We asked the members of the Motorwatch Technical Committee to share their knowledge of ways to increase your fuel mileage. Here are the candid answers from some of the MTC (in alphabetical order):
Jim Armstrong
Don't drive :-) just kidding
Most importantly is preventive maintenance!
Air filter
Fuel filter
Good fuel quality (not supreme! Just good fuel)
Regular oil changes with the correct oil viscosity!
The correct amount of oil no over or under capacity
Transmission fluid is full and not overextended
Manual transmission correct viscosity oil and amount
Use the appropriate gear - do not "overdrive" the gearing
Coolant is of correct mixture and not aerated and level
Proper tire inflation, must be checked minimum twice monthly
Adjust tire pressure for additional loads
Have alignment checked and corrected if necessary
Wheel bearings need to be checked for wear and free play (adjusted if
equipped)
All tires are the same circumference
Address immediately a "check engine" light
Driving habits
No jack rabbit starts for light or stop signs
Avoid heavy last second braking
Make gentle turns at intersections
Acceleration should be gradual (not too slow to cause a
hazard)
Make it a point to make your driving route a circle (from
starting point ending point)
Do not carry unnecessary weight (luggage, tools, etc)
Run the a/c only when absolutely necessary
Cabin filtration: Leave plenty of distance in front of you when stopped at a
light or in traffic, lets the car breath
Avoid stop and traffic as much as possible
Do not tailgate
Abide by the speed limits
Coast (cruise feature) on hills - down side
Thomas Barry
Don't start and idle engine on start up to warm (or cool) interior of vehicle.
Coast into a stop. When stuck in traffic, turn off A/C-heater open windows for fresh air.
No jack rabbit starts.
Check tires for proper inflation.
Check air filter. Change if dirty or has not been changed in a long time.
Fill up when you have to. Don't over fill.
Bill Cox
Don't drive.
Consolidate trips - ask family & neighbors what they need from the store and
make 1 trip.
Do not use A/C. Remember defroster is A/C too.
Coast on downgrades & hills.
Accelerate slowly & evenly.
Anticipate stops so you are not on the brake then the throttle.
Check tire pressure regularly.
Have brakes checked for drag, back off a little on drum type brake adjusters
if possible.
Use synthetic lubricants in the driveline (eng, trans, diff).
Use lubricants of the lowest viscosity recommended by the car manufacturer.
Make sure you aren't a brake rider or "2 foot driver."
Make sure your car is properly tuned.
Check that Air filter is clean.
Clean fuel injectors.
Check your gas mileage with different brands and grades of fuel -- some cars
like one brand, other cars like another. I once had a car that got terrible
mileage on hi-test.
If you can stand it, keep the windows up and use vents (not A/C) to improve
aerodynamics.
Put 5 coats of wax on your car and turn your spring loaded hood ornament
sideways so it cuts through the air better (just kidding).
Empty the car of unnecessary weight (break it to the Mother-in-law gently).
Drive at reasonable speeds -- most cars get their absolute best mileage
between 40-50 mph. Above and below that it drops off significantly.
Mark Goldfarb
Check tire air pressure regularly (which should be standard practice anyway) to manufactures rated limit
Change to Synthetic lubricants, the benefits of the synthetic lubes far exceed the use of conventional products
Use the cruse control when possible on highways
Maintain posted speed limit, speeding not only is costly in fuel but also your life
Make sure that the brake system is in good working order so the will be less drag on the wheels especially if your auto has drum brakes or sticking brake calipers
Avoid excessive idling when it can be prevented
Avoid aggressive acceleration
Give your self plenty of time to stop look ahead for traffic conditions to pace your self
Combine trips when at all possible
Don't waste money on higher octane gas than what the manufacture recommends if the vehicle will properly perform on regular grades higher octane also burns faster and can reduce mileage not to mention the extra expense
Have vehicle checked over for any maintenance problems, like injector misfire, rough idle, stalling all contribute to loss in fuel economy
Check for irregular tire wear, could be a sign of an alignment problem which not only causes excessive tire wear but can cause increased fuel economy if the tires are scrubbing from being out of align.
Car pool when possible
F Eric Meinke
Proper tire pressure
Proper wheel alignment; tires should all have even wear
Good engine tune; no service lights on, especially on 1996 and newer vehicles
Unrestricted air cleaner, should be able to see light through it
Old bug shields that stick straight up are gas hogs
Large mud flaps also cause drag
Oversized tires use more gas
Dont jackrabbit start
Mike Miller
You can only take a big truck or V8-powered car and make it get "so good" fuel
economy. Most of the secrets aren't secret -- keep the engine in good tune,
tires properly inflated, and keep your right foot off the floor. You might
manage to get another one or two mpg.
That's not enough.
My advice is buy a small displacement motorcycle, from 125 to 250cc and use it
for commuting and short trips. It is not uncommon to realize 70-90 mpg on
87-octane gasoline. In the used market these diminutive bikes used to go for a
pittance in today's world of Harley Davidson mania. Often, you'll have to spend
some time and money making a used small displacement motorcycle road worth --
brakes, tires, tune up, carburetor rebuild and brake fluid change are the common
requirements of a dusty garage-borne neglected motorcycle.
The problem is, once gasoline prices started to rocket this summer, folks began
to think about "that old bike in the garage," and it is no longer a simple
matter to find one for sale used, cheap. However, for about $3,000, you can buy
a brand new Kawasaki Eliminator 125 or Honda Rebel 250. Traditionally these are
not popular sellers in the U.S., so I would not expect the supply to be large.
And the prices may increase with demand.
Consider a scooter or moped, too, if your commutes don't involve highways.
Think about it. In other countries, where gasoline prices have always been high
due to socialist-level taxation, small displacement motorcycles are everywhere.
Guess what? That's going to be the U.S. in a few years, so might as well get a
head start!
Bob Weber
Switch off engine when waiting for drive-up window, trains, etc.
Apex carefully (make it a nearly straight line)
Shed excess weight (good time to start that diet)
Wash and wax (make it marginally more slippery)
Repack wheel bearings with synthetic grease
Make fender skirts from poster board (OK, maybe not)
Michael Zimmerman
Use the recommended Octane Rating. It may seem that your spending more money on
fuel but you are probably getting better miles per gallon. Inflate your tires to
proper tire pressure.
Have you ever tried to ride your bike with a flat tire. It is a lot more work.
Your car thinks so too.
Car-pool. Try to find someone to car-pool with to work. It can be the most
dramatic savings in fuel that you will realize. Usually up to 50% minimum. The
trick with this is the more people that you get to car-pool with the less you
pay for fuel.
Change your air cleaner. Your car has a more difficult time breathing if it
has a dirty air filter.
Change your oil. If your engine has dirty oil it can not work at peak
efficiency.
Check your alignment. When your tires scrub, (excessive tow in or out) it is
causing more friction between the road and the tires.
Empty out your trunk or truck bed. Don't carry around excessive stuff. Be sure
to keep your 72 hour kit and the necessities, but eliminate all the excess
stuff.
Turn off the air conditioner. I understand that it gets hot but if you are
really wanting to save fuel this can really help. Remember any time you are
running an accessory on the vehicle it is using energy and the only source of
energy in your vehicle is fuel.
Drive with your window up. This keeps the aerodynamics of the vehicle at peak
efficiency.
Go easy on the gas pedal. If you drive around with a lead foot you will get
worse fuel economy.
Keep the car clean and waxed. It may not seem like a lot of drag but have you
ever seen a biker shave his legs for better aerodynamics?
Anticipate your braking and coast to a stop. This will help you maximize the
kinetic energy in the vehicle.