Increasing The Fuel Efficiency Of Your Vehicle

Here I am just going to share some information which I have experienced to improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle


1) Always top up you fuel tank at night or very early in the morning.The reason behind this is when the atmosphere is hot there is more amount of vapors in the fuel. So when you are refilling the tank you are simply paying for the vaporous or gaseous content of the fuel. As the temperature decreases this gaseous content reduces and you get the proper fuel in your tank. This is a great tip for the people in the gulf and other hot areas.


2) Reduce the unnecessary electric burden from your vehicle
Now these days’ people are driving with all the fog lights, front bumper lights On. But what most people don’t realize is that the more electric you use the fuel consumption also reduces.


3) Reduce the weight of your car
I am not saying to do extreme measures like removing seats, Radio’s etc. have noticed that many people carry lot of unwanted things in their cars which they hardly use. Try to reduce as much as luggage as possible to improve the vehicle efficiency. Cargo or cargo racks on top of your vehicle (e.g., cargo boxes, canoes, etc.) increase aerodynamic drag and lower fuel economy. 


4) Cruise control
The cruise control maintains the vehicle in an constant speed in the highway and this can save your gas. But on the other had do not use your cruise control in hilly areas and where there are many ups and downs as the cruise control will be rapidly accelerating and decelerating the engine to maintain that speed and you will lose fuel efficiency.


5) Avoid excessive speeding
If you are speeding above 60mpg, this increases aerodynamic drag (wind resistance), reducing fuel economy. The new EPA tests account for aerodynamic drag up to highway speeds of 80 mph, but some drivers exceed this speed.


6) Use 2 Wheel Drive Mode
Run your vehicle in 2 wheel drive mode to save more power. Use 4 wheel modes only when you have some off road conditions or when the road is wet and slippery. Engaging all four wheels makes the engine work harder and increases transfer case and differential losses.


7) Avoid Excessive Idling
Idling can use a quarter to a half gallon of fuel per hour, depending on engine size and air conditioner (AC) use. Turn off your engine when your vehicle is parked. It only takes a few seconds worth of fuel to restart your vehicle. Turning your engine on and off excessively, however, may    increase starter wear.


8) Use premium fuel
Premium fuel does improve your millage. It is advisable to use premium fuel because you can travel more distances in one tank and also you will have to spend less times going to an gas station to fill you tank. This is if your premium fuel costs a maximum of 20% more than your regular fuel. It also depends on your car.


9) Quick acceleration and heavy braking
Quick acceleration and heavy braking can reduce fuel economy by up to 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent around town. New EPA tests account for faster acceleration rates, but vigorous driving can still lower MPG.


10) Air up your tires.
Fill up your tires to the maximum recommended pressure in the owner’s manual in your automobile, which takes into account the mass of your car. Every pound of pressure that you’re low in any of your tires results in a 1/8% reduction in fuel efficiency – and almost everyone’s tire pressure is at least five pounds low per tire. If that’s true for you, just airing up your tires would result in at least a 2.5% increase in fuel efficiency.


11) Coasting
Instead of rapid acceleration and breaking try to coast your vehicle this improves your fuel efficiency by a lot. Stopping and starting eats a lot of gas. 


12) Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil
You can improve your gas mileage by 1–2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1–2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1–1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.


13) Regular Maintenance
Regular vehicle maintenance can improve your fuel efficiency. A poorly tuned engine burns more fuel. Improperly aligned or inflated tires can lower fuel economy by increasing rolling resistance. Brake drag can make your engine work harder. A dirty air filter can decrease the fuel economy of older cars with carbureted engines and reduce acceleration in newer vehicle.