Fuel Saving Tips
Oil, tyre pressures, other
Using full synthetic oil will generally deliver at least 4% difference ( improvement) compared to mineral grade equivalent plus protection benefits and cleaner pistons. 1% molybdenum disulphide in engine oil gives on average around 4% gain in fuel consumption based on many years study. (AR Landsdown) and far less oil oxidation, and approx 40% reduction in wear.
posted by Clarkkent3792 on January 13, 2018
this tip works for 70% of voting Fuelly members.
Turbo gas engines
While minimizing accelerator input is one of the best tips to save fuel in any car, pickup, van or powered two or three wheeler of any fuel type, with respect to a vehicle powered by a down-sized gas turbo, this is even more important. The only time these engines save beyond larger NA engines is when the turbo (s) aren't spooling, giving a displacement advantage beyond the bigger engine. Pushing hard on the accelerator spools turbo (s), air and fuel gush in, and you rocket forward, just like a V8, burning the same fuel or worse.
posted by gregsfc on January 7, 2018
this tip works for 80% of voting Fuelly members.
Always fill up your tank
I saw a tip saying not to fill up your tank because it's extra weight, and that you should only fill up a little and watch for fuel prices to buy a little more when you get a good price. This is not a good process to follow and I want to provide a counter-tip. Paying attention to local gas station prices is always a good idea. You should always fill up your tank though. The weight is negligible compared to always stopping at a gas station to fill. Every time you stop and start your car you're using fuel to get in and out of the gas station. Save yourself not only the time (for many reasons), but also some money by filling up your tank.
posted by falas on January 5, 2018
this tip works for 93% of voting Fuelly members.
remember green light "pileup"
Many people know to release the throttle when you see car tailights ahead, before you see the red light. But when the light is just turning green, there's a tendancy to push the throttle again. This is wrong, because there will be a delay as people are starting through the green light. Instead, keep coasting until you see the car in front moving faster than you. Done properly, you often don't need to brake at all.
posted by landsail on December 16, 2017
this tip works for 98% of voting Fuelly members.
Check your speedometer against your GPS
Your speedometer could be off a few miles per hour if your car can be bought new with different size wheels. Check your speed against a GPS to see if they match, and if not, you can tell just how fast you are really going with the GPS.
posted by dtown40 on December 3, 2017
this tip works for 85% of voting Fuelly members.
Minimise your input!
Plan a long way ahead. Easing the throttle gently and early – or braking early if necessary – requires less gas to get back to optimum cruising speed. Steering should also be minimal. Centrifugal force saps forward momentum. Of course, bends must be negotiated; however, by looking far ahead, steering inputs can be made in one smooth 'ease in, ease out' motion. Aim to reduce the radius of turns whilst maintaining the longest view*. *Straightening bends should only be considered if the whole road can be seen to be clear right through the exit (and you know you are not about to be overtaken); and road signs and markings do not prohibit it!
posted by OldeYaris on November 29, 2017
this tip works for 94% of voting Fuelly members.
Staying Alive - Have An Exit Plan
While driving or stopped always maintain a path of escape. The main element here is to keep distance between you and other vehicles. The more distance you place between yourself and other moving vehicles gives you valuable time to react effectively. In addition when coming to a stop try and maintain a vehicle and a half of distance between you and the other car. This will seem odd at first but trust me it's important. If you get into this habit and remain aware of your surroundings this can give you the ability of always being able to move forward or out of the way from an out of control or distract vehicle coming up behind you.
posted by RevLimit on November 29, 2017
this tip works for 91% of voting Fuelly members.
How to treat pedals
Pretend there is a rotten egg glued to the accelerator pedal AND the brake pedal for the best fuel economy. Every time you use it, you are very careful and you try NOT to touch them if you can help it.
posted by Reuber on November 24, 2017
this tip works for 57% of voting Fuelly members.
Start and go.
Warming cars via idling is not recommended by any manufacturer; wastes fuel; unnecessarily pollutes; can cause excessive engine wear, especially diesels. Just start; wait ten seconds; and then go easy until normal coolant operating temperature. This method lets all the vehicle systems warm up together. In extreme cold, one may need to warm the engine in order to keep the windshield clear, but most times, its best just to bundle up; scrape off the windshield; start; and go.
posted by gregsfc on November 19, 2017
this tip works for 87% of voting Fuelly members.
Use Fuelly vs sticker MPG
Use the filters when researching a vehicle like the 2.7L EcoBoost in a late-model F150. Fuelly drivers show a real-life 17-21 MPG. http://www.fuelly.com/car/ford/f-150?engineconfig_id=49&bodytype_id=&submodel_id=
posted by hibob on November 10, 2017
this tip works for 87% of voting Fuelly members.
