Gas Mileage is Important ... But Come On!
Friday November 7, 2008
You would be hard pressed to find somebody to argue that gas mileage isn't important to most people these days. Even as gas prices float downward, we're still paying lots more than we have in recent years, so the impact on our annual household budgets is still pretty severe. That's why people are doing everything they can to save money on gas.
Like I said, there's nothing bad about improving your car or truck's fuel economy. But it seems that some people are really reaching in their attempts to figure out new ways to save. I read an article recently that featured a list of ways to improve your overall fuel economy. There were some decent tips included, but check out these two gems:
Like I said, there's nothing bad about improving your car or truck's fuel economy. But it seems that some people are really reaching in their attempts to figure out new ways to save. I read an article recently that featured a list of ways to improve your overall fuel economy. There were some decent tips included, but check out these two gems:
1. Washing and waxing your car not only makes the vehicle look better; it also improves aerodynamics, which in turn benefits your fuel economy. Gas stations that also have a car wash will sometimes offer coupons good towards money-off at the car wash. This is done as an incentive to get you to refuel at their station. Little do they know that in doing so they are saving you money at the pump. Keep your eyes open for bargains such as these and you can easily reduce the drag on your vehicle and increase your fuel efficiency.If you think about it, I guess these could save you some percentage of a cent at the pump. Little pieces of dirt could increase your car's drag. And reverse is geared so high you might run at a slightly higher RPM in reverse. But seriously, are we so focused that we will jump through hoops like this to save a Hay Penny a week? If you want to save money on gas, try some tried and true mileage boosters. A clogged air filter can cause your engine to burn lots more gas. You should replace your air filter regularly. You can also save lots of money on gas if you keep your tires propery inflated. We could also all lock ourselves in the bathroom with a burlap sack over our heads. That won't use any gas at all.2. When parking your car try to position it so that you can pull out of the space in forward gear rather than reverse. As incredible as it may seem going in reverse actually uses more gas than going forward.
Comments
Now now how silly tht sounds! when in fact its not that cleaning and waxing improve the aerodynamics, it’s that it makes the car feel better abouit itself!! and when we are feeling better about ourselves we do things better! I know now you’re sying i am crazy but!! if you have ever spent an afternoon cleaning and polishing/waxing your car, you know when you are finally done and take it out for a drive it runs better! tell me you never noticed that! lol
I do most of the routine maintenance on my car(s). I use full synthetic oils and tranny fluids and of course new filters. After every oil change it is obvious the car feels better about itself by the improvement in how it runs!
About the above indications, they are ok, but “replace your air filter” is not much of fuel economy now a days, but more of a power loss concern, unless you have a carburated car.
Today’s fuel injected engines, base the amount of fuel to be injected on the mass and temperature of the incoming air. If the air filter offers a restriction because it is clogged, the injection will be less and same with the power. This is because the car’s ecu will try to maintain the Air/Fuel balance close to 14.7:1.
It doesn’t matter how hard you step on the accelerator, the injection will be calculated on the amount of incoming air.
Of course, this would not be true for cars metering the injected fuel based on other parameters like Honda, for example, that uses “Engine Load”, calculated on absolute pressure on the intake manifold.
Richard
www.technicaldomain.net
Yes Richard, but any loss of power is going to equal a drop in fuel economy because the laws of energy dictate that you’ll need more energy going in to get the energy you want at the wheels. If your engine meters less air and provides less fuel, your going to give it more gas at the pedal to go the same speed. There’s no way that doesn’t equal more fuel consumption.
Living here in the outback of Colorado washing the rig generally includes removing about 200lb’s of Mud which I bet improves fuel economy bunches. See Ya in the Hills!
Yes, you’re right in that part, but my explanation was based on natural science only.
…”the laws of energy dictate that you’ll need more energy going in to get the energy >>YOU WANT