Do you measure your fuel consumption at every fill-up? Or
just glance occasionally at the computer readout that indicates how many litres
per 100 kilometres (or miles per gallon) of gas your engine sucked out of its
current tank?
The driver computer display is often off – sometimes by over
15 percent. I drive different cars every week. Some are accurate. Some, not so
much.
Solution? Measure your consumption by hand. It’s easy and
fun (okay, I think it’s fun). After your next fill-up, stop pumping when the
pump clicks off. Over-fueling is bad for your vehicle’s emissions system
anyhow. Then, after paying for your fuel, return to the car and reset the
‘trip’ meter to zero.
From this point on, you need two numbers next time you visit
the gas station. The first is on the gas pump. It’s the number of litres you
feed your ride. Take the decimal point out, and round to four digits. Save that
number. Second number? The number on your trip meter.
In action? You put 47.221 litres of premium unleaded into
your WRX, and the trip meter says 483.2 kilometres.
Bust open your Smartphone’s calculator app (or your
calculator watch from the 80s), and punch in “4722 / 483.2”
Press “=”.
Congratulations! You’ve just achieved 9.8 L/100km. Reset the
trip meter and start again on your next tank.
Most Canadian drivers don’t track their fuel mileage, but it’s
a great practice for several reasons. Key among them are the fact that: 1) it
can reveal a practice that’s costing (or saving) you money, and 2) it may
reveal a steady increase in consumption that represents a problem.
If you track your mileage, you’ll also notice that, in
winter months, your vehicle uses more gas. Maybe 5 or 10 percent more than
usual. Maybe more. And especially if you have a remote start system, winter
tires, and a ski-rack clamped to the roof.
Cold air is denser, meaning your vehicle needs more fuel to
move through it. Plus, you’ll use electrical accessories like the heater and
the lights more often – all of which raise consumption. Add in the extra
weight of snow and slush-goblins stuck beneath your ride (and their negative
effect on aerodynamics), and it’s easy to see why consumption spikes when
temperatures drop.
Thankfully, some easy maintenance tips can help combat these
negative effects. And, as an added bonus, they can increase the peace of mind
that comes from knowing your ride is in top-notch shape for winter driving –
and won’t likely crap out on the side of the highway when it’s 37 below.
Cooling System: Ensuring your fluid, hoses, rad,
water pump and thermostat are in tip-top shape won’t give you an extra three
miles per gallon, but it could prevent your engine block from freezing and
cracking, which would suck. Also, a healthy cooling system will help your
vehicle’s cabin warm up faster.
Your favorite mechanic can inspect the condition of your
cooling system in an hour or so. Maybe a bit faster if you bring him a Timmies.
Remember: a properly functioning cooling system allows your engine to reach its
operating temperature, and achieve optimal fuel mileage, more quickly.
Tire Pressure:An improperly inflated tire wastes your
cash faster than that high-maintenance girlfriend you didn’t want your mom to
meet. Without a precise amount of pressure inside them, a set of tires will
burn more gas and wear out more quickly. They’re also a safety concern.
Thankfully, checking and adjusting tire pressures is one of
the easiest and least expensive maintenance tasks your ride requires. Time
required? About 90 seconds. Cost involved? About three bucks for a half-decent
tire pressure gauge. Check the pressure of your winter tires regularly to
maintain good fuel mileage and tire-life. This is especially important when
temperatures fluctuate wildly in transition months like December and March.
And remember—check pressures when the vehicle has been
parked a while, and regardless of whether you have a Tire Pressure Monitoring
system (TPMS) or not.
Air Filter: Don’t forget your air filter. Chances
are, it’s sucked up a lot of pollen, dirt, and assorted insect life over the
spring, summer and fall. Winter will see plenty of dust and sand added to the
filter element, too.
A plugged air filter can cause your engine to use a whopping
50 percent more fuel than it needs to, suffer from lousy performance, and even
burn oil. Thankfully, most air filters can be changed for about 15 bucks in
five minutes with simple hand tools.
Fluids: Fluids all in top shape? If you don’t
remember when the last transmission fluid change, differential fluid change or
coolant flush was performed on your vehicle, it’s probably overdue. Fluids
should be kept topped up and fresh – not old, ineffective or leaking onto your
driveway. A fresh oil change (possibly with synthetic oil), as well as new
transmission and differential fluids all ensure internal components are
lubricated optimally and protected from gas-sucking friction.
Fresh fluids also reach their operating viscosity more
quickly, helping further reduce fuel use.
Ignition System: Your engine’s proper operation
depends on a tiny and precise spark to ignite a precisely mixed blend of air
and gasoline droplets. In winter, and especially at engine start-up, that
ignition process is put to the test as the engine utilizes a richer and
harder-to-burn fuel mixture. A fresh set of spark plugs ensures your engine
gets the best mileage possible, with added reliability in cold-start situations.
Article Credit: www.autos.ca
No comments:
Post a Comment