Car Psychic
Keep careful check on your fuel economy. If something is amiss with your car, usually the first place it will reveal itself is with poorer fuel economy. Regularly check things like tyre pressure, oil, and filters as these can harm your fuel economy numbers.
posted by Duncan007 on November 2, 2017
this tip works for 98% of voting Fuelly members.
Avoid Cruise Control
Cruise control its a great tool for confort, but I´ve noticed it consume more fuel engaged since its not flexible with speed you set. If you are looking for fuel economy, drive with feather feet, alowing small increases or decreases in speed depending on the higway inclination. Being flexible in order of 5 to 10 kmh will allow you to play with inercia instead of the non-flexible cruise control mantaining strictly the speed you set.
posted by wapocelaya on October 30, 2017
this tip works for 35% of voting Fuelly members.
Drive like you're driving a truck
Plan ahead and don't brake or accelerate hard or unnecessarily. when you're coming to a junction or set of lights lift off and let your momentum carry you there using minimal braking. When you're driving on hilly roads try to use the landscape to your advantage by slowing down uphill and gaining speed downhill, especially if you've got another uphill climb afterwards. Don't accelerate downhill if you need to slow down near the end, if you need to slow down allot downshift (rev matching if you can) and lift your foot completely off the throttle.
posted by Mikes1992 on October 30, 2017
this tip works for 96% of voting Fuelly members.
Try using the free WAZE smartphone app
The Waze smartphone app reports a user’s real-time speed and location[1] to a central system. That system then reports real-time traffic conditions to all Waze users. You can use this info just by glancing at your phone to see how traffic is flowing along a known route, and then planning accordingly. You can also use Waze to automatically route you to your destination. Waze will automatically revise the route as traffic conditions change for better or worse. It’s worth a try. ___ [1] No personally identifiable data transmitted. Waze stops transmitting when you put it to Sleep. Very little data is consumed from your data plan.
posted by SteveMak on October 12, 2017
this tip works for 80% of voting Fuelly members.
Anticipation
Anticipate, don't break hard, don't accelerate hard
posted by marisk on October 1, 2017
this tip works for 98% of voting Fuelly members.
Use “Recirculate” setting for A/C in hot weather
In hot weather, your car’s air conditioner works less hard (and saves fuel) if you recirculate the already cooled cabin air, rather than continuously cooling hot outside air before it enters your cabin. Less A/C compressor load equals less fuel consumed. Additionally, this might save fuel by needing/using a lower cabin fan speed. Your car’s engine drives the alternator, which recharges the battery and feeds the car’s electrical load. A lower electrical load equals less fuel consumption.
posted by SteveMak on September 16, 2017
this tip works for 92% of voting Fuelly members.
Don't keep pouring gas in after the pump has auto clicked
Modern cars - for the last 25 years or so have had a charcoal filled evaporation canister attached to the refueling system to capture fuel vapors and prevent them from escaping to the atmosphere. Yes - you can slowly keep pouring gas in after the pump has automatically clicked off as several people on here have said to do...but guess where that gas goes? It's not in the tank. It's overflowing into the evap cannister and will eventually damage your emissions system. Simply put - don't do this. Stop when the pump shuts off.
posted by TheRainman on September 13, 2017
this tip works for 86% of voting Fuelly members.
test your odometer accuracy
Compare your odometer to interstate mile markers. Your speedometer may read 2-3 mph low, but your odometer may be different. Do at least 25 miles, 50 is better. Also odometer error changes over time as tires wear and diameter decreases. Check every 10,000 miles.
posted by edm3rd on September 11, 2017
this tip works for 72% of voting Fuelly members.
white spirit
In a diesel car pour 0,75L bottle of white spirit (uk) into the tank 20-30 miles before filling up (cheapest in Home Bargains). White spirit is virtually the same as Liqui Molly Diesel Purge but for the fraction of the cost. Helps with a rough idle and improves spray pattern of the injectors if they are gummed up.
posted by mnemon81 on September 10, 2017
this tip works for 10% of voting Fuelly members.
Coast to Red
If the light is red the distance ahead, coast instead.............. Drivers (most of us) have the tendency to accelerate to a stop lights. Logically, it doesn't make sense.. but we do it habitually. Rather than waste extra gas to get to the stop light only to waste all of the Kinetic Energy in braking, just relax and coast. The stop light will come soon enough. If you make this a habit, you will discover that often you coast gently into the light turning green and you don't even have to brake! It may bug the person behind you a bit, but you also saved them some gas too :)
posted by SuperCivic02 on August 9, 2017
this tip works for 99% of voting Fuelly members.
Do not overfill your tank!
