| truck Fuel Economy Tips gas Station
With today's increasing fuel costs that seem to be changing hourly, it has brought consumers to realize something must be done to justify their daily needs of transportation.
Due to the unfortunate back-to-back hurricanes Katrina and Rita this season, major damage was done to the United States Gulf Coast oil platforms and refineries. Having to shutdown these facilities in preparation for the impact of the storms unfortunately disturbs the fuel refining process. This has definitely contributed to the current astronomical fuel costs and will continue for some time, and with this crisis fresh in our minds, we wanted to show you there are certain things that can be done to help improve your fuel consumption.
The greater the cubic inches of an engine means the more air/fuel atomization can be drawn into the cylinder, compressed into the combustion chamber, and ignited, giving a more powerful charge of the power stroke. By increasing horsepower to an engine, it will consume more fuel-that's just physics. It's all about intake, compression, ignition, and exhaust, or as the pros say, "suck, squeeze, bang, and blow."
| truck Fuel Economy Tips distributor Cap
In past years, a tune-up could be conducted in your garage or under a shady tree at home. Back then, a tune-up consisted of replacing the ignition points, spark plugs, and occasionally the distributor cap, and ignition wires. But, that was then. Today's vehicles with electronic fuel injection and direct ignition systems mean all of these tasks are taken care of by the on-board engine management computers. The whole concept of the electronic engine control system is to maintain the air/fuel mixture and ignition timing for longer periods of time.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips check Ignition Wires
This is accomplished by using electronic fuel injectors and computer-controlled ignition timing. These powerful microcomputers can adjust the fuel delivery and spark timing for each individual power stroke of each cylinder of the engine. These computers are also equipped with memory and learning capabilities. With the new age of computer-assisted engines and transmissions, more power from smaller displacement engines that produce cleaner emissions run better for longer and are more fuel efficient. With no more points and condensers, today's high-energy ignition systems coupled with double platinum-tipped spark plugs are good for 100,000 miles.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips oil Change
Combine this with the engine's ability to maintain the proper air/fuel ratio of 14.7:1 and you will have longer maintenance intervals. Some conveniences of computer-assisted engines are the sensors to monitor an engine's efficiency.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips truck Filling Up
Mass Airflow Sensor: transmits the ECU (engine control unit) air mass entering the engine.
Oxygen Sensor: monitors the amount of oxygen in the exhaust so the ECU can determine how rich or lean the air/fuel mixture is and make adjustments accordingly.
Throttle Position Sensor: monitors the throttle valve position (which determines how much air goes into the engine), so the ECU can respond quickly to changes, increasing or decreasing the fuel rate as necessary.
Coolant Temperature Sensor: allows the ECU to determine when the engine has reached its proper operating temperature.
Voltage Sensor: monitors the system voltage in the vehicle so the ECU can raise the idle speed if voltage is dropping (indicating a high electrical load).
Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor: monitors the pressure of the air in the intake manifold. The amount of air being drawn into the engine is a good indication of how much power it is producing. The more air that goes into the engine, the lower the manifold pressure, so this reading is used to gauge how much power is being produced.
Oxygen Sensors are constantly making a comparison between the oxygen inside the exhaust manifold and air outside the engine. If the comparison shows little or no oxygen in the exhaust manifold, a voltage is generated. The output of the sensor is usually between zero and 1.1 volts. All spark combustion engines need the proper air/fuel ratio to operate correctly. Gasoline calls for 14.7 parts of air to one part of fuel.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips replace Air Filter
When the engine has more fuel than needed, all available oxygen is consumed in the cylinder, and gases leaving through the exhaust manifold contain almost no oxygen and are too rich. This will send out a voltage greater than 0.45 volts. If the engine is running lean, all fuel is burned and extra oxygen leaves the cylinder and flows into the exhaust manifold. Now, the O2 sensor voltage goes lower than 0.45 volts. A normal output range is between 0.2 and 0.7 volts.
