As fuel subsidy is removed, the fuel pump price has risen. It is important you know how to reduce fuel consumption in cars if you own one. Otherwise, you’ll be spending heavily purchasing fuel for your car.
If you’re yet to discover ways to reduce your car fuel usage; don’t worry. In this article, we show how to reduce fuel consumption in cars. So, you’re going to better understand your fuel consumption and make your vehicle more fuel efficient.
We can’t do anything about the hike in price of petrol but we can teach you how to maximize your car’s fuel economy to help it last longer.
Many car owners and drivers worry over the fast rate of their car fuel consumption. Some blame their car for the fault even when the car has no fuel consumption issue. The issue is usually that they do not know how to reduce the fuel consumption of their car.
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To get more for every litre of fuel you purchased, here are ways on how to reduce Fuel Consumption of your Car.
Ways to Reduce Fuel Consumption in Cars
Buy fuel only in early morning
Buying fuel only in early morning is one way to reduce fuel consumption in a car. All fuel filling service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. Buy fuel only in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. The colder the ground the more dense the fuel. When it gets warmer petrol expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening; a litre is not exactly a litre.
In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the petrol, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.
A one degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
So buying fuel for your car at the early morning hour will definitely reduce your fuel consumption rate as the fuel is denser at that time.
Ask fuel pump attendant not to squeeze trigger of nozzle
Another way to reduce fuel consumption in car is to ask fuel pump attendant not to squeeze trigger of nozzle to fast mode.
The trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapour that is created while pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapour return. If you are pumping on the fast mode, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapour. Those vapours are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.
Fill up your fuel tank when it’s HALF FULL
This is one of the most important ways to reduce fuel consumption in car. The reason for this is because the more fuel you have in your tank the less air is occupying its empty space.
Fuel evaporates faster than you can imagine. Petroleum storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the petrol and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike fuel service stations, where I work every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every litre is actually the exact amount.
The reverse is the case for fuel filling service stations.
DO NOT buy fuel as truck discharges fuel into storage tanks
The petrol is being stirred up as the fuel is being discharge into the storage tanks. And you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. The dirt does not burn rather it block the fuel nozzle. These dirt will also affect your car fuel consumption rate.
So, it is important to avoid buying fuel when the truck is offloading fuel on the storage tank in the petroleum filling station.
Carryout Basic maintenance regularly
Keep your car well maintained and serviced occasionally. Pump up your tyres to reduce resistance and get the car serviced regularly. Service your car’s injector when necessary. When you allow your car fuel to finish, it will suck particles and dirt. These block the injector and increase the fuel consumption. Servicing the car injector will help to reduce fuel consumption rate and enhance fuel flow rate.
Other Ways to Reduce Fuel Consumption of your Cars
- Avoid carrying weight objects – Remove excess weight from your car. Take unnecessary bulky items out of the car because if you drive with them, they drag the car back and hence increase the fuel consumption.
- Minimize drag – External carriages such as roof boxes or bike racks whenever they aren’t being used should be removed. They forces the car to work harder to cut through the air due to the extra wind resistance such items create.
- Turn off AC – Always turn off the AC unless it really cold or uncomfortably warm in the car. Using it can put a strain on the car engine and burn more fuel than expected, especially at low speeds. The same goes for heated windscreens, demisters and other electrical appliances that are on when driving.
- Be Gentle and Change gear early – Be gentle and change gear early. Accelerate and brake gently, and change to a higher gear as soon as possible. As a general guide, change up before 2000rpm in a diesel and 2500rpm in a petrol, without letting the engine struggle at low revs.
- Always Obey speed limits – Stick to the speed limits always. Research shows that doing 80mph uses up to 25% more fuel than doing 70mph.
- Be alert and Use gravity – Be alert! Look far ahead while driving and keep moving where possible by anticipating obstacles. Easing off the throttle and keeping momentum is better than speeding up, braking and then starting all over again.
- Take it easy on the pedal – Try not dragging or forcefully match the pedal when driving. It can suck up lot of fuel in the process. Match the pedal easily.
- Inflate those tires to the correct pressure – Over inflation or under inflation of the car tire’s pressure can increase the fuel consumption. It is recommended that you ensure your car tires are inflated to the correct pressure.
- Stick to oil recommended by your vehicle manufacturer – This is often neglected. However, it is vital you stick to the motor oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer as this does not only affect fuel consumption but it also the overall maintained of the car.
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If you follow our recommendations above, you’ll Reduce Fuel Consumption of your Cars. Hope this will help you get the most value for your money while your fuel last longer.