Some bad information around here... some great too! Overfilling your tank would, if anything, reduce your fuel economy as you are lugging more weight. Furthermore, evaporative emissions system will suffer and you will fill your charcoal canister with raw fuel causing a check engine lamp and potential drivability issues. This is a terrible suggestion that will not get you ANY better fuel economy AND cost you money! At least some bad suggestions will get you better fuel economy at the cost of more expensive wear and tear, this wont even do that! When the pump stops, hang it up! BTW, in Oregon, it is illegal to top off your tank.
posted by ALong85 on August 9, 2017
this tip works for 75% of voting Fuelly members.
Toyota Hybrid Aircon/Heating
* Run the AC fan on the lowest setting you are comfortable with * Change airflow before increasing fan if hot * Change airflow and reduce fan before turning up the heat * Run the AC on max cold and min fan to avoid misting * Set the lowest heat required and wait (unless initially warming the car) * Driving the car warms the heater much faster * Use AUTO with the heater in winter * In summer open the doors to let the warm air out and put the AC on max cold and max fan before getting in. Within 5 minutes the car will be cool
posted by HybridNut on August 8, 2017
this tip works for 34% of voting Fuelly members.
Toyota Hybrid Driving Tips
* Keep out the power band as much as possible * When stopping, lift-off the throttle earlier than normal * Use the battery to gently accelerate to 20-30 MPH * Try and drive around 50-55 MPH for best economy. * Accelerate to 62 MPH before a long/steep hill (requires less power up-hill to maintain speed) * Avoid use of cruise control on hilly terrain * Don't drive faster than necessary in EV mode. 22 and 30 MPH are optimum (Yaris hybrid).
posted by HybridNut on August 8, 2017
this tip works for 41% of voting Fuelly members.
Topping off fuel is a mistake!
Do not do this! It is hazardous at the pump, but there is a fuel vapor purge valve. Most used to be mechanical, but today they are all electrical. Topping off your tank forces the gas inside and will eventually corrode the sensor entirely, turning the check engine light on. Also, they are a pain to change and many made into the fuel pump assembly today which are $300-$400. Trust me I used to manage a parts store and I saw this all the time. It's best to stop when the pump does. There's a tiny chance you'all get close to 1/8 tank. Vehicles today simply aren't designed that way.
posted by Cartwright918 on August 7, 2017
this tip works for 67% of voting Fuelly members.
Keep it Cool
Motorcycles depend on movement much more than cars to keep their engines cool (i.e., so they won't overheat and blow up). If a motorcyclist filters through stopped traffic on a highway or uses the shoulder, DON'T GET MAD. They're saving you the inconvenience of a disabled vehicle to move around :-)
posted by uttrombone08 on August 4, 2017
this tip works for 57% of voting Fuelly members.
How fast should you drive for fuel economy?
The tips I've read so far fail to account for the vehicle's gearing. One guy says drive 55, another says 80, but neither understands that various vehicles are geared differently. Generally, you want to be in high gear, with the engine turning between 2000 and 3000 RPM. You must experiment with every vehicle - don't ASSume that any given speed is "efficient" until you test it!!
posted by Runaway1956 on August 2, 2017
this tip works for 83% of voting Fuelly members.
Move to different towns/cities
Don't live in Winnipeg. Brutal infrastructure, untimed traffic lights at every intersection, no over passes, no freeway, ring road has multiple at grade intersections where you go from 100kph to 0 and idle for 5 minutes waiting for a light, only to do it again 2km further down the "highway" etc. Living somewhere with the goal of traffic flow rather than traffic stop will help MPG
posted by GrasslandHVAC on July 24, 2017
this tip works for 42% of voting Fuelly members.
Read specific fuel consumption maps
Taking a look at the bsfc map for your specific engine can help you gain a better understanding of how your engine will perform under different scenarios, and how much RPM to aim for. Even if you drive a CVT, the bsfc map can still give you an idea of how much throttle to use to keep the engine in an efficient range.
posted by lice on July 23, 2017
this tip works for 55% of voting Fuelly members.
MPGe + MPG for PHEVs
To determine total energy use in driving your PHEV such as the Volt, account for both petrol fuel-ups and charging sessions. By converting the KWhs added per charge session to petrol gallons, using the conversion KWhs/33.7 = petrol gallon equivalent, you can treat your charge session as a regular fuel-up and add it to your Fuelly page to more accurately track your cars total energy use.
posted by M3G4TR0N on July 22, 2017
this tip works for 57% of voting Fuelly members.
The Freeway Game
Every time you light up your brake lights during freeway driving, reveals to all behind you that you're not paying attention to traffic slowing down in front of you.
posted by ChewChewTrain on July 21, 2017
this tip works for 62% of voting Fuelly members.