Fuel InjectorsFuel injectors deliver a fine mist of fuel to the intake valve and combustion chamber. The fuel injector's spray pattern is very critical to the fuel delivery system. Injector nozzles are prone to getting coated with chemical components found in today's fuels. A waxy substance and other chemicals can prevent the injector to properly maintain a consistent spray pattern or atomizing the fuel. Because the injector tips are located over the intake valves, they are subject to a tremendous amount of heat. As the engine is operating, the fuel flowing through the injectors keeps them clean. But, when the engine is shut off, the injectors no longer have the cooling effect of the spraying fuel. This is when chemicals in the fuel begin to form harmful deposits on the injector tips, which distorts the finely atomized spray pattern from the injector.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips fuel Filter
Vacuum lines and grommets can become stiff, brittle, and leak vacuum. The lines should be checked where they connect to engine and accessories for a snug fit, as well as the grommets around the PCV valve, vacuum hoses around connections to the engine, fuel pressure regulator, cruise control, power brakes, and air conditioning.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips oil Filters
Engine oil will also effect fuel consumption and mileage. The higher the oil viscosity (thickness) the more parasitic drag is created on rotating and moving internal components robbing the engine of horsepower. Changing oil every 3,000 miles will eliminate an oil breakdown and sludge from building up. Also, changing the oil at regular intervals reduces engine wear on internal engine components. As internal components wear, the engine will begin to lose compression and power.
The weather is also a contributor to fuel consumption. During colder winter months, engines will tend to run richer. Engines should be winterized with thinner viscosity oil and make sure proper amount of anti-freeze has been added.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips air Filters
The condition of an air filter element can contribute immensely to the performance and fuel consumption of the engine. The purpose of the air filter, of course, is to capture any elements in the air while entering the intake system. A dirty air cleaner will restrict the airflow entering the intake and throttle body, causing the engine to work harder to draw air into it. To obtain optimum fuel consumption, it's all about a clean air filter element allowing the air/fuel mixture to atomize and burn cleanly.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips fuel System Cleaners
Fuel Additives are basically fuel-soluble chemicals that can be added to gasoline to enhance certain performance characteristics. Deposit control additives can help eliminate carbon buildup on intake system components and reduce the harmful effects of combustion chamber deposits. The additive chemicals pull carbon deposits away from metal surfaces, such as combustion chambers, intake valves, and fuel injectors, and then burn them away in the combustion process.
The purpose of a catalytic converter is to reduce the harmful emissions from the exhaust of a combustion engine. This is accomplished by a combination of heat and precious metal catalyst that causes harmful emissions to either oxidize or reduce to safe elements in the exhaust flow.
The precious metal catalyst is bound to an extruded ceramic honeycomb substrate. The ceramic honeycomb has hundreds of flow channels, allowing the exhaust gases to come in contact with a surface area, like flypaper, where a chemical reaction takes place.
