Sol's Guide for improving your FC
I've noticed there has been a lot of questions and advice regarding FC in many threads, so I've decided to create a guide for improving your FC. Most techniques and advice were taken from cleanmpg.com, which is a superb forum for saving fuel. The techniques I list here should be more suited for Singaporean cars and driving patterns. I drive a 4AT Latio, but I'll also list down stuff or techniques that apply to CVT as well.
Take note that the techniques mentioned in this guide has all been tried and tested by me. If you want to use them, by all means, go ahead! However, I will not be responsible for any mishaps, accidents or damage caused to you or others. Always drive safely and responsibly.
Ok, enough talking. On with the guide!
Basic things: stuff even my grandma can do!Cleaning out your junkThe simplest thing you can do is to remove unwanted stuff in your boot. Golf clubs? Tennis rackets? Luggage? Time to take them all out. Every little thing in your boot means extra petrol to move them along with your car. Those with a tire patching tool might even consider taking out the spare tyre. How many of you guys know how to change it anyway?
Pump up your tiresHigher tire pressure means less rolling resistance. This means that it takes less energy(petrol) to move the car. Also, your car will be able to glide longer. Its perfectly safe to pump up to max sidewall. Max sidewall pressure is the tyre pressure stated on the wall of your tyre. Most tires run at 44psi, which is roughly 300kPa. I've been running them at max sidewall for 3 months now, and its perfectly fine. Modern tires have steel belts running through them, so it won't suffer from the center-balding effect like old tires do. Again, its up to you. If you don't feel comfortable with such high pressures, go with around 250kPa.
Do your maintenanceSend your car in for regular checkups. Dirty engine oil, uneven alignment, faulty tires, offtuned engine, all these can lead to a decrease in your FC. Try to use thinner oil if possible, w30 is just nice. Sometimes after servicing, the technicians will reset your tire pressure back to 200kPa. Make sure you set them back up.
Your driving style: drive smart!Slowing downYou can either zoom zoom all the way and pay a lot for petrol, or you can drive smartly and smile at your next top-up. The bottom line is, choose either speed or fuel efficiency. The key thing here is wind resistance. Wind resistance increases very fast as you approach higher speeds. Anybody wondered why you get terrible FC on NSH even though you drive 100% highway? Thats probably because you drive at 150km/h. In Singapore, try to keep below 100km/h. Anything more than that, and you'll be paying a lot more for every km you travel. Besides, with high speed comes high constant rpm, and its well known that that kills FC.
Drive without brakesNo, I'm not telling you to cut your brake lines. Just pretend you drive without them. Braking means slowing down the car and turning its momentum into heat(which is useless). If you're not going to stop soon or you can take a turn at your current speed, why brake? One example on downslopes on expressway. I've seen many cars applying brakes even though there's no car in front. This is a waste of petrol. Anyone knows the round part of the expressway where you turn into KJE from BKE? Latio can take that turn at 80km/h no problem. Don't throw petrol out of the window with unnecessary braking.
Look in advanceThere's no point pumping more petrol into the engine and speed up when you are going to stop in 5 seconds. Many drivers tend to accelerate up to the last moment and brake hard at the lights. Always look ahead for the traffic lights. If they are red or you know they are turning red soon, let go of the accelerator and let the car glide to stop. If you are above 40km/h, engine braking will kick in. This means that no petrol is injected into the engine, instead, the engine is kept running by the car's momentum. You will feel a jerk when the injection kicks in again. This can save a lot of fuel.
Moving offMany drivers are under the misconception that stepping on the accelerator like it's made of glass is good. Wrong! One characteristic of car engines is that they burn the fuel most efficiently at low rpm and high throttle. Yes, it's hard to do it in an auto car, since the TCU decides for you. What you can do is accelerate moderately. Keep at around 2k to 2.2k rpm. Anything higher and you waste energy overcoming the friction in your engine. For CVT owners, I've read that locking rpm at 2k all the way is the way to go, but I can't personally confirm this.
Thats it for now! Part 2 will feature more advance techniques, so stay tuned(you and your car).
Any comments are very much welcome, thanks!
