DON'T BE FUELISH

Lesson #5

ENERGY AND THE AUTOMOBILE  ---  Thirty good ways to make gas go further.

    Passenger automobiles consume about 14% of all the energy and about 31% of all the petroleum used in the United States.

    In the 50 states, there are an estimated 100,000,000 registered automobiles.  The average car travels approximately 10,000 miles per year and consumes well over 700 gallons of gasoline.  The average fuel economy is less than 13.7 miles per gallon.

    In this article are tips on how you can reduce the fuel consumption of your own car.  (Owners of the almost 20 million small pickup trucks in the country also can save fuel and money by following these tips.)

    If the fuel consumption of the average car were reduced just 15% through better planning of car use, better driving practices, and better maintenance, the nation's consumption of petroleum would fall by over 28,000,000 gallons per day.

    This potential saving in daily fuel consumption is significant from several points of view.  It would help stretch America's current fuel supplies further.  It would save money and cut pollution.  And, it would bring considerably closer America's goal of energy self-sufficiency --- Project Independence.

IMPROVE YOUR DRIVING SKILLS

    The most important single element in determining fuel economy of a particular car is the driving technique of the individual behind the wheel.  One authority declares that a careful driver should be able to get at least 30% better mileage than an average driver, and 50% better mileage than a poor one.  Here's our advice:

1.    Start slowly.  Accelerate gently except when entering high-speed traffic lanes or when passing.  Hot rod driving and jerky acceleration can increase fuel consumption by 2 miles per gallon in city traffic.

2.    Avoid unnecessary braking.  Try to anticipate the traffic ahead.  When the traffic light far ahead turns red, take your foot off the accelerator immediately.  The light may turn green again by the time you reach the intersection.  If not, there's still a fuel saving.  In coasting, the car's kinetic energy maintains propulsion rather than the burning of additional fuel.  There is then less energy to be dissipated in braking.  Don't tailgate.  This necessitates additional braking, too.

3.    Drive at moderate speeds.  As your speed increases, so does your car's wind resistance - a big factor in gasoline mileage.  Most automobiles get about 28% more miles per gallon on the highway at 50 MPH than at 70 MPH and about 21%more at 55 than at 70.

4.    Drive at steady speeds.  Hold a steady foot on the accelerator as long as traffic conditions permit.  On the highway, "see sawing" or repeatedly varying the speed 5 MPH can reduce gas mileage by as much as 1.3 miles per gallon.

5.    Save gas when changing gears.  If you drive a car with a manual transmission, run through the lower gears gently and quickly for minimum gasoline consumption, then build up speed in high gear.  If you drive a car with an automatic transmission, apply enough gas pedal pressure to get the car rolling, then let up slightly on the pedal to ease the automatic transmission into high range as quickly as possible.  More gas is consumed in the lower gears.

6.    Avoid unnecessary use of the air conditioning equipment.  When in use, it reduces fuel economy by as much as 2 1/2 miles per gallon.

7.    Avoid excessive idling.  The average American car consumes a cup of gasoline every 6 minutes when idling.  When you stop the car, don't idle the engine for more than a minute.  If you are waiting for someone, turn off the engine.  It takes less gasoline to restart the car than it does to idle it.

8.    Break gas wasting habits.  For instance, don't pump the accelerator or race the engine when you car isn't in motion.  It wastes gasoline.  And use the brake pedal rather than the accelerator to hold your car in place on a hill.

IMPROVE YOUR TRIP PLANNING

9.    Join a car pool for commuting to and from work.

10.    Plan short trips carefully.  Short trips are costly in terms of gas mileage.  A vehicle started cold and driven four miles may average about 8 miles per gallon.  The same vehicle warmed up and driven 15 miles may average nearly 13 miles per gallon.  However, don't idle the engine to warm it (a wasteful practice).  Drive slowly the first few blocks.

11.    Consolidate you driving.  Combine short shopping and commuting trips to reduce the miles traveled for each action.  Patronize shops in your immediate area as much as possible to reduce mileage.

12.    Pre-plan your trips.  Figure out which route will require the least fuel.  Allow for the fact that freeway driving is nearly twice as economical as driving in heavy city traffic.  Travel during off-peak traffic times whenever possible.  Use routes with a minimum number of traffic lights and stop signs.

13.    Think economically.  If you have more than one car in your family, make the greatest use of vehicle(s) consuming the least amount of gasoline.

