Posted on 05/23/2008 11:18:17 AM PDT by newgeezer
http://www.howtoadvice.com/savinggas
Thirty Gas Saving Tips
by Ernest Miles
Arm and Leg Gas Prices
The surest way you can improve your fuel cost problem is to change your motoring habits. Listed below under four categories are 30 effective methods of doing so... no need to buy expensive add-on equipment.
ENGINE WARM-UP
1. Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time.
2. Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up... chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture.
3. Don’t start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine.
4. Avoid “reving” the engine, especially just before you switch the engine off; this wastes fuel needlessly and washes oil down from the inside cylinder walls, owing to loss of oil pressure.
5. Eliminate jack-rabbit starts. Accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don’t push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel. This allows carburetor to function at peak efficiency.
HOW TO BUY GASOLINE
6. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to “volume of measurement”.
7. Choose type and brand of gasoline carefully. Certain brands provide you with greater economy because of better quality. Use the brands which “seem” most beneficial.
8. Avoid filling gas tank to top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill gas tank past the first “click” of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic.
HOW TO DRIVE ECONOMICALLY
9. Exceeding 40 mph forces your auto to overcome tremendous wind resistance.
10. Never exceed legal speed limit. Primarily they are set for your traveling safety, however better gas efficiency also occurs. Traveling at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage when compared to former legal speed limits of 65 mph and 70 mph.
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11. Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed.
12. Manual shift driven cars allow you to change to highest gear as soon as possible, thereby letting you save gas if you “nurse it along”. However, if you cause the engine to “bog down”, premature wearing of engine parts occurs.
13. Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.
14. Drive steadily. Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating - the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if affects your economy, if he slows down unexpectedly.
15.Think ahead when approaching hills. If you accelerate, do it before you reach the hill, not while you’re on it.
GENERAL ADVICE
16. Do not rest left foot on floor board pedals while driving. The slightest pressure puts “mechanical drag” on components, wearing them down prematurely. This “dragging” also demands additional fuel usage.
17. Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.
18. Use alternate roads when safer, shorter, straighter. Compare traveling distance differences - remember that corners, curves and lane jumping requires extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always straight.
19. Stoplights are usually timed for your motoring advantage. By traveling steadily at the legal speed limit you boost your chances of having the “green light” all the way.
20. Automatic transmissions should be allowed to cool down when your car is idling at a standstill, e.g. railroad crossings, long traffic lights, etc. Place gear into neutral position. This reduces transmission strain and allows transmission to cool.
21. Park car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas.
22. Regular tune-ups ensure best economy; check owner’s manual for recommended maintenance intervals. Special attention should be given to maintaining clean air filters... diminished air flow increases gas waste.
23. Inspect suspension and chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, etc. create engine drag and are unsafe at high traveling speeds.
24. Remove snow tires during good weather seasons; traveling on deep tire tread really robs fuel!
25. Inflate all tires to maximum limit. Each tire should be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-round. When shopping for new tires, get large diameter tires for rear wheels. Radial designs are the recognized fuel-savers; check manufacturer’s specifications for maximum tire pressures.
26. Remove vinyl tops - they cause air drag. Rough surfaces disturb otherwise smooth air flow around a car’s body. Bear in mind when buying new cars that a fancy sun roof helps disturb smooth air flow (and mileage).
27. Auto air conditioners can reduce fuel economy by 10% to 20%. Heater fan, power windows and seats increase engine load; the more load on your engine, the less miles per gallon.
28. Remove excess weight from trunk or inside of car - extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy parts. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.
29. Car pools reduce travel monotony and gas expense - all riders chip in to help you buy. Conversation helps to keep the driver alert. Pooling also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater “steady speed” economy. For best results, distribute passenger weight evenly throughout car.
30. During cold weather watch for icicles frozen to car frame. Up to 100 lbs. can be quickly accumulated! Unremoved snow and ice cause tremendous wind resistance. Warm water thrown on (or hosed on) will eliminate it fast.
EXTRA TIPS
Install pressure regulator valve (sold in auto parts stores)... Use graphite motor oil... Beware of oil additives, regardless of advertising claims... Add Marvel Mystery Oil into gas fill-ups... Investigate fuel/water injection methods and products... combine short errands into one trip... Use special gas additives to prevent winter freezing of gas lines... convert your V8 engine over to a V4 - no special kits needed!!!
Related Articles
* 45 Professional Tips To Cut Big Gasoline Bills
* Selecting The Right Octane For Your Car
* Gas Pains: An unconventional approach to improving gas mileage
I tend to put the vehicle in neutral or park when I know I’m going to be sitting for a while, given that the car is constantly pulling at the brakes.
With something like a long slow train, I shut off the engine.
Typo?
I wish that were the case, but it sure isn't with either our 6 cylinder Camry or 4 banger Yaris.....the Yaris gets 35/36 around town during the couple of months we don't need A/C....the rest of the year it's 29/30.
Kind of funny to see those two statements juxtaposed...
I actually use MMO on occasion, having gotten started in light aircraft (synthetic oil of wintergreen).
???
But 39 is OK ?
I drive downwind whenever I can...
All those tips and they missed the easiest one.
ALWAYS MAKE SURE TO RELEASE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.
Or, as some call it “the thing that makes the car smell real funny”.
Is that why my Honda CR500 gets only about 20 MPG?
I wouldn’t beleive ANYTHING that comes from Consumer Reorts, let alone on CNN!
Consumers Reports is just another arm of the Ralph Nader, anti capitalist movement.
Try not come to a complete stop when legally possible (ex. rush hour traffic or approaching red lights)!
Anybody think there's any truth to that? I wondered which is worse on the transmission -- letting the automatic "clutch" keep the trans in "neutral" or manually shifting to netural.
It makes a good hydraulic fluid, in a pinch....
Does a pick-up get better mileage with the tail gate up or down?
Lately, I've read claims that the break-even time is 30 seconds or, most recently, 10 seconds.
6. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day
Precisely the alleged myth debunked by Consumer Reports in the article above.
7. Choose type and brand of gasoline carefully.
Bah. See the article above. If BP/etc. could back up that claim, they'd shout it from the rooftops.
10. ... Traveling at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage when compared to former legal speed limits of 65 mph and 70 mph.
"Former"? This and its earlier note about the "automatic choke" tell me these tips must be 30 years old. Next, I expect it will say Ethyl is better than kerosene. ;^)
That happened to me once.........
Yeah ...
This sage advice reminds me of the old joke about the Texas Aggie who parked
a new panel wagon in the driveway, peeled off the siding with a crowbar, and
then called his wife out to admire the handiwork.
After a few seconds of silent observation, the Aggie turned to his spouse and
said, "Ya know, Ma. I think I liked it better when it was still in the crate."
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