Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 4: Car
• Method 2 of 4: Saving Fuel
• Method 3 of 4: Driving Habits
• Method 4 of 4: Planning Your Travel
• Tips
• Warnings

While fuel prices continue to rise, lowering fuel consumption more than ever can help you save. Here are some tips to help you reduce your fuel costs by increasing your vehicle's mileage on one tank.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: Car

1. 1 Maintain the correct tire pressure. Well-inflated tires can help you cut fuel consumption by up to 3%. The pressure in the wheels decreases by 0.06 atm per month. The pressure also decreases with the onset of winter (due to the increase in air density with decreasing temperature). It is recommended to check the tire pressure regularly, at least once a month, and preferably once a week. Correct pressure will also prevent uneven rubber wear.
   • At some gas stations you can use the compressor for free. Sometimes there are automatic compressors that pump up the pressure to a predetermined value, but after using it, it is still useful to double-check the pressure with your own pressure gauge.
   • Nipple extensions will allow you to inflate the wheels without removing the caps, but make sure they don't get clogged or leak on their own.
   • If you are going to go to places where it will be colder, or are not going to pump up the pressure for a while, pump 0.2 ATM more. Please refer to the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer, not the maximum pressure printed on the tire bead. Experience shows that old tires should not be inflated to high pressures, otherwise the tire could explode. A tire blown up on the track will override all the fuel economy benefits.
2. 2 Tune the engine. A tuned and fully functional engine will deliver more power and consume less fuel. But many tuning mechanics chase power at the expense of engine economy, so be careful when choosing mods.
3. 3 Check the condition of your air filter. A dirty filter will harm the engine and increase fuel consumption. Driving on dusty terrain and in fields and grass will wear out the filter more quickly.
4. 4 Replace the air filter following the procedure outlined in the operating instructions. A new air filter can significantly affect engine performance on turbocharged vehicles.
5. 5 Reduce vehicle weight. Choose the lightest vehicle that suits your needs. Weight is the biggest cause of kinetic energy loss in non-hybrid vehicles. If you are not going to buy a new car, try to lighten the old one as much as possible. If there are seats that you are not using, dismantle them. If you constantly carry heavy things in the trunk, try to unload them. An extra 50 kg of weight in the trunk will increase consumption by 1-2%. Car weight is especially important in the urban cycle, where you often brake and accelerate, and much less when driving on the freeway. Do not put the necessary things out of the car, trips for them will hit your wallet harder, and all the benefits of saving fuel will be crossed out.
6. 6 Try to choose the narrowest tires that suit your driving style. Narrower tires have less air resistance and less friction, which will help reduce fuel consumption. But remember that narrower tires have less grip, this is the reason why wider tires are used on sports cars. Do not use tires that are narrower than your rims suggest. And do not put wheels that are less than the manufacturer recommends.
7. 7 When choosing tires, try to choose those that have low rolling resistance. This will help reduce consumption by a couple of percent. The difference will be negligible if you maintain the correct pressure, so replacing old tires with new ones will not pay off, unless the old ones are already worn out.
8. 8 On cars with an injection engine, you need to make sure that the air mass flow sensor (MAF) and the lambda probe are in good condition. The check engine light comes on when there is a problem with one of these devices. The failure of the DRMV leads to the fact that an over-enriched mixture enters the engine, which can increase fuel consumption by 20% or more.

Method 2 of 4: Saving Fuel

1. 1 When refueling, do not fill the tank full; try to keep the fuel level between half the tank and a quarter. Driving with an empty tank at all times will be harmful to the fuel pump. 60 liters of fuel add 45 kg of weight.
2. 2 When changing oil, use additives in the oil and try to fill with synthetic oil. Additives and a good oil can reduce consumption by up to 15% if you follow the directions. The additives stabilize the viscosity of the oil, which makes the engine run smoother due to the fact that the entire volume of oil is included in the lubrication process, not just part of it.
3. 3 Refuel with quality fuel. Do not fill with different fuels in the same tank. Cheap gasoline will save you a few rubles per liter, but it will contain more ethanol, which will increase fuel consumption. Compare how much you can drive, refuel for the same amount and evaluate what is best for your car.
4. 4 Filling with synthetic oil will help save up to 5% fuel. Don't forget to change the oil. Ignoring a scheduled oil change increases fuel consumption and harms the engine. If it is not possible to fill in synthetic oil, fill in the lightest, 5W-30 will be better than 15W-50.
   • Some engines run harder on synthetic oils, so you need to monitor your engine's behavior.
5. 5 Try not to use the air conditioner when driving in the city, as it significantly increases fuel consumption. However, the consumption with a working air conditioner while driving on the highway will be less than with open windows. The air resistance from open windows is more significant than the power taken away by the air conditioner.
6. 6 You can visually estimate fuel consumption by how much you load the engine. Air conditioning, sudden acceleration and driving at high speed, of course, have a very strong effect, but these are indirect indicators. Try to keep track of what rpm the engine is running at. It's like keeping track of your heart rate by assessing how hard your heart is working. By observing the RPM, you will find that the engine performs better at some RPM than at others.
   • If the engine is running at more than 3000 rpm, you are most likely in too low a gear. Shift the gear and let the engine speed up at lower rpm. The average revs at which you are driving directly determine your engine consumption.
   • How to track engine RPM? Many cars have an instrument called a tachometer on the dashboard next to the speedometer. It shows the engine rpm divided by a thousand: if the needle is between 2 and 3, the engine is running at 2500 rpm. The most efficient zone for the engine is between 2000 and 3000, but, for the sake of fuel economy, try not to exceed 2000 rpm, and the value of 2700 can only be exceeded when moving uphill. This will allow you to move at a speed of 50-60 km / h in the city and 105 km / h on the highway. Try to find the best balance between driving dynamics and ride smoothness by observing your fuel consumption.

Method 3 of 4: Driving Habits

1. 1 Enjoy cruise control. In most cases, cruise control helps to reduce fuel consumption by maintaining a constant speed.
2. 2 Do not hurry. The higher the speed, the greater the resistance of the incoming air flow.Driving at higher speeds can increase consumption by up to 33%. At speeds up to 60 km / h, air resistance does not greatly affect fuel consumption, but above this speed it becomes decisive.
3. 3 Avoid sudden acceleration. Internal combustion engines have the highest efficiency from 2000 to 3000 rpm, and develop the greatest power at 5000-6000 rpm. On the manual transmission, shift into the next gear as soon as the engine reaches the desired rpm. For example, in order to accelerate to 40 km / h, you start from 1st, accelerate to 2nd, and then, bypassing 3rd, switch to 4th or even 5th, if the engine can maintain speed. But keep in mind what? pressing the gas pedal in 5th gear at low speed will not accelerate! To do this, you need to downshift.
4. 4 Avoid constant braking. For each acceleration after braking, you need to spend the fuel you are trying to save. Try to follow the traffic lights in advance so as not to accelerate unnecessarily.
5. 5 Do not warm up the car at idle speed. The best way to warm up your car is to start driving and drive slowly without sudden acceleration until the engine is at operating temperature.
6. 6 Find the optimal speed. Many cars have the concept of "optimal speed", and this is the speed at which the car consumes the least amount of fuel, most often it is about 80 km / h. Optimum speed is the minimum speed at which the vehicle can travel in the highest gear. For example, for Jeep Cherokees it is 90 km / h, and for Toyota 4Runners it is about 80 km / h. Find this value for your vehicle and drive in the appropriate mode.
7. 7 If your vehicle has an overdrive gearbox, remember to engage it. It should be disabled only when towing heavy loads. Overdrive is on by default when the gearbox lever is in the "D" position. On some vehicles, the overdrive function is disabled with a button. You can disengage an upshift if you brake the engine while driving downhill, or if the car starts to jerk when driving uphill. Overdrive helps to conserve some fuel by keeping the speed at lower engine rpm.
8. 8 Watch out for traffic lights. Constant braking and acceleration has a negative effect on consumption. Do not circle the parking lot looking for a place. Resign yourself to the idea that there are very few places right near the entrance to the store. Many people wait until a free space is available and circle around the parking lot, uselessly burning fuel.
9. 9 Maintain a safe distance! Do not attach bumper to bumper behind the vehicle in front. Riding a short distance will force you to brake and accelerate much more often than riding 20 meters behind, although you will be driving at the same speed. This will give you time when braking at traffic lights, eliminate unnecessary forced braking from the vehicle in front, and generally provide room for maneuver. You will be able to bypass the vehicle in front if the traffic light changes to green, and it needs to accelerate from a full stop.
10. 10 Avoid prolonged heating. For example, in cold weather, the engine must be warmed up for no more than 30 seconds. During this time, the engine is sufficiently lubricated to function safely. If you need to stop for more than 10 seconds, you can turn off the engine and this will save fuel. But starting the engine too often will negatively affect the starter.
11. 11 Determine which gear is best for smooth movement. If you are driving on a highway without heavy loads, try using the highest gear. Listen to the engine, as driving in an overdrive can damage small motors.Several manufacturers offer different gear ratio options for gearboxes.

Method 4 of 4: Planning Your Travel

1. 1 Plan your trips. Write down a list of all the places you need to go and plan your route. This will help you avoid driving in circles around town and save fuel.
2. 2 Think carefully about your route. Try to think about where there will be traffic jams and where there are more traffic lights. Prefer fast avenues to slower traffic.
3. 3 Keep track of how much you have driven on each tank. The number of liters of gasoline poured at a gas station should be divided by the number of kilometers indicated on the odometer. Write down the results in a notepad. You will be able to compare the results and understand whether you are reducing or increasing consumption, whether your car is working properly and whether you are being refilled with a full tank.

Tips

• Basically, fuel consumption depends on driving style. Try to drive more calmly and you will feel the difference.
• If you have a roof frame, try to remove it when not in use.
• Park somewhere between your destinations. You will save fuel and can walk from place to place with your legs stretched out.
• Drive at higher revs weekly to burn off soot deposits in the engine. Acceleration on trails and overtaking is a great place to take advantage of the increased revs.
• Some automatic transmissions allow limiting the highest gear to 4th. And many people switch to the 4th, bypassing the 'D', believing that this is more correct, and then complain about the high fuel consumption.
• Try not to go on the roads during rush hour, you will save not only fuel, but also nerves.
• A manual transmission will allow you to save fuel, since it takes up to 15% of the engine power, versus 20% for an automatic transmission.
• The ballast in the trunk will help you improve grip during the winter season, there is no point in skimping on safety while trying to save a couple of dollars. Just remove the ballast when you no longer need it.
• Turn off the engine while waiting in line for a gas station or in a window in a cafe.
• All aerodynamic kits increase downforce by increasing air resistance, which negatively affects consumption. But often from body kits and spoilers only an aesthetic effect and no useful aerodynamic effect. When attaching a load to the roof rack, try to unfold it with the smaller side forward - this will reduce drag.

Warnings

• Driving without observing the distance to the vehicle in front is very dangerous and illegal. When driving "bumper to bumper" you cannot avoid a collision if the vehicle in front starts to brake sharply, if something jumps out onto the road or an obstacle arises. This could lead to a serious accident. Always keep a safe distance.
• If you have 3 seconds ahead of the vehicle in front while driving on the highway, you can probably avoid an accident.
• Driving too slow on a highway can be dangerous. There is even a minimum speed limit on freeways, and if you need to go slower you must turn on your hazard lights.
• Some manufacturers will void the warranty if you are using fuel or oil additives, make sure you do not void the warranty before using the additives.
• Be careful about chip tuning and other vehicle modifications. Many modifications will void your warranty and some may harm your engine.
• Beware of charlatans and don't believe reviews of amazing savings from super funds. Every scam that was popular in the 70s returns again in a new way to seduce a new generation of simpletons.