Fuel saving:

What can we do?

Small points of conservation:

While small they add up.

1. Don’t drive to the mail box ( walk or ride your pedal bike)
2. Drive slower ( President Carter was right but the cost of time is greater than saving lives or fuel so we all drive 88 verses 55 mph)
3. Accelerate slowly ( not as fun but costs less )
4. Air up your tires and Keep your wheels aligned ( a real savings tip without great effort or lifestyle changes on your part )
5. Buy a new car ( manufacturers are building better cars that pollute less and get better mileage)  be sure to choose a car that runs on regular unleaded not premium.
6. Lean out and lighten up.  Every pound you carry decreases you efficiency
7. Empty your trunk
8. For shorter trips keep your tank between ¼ and ½ full Gas weighs 7 pounds per gallon if you are not burning it you are caring it.
9. Stop super sizing in the drive through. The waste is your own.
   1. Shut the engine off ( it will restart, enjoy the quite or you can use accessory to listen to the radio and run the fan
   2. Drive with the windows up and a/c on ( at your speeds aerodynamic drag adds up at the square (math term for times itself ) of the increased speed) windows up and antenna down will decrease wind resistance
   3. Wash it clean cars waste water but save fuel

10.  Change your air filter, clean your fuel injectors, follow the manufacturers service maintenance guide

11.  Switch to synthetic oil of lower viscosity (0w30 synthetics will reduce friction over 10w30conventional)

12.  Install a fuel vapor catalyst Eco systems

13.  Use the cruse control (steady pace wins the race)

14.  Buy low priced low grade fuel ( no manufacturer requires mid grade fuel,  this is marketing so don’t waste your money )

15.  Turn the radio down and turn off the TV’s ( electrical accessories can waste up to 3% of the energy your engine produces )

16.  Keep your stock rims and tires. (big rims and tires increase stopping distance and decrease mpg)

17.  Keep your left foot off the brake – two foot drivers waste fuel by braking too much

1. grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.
2. Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
   Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.
3. Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
   Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year. eRideShare.com runs a free service connecting north american commuters and travelers.
4. Don’t leave an empty roof rack on your car
   This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight – removing it is a better idea.
5. Keep your car tuned up
   Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.
6. Drive carefully and do not waste fuel
   You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car mantainance.
7. Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
   Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!
8. When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
   You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency on FuelEconomy and on GreenCars websites.
9. Try car sharing
   Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Many companies – such as Flexcar – offer low emission or hybrid cars too! Also, see ZipCar.

10.  Try telecommuting from home
Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week. For more information, check out the Telework Coalition.

1.   Toyota Prius (48 mpg city/45 mpg highway)     
2.   Honda Civic Hybrid (40/45)      
3.   Nissan Altima Hybrid (35/33)    
4.   Ford Escape Hybrid, 4-wheel-drive (34/31)
      Mazda Tribute Hybrid, 2-wheel-drive (34/31)
      Mercury Mariner Hybrid, 4-wheel-drive (34/31)   
5.   Smart ForTwo Convertible (33/41)
      Smart Fortwo Coupe (33/41)     
6.   Toyota Camry Hybrid (33/34)      
7.   Volkswagen Jetta, manual, diesel (30/41)
      Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagon, automatic, diesel (30/41)
8.   Volkswagen Jetta, automatic, diesel (29/40)
      Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagon, automatic, diesel (29/40)
9.   Toyota Yaris, manual (29/36)      
10. Toyota Yaris, automatic (29/35)

water when you can.

2. Leave your car at home. If you can stay off the road just two days a week, you’ll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,590 pounds per year [Source: EPA]. Combine your errands — hit the post office, grocery store and shoe repair place in one trip. It will save you gas and time

8. Maintain your car. Underinflated tires decrease fuel economy by up to three percent and lead to increased pollution and higher greenhouse gas emissions [Source: EPA]. Underinflation also increases tire wear, so it will save you money in the long run if you’re good about checking your tire pressure.

Underinflated tires decrease your fuel economy and lead to increased pollution.

9. Drive smarter. Slow down — driving 60 miles per hour instead of 70 mph on the highway will save you up 4 miles per gallon. [Source: Consumer Guide Automotive]. Accelerating and braking too hard can actually reduce your fuel economy, so take it easy on the brakes and gas pedal.

. First of all, as I said our car reflects our personality, we should try to keep it well maintained the way we maintain our personality. Regular servicing of our car is one of the most important factors that decides how much fuel it is consuming. Get your car serviced regularly as per manufacturer’s instructions.

2. Tire pressure should be checked regularly. It should neither be less nor more than the recommended limits of the manufacturers.

3. Clutch should be used only when required. Unnecessary use of clutch not only increases fuel consumption but also reduces the life of clutch plates.

4. Air conditioner should be used only when you really need it. There are times when we can do without an air conditioner. Why not use it sparingly when we drive on highways and natural air is more refreshing than the artificial cool air.

