keeping your car top-notch from the exterior is not servicing. A car that is lousily maintained from the interior can cause your hefty amount of money in the long run and decrease the fuel economy. This is why you should opt for regular car servicing. From cleaning the air filters to checking the spark plugs, car servicing can ensure all the components are running well.
It is also suggested that you get the oxygen sensor checked after travelling every 60,000 km or more. This is important because a faulty sensor can reduce the car’s mileage by approximately 20%.
You might not know this but refuelling early in the morning can be a good habit to save extra cost on the fuel. Petrol stations bury their storage tanks underground, which is quite cold in the morning. The cold temperature causes the petrol to become dense. As the day progresses ahead, the temperature rises, and with each increment, the petrol expands. This means if you refuel the car’s tank at any other time in the day, the 1 galloon you’ll get might not be 1 galloon at all.
Expansion prevents you from getting the actual volume of 1 gallon. Now, this is not a fault of petrol stations. Fuel volume is estimated according to the flow rate and not the density or volume of the flow. Temperature, on the other hand, only influences density but not the flow rate. In short, when you refuel the car in the morning, the colder petrol you’ll get will be denser.
Majority of the drivers forget to even consider replacing their air filters, although it is a practical to reduce the car mileages. Air filters draw air from the environment, which means they also suck a lot of debris and other particles. As these debris fills in the air filters, the efficiency of this component decreases and the engine will consume more fuel to draw air.
By replacing or fixing the air filter, you can improve the performance of your car instantly and cause a drastic increase in car mileage. Car workshops in Singapore will tell you that new air filters can increase the car mileage up to 15%!
Many cars now come with electric fans already, instead of the belt-driven fans. However, if you still don’t have one in your car, you should consider replacing your engine-driven fan with the modern one. By doing so, you can reduce the dag.
You should not expect that there will be a significant impact on gas mileage by changing the belt-driven fans with an electric one. However, electric fans can make fuel consumption more efficient and improve car performance. Car detailing services in Singapore can help you with replacing your old fan.
This might seem very time consuming but planning your route carefully can prove to be beneficial. Doing so can not only help to increase the mileage of the car, but it can also make sure you arrive on your destination on time. By using a route planner, you can avoid delays due to traffic and congestion.
Knowing the rush hour can also be helpful. By avoiding the rush hour, you will be less likely to put a strain on the car’s clutch and maintain high fuel efficiency. You can use online route planners to see the available route options and choose the ones that have fewer stoppages.
You should remember that fuel also varies from quality to quality. A discounted fuel can save you a few dollars, but if it isn’t up to the mark, then there is no point in saving money. Most cheap fuels containa higher percentage of ethanol, which is known for burning at a fast rate.
Your car engine might not be designed to run on certain types of fuel. So despite how much oil companies claim to have high-quality mileage, power, and efficiency, you should only use the recommended fuels and lubricants.
If you are particularly driving on long stretches of the highway, cruise control can save an appropriate amount of fuel. Cruise control helps maintain a constant speed of the car. However, it makes no sense to use cruise control if you are driving on steep hills and hilly terrains since steady speeds are not efficient during such drives.
Many people ask if cruise control affects the car. The answer is no. Instead, acceleration can result in the wear and tear on the driveline. However, it is recommended that you don’t use cruise control in heavy snow, rain, or temperatures when ice can form, as a steady speed in such conditions can result in loss of control.
Engines run the best when there are moderately high throttle or airflow. Driving the car at revolutions per minute until the power peak can also prove to be useful. Therefore, when you are driving a manual transmission car, you should shift to higher gears when you reach the desired speed and skip the intermediate gears.
You should also avoid braking in unneeded situations because braking wastes energy produced from the fuel that has already burnt. If you accelerate after braking, the engine will also consume more fuel.
Before you set up for a long trip, you should brainstorm your route. Doing so will help you to maintain the mileage and performance of your car effectively. Firstly, you should list the things you need on the trip. You should consider the routes with the fewest stops and traffic, preferably the highways instead of the city streets.
You can also maintain a log over time, outlining how many miles you can travel and how much gas will be required to do so. In this way, you will be able to know if you are saving or wasting fuel when travelling.
If you know that you are stopping at the lights for more than 30 seconds, then you should consider turning off the car. This can prevent the engine from burning more fuel. However, you shouldn’t turn off the car if it will take less than 30 seconds to resume the journey. This is because starting off the vehicle will take more fuel then.
We also tend to leave the car idling in many different instances. For example, many people start their cars and then deal with the mandatories, such as fastening the seatbelts, locking the door, and adjusting the mirror. However, if you deal with these things before starting the car, you can save a lot of fuel.
With time, the rubber seal on the fuel cap worn out, allowing the oxygen to sweep in the tank. With more oxygen available, the engine is likely to burn more gas. Therefore, it is a very good practice to check the fuel cap and replace it in case of any problem.
Fuel caps are not very expensive. You can easily contact car maintenance services or local dealers to get an appropriate fuel cap for your car.
With more weight on the vehicle, the engine will have to work and therefore, require more fuel than usual. While carrying a 10-pound bag might seem easy, but if you decide to turn your vehicle into a cargo, the increased workload on the engine can decrease the gas mileage.
Similarly, it is recommended that you fill the tank halfway up. Every 1 litre of fuel adds up to 1 kilogram of weight. So make sure that you don’t add too much pressure on the tank as well.
Driving efficiently is crucial to saving on fuel bills. But fuel mileage is more than just driving appropriately. Use our techniques to keep your car’s performance and mileage optimum. And let us know how useful you have found these tips.