If the ceramic inside the converter becomes clogged or coated with carbon, lead, or oil, its efficiency is greatly reduced. The vehicle's fuel mileage will be hindered due to the restriction of the ceramic honeycomb and should be replaced.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips rear Axle
It is proven that automatic Overdrive transmissions will definitely increase fuel mileage. An Overdrive has a faster output speed than input speed, which is the opposite of a reduction. An automatic transmission with Overdrive will accomplish less engine rpm, which will increase fuel mileage.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips wheels Tires
Installing larger tires will gain ground clearance, increasing the angles of approach and departure angles. Bigger tires also create a more aggressive terrain presence. With increased sidewall size and more air between the tread and wheel, the tire will absorb more shock. A major disadvantage about increasing tire diameter is they don't work well with OEM gearing. Manufacturers build trucks for the street, which means they select high gearing for fast acceleration and better gas mileage. When larger tires are installed, both their increasing size and weight tend to wear out clutches of the transmission sooner, due to First gear being so high. Engine performance and gas mileage will suffer because the engine is working outside of its optimum rpm ranges. Due to the increased tire rollout, distance and revolutions will affect the ring-and-pinion gearset. By changing out the ring-and-pinion gearset when increasing tire diameter from a factory 29-inch diameter to 38-inch diameter, a factory ring-and-pinion setup with 3.73s won't cut it. Stepping up to 4.10s will bring the engine rpm back to the vehicle's sweet spot or proper power and torque band. Most V-8 engines are rated at 2,000-2,600 rpm for highway cruising.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips tire Pressure
Maintaining proper air pressure in tires is a major factor of the better gas mileage equation. To ensure accurate PSI readings, only check tire pressure when the tire is cold. Under-inflated tires cause rolling resistance and drag, which causes friction that causes heat and accelerated tire pressure, causing a possible blowout. Under-inflated tires will effect gas mileage and tire wear, and will effect 0.04 percent of your miles per gallon for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. All four tires should have equal air pressure for optimum gas mileage and handling performance. Improperly inflated tires will also show uneven wear patterns and cupping on the outside edges of the tire, due to the tread surface concaving in the center of the footprint. The tire sidewalls will breakdown, due to improper inflation, losing structural support. An over-inflated tire will show wear, down the center of the tread, due to the tread surface convexing in shape.
The chassis alignment is very import to a vehicle's rolling performance. The front and rear axle center lines must be squared to one another. The frontend's alignment should have some toe-out, around 1/16 to 1/8 inch, which allows for straighter tracking down the road. If the frontend is out of alignment with the rearend, or vice-versa, the wheels and tires won't track correctly, causing the vehicle to crab to one side or the other. Frontend camber and caster will cause uneven tire wear, which will also cause drag and rolling resistance.
Imagine a bullet projectile penetrating through the atmosphere. Its external shape predicts its rate of velocity (speed) and distance of travel before falling to earth.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips tailgate Up
Aerodynamic drag is the resistance of the air to forward movement, called "air resistance." This is a factor of the shape of the vehicle (drag coefficient and frontal area), the objects which stick out (mirrors, bumpers, and antennas), the amount of turbulence at the rear of the vehicle, the nature of the vehicle's skin surface, and the amount of air going through the vehicle for cooling and ventilation. The less resistance, the faster the vehicle penetrates the atmosphere (air friction = velocity x velocity). The slower the vehicle penetrates the atmosphere the greater the amount of power needed to overcome this drag. A pickup truck is about as aerodynamic as a brick, with its blunt frontal area and restrictive tailgate-it seems it doesn't have a chance.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips tailgate Down
As a pickup's leading edge penetrates the atmosphere, the air passes on top and underneath, which according to the shape of these surfaces will determine the coefficient drag of the vehicle. With a blunt nose, the air is broadly separated as it travels over the hood and up the windshield A-pillar angle and over the roof. Directly behind the cab, a low-pressure area is developed as the velocity of the airflow begins to drop. Also, it begins to create a high-pressure area just after clearing the tailgate.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips tonneau Cover
Installing a tonneau cover to the bed will reduce the coefficient drag of the pickup. As the airstream passes over the cab, it tends to drop due to a low-pressure area developed right behind the cab. With the addition of a tonneau cover over the bed, it will deflect the airstream as it continues over the bed. It has been proven that installing a tonneau cover will increase fuel mileage by 10 percent. Many people figure lowering the tailgate would relieve the high-pressure area in the bed, due to the obstruction of the tailgate.
| truck Fuel Economy Tips tonneau Cover Closed
But, to our surprise, the high-pressure area forms just after the tailgate. This discovery eliminates the theory of a tailgate hindering the truck's airflow. Actually, when the tailgate is lowered, it causes airflow buffering which causes drag.
In conclusion, to obtain optimum fuel mileage, there are many variables to take into consideration and each of these presented will help you reap the benefits of more miles per gallon. A well-maintained and tuned engine is the major contributor to achieving maximum fuel mileage. Go outside, pop your hood, and see what you can do to make the most out of your dollars.
