Practical Guides for Drivers: How to Save Fuel

There are many practical ways to increase the efficiency of your car and conserve fuel.  Nowadays, fuel conservation has gained significance because of the high prices of gasoline and Diesel fuel. Fuel conservation benefits not only the owner, but the car as well since using the car more efficiently will also bring the owner a longer and less expensive service  life for your prized automobile.  Here is a list of tips for the modern driver:

• use a fuel efficient car;
• reduce the weight of the car (get rid of all that junk in the trunk);
• Close windows and run the air-conditioning, (open windows creat drag);
• Properly inflate the tires to the correct pressure, (underinflation creates drag);
• use only high quality fuel to prevent injector fouling;
• do not warm up the engine, modern computer controlled engines do not need warm ups before driving;
• clean your fuel system with an injector cleaner at every oil change;
• do a regular car inspection;
• do not idle your engine, shut it off if wating more than two minutes; and
• try to use kinetic energy of the car in motion by coasting when possible.

Many autoparts stores sell fuel-saving devices.  Most of them are of little use and value and certainly do not inrease fuel economy in the modern automobile.  The main reason that these alleged fuel saving devices do not work is because of the modern computer controlled car.  Known as “Electronic Engine Controls,” (EEC) they are extemely efficient and the combustion process leaves very little or no unburned fuel behind.  If the combustion process is already near perfect, there is no way for an aftermarket fuel saving device to make it any better. The main way to preserve the efficiency of the engine, is to make sure that the engine controls are properly maintained.  When the “Check Engine” light comes on, it needs to be determined by a qualified technician what if anything is wrong with the EEC in your car. Drive carefully and Happy Motoring!