Extreme Rules To Help Save Fuel

[Steele404]

I decided to post this up as a new thread, rather than just a reply to another topic.

There's another decent but extreme technique, this requires abit of intuition and will-power. It's called Hypermiling.

Some of the technique is abit dangerous and should only be attempted only when you know what you are doing and the risks involved.

- Braking is avoided at all cost, that includes going into a curve at 50 mph to reserve car momentum.

- The moment you see the car infront brakes, release the accelerator immeadiately while keeping distance beforehand.

- The instant you see a red light at an intersection, release the accelerator immediately and let it coast to a halt.

- Only start the engine when you're absolutely ready to drive the car. No warming-up time. This means, make sure all the passengers are in the car, doors closed and everything checked. (A more extreme way is to push the car yourself while on neutral to give it abit of speed before you start the engine. This means no warming-up time, and no gas wasted on the acceleration)

- Turn off the car engine if you're parked at a red-light for more than 10 seconds. Research proves that starting a fuel-injected car engine uses as much energy as letting it idle for 6 seconds with aircon. Remember this 10-second rule.

- Driving very close to a truck / bus for drafting. (reduction in wind resistance)

- EXPERTS ONLY! Shutting down your car engine when you notice a red light from a distance so the car coasts to a complete stop right infront of it. This requires abit of work as the steering wheel and brakes are no longer powered.

The above technique will work, but decide on your own if it's worth to the expense of your sweat and work, and maybe safety.

[apetley]

Definitely extreme and as you said sounds dangerous to me.

Not sure I want to be stuck at a set of lights like a boil in the bag