Tips To Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency


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Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

It’s really exasperating to see fuel prices skyrocketing, right? We can only feel helpless in the face of recurring and economy-driven price fluctuations. Seeking measures to improve fuel economy is the only way to combat rising fuel prices. Do not disregard these simple guidelines; each little step can really start adding up to significant savings to your budget.

Check Tyre Pressure

Keeping the tyres well inflated is one of the simplest things you can do to help improve your car’s fuel efficiency. You can improve the mileage by about 3.3 percent if you keep your tyres inflated properly, according to the DOE.
Lighten Your Load

Empty out your boot of unnecessary items. For every extra 45 kg you carry, your fuel efficiency can drop by 1-2% in a typical vehicle.

S-L-O-W D-O-W-N

The faster you drive, the more fuel you use. Driving within the speed limit recommended by the manufacturer helps save fuel. Driving just 5mph over the speed limit can affect fuel economy by up to 23%. Likewise, quick acceleration consumes too much fuel; accelerate slowly and gradually.
Do Fuel Quality/Types/Additives Help Mileage?
Petrol pump attendants often try to convince you to go for ‘Speed petrol’ or ‘X-tra Mile diesel’. But this need not necessarily help improve your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Always use the grade recommended for the vehicle by the manufacturer. Higher octane fuel may not only be a waste of money but may harm the vehicle, as well. However sticking to one brand of fuel is always good for the engine.

Tune Your Engine

A well-tuned engine can improve fuel economy by up to 4%. So change your oil and follow your car manufacturer’s recommendation on servicing.

Clean the Air Filters Regularly

Air filters keep impurities from damaging your engine. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve fuel economy by as much as 10%.

Keep the Windows Closed

Driving with your windows open considerably reduces mileage, far more than keeping the AC on while driving along highways. So preferably keep the windows closed and the AC on if you want to keep cool. Of course the air-conditioning decreases fuel efficiency considerably, so use it judiciously.

Clean Spark Plugs

Ensure your spark plugs are in good condition. Renew the plugs and wires at intervals specified by the manufacturer. This will keep all cylinders firing properly resulting in higher efficiency.
Don’t Be a Clutch-Driver

Never keep your foot on the clutch while driving. When you do this, pressure is being placed on your clutch, and it not only reduces mileage, but also wears out the clutch plate, replacing which is not cheap.

Keep the Car in Showroom Condition

It’s always prudent to keep the car in the showroom condition. Remember that any modification to the car, such as broad tyres, diffusers etc., will adversely affect the mileage.

For more Information please visit the website source below.

Source: Improve Your Car
 

350Z

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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

Some great fuel efficiency tips there, BMWRockzz. Thread moved to Technical Zone so that it can get the much needed attention. Although you’ve covered the important points, but let others also share some tips to make this thread more helpful. I will post a few soon.

Drive Safe,
350Z
 
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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

if car is automatic, avoid changing gear in to N mode frequently. i have personally seen a lot of change.
 
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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

A useful piece of information there bmwrockzz. Points that i would like to add:
1. sensible gear shift without revving up the engine too much.
2. Ensure that the vehicle is not in reserve most of the times.
 
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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

A very nicely compiled list by you and nice suggestions from others. Talking about speed, I myself drive in a sedate manner, I usually upshift between 1500 and 2000 RPM range and remain in the 60-70 speed band in top gear, this way you will be good to your engine and engine give it's fruit out to you, a decent FE.
 
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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

@ Truecitylover Does having fuel in reserve impact the FE? I never knew it till now!
 
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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

if car is automatic, avoid changing gear in to N mode frequently. i have personally seen a lot of change.
What is the reason ? I generally shift to N when I know that I need to stop in next few metres that keeps RPM down hence I should get better FE

Also what is the reason for reserve ??
 
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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

the thing is that if u are in bumper-bumper traffic, and are moving even a bit constantly, avoid it. it works like a charm, my civic's FE improved from 6-7 to a constant 9! just because of following this practice.
 

zengetz

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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

My 2 cents here too guys -

Refer to company manual and see the suitable gear and speed.

Use the Top gear when driving above ~50kmph. (Varies from car to car)

Also a good practice is to keep your foot off the clutch - if you have a dead pedal great -if not drop the habit as I have seen a lot of people resting the left foot on the clutch.

Wheel alignment and balancing with Tyre rotation practice (I do it every 5k kms)

Clean air filter once a month.

Hope this helps


Happy Motoring !
 
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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

....
Clean air filter once a month.
...
No buddy. This takes you to the inverse effect.
Air Filters are not to be cleaned often. I remember I've posted this somewhere in this form, couldn't recollect.

An impure air filter is more efficient than a clean filter. Cleaning the filter element enlarges the pore diameter which allows the dust particles to easily escape through them. Result - Damage to cylinders, valves, incomplete combustion, bad FE.
 

zengetz

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No buddy. This takes you to the inverse effect.
Air Filters are not to be cleaned often. I remember I've posted this somewhere in this form, couldn't recollect.

An impure air filter is more efficient than a clean filter. Cleaning the filter element enlarges the pore diameter which allows the dust particles to easily escape through them. Result - Damage to cylinders, valves, incomplete combustion, bad FE.

Its good and bad - I drive 70km everyday and theres a good 17km I drive thru areas that are under construction and my filter clogs up(on my Getz CRDi) easy.

I can feel the car choking in ~4-5 weeks and when I get it cleaned outwards, literally can see a thick cloud of dust. And the after effect - revving clean and good power difference.

HTH

Does start from 2nd gear improve FE?

Why would you even do that ??
The first gear is to take the load from start. Dont see any reason why you would 'save' fuel out of it.

Curious
 
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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

Does start from 2nd gear improve FE?
Yes. But very little amount.
It depends on the amount of power that could be transmitted to the drive wheels in 2nd gear. If your engine could develop sufficient torque at lower rpm, you can avoid the engine revving high in 1st gear (while shifting to 2nd), with this you can save fuel. But if it is a smaller engine with less torque, you will lose double the amount of fuel.
 
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Re: Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency

Yes. But very little amount.
It depends on the amount of power that could be transmitted to the drive wheels in 2nd gear. If your engine could develop sufficient torque at lower rpm, you can avoid the engine revving high in 1st gear (while shifting to 2nd), with this you can save fuel. But if it is a smaller engine with less torque, you will lose double the amount of fuel.
Oh right. I only ask because we have a semi auto where you can put it in D or you the +/- to change gear when you want. When the car is at rest it allows you to select 2nd gear, therefor got me thinking would it save fuel if I start from second.
 

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