Because fuel prices continue to rise, saving fuel is the best way to reduce your expenses. Here are some ways to reduce spending on buying fuel by making savings.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Car
Step 1. Inflate car tires properly
Properly pumped tires will reduce fuel consumption by up to 3%. Your tires lose 1 PSI of pressure per month, and when the tires are cold (eg in winter), the pressure will also decrease due to the ambient temperature. It is recommended to check tire pressure once a month, preferably weekly. Properly inflated tires will also reduce the risk of tire wear.
- Some gas stations have an automatic air compressor that stops when it reaches the required pressure. (For safety, also check your tire pressure with your own gauge, especially if other tools suggest a significant increase)
- Some types of valve caps allow you to inflate without removing the cap. But also check that they could be stuck due to dirt or leaks.
- The recommended air pressure fill is for cold tires. Add about 3 PSI if your car has been driven for some time. Pump up to the manufacturer's recommendations, not the maximum pressure listed on the tire wall. (The author's experience with cars and trucks, do not pump more than the manufacturer's recommendations unless you have a spare tire. Over pressure will cause it to pop and under pressure will cause the tires to go bald and waste fuel)
Step 2. Tune up the engine
Tuned up engine will maximize power and improve fuel economy. But beware, mechanics sometimes override fuel economy when tuning up for big power..
Step 3. Check the condition of the air filter
A dirty filter will waste gasoline and cause the engine to stop at idle. Driving on a dusty road will make the filter dirty and clogged, avoid dust clumps.
Step 4. Replace the air filter according to the manufacturer's instructions
This will increase fuel savings.
Step 5. Reduce your burden
Find the lightest car that can meet your needs. Load is the main cause of loss of kinetic energy in non-hybrid cars. Remove the additional burden on the car, if necessary, remove car seats that have never been used. If you use your luggage to store heavy objects, find another place. An additional 100 pounds of weight will increase fuel consumption by 1-2% (Weight is very important during traffic jams, Not too influential on smooth roads). Don't let go of the items you use frequently, because the wasted trip to pick up the item when you miss it will waste more fuel.
Step 6. Find the narrowest tire possible that can still handle your needs
Narrow wheels will be more aerodynamic and also less traction (race cars need wide tires). Do not use tires that do not fit the rims, and do not use tires that are smaller than the manufacturer's recommended size.
Step 7. Choose a tire with a compound that has little rolling resistance
This will increase the savings by a few percent
Step 8. On a car with an injection engine, make sure the oxygen sensor, car emission and exhaust system are in good condition
Sometimes the check engine light comes on, indicating that the system is not working properly. A faulty oxygen sensor will increase fuel consumption by about 20% or more.
Method 2 of 4: Fuel saving
Step 1. When you fill up with gas, fill it when the tank is over a quarter
If your gas is low, you cause the gas pump on the engine to work hard. 10 gallons of fuel will add 60 pounds.
Step 2. When you change the oil, use a synthetic oil additive in your engine oil
this will increase your savings by up to 15% if you follow the instructions.
Step 3. Buy quality fuel
No fuel is the same, and when there is a discount from one brand, even if you save a few cents per liter, it can contain more ethanol which also burns faster. Compare several brands and choose the best one for you.
Step 4. Using synthetic oil will save 5% fuel
Remember to change the oil within the timeframe as directed. Extending the oil change period will be harmful to the life of your engine and the savings will be reduced due to dirty oil. If you can't use synthetic oil, choose the thinner oil. 5W-30 is better than 15W-50.
Note: One of the authors said that synthetic oils had little effect. You can decide for yourself after your research
Step 5. Try to avoid using the air conditioner when it is stuck because the engine works hard and consumes more fuel
But when driving on the expressway, it's better to install air conditioning and close the windows. Because if the window is open, it will cause a large wind resistance which is more wasteful of fuel consumption compared to the use of AC.
Step 6. If you are trying to find a more direct way to control fuel consumption, the key is to monitor how hard your engine is working
AC, acceleration, of course affect the work of the engine but there is no direct indicator. Check your engine RPM. It's like monitoring your pulse. You can find out the ideal RPM range for your car.
- If your engine is running above 3000 RPM, it may be running in low gear. So, release the gas pedal a little, and let the car reach its speed with a lower RPM. Lower RPM directly means your fuel savings.
- How do you monitor RPM? Generally cars have a needle next to the speedometer called the tachometer. This shows the RPM of your car multiplied by 1000. This means that if the needle shows the number 2, it means that it is 2000 RPM. RPM is comfortable and fuel efficient is between 2000-3000 RPM. However, try to stay below 2000 RPM as long as possible and as little as possible above 2700 RPM, only doing it if necessary such as going uphill. This means you won't go more than 40 mph, but you can reach 50-55 mph in the city and 65 mph on the highway in 2500 RPM. By finding the ideal RPM zone, you can save fuel by paying attention to how much your engine is working!
Method 3 of 4: Driving habits
Step 1. Use cruise control
In general situations, cruise control can save fuel by maintaining a constant speed.
Step 2. Reduce speed
The faster you move, the harder your engine will work to split the wind. Speeding will waste up to 33% fuel (fuel saving is not the main reason to drive slowly, but fuel will be more wasteful if you go faster)
Step 3. Increase the speed gently and the gas pressure is not too deep
The engine will be most efficient with sufficiently high airflow and at a certain RPM to reach peak power (for small to medium engines, usually around 4000-5000 RPM). On a manual car, make a quick change of gear, or shift to 4th by skipping 3rd. In 5th, if you have to push the gas in to maintain speed, that means you have to shift into 4th gear.
