Car Fuel Lasting Longer is the desire of every vehicle/car owner. This article will help you better your fuel consumption and make your vehicle more fuel efficient. So, if you actually want to know to ways to Make Your Car Fuel Last Longer and Maximize Fuel Economy; continue reading…..
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Petrol is becoming more and more expensive! We can’t do anything about the price of fuel but we can offer you tips on how to maximize your car’s fuel economy to help it last longer.
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My line of work has been in petroleum for about 31 years now. At the Marian Hill Pipeline where I work in Durban we deliver about 4 million litres in a 24-hour period through the pipeline. One day is diesel; the next day is jet fuel, and petrol, LRP and Unleaded. We have 34-storage tanks with a total capacity of 16,800,000 litres and fuel consumptions rate have been on increase.
Many car owners get worried over the high rate of their car fuel consumption. Some blame their car for the default even when it is not the fault of the car. So, if you’re one of those whose car consumes fuel more than you expect, follow the below tips to maximize your fuel economy.
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To get more of your money’s worth for every litre of fuel you purchased, here are tips to make your maximize your fuel consumption and make your fuel last longer.
Ways to make your car fuel last longer/maximize fuel economy
- Buy/ fill up your car’s fuel tank only in the early morning.
All service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. Buy or fill up your car’s fuel tank only in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. The colder the ground the more dense the fuel, when it gets warmer petrol expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening your litre is not exactly a litre. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the petrol, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.
A one degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
- Don’t squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to fast mode
If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapour that is created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapour return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapour. Those vapours are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.
- Fill up your fuel tank when your tank is HALF FULL.
This is one of the most important tips to make your fuel last longer. The reason for this is because the more fuel you have in your tank the less air is occupying its empty space. Petrol evaporates faster than you can imagine. Petroleum storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the petrol and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation. Unlike service stations, here where I work every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every litre is actually the exact amount.
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- DO NOT fill up if there is fuel truck pumping fuel into storage tanks
Most likely the petrol/diesel is being stirred up as the fuel is being delivered and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom. The dirt does not burn rather it it block the fuel nozzle. So, it will be very necessary to avoid buying fuel when the truck is offloading fuel on the storage tank in the petroleum filling station.
- Carryout Basic maintenance regularly
Keep your car well maintained and serviced occasionally. Pump up your tyres to reduce resistance and get the car serviced regularly. Service your car’s injector when necessary. When you allow your car fuel to finish, it will suck particles and dirt. These block the injector and increase the fuel consumption. Servicing the car injector will to reduce fuel consumption rate and enhance fuel flow rate.
- Avoid carrying weight objects
Remove excess weight from your car. Take unnecessary bulky items out of the car because if you drive with them, they drag the car back and hence increase the fuel consumption
- Minimize drag
External carriages such as roof boxes or bike racks whenever they aren’t being used should be removed. They forces the car to work harder to cut through the air due to the extra wind resistance such items create.
- Turn off AC
Always turn off the AC unless it really cold or uncomfortably warm in the car. Using it can put a strain on the car engine and burn more fuel than expected, especially at low speeds. The same goes for heated windscreens, demisters and other electrical appliances that are on when driving.
- Be Gentle and Change up early
Be gentle and change gear early. Accelerate and brake gently, and change to a higher gear as soon as possible. As a general guide, change up before 2000rpm in a diesel and 2500rpm in a petrol, without letting the engine struggle at low revs.
- Always Obey speed limits
Stick to the speed limits always. Research shows that doing 80mph uses up to 25% more fuel than doing 70mph.
- Be alert and Use gravity
Be alert! Look far ahead while driving and keep moving where possible by anticipating obstacles. Easing off the throttle and keeping momentum is better than speeding up, braking and then starting all over again.
Other ways Make Your Car Fuel Last Longer
- Take it easy on the pedal
Try not dragging or forcefully match the pedal when driving. It can suck up lot of fuel in the process. Match the pedal easily.
- Inflate those tires to the correct pressure
Over inflation or under inflation of the car tire’s pressure can increase the fuel consumption. It is recommended that you ensure your car tires are inflated to the correct pressure.
- Stick to the motor oil recommended by your vehicle manufacturer
This is often neglected. However, it is vital you stick to the motor oil recommended by the vehicle manufacturer as this does not only affect fuel consumption but it also the overall maintained of the car.
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- Monitor the Speedometer
Hope this will help you get the most value for your money while your fuel last longer.