Much has been written on improving fuel mileage. There are some things that have proven effective and some have not. Below are explanations of what to do and why, as well as things that are not generally accepted as either cost effective or proven scientifically.

What does not work?

The sales pitch or ads often have elements of the following included: “The secrets that the car and oil companies do not want you to know is the stock and trade of the magic carburetor and the super turbo vortex swirling throttle body fuel charging magnetic particle inducing fuel enhancer.” The sellers claim these super gizmos are yours for just a portion of the money that you will recover in the first few weeks of the installation. The installation can be done in minutes with no special tools or mechanical experience needed and you will continue to reap the benefits with no maintenance for the life of you car.  I have never seen one of these inventions live up to the claims.

If any of these inventions worked, the car companies would saved millions in engineering and development time and would have incredible bragging and advertising rights for fuel efficiency.  The advice I give everyone is to spend your money more wisely on the things that do work.

What does help get better mileage?

1. The first and perhaps the cheapest thing you can do is make sure your tire pressures are set to the correct values as recommended by the manufacturer for the load and speed the vehicle will be exposed to. Purchase a good quality tire gauge and check your pressures at least every other fill up if not each time. Not only will you improve the chances of getting maximum fuel economy but also you will improve tire longevity and make tire failure less likely.
2. Check your air filter. Replace it as per manufacturer’s recommendations. These will usually specify more frequent changes for dusty or other extreme driving conditions. Ensure that there are no blockages of leaves and or other debris that may hinder airflow to the engine. Restricted intake airflow means poorer mileage. These filters are easily purchased at automotive stores and easily installed by even modestly handy people. Your owner’s manual often has the part number in it.
3. Check the exhaust system for crimps and dents that may restrict exhaust gas flow out the tail pipe. That also can cause lower fuel economy and also a rough running engine.  A severe enough bent or dent can even prevent the engine from starting.
4. If your car requires 87 octane (usually called regular) fuel there is no reason to buy a higher rated fuel (premium). It will NOT improve your mileage. Check the owner’s manual to determine the correct octane rating. There are usually more fuel system cleaning chemicals in premium fuels but if regular is called for in the owner’s manual it should have enough cleaners to keep the fuel system clear.
5. Last is driving style. Hard on the throttle and hard on the brake will yield poorer efficiency. Try to time your acceleration to coincide with the next green light. On the highway more speed generally also increases fuel consumption.  The onboard computers in many new dashes can help to calculate fuel economy and can be used to experiment with driving styles.

Have any fuel saving tips?  Share them below! (more…)