5 myths about driving false economy – what NOT to do if you want to eat less

Most times, folklore is taken into account more than the advice of specialists, but the effects are negative. Further dismantle the most popular five myths about driving economically. Are you interested?

Let us consider the second MIT
“Blow tyres above the recommended pressure and the car will consume less”

True, but very little and the effect of this solution is compromised, more or less, traffic safety, so it is advisable not inflate tires above the pressure recommended by the manufacturer.

It is true that if tire pressure is lower than nominal value, consumption will increase (in general, the pressure loss with a bar of rubber consumption increases by about 5%). It does not mean that a higher pressure than the face value will result in significant loss of consumption.

After several specialized tests, concluded that if the increase in tire pressure of 1 bar above face value, low fuel consumption is about 0.5%.

So if normal consumption is 5 liters per 100 km, umflând tires to 1 bar above face value you get 4.975 litres/100 km consumption. So insignificant savings of about a few cents on every hundred kilometers …

What is, however, reverse for rubber swelling over allowed limit? First, the rubber becomes rigid, thus rolling discomfort will increase – which nobody wants, especially on our roads.

Then footprint (contact area between tire and road) is reduced, with negative effects, sometimes even dangerous, the grip, so control at high speed and, especially, the sudden braking is worse. Note also that over-inflation increase the chance of explosion, rubber, and the consequences can be disastrous.

In conclusion, inflate tires worth more than face value because you get a insignificant economy, but driving safety is compromised.

“Use normal nitrogen instead of air, the machine will consume less and work better”

If you ask engineers or aeronautical Formula 1, you will say that nitrogen is much better than the atmosphere, the latter containing several types of gas, so it is impure. Nitrogen reacts less to changes in temperature or shock, making it easier for engineers to develop appropriate tires.

But for normal car tires, has no major advantage – the advantage out of the pocket, which you take more money than if you inflate the tire with normal air. This is because the average car tires pass through much smaller variations in temperature and pressure conditions where the atmosphere behaves almost the same as nitrogen.

After several studies and observations on normal users found that inflating tires with nitrogen instead of atmospheric air does not decrease fuel consumption, or, at best, fuel economy is insignificant and does not warrant higher price for using nitrogen.

Whether you use air or nitrogen atmosphere, the main rule to be applied is that the tire is inflated to nominal pressure. Otherwise, fuel economy related to the type of tire and driving style.

To move to the third MIT
“Supplies the morning when it’s cold, put more fuel because the same money!”

A myth of ‘I learned something physical, but do not know exactly what … “. In theory, fluids (hence the petrol and diesel) are more dense at lower temperature, hence the idea that, if the food when it’s cold, a liter of fuel will contain more liquid than when it is hot.

But dismantling this myth is very simple, simply applying logic: fuels are kept in tanks buried below ground, where the temperature is almost constant, whether it’s night or day.

So the only thing that remains, indeed, to remember is that in conditions of intense heat, when you fill the car may lose a fraction of the fuel due to vaporization of the liquid, by the time the tank is opened. But again, talk of insignificant amount, less than 0.1% of what you pay.

Better watch that filling the tank to produce safe – fire danger is a myth, because gasoline and diesel are volatile and the vapor in contact with a lighted cigarette or careless people simply stupid can lead to tragedy .

Let the FOURTH MIT
“Put it in neutral when you are constantly going down or straight”

It’s hard to understand why many people continue to believe that this engine does not consume, although clearly hear how it goes. From a technical standpoint, and the idling engine burns fuel, otherwise it might work.

So, without going into further technical details, must understand that failure to elect a speed (ie lever to “neutral”) not “kill” the engine fuel supply. In addition, if the machine runs without any gear engaged, especially in the valley, have to rely more on the brakes and wheels do not have traction, thus taking safety hazards occur at runtime.

On the other hand, when accessing the engine brake (the situation when the wheels tend to have a rotational speed greater than that dictated by the engine – is observed that increasing engine speed without speed), power flow is reversed, so the engine receive “power” of the wheel, no longer need to produce power.

In this case, the central computer system dictates injection to stop fueling, rotation of the crankshaft is ensured even by car wheels.

Again, without going into technical details, fuel economy is achieved only by applying engine braking on downhill or slowing down because the engine does not consume in this situation – because it works from the kinematic cycle wheels, in descending a slope because of inertia or deceleration.

In addition, engine braking helps safely down a slope, because the wheels have traction (being related to the engine, clutch coupled thanks), and the braking system is not fully applied.

Let the Fifth MIT
“Change air filters more often, because the engine running as efficiently”

In terms of repair shops, car is very good if owners spend more on air filters, probably why you and spread this idea so much. With no mention of some very cheap consumables, air filters deserve something more.

The truth is that technology is not stagnant, and air filters of modern engines have evolved more than one might think. It may seem silly but in recent years air filters are designed to folosează dirt accumulated over time in their favor. That dust and debris forms a layer of … filtering.

A study by the U.S. Department of Energy in 2009 showed that dirty air filters have no effect on increased fuel consumption, electronically controlled injection systems automatically adjusting the amount of fuel required for optimal mixing chamber.

Instead, an air filter too dirty and clogged affect, indeed, supply the engine with fresh air, which can be reflected in strong accelaţiile problems, because the intake does not get enough air. Some may argue that, the car will consume more, but in practice, any acceleration engine consumes more than normal, so dirty filters are insignificant influences.

Therefore, the experts’ advice is to change air filters, but not as often as we used to believe. According to Americans for ordinary cars with small engines and media air filter should be changed after a maximum of 50,000 km and not every revision of 10-15000 km. On the other hand, new cars customers are tied to manufacturers’ recommendations, or risk losing the car warranty.

But, in general, for a machine that already has exceeded 3 years, air filters can be changed after a longer period because their dirty dramatic effects on engine operation and fuel it. In such conditions we have in Romania, with a lot of dust and dirt, period suggested Americans should be reduced until the 25 to 30,000 km.

Passing over these myths, these are, in fact, the main rules to remember if we want to achieve lower fuel consumption:

-Do not go too fast – if you want to eat less, it’s good to keep a decent speed on public roads to note that, not only in theory, if it exceeds 100 km / h to 10 km / h, consumption will increase car 10% and increase speed further, the percentage increase exponentially.

-Adopt a good style – generally those with a more aggressive style of management that accelerates powerful brakes suddenly and will eat more because the engine needs more fuel, a careful and relaxed driving style will mean acceleration and smoother deceleration, so lower power.

-Check your tire pressure regularly – especially when it comes to long road, it better not tire deflated, because the forward resistance are higher, so the car will consume more, especially at highway cruising speeds .

-Respect the range of revisions – the higher your car perform better and have all systems and components in order, the chances are that the engine running smooth, so to eat the normal range, often seem minor defects or problems that affect directly to the engine and therefore consumption.

-Use appropriate season tires – summer tires for winter use, increase consumption, as this type of tire has a great grip on dry pavement, so rolling resistance is higher, winter, summer tires or all-season losing to the May mulet or adhesion, thus taking safety risks to much lower engine revs for nothing, consuming more.

In cocluzie, attention to folklore advice from drivers, trying to understand what the reason and explanation back. For bad advice fail to save money, but most times, the problem more or less expensive, or even very serious situation on the road.