Step 4. Avoid braking whenever possible
Braking will waste energy that has just been burned by your fuel, and increasing speed again after braking will consume even more fuel. On the road in the city, look ahead and slow down to survive when you see a red light flashing.
Step 5. Avoid idle for too long
Idle will waste fuel significantly. The best way to warm up the car is to drive it slowly until the engine reaches the ideal temperature.
Step 6. Find the ideal speed of your car
Some cars will save fuel at a certain speed, usually around 50 mph. The ideal speed is the minimum speed in the highest gear (watch the RPM drop as you increase speed, which means the engine shifts to a lower gear). For example, the Jeep Cherokee's ideal speed is 55 mph, and the Toyota 4runners is around 50 mph. Find the ideal speed of your car and choose your lane accordingly.
Step 7. If your car has an automatic transmission with overdrive, make sure you turn it on, unless you are pulling a heavy trailer
Overdrive automatically turns on in position D. Some cars have a special button on the gear stick to activate overdrive. Do not turn it off except at certain times such as going downhill or uphill. Overdrive will save fuel at high speeds because the gear ratio will be adjusted.
Step 8. Learn to predict traffic lights
Stop and go driving wastes fuel. # Don't go around the parking lot, and don't stop in front of the shop. Park in a lot of empty spaces, rather than looking for a parking space near the door. Many people waste fuel by circling in the parking lot.
Step 9. Keep a safe distance
Do not stick to the bumper of the car in front of you. You will often brake and press the gas to maintain your distance. Calm down, give it some distance. You are still walking at the same speed as the car in front of you even if you are 100 meters apart. This will provide a safe space for you to maneuver if there is a danger, and also do not need to immediately brake when the brake lights of the car in front of you are on.
Step 10. Avoid idle
For example, in cold weather, warm up the car for no more than 30 seconds. This time is sufficient to provide lubrication. And if you have to stop for more than 10 seconds, you can turn off the engine and turn it on again later when it starts running again. However, starting the vehicle repeatedly will also harm your starter motor.
Step 11. Choose a gear ratio suitable for the engine, transmission and road conditions
If you drive on the highway more often and don't carry heavy loads, changing the final gear to a lower ratio will do the trick. Be careful not to go too high, because the engine load will be heavier.
Method 4 of 4: Planning ahead
Step 1. Plan your trip
Make a list of the destinations you are going to, this will not save fuel, but can reduce the distance you have to travel.
Step 2. Plan the route carefully
Choose a route that is not a lot of obstacles and congestion. Choose toll roads whenever possible.
Step 3. Collect notes on how far you walked and how much fuel you filled
Enter in a spreadsheet. This method will help you to measure your fuel consumption.
Tips
- Your fuel savings depend on how you drive. Drive normally and you will feel the difference.
- If your car has a rack on the roof, remove it if possible, when not in use, this will reduce wind resistance.
- Try parking your car between the places you are going to and walking towards both places. This will save the trip and also make you healthy.
- Run the engine at high RPM once a week to prevent carbon build-up. When overtaking another vehicle is a good time for this.
- Some cars have the transmission position 4 and D in the same row. Many people skip the D and use 4 because it feels better. Then they drive and complain about wasting fuel.
- Try scheduling trips outside of peak hours. This will also nourish your soul because it is not too stressed because of traffic jams.
- Manual cars are usually more economical.
- Some weights in the trunk, such as bags or rocks are good for added traction in winter. It is more important to maintain safety,
- When queuing, don't start the engine, just turn it off and start again when it's about to run.
- Accessories such as body kits, spoilers, will increase the car's wind resistance, as a result will waste gasoline.
- In cars with 'economy' and 'power' modes, this mode changes the curve of the gas pedal. Actually in economy mode you can still get power by increasing the pressure on the gas pedal, but at normal times, the car will be more efficient.
- At a red light, if you know you have to stop for more than 2 minutes, turn off the engine.
- If you have an SUV, position it on 2 wheel drive for normal driving, because it will save fuel compared to 4 wheel drive. Be sure to disable the 4WD connection to reduce drag.
- Avoid drive through restaurants. Your car will continue to run. Park and eat inside.
- When looking for a new car, check its fuel consumption.
- If you're always dealing with traffic jams, find something to do near your office and when the traffic melts, then you're on your way.
- You can reduce the engine load by placing the transmission on N. However, shifting the transmission from N to D too often will cause the transmission to wear out. If it's only for a moment, avoid changing the transmission position frequently.
- For the best fuel consumption, choose a hybrid car.
- During long driving and at rest, open the hood, this will speed up engine cooling.
- Be careful with injector cleaners in the form of fuel additives, as these are said to damage the injectors on older cars.
Warning
- Driving too close to other cars *always* unsafe, *sticks*; more unsafe. Driving too close to another car is also punishable. Another danger is that if the car in front of you brakes suddenly or turns suddenly to avoid something, or through an object that your car cannot pass because it is too short, it could cause an accident for you. Always keep a safe distance.
- Usually around 3 seconds is a fairly safe distance and you can avoid damage on the road even though it was blocked by the car in front of you.
- Driving slowly on expressways can be dangerous, and it is also against the rules to drive a car over 15 mph below the speed limit without turning on the hazard lights.
- Be careful using oil additives, some can void the warranty. Read the instructions or consult a mechanic.
- Be careful to modify the chip and other modifications that do not look significant. This will void the warranty and incorrect modifications can cause damage to the machine.
- Watch out for testimonials about incredible savings. The magnets that were popularized in the 70s are now back.
