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Fuel Economy
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Did you know that you can get over 10 more miles per gallon by implementing a few fuel saving tips? Not only can you save money, but you can do your part in helping the U.S. decrease its oil consumption. Here are some helpful fuel saving tips brought to you by the Car Care Council. Whether it be service on your existing vehicle or the purchase of a pre-owned one, we can help. For more information on things we can do to your specific vehicle contact us.
Fuel Saving Tips
| Condition | Effect | MPG Penalty up to |
| Underinflated tires | Increase rolling resistance | 1-2 mpg |
| Dirty air filter | Causes excess rich fuel/air mixture | 2.0 mpg |
| Worn spark plugs | Cause inefficient combustion, wasted fuel | 2.0 mpg |
| Worn O2 sensor | Unable to detect & adjust air/fuel mixture | 3.0 mpg |
| Dirty engine oil | Increases internal engine friction | .4 mpg |
| Loose gas cap | Allows fuel to evaporate | 2.0 |
| Potential loss in fuel economy if all of the above were neglected | 11.4 mpg | |
More tips brought to you by
www.fueleconomy.gov-- Quick acceleration and heavy braking can reduce fuel economy by up to 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent around town. New EPA tests account for faster acceleration rates, but vigorous driving can still lower MPG.Excessive idling decreases MPG. The EPA city test includes idling, but more idling will lower MPG.
Driving at higher speeds increases aerodynamic drag (wind resistance), reducing fuel economy. The new EPA tests account for aerodynamic drag up to highway speeds of 80 mph, but some drivers exceed this speed.
Cold weather and frequent short trips can reduce fuel economy, since your engine doesn't operate efficiently until it is warmed up. In colder weather, it takes longer for your engine to warm, and on short trips, your vehicle operates a smaller percentage of time at the desired temperature.
Note: Letting your car idle to warm-up doesn't help your fuel economy, it actually uses more fuel and creates more pollution.
Cargo or cargo racks on top of your vehicle (e.g., cargo boxes, canoes, etc.) increase aerodynamic drag and lower fuel economy. MPG tests do not account for this type of cargo.
Towing a trailer or carrying excessive weight decreases fuel economy.
Vehicles are assumed to carry only three hundred pounds of passengers and cargo during testing.
Running electrical accessories (e.g., air conditioner) decreases fuel economy. Operating the air conditioner on "Max" can reduce MPG by roughly 5-25% compared to not using it.
Driving on hilly or mountainous terrain or on unpaved roads can reduce fuel economy. The EPA test assumes vehicles operate on flat ground.
Using 4-wheel drive reduces fuel economy. Four-wheel drive vehicles are tested in 2-wheel drive. Engaging all four wheels makes the engine work harder and increases crankcase losses.
The Car Care Council offers these fuel-saving tips:
Vehicle gas caps -- About 17 percent of the vehicles on the roads have gas caps that are either damaged, loose or are missing altogether, causing 147 million gallons of gas to vaporize every year.
Underinflated tires -- When tires aren't inflated properly it's like driving with the parking brake on and can cost a mile or two per gallon.
Worn spark plugs -- A vehicle can have either four, six or eight spark plugs, which fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles, resulting in a lot of heat and electrical and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plus causes misfiring, which wastes fuel. Spark plugs need to be replaced as recommended by the manufacturer.
Dirty air filters -- An air filter that is clogged with dirt, dust and bugs chokes off the air and creates a "rich" mixture -- too much gas being burned for the amount of air, which wastes gas and causes the engine to lose power. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent, saving about 20 cents a gallon.
Fuel-saving driving tips include:
Don't be an aggressive driver -- Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent on city streets, which results in 10 to 66 cents per gallon.
Avoid excessive idling -- Sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon. Letting the vehicle warm up for one to two minutes is sufficient.
Observe the speed limit -- Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each mpg driven over 60 will result in an additional 10 cents per gallon. To maintain a constant speed on the highway, cruise control is recommended.
457 Russell Street, Hadley, MA 01035
T (413) 253-0088 F (413) 253-0488 E info@route9auto.com
Located on Route 9 in Hadley, MA at the Sunoco Station between Friendly's and Domino's.