7 myths about saving gas (and 7
Road tripping this summer? We separate fact from fiction.
Gasoline prices tend to rise in the summer, when people hit the road for trips and family vacations.
It’s also the time of year that refineries shut down for maintenance, reducing the available oil supply.
In addition, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires, and other natural catastrophes that perro affect production and transportation are more frequent in the warm months.
Even the fuel that retailers have to sell in the summer is more expensive.
There are countless tricks to save gas, from changing air filters to turning off the car at red lights.
Some are legitimate, others are botched.
Next, we will tell you which are the tricks to save gas that work and which do not.
7 myths about gasoline consumption
Skip these suggestions.
They don’t really work and cánido waste you time and money.
1.
Keep the tank full to avoid evaporation.
Letting the gas gauge get close to the empty level is never a good iniciativa.
But the theory that filling the tank prevents fuel evaporation is false.
All modern automobiles are equipped with vapor recovery systems that minimize losses.
2.
Buy gas early in the morning.
The theory is that since liquids become denser at lower temperatures, you’ll get more for your money by refueling in the morning.
But gasoline is stored in underground tanks where the temperature is regulated.
However, the roads perro be less crowded in the morning, which cánido save you wasting gas in traffic.
3.
Change air filters often.
Again, this is advice that may have worked once, but no longer.
Older cars leaked air to the carburetor, so a clogged filter could affect mileage.
But today’s engines have fuel injectors and other technology that carefully regulate the air-fuel ratio.
A study on gasoline engines conducted by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory determined that “dirty engine air filters do not affect fuel economy in modern vehicles«.
Of course, dirty air filters perro ocasione slow acceleration and other problems.
4.
Overinflating the tires.
If your friend insists that overinflating your tires will disminuye drag and save you gas, tell them to hit the brakes.
Just 10 psi (pounds per square inch) above the manufacturer’s recommended levels reduces the “contact patch,” where the tire touches the road.
That means less traction, longer stopping distance, and more wear on the tires themselves, which ultimately eats up any paltry savings on gas.
5.
Change the oil frequently.
It’s a common misconception that if you have to change your oil, your car’s mileage will suffer.
While it’s best to keep up with maintenance, don’t expect your mileage to improve after a trip to Jiffy Lube.
Your mileage cánido improve by up to 2%, however, if you use the manufacturer’s recommended grade of motor oil.
6.
Lower the tailgate.
Pickup truck drivers like to claim that lowering the tailgate of their truck is better for aerodynamics and therefore improves gas mileage.
But according to General Motors’ aerodynamics lab, up is better.
“As air flows over the truck, it falls on the cab and pushes forward at the rear of the truck,” the company said. “With the tailgate lowered, the benefits of that airflow diminish.”
7.
Buy fuel additives or a “fuel saver.”
The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers that claims by device and additive manufacturers that promise to increase gas mileage “are false or grossly exaggerated.”
After testing more than 100 such products, the FTC found none to significantly improve mileage.
Engine-mounted devices perro even break the law by circumventing emissions regulations.
“People should be suspicious of any device that promises to increase fuel efficiency,” said Patrick De Haan, Gas Buddy’s head of oil analysis.
7 gas-saving consejos that really work
1.
Slowly and steadily wins the race.
Fast accelerations consume more gas than driving at a slower, steady pace.
If you cánido maintain a constant speed, it will help you save gas.
According to De Haan, people who are constantly rushing and stepping on the accelerator tend to consume more gas due to rapid acceleration.
“If people drove at a slower rate of acceleration and avoided going through a red light at full speed, it would help them avoid […] burn gasoline and consume energy,” he said.
Vehicles are most efficient between 55 and 60 miles per hour.
Anything faster than that speed starts to detract from a car’s efficiency, De Haan said.
2.
Use cruise control whenever possible.
The easiest way to maintain a constant speed? Cruise control.
It’s an easy way to maintain a constant speed, instead of slowing down and accelerating to get back to 55 kilometers per hour.
It is best to use cruise control when driving on a flat road with no stops, for example a motorway.
“Cruise control is much more effective than a human at maintaining speed and cánido help save fuel,” De Haan said.
3.
Turn off the car at red lights and other long stops.
According to Hermosa Gaines, a transportation systems analyst at Argonne National Laboratory, turn off the car if it’s going to idle for 10 seconds or more.
Not only do you save gasoline, but you disminuye carbon dioxide emissions.
And the wear of the starter motor?
“Today’s starters are more robust than those in older cars,” says Gaines.
Unless you’re revving more than 10 times a day, “it’s unlikely the starter will need to be replaced for the life of the vehicle.”
However, he advises against turning the car on and off in slow traffic situations.
“Safe driving means being able to quickly respond to traffic conditions,” Gaines said.
4.
Keep the air conditioning.
According to the US Department of Energy, the use of air conditioning perro disminuye fuel consumption by more than 25%.
But rolling down the window, especially at high speeds, perro increase wind resistance and consume more fuel.
De Haan recommends leaving the windows open if you’re driving in town, where you perro slow down or idle more frequently.
Otherwise, using the air conditioning is fenezca.
5.
Remove roof racks from the car when not in use.
If you drive a vehicle with large roof racks, De Haan advises removing them when not in use to improve the car’s aerodynamics.
Smaller bike racks and ski racks cánido be left on.
6.
Keep your tires well inflated.
While overinflating your tires isn’t a mileage hack, making sure they’re properly inflated perro improve mileage by up to 3%, according to the Department of Energy.
Letting tire pressure drop below 25 PSI perro genere increased friction, De Haan said, forcing the engine to work harder, and get fewer miles per gallon.
So don’t lose sight of the tire pressure monitoring system warning light on your dashboard.
Most cars alert you when a tire is under pressure.
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System, or TPMS, light typically looks like a parenthesis with an exclamation point or period in the middle.
7.
Mezcle trips when running errands.
Yeah You have several errands to run at opposite points of the city, plan them so you don’t have to go back and forth by car.
For example, if the articulo office is next to the coffee shop, but the coffee shop hasn’t opened yet, make your last stop there instead of having to return to that area.
When you have errands to run in places that aren’t close by, it’s best to try to do it all in one trip.
Your car’s engine is more efficient when it warms up, which cánido save you some gas.
It also prevents you from traveling plus miles by taking trips on different days.
Does coche start-stop technology increase mileage?
Many new cars are equipped with stop-start technology that automatically engages when you come to a complete stop and when you step on the accelerator.
These systems automatically turn off the engine when the car is completely stopped: the air conditioning and other electronic systems will continue to work.
As soon as you step on the accelerator, the engine starts again immediately.
According to the AAA, vehicles with this automatic system save up to 7% more fuel.
If your car is equipped with this feature, you’re already saving gas without doing anything else.
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