5. Major cities in the world have some speed limit recommended by transport authorities. If we stick to the speed limits of the city we live in, we can reduce our fuel consumption. As speed limits are fixed after proper studies and surveys of the traffic volume in a particular area, if we stick to the speed limit we do not have to stop at intersections and we get green signal continuously. This results in less wastage of fuel at intersection while waiting for signals to turn green.

6. Last but not least, do not use your car where a bicycle will be more convenient, like visiting your local market for grocery shopping. It will not only reduce your fuel bill but also strengthen your muscles.

You can also learn some techniques of Hypermiling and save your fuel costs. A new technique of using water to run your car is also becoming very popular. Learn more about how get Better gas mileage by running your car on water.

 

All of these modification like a diet and exercise are hard work and require more effort then most us are willing to put forth but take a couple of hours and dollars this week and reduce your emissions and increase your mileage with the simple items above, plus changes in your driving style will pay you back and reduce pollution.

You have done all of the simple things and you still want more. The next step for many car owners and high gas mileage seeker

            Vehicle modifications:

Types of devices and how they work why they do or don’t work

Devices Tested
the following list categorizes various types of “gas-saving” products, explains how they’re used.

Air Bleed Devices. These devices bleed air into the engine. They usually are installed in the Positive Crankcase Ventilation line or as a replacement for idle-mixture screws.

Worthless your computer adjusted for the extra air. Most often makes engine run with miss and increase pollution.

Vapor Bleed Devices. These devices are similar to the air bleed devices, except that induced air is bubbled through a container of a water and anti-freeze mixture, usually located in the engine compartment.

Worthless your computer adjusted for the extra air. Most often makes engine run with miss and increase pollution

Liquid Injection. These products add liquid into the fuel/air intake system and not directly into the combustion chamber.

Worthless water does not burn. Most often makes engine run with miss and increase pollution

Fuel Line Devices (heaters or coolers). These devices heat the fuel before it enters the carburetor. Usually, the fuel is heated by the engine coolant or by the exhaust or electrical system.

Worthless the fuel is always heated by the engine before fuel is burned in the cylinder

Fuel Line Devices (magnets). These magnetic devices, clamped to the outside of the fuel line or installed in the fuel line, claim to change the molecular structure of gasoline.

Worthless the magnetic lines of flux follow the metal lines around the fuel and do not affect the fuel.  A large enough magnet to change the chemical structure of the fuel could be build but it would have to be installed in a plastic and aluminum car and would  stick you light poles and rail road tracks as you drove past them.

Fuel Line Devices (metallic). Typically, these devices contain several dissimilar metals that are installed in the fuel line, supposedly causing ionization of the fuel.

Worthless ions are created by attaching or dislodging electrons from atoms the electric charge of the fuel has no effect on how in burns or is distributed in the cylinders.

Fuel Line Devices (vapor pressure). Typically, these devices contain catalizers or hydrocarbon crackers that are installed in the fuel line, supposedly causing a change in vapor pressure of the fuel.

Liquid fuel does not burn. Fuel vapor does. The more completely fuel is vaporized the more completely it burns if the device increase the vaporization of the fuel it will improve performance and economy.

Worth the investment if you drive 12,000 miles per year or more.

 

Mixture Enhancers (under the carburetor). These devices are mounted between the carburetor and intake manifold and supposedly enhance the mixing or vaporization of the air/fuel mixture.

While the increased vaporization increases power the decreased air flow reduces power.  (The last carburetion vehicle produced 15 years ago (buy a newer car).

Mixture Enhancers (others). These devices make some general modifications to the vehicle intake system.

Worthless tumbling twisting spinning the air coming into the cylinders always involves restriction of the air flow which reduces engine efficiency.

Internal Engine Modifications. These devices make physical or mechanical function changes to the engine.

Shutting off cylinders when power requirement are reduced increases mileage at the expense of power if the power is unneeded fuel saving can be realized.  The cost of the cylinder canceling technology exceeds the potential saving achieved during the life of engine.

Accessory Drive Modifiers. These devices reduce power to specific auto accessories.

Will decrease power wasted by accessories, Most commonly used to increase available horse power verses fuel savings

Fuels and Fuel Additives. These materials are added to the gas tank.

Many work but the cost of product is greater than the cost of the fuel saved.  Most are petroleum based. Many cause increased emission

Oils and Oil Additives. Usually these materials are poured into the crankcase.

Reduced friction increases mileage per gallon Simple Synthetics oil changes provide for best protection and has become part of many manufactures maintenance recommendation on newer vehicles…

Driving Habit Modifiers. These are lights or sound devices to tell the driver to reduce acceleration or to shift gears.

Improving driving habits and smart vehicle usage is one of the greatest ways to save fuel. Requires personal effort and discipline

Body Aerodynamic kits. These Body kits reduce wind resistance and drag.

Reducing the effort to push the car through the air increases mileage by reducing waste. Lower kits and spoilers moon style hubcaps show increases in mileage while wings and ground effects increase drag in reduce mileage.