MAINTENANCE AND CAR CARE

14.    Get a tune-up.  Keep your car engine tuned according to the specifications given in you owner's manual.  If your manual is lost, then follow this plan:  Every 10,000 miles a major tune-up should be done.  That means:

    About 5,000 miles after the major tune-up, a minor tune-up should be performed.  This may involve cleaning the plugs, and adjusting points and timing as necessary.

15.    Check tire pressure at least once a month.  For best gas mileage and for driving on long trips with heavy loads, inflate your tires 3 to 4 pounds above the recommended pressure but do not exceed 32 psi.  Underinflated tires can decrease fuel economy by as much as one mile per gallon.

16.    Consider buying radial tires.  Radial tires will give you from 0.5 to 1 or more miles per gallon.  Their initial high cost is usually paid for in fuel savings and longer tread life.          Warning:  Do not mix radial tires with conventional tires.

17.    Make sure your wheels are properly aligned.  An annual check is in order.  Improper front wheel toe-in alignment can increase fuel use by 0.3 miles per gallon.

18.   See that your brakes are adjusted correctly.  Dragging brakes can rob gasoline economy and shorten brake life.  Be sure they are releasing properly.

19.    Don't carry unnecessary weight.  For every additional 100 pounds, gas consumption can increase as much as 0.2 miles per gallon.

20.    Don't let the gas station attendant overfill your tank.  Tell him to stop at the cut-off on the automatic valve.  This will eliminate any chance of spillage.

21.   Buy gas only when the gauge shows a quarter tank or less.  The practice of keeping tanks nearly full at all times is wasteful.  Each fill-up introduces the possibility of spillage.  The higher gas tank weight also adversely affects mileage.

22.    Use gasoline of the proper octane rating.  Using too low an octane rating for your car will produce a "ping" which, if sustained, will damage the engine.  Using too high an octane rating wastes money and will not produce more power or improve fuel economy.

23.    Change oil and oil filter at recommended intervals.  Dirty oil can seriously damage engine parts and cause friction and wear that rob gas mileage.  A worn engine that burns oil will require more frequent tuning and get progressively poorer gas mileage.

24.    Use a good quality multi-grade (multi-viscosity) oil having an API SAE rating on the container.  Multi-grade 10W-30 and 10W-40 oils help reduce internal engine friction and give better gasoline mileage than single grade SAE 30 oils.  Do not use an oil of higher viscosity than recommended in your owner's manual since heavier oils tend to increase friction and decrease miles-per-gallon efficiency.  A lower viscosity oil such as 5W-30 is recommended for winter months in the northern states.

BECOME AWARE OF GAS USAGE

25.    Keep a check on miles per gallon.  That's the number of miles you get from one gallon of gas.  Record the amount of gasoline added to you tank at each fill-up and the odometer reading.  Miles per gallon is obtained by dividing the miles traveled since the previous fill-up by the gallons added at the last fill-up.

26    Consider installing a miles-per-gallon meter or manifold vacuum gauge.  The gauge can teach you good driving habits by visually indicating the vacuum in the intake manifold which is directly related to gas efficiency.  To increase your gas mileage, learn to drive so that you achieve a high vacuum reading on the gauge.

SELECT YOUR NEW CAR WISELY

27.    Get some expert advice.  Before starting out to buy a new car, write to Fuel Economy, Pueblo, Colo. 81009 for a copy of the most recent "EPA/FEA Gas Mileage Guide for New Car Buyers."  Study the fuel economy figures carefully.  Also review the tabular comparison of specifications and test-results published by Consumers Union and the motor industry magazines.  Generally the best fuel economy is associated with:
Low vehicle weight
Small engine
Manual transmission
Low numerical axle ratio
Low frontal area, i.e., car width times height

28.    Purchase only the optional equipment and accessories you really need.  Such items as automatic transmission, power steering and air conditioning require considerable energy which must be derived from the gasoline.  Other equipment such as power brakes, electric motor-driven windows, seats and radio antenna require little energy for their operation.  However, these items as well as a vinyl roof, and a host of other accessories all add to the vehicle weight and thus reduce fuel economy.

29.    In warm climates, select a light-colored vehicle.  Light colors reflect the sun's rays and keep the car cooler.

30.    Look into local laws that save energy.  State and local laws that help reduce automobile gasoline consumption include:  increasing availability of highly energy-efficient public transportation; creating express lanes for carpools and buses during peak traffic hours; establishing a system of one-way streets in heavily used areas; synchronizing lights; permitting right turns on red; banning stopping, standing and parking on arterial streets during rush hours; and providing overpasses at busy intersection.

DON'T BE FUELISH.