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The
argument has finally ended…Some months ago an interesting discussion started
casually on the increasing cost of fuel. A guy remarked – In a few months
petrol will become costlier than Beer which was vehemently denied by many. But
today -- You know it yourself
Just
to save you some beer, sorry, fuel, we felt it apt to bring you a few tips to
reaffirm our commitment of providing you with useful information all the time.
1. Fill your tank when
it is half full
One of the most
important tips is to fill up when your tank is half full. The reason for this
is, the more fuel you have in your tank, the less air occupying its empty
space. Petrol evaporates faster than you can imagine. Petroleum storage tanks
have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the
petrol and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.
2. Top up your tank
early in the morning
Fill up your car or
bike in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember
that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The
colder the ground, the denser the fuel, when it gets warmer petrol expands, so
buying in the afternoon or in the evening.... your liter is not exactly a
liter.
3. When you're filling
up, do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode.
If you look, you
will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high. In slow
mode, you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that
are created, while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapor return.
If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank
becomes vapor. Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground
storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.
4. Don’t fill when the
fuel truck is unloading fuel
Another reminder,
if there is a fuel truck pumping into the storage tanks, when you stop to buy,
do not fill up most likely the petrol/diesel is being stirred up as the fuel is
being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles
on the bottom.
5. Roll up your Windows
On a highway, quite
a few of us, especially children, would like to roll down the car windows when
traveling at high speeds. Every car today is aerodynamically designed to enable
air to flow across it smoothly. At high speeds, if the window is open, air
moves in and out of the car and causing turbulence which could cost you petrol.
If you can, use only the ventilation system of your car. Even though we cannot
really gauge this against using the air conditioner, logically opening your
windows at low speeds and using the air conditioner at high speeds should give
you better fuel economy. – Try it to experience it, especially at high speeds
6. Go for the shade.
The hot summer sun
that makes the inside of your car feel like a sauna also zaps fuel from your
fuel tank. If you let your car bake in the sun there's going to be a greater
amount of evaporative emissions that take place than if you park in the shade,
So park your car in the shade of a building or tree whenever possible. And buy
a good windshield shade. A windshield shade blocks sunlight and helps to keep
heat out of the inside of your car.
7. Tighten up that fuel
cap.
How many times have
we got off the car to check if the fuel station guy has tightened our fuel tank
cap properly? A survey done by Car Care Council indicates that loose, missing
or damaged fuel caps cause 147 million litres of fuel to evaporate each year
around the world. So be sure to tighten up that fuel cap each time you fill up
fuel.
8. Don’t Burden your
car with unnecessary baggage
The more extra
baggage your car carries around, the more petrol or diesel it needs to do its
job. – Hence better to get rid of unnecessary luggage - see what you can throw
out or kept at home .A clean, empty car uses less fuel.
9. Follow the
Recommended Maintenance
Do you know
replacing a clogged air filter can increase your mileage by 10 percent, while
replacing an oxygen sensor could result in an improvement as high as 40
percent. !!! A vehicle that is well maintained means it will operate with
greater efficiency and better fuel economy. Check your owner's manual for your
vehicle's recommendations and have maintenance performed regularly by a dealer
or reputed mechanic. A few hundreds extra spent here would save a few thousands
10. Don't Drive
Aggressively
On surface streets,
more often than not, driving at the speed limit will give you green lights at
signals which improves your fuel mileage as well as reduces the wear on your
brakes. On the highway, the Department Of Energy says that every 5 kmph you
drive over 65 kmph represents a 7-percent decrease in fuel economy.
Some
of these fuel-saving tips might appeal to you; others may not. If you use one
of them, you won’t notice much difference in your fuel consumption, but combine
a few and you’ll have quite a bit extra left in your wallet at the end of the
month!
Cheers and Happy Driving.
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