FUEL SAVING TIPS

FUEL SAVING TIPS

The Petroleum conservation Research Association has through extensive research studies, indentified 15 simple measures to maintain a vehicle well and also six methods of better driving, which will help reduce fuel consumption considerably.

1. Stop Leaks: There are several points wher oil can leak - the diesel/petrol tank, connections to the fuel pump, filters and injectors. The loss of one drop per second would result in wastage of 500 litres of fuel per year.
2. Avoid Spillage: Most of the diesel tank caps are found to be loose and not fitted tightly. Diesel spills whenever a fully filled tank, truck or bus with such caps takes a turn. A vehicle moving at 40kmph can lose upto 1 litre of diesel while taking turn a sharp turn. This can be avoided by checking caps with good rubber seals and securing them tightly on the tank. This will also reduce moisture and from accruing into the tank.
3. Correct Lubrication: Proper lubricants should be used, it is important to use the standard grades of oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Lubrcants from wayside shops are likely to damage engine performance. Using a thicker oil may mean a 2% increase in fuel consumption.
4. Tyre Pressure: Tyre pressure should be checked for normal recommended measure. Under-inflated tyres are likely to increase fuel consumption due to increased rolling resistance. A increase of 1 kg. per sq. cm. in inflation increases resistance by 10% and causes 5% fuel loss, besides increasing tyre wear by 30%.
5. Air Cleaner filter: Always keep the air cleaner filter clean to prevent dirt from reaching the engine. The air cleaner should be checked up periodically for for cleanliness and filter change. It is harmful to to run the engine with choked air cleaner. The main cylinder borewear increases 45 times and the ringwear shoots upto 150 times if the air cleaner is choked or missing.
6. Keep the vehicle in ready start condition: The Vehicle should be checked regularly for battery, alternator/dynamo voltage regulator and fan belt. Idling for an hour can cost two litre of diesel.
7. Check fuel filters: Fuel filters safeguard the fuel injection pump and the engine against wear. Good fuel filters should be used and also replaced at recommended intervals. Fuel filters should be changed sequentially and not all filters should normally be changed at the same time.
8. Engine Tuning: The engine should be kept in a properly tuned condition. The Idling of the engine should be properly set. A higher idling speed wastes fuel. In such cases, accelerator linkage should also be adjusted.
9. Clean and efficient Injectors: It is very important that the fuel injector's are always clean and should be spraying properly.
10. Align Wheels: Improper alignment and balancing of wheels leads to wobbling which means extra fuel consumption, and besides reduced tyre life.
11. Prevent Clutch Slip: Clutch slip occurs due to worn-out liners and fingers. These should be checked and the worn-out parts should be replaced immediately.
12. Prevent Silencer Clogging: Carbon deposits in the silencer over a period of time. This restricts the free exhaust of burnt gases, causing back-pressure and thereby affecting the power available to the vehicle. Silencers should be checked periodically for carbon deposits Silencers should also be replaced if necessary.
13. Engine Compression: If the compression pressure is low or if the engine emits black smoke or consumes abnormal qantities of diesel, the engine may need to be overhauled. The top engine overhaul may be adequate in most cases. A delay in overhauling may prove to be costly.
14. Fuel injection pump calibration and mounting: The fuel injection pump should deliver the right quantity of diesel, at the right pressure and at the right timeS to each cylinder for combustion. The pump should be calibrated at a well-equipped centre. It is also important to ensure that the calibrated pump is mounted on the engine according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

The six tips for better driving are:

1. Faster is not economical: This is the first point a driver should remember. The ideal driving speed for fuel economy is 40 to 60 kmph. Several states have already legislation restricting speed to 40 kmph on the highways. However, this is seldom observed in practice, and extra diesel burnt in overcoming the increasedair resistanceat high speeds. In a 68.5 km. round trip, two drivers, one driving at 60 kmph and other at 80 kmph, showed a difference of 27% in diesel consumption, the latter obviously recorded the higher consumption while the former took only 3 minutes more. Given the condition of our roads, faster does not necessarily mean earlier. This is so because our roads are not free like western countries and on accasions cattle and people walking in the middle of the road do not permitvehicles to constantly keep up high speed.
2. Avoid vehicle idling: Idling wastes diesel to the tune of approximately 2 litre per hour. For stops over a minute, the engine should be switched off.
3. Correct Gear Shifting: Drive in the correct gears for the speeds suited to them. Driving on wrong gears can increase diesel consumption by 10%. There is a misconception that a different gear should be used for coming down the gradient as against going up the same gradient. The same gear should be used in both the cases.
4. Anticipate stops: Frequent slamming of brakes only destroys the power developed by the engine. Tests have proven that a vehicle driven at 60 kmph can travel a distance of 650 metres by a gradual halt without additional fuel consumption.
5. Go steady with speeds: It helps to maintain a steady speed while driving. The vehicle should gradually accelerate, for sudden acceleration injects more fuel than necessary which means that the excess diesel is wasted.
6. Avoid clutch-riding: Most drivers tend to use the clutch- pedal as a foot-rest. This is a bad habit which causes loss of transmission and rapid wear of clutch components. The vehicle should not be held on a slope with the help of the clutch and the accelerator, use the hand-brake instead.