We are all concerned about the high prices of fuel and the impact our driving has on the environment, however you don’t have to scrap your car for a hybrid or a more fuel or a more efficient model.
Did you know that your vehicle can burn up to 30% more fuel if proper maintenance is not performed on a regular basis with a specialist such as A1 Clutches. We all know the importance of regular car maintenance, but for various reasons, we just don’t do it often enough.
People used to say there are two certainties in live death and paying tax actually there are three the third being the ever increasing price of fuel.
See below out top 12 tips for better fuel efficiency
1. Your Right Foot
This is the easiest if you put your foot down hard from a standing start you’re wasting petrol and your mpg will suffer. If you’re travelling above 70mph on the motorway, you’re wasting fuel. Your mpg can reduce by as much as 15% when driving at or below 65mph.We all love to speed as much as the next person but you have to be realistic do you want better fuel economy or to get there a couple of minutes quicker? I guarantee that driving slower will improve your mpg. Why? Because once you get over about 65mph, you’re using more engine power to overcome drag, which means consuming more petrol to do it
What about when you’re not on the motorway? Well consider a little less braking if you can. If you can see the next set of lights ahead of you are red, don’t race up to them and come to a complete stop. Try to moderate your speed a little if you can do it safely. If you can get there as they turn green and the traffic in front begins to move, you will improve your mpg
2. Change Octane If You Can
Too many people drive around with medium or premium fuel in their tank when they just don’t
need to. If your owner’s manual says “regular”, it means it. Putting mid-grade or premium in your fuel tank is wasting money. Why? Unless you have a high-compression engine which could be prone to detonation, you have absolutely no need for high-octane fuel. The only thing that higher octane gives you is less probability of detonation. In high-performance cars with high-compression engines, that means allowing the engine management system to work at peak efficiency but most
vehicles are quite happily run on cheaper fuel, this will not improve your fuel economy per se, but will save you money
3. Check Your Tyre Pressure
This really is a total no-brainer. Check your tyre pressures regularly – make it part of your weekly routine if your tyre pressures are low, you will be increasing the rolling resistance of your tyres on the road and that will reduce your fuel efficiency. So make sure that your tyre pressure is up to manufacturer recommended values (at the very least) and watch your mpg improve
4. Remove Your Roof Rack
You go biking or skiing at the weekends. Great. However when you are commuting to work, that empty roof rack is adding aerodynamic drag to your car. More drag means more power to overcome it, which means lower mpg. Take it off when you’re not using it. The same applies to
aerodynamic’ roof boxes – if you’re not using it, remove it. It does not matter how aerodynamic they look the fact of the matter is they do induce drag. Fuel economy – is all to do with money and it only takes a couple of minutes to remove your roof rack
5. Change Your Air Filter
Out of sight, out of mind we are all guilty of this. Your air filter protects your engine from ingesting all the dust and dirt in the air. If it’s doing its job well, it will clog up, much like the bag of a vacuum cleaner. Once it clogs up, your engine has a harder time sucking air through it. To compensate for the reduced airflow, the engine management system will richen up the mixture, using more fuel to keep the engine running smoothly. Replace your air filter at least once a year and you’ll guarantee better fuel efficiency. Contact a specialist such as A1 Clutches who will replace your air filter for you
6. Change Your Oil and Oil Filter
Exactly the same as your air filter your oil and oil filter need changing as per the manufacturers guide lines to improve your fuel efficiency
You can improve your fuel efficiency by one to two per cent by using the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5-30 can lower your fuel usage by one to two per cent. Thicker oil is harder to pump which results in a loss of horsepower
7. Change Your Spark Plugs
Spark plugs work in a very hostile environment. If you’ve got more than 30,000 miles on your spark plugs they need to be changed. New spark plugs that are free from carbon deposits will certainly help you to improve your mpg
8. Clean Your Fuel Injector’s
Clean fuel injector’s ensure that you have a more even fuel-air mix which results in a more predictable burn in the cylinder, which will contribute to improved fuel efficiency. If your injector’s have never been cleaned consider getting them professionally cleaned by a specialist such as A1 Clutches as this will improve your mpg
9. Check Your Suspension Parts
Inspect suspension and chassis parts for misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, worn shock absorber’s and broken springs can contribute to drive train drag, not to mention the unsafe condition they create
10. Cruise Control
When appropriate, use your cruise control. This can save you up to 6 per cent in fuel consumption on the highway.
11. Plan Your Journey
Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. Trip planning ensures that travelling is done when the engine is warm and more efficient
12. Get Every Last Drop
When filling your vehicle at the pump, keep the hose in the tank until after the pump shuts off and make sure you allow all the fuel to pour out of the nozzle. As much as a quarter of a cup can pour from the hose. It’s yours, you have paid for it.