Ways to Improve Gas Mileage

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If you’re looking for ways to improve gas mileage we’re here to help! Getting better gas mileage in your car is like getting a raise. You will be able to operate your vehicle like normal but spend less doing it! Besides being less expensive to run every day, a vehicle that is getting great gas mileage is operating efficiently and that means less stress on the engine and transmission allowing them to last longer and have less wear during normal driving.

There are many different ways to improve gas mileage but they can only get you so far. The biggest factor in determining the fuel mileage your car will get depends on its design. Things like compression ratio in the engine, the gearing in the transmission, even the type of oil your engine uses will determine the fuel mileage you can expect from your car. Besides the drivetrain, the shape of your car will affect gas mileage as well because of the drag coefficient, or how aerodynamic your vehicle is is one of the biggest factors that determine highway fuel mileage. Unfortunately, we cannot help your 8 passenger SUV get 45 miles per gallon, but we can help you get the best mileage possible in your vehicle.

The best ways to improve gas mileage:

Inflate your tires
Lose the sail
Slow down
Avoid traffic
Get a tuneup

One of the easiest ways to improve gas mileage in your car is as simple as keeping your tires inflated to the correct pressure. Did you know that your tires might lose up to 1 PSI per week? The high pressure in your tire will slow force air out around the bead even if you drive very conservatively. Besides driving, temperature fluctuations can cause tires to lose air pressure. Also, the reality you probably have a nail or something else sharp lodged in at least one of your tires that you can’t see which is causing a slow leak. Underinflated tires take more work to turn which will reduce your gas mileage. Over-inflated tires will roll easier but make sure you don’t put too much air pressure in your tire or you will cause the tire to wear down the center. Check the sticker on the driver’s side door jamb for proper tire inflation pressure for your vehicle.

We already mentioned that how aerodynamic your car is will drastically affect fuel mileage. Adding more wind resistance like a rooftop carrier or even a bike rack can adversely affect fuel mileage in your car. If you’re not using it, take it off.

Slowing down can also help increase fuel mileage. Wind resistance in your vehicle is proportional to the vehicle’s speed squared. That means in you double your speed it takes 4 times the force to keep it traveling at that speed using much more fuel. Also, accelerating quickly from a stop may be fun but it takes a lot of energy to accelerate your vehicle that quickly. Along with the extra energy it takes, fast acceleration demands higher engine RPMs and the faster your engine is spinning the more fuel it is using to go the same distance.

Similarly, traffic will take a big bite out of your gas mileage because you’re constantly accelerating and braking. Each time you brake, you waste almost all the energy it took to get your car up to speed and along with that waste fuel. Taking an alternate route, even if it’s a little longer may end up taking less gas than stop and go traffic.

Lastly, getting a tuneup will help your engine run as efficiently as possible so that it takes less fuel to run. One of the biggest things you can do to keep your engine running efficiently is to use BlueDevil Fuel System Cleaner to keep your fuel system operating properly. BlueDevil Fuel System Cleaner dissolves fuel deposits in your fuel system and engine to keep it running efficiently and is one of the best ways to improve gas mileage in your car.

For more quick tuneup tips, check out our article about getting a car tuneup.

You can find BlueDevil Fuel System Cleaner at any of our partnering local auto parts stores like: