Fuel consumption is
a normal phenomenon with internal combustion engines in cars because they burn
fuel to get the energy to propel a vehicle. However, fuel consumption becomes a
concern when you realise that a car is consuming more than it is supposed to.
If you have noticed
that your car is consuming more fuel than it used to, you may want to check on
the following:
Faulty engine
Paul Kaganzi, a
mechanic and the managing director of Duke Car Technology, says if an engine is
not tuned properly or the maintenance service delayed, “this will lead to a
decline in the engine’s fuel efficiency.”
He adds; “When it
comes to petrol engines, failure to replace worn out spark plugs, air cleaner
elements or fuel filters as well as maintenance of the throttle valve and
oxygen sensors will lead to an increase in fuel consumption.”
Meanwhile, “in a
diesel engine, an increase of fuel consumption can result from dirty fuel
injectors and air cleaner element as these two are crucial for prompt burning
of the fuel during combustion.”
Poor engine oil
The quality of
engine oil you choose to use in your engine can also affect fuel economy.
Kaganzi says, “If you use the wrong motor oil viscosity grade in terms of being
thicker than recommended, at certain temperatures or an inferior quality, the
engine pistons and other moving parts move less freely. This adds a load onto
the engine and hence a greater demand for fuel energy.”
Poor quality fuels
Nowadays, you can
almost get fuel from anywhere as there are many kiosks and people selling it in
bottles. Whereas this may be a life saver and even sometimes cheaper, mechanics
say use of poor quality fuel can also increase fuel consumption. Therefore, be
careful as you try to save because you may end up spending more. Kaganzi says
if you buy adulterated fuel from dodgy road side kiosks, it will not burn
promptly and would require larger amounts to move the car.
Some legitimate fuel
stations have fuels that are mixed with chemical additives that clean the
intake valves of petrol engines and injector nozzles of diesel engines to
reduce accumulation of waste after burn deposits. They add a chemical which
lubricates the upper piston ring and helps the engine move lighter with less
fuel. This will improve fuel efficiency.
Air conditioning
Peter Luyima, a
mechanic and owner of Genesis Auto Garage, on Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road, says
driving with the AC on adds an extra load to the engine hence it consumes extra
fuel when operating. However, “if driving at speed of over 80 kmph, use of
air-conditioning is better for fuel consumption than an open window as the
latter creates aerodynamic drag. Also, if it is hotter inside your car than
outside, when you start a trip, drive with the windows down for a few minutes
to help cool the car before starting the air-conditioning. By first driving
with the windows down, you will save on the amount of fuel that would have been
used while the AC is on.
Worn out tyres
The general
condition of your vehicle tyres can lead to an increase in fuel consumption.
Kaganzi explains that when tyres are worn out, “Their grip or traction is lost
so the tyre spins faster so as to move. This takes a toll on your fuel
economy.”
Additionally, Luyima
says poorly inflated tyres in terms of not putting the right pressure as
instructed by the manufacturer will also lead to more fuel consumption.
He advises that you
inflate your tyres to the highest pressure recommended by the manufacturer and
make sure your wheels are properly aligned. Looking after your tyres will not
only reduce your fuel consumption but also extend the life of your tyre and
improve you vehicle handling.
Poor maintenance and short distance
Peter Luyima, a
mechanic, says poor maintenance includes elements of delayed servicing and poor
servicing which leads to overstretching of the service interval hence clogged
air elements which lead to poor consumption range which in turn leads to more
fuel consumption.
Vehicles are least
fuel efficient and most polluting at the start of trips and on short trips. One
reason for this is that catalytic converters (which reduce air pollution
emissions) do not operate properly until they have warmed up.
Trips of less than
five kilometres generally do not allow the engine to reach its peak operating
temperature.
So rather than
shopping at different intervals, plan to do a number of errands in one trip
rather than several trips and save both time and fuel.
Wrong gears
This mostly applies
to manual cars because automatic transmissions will shift up more quickly and
smoothly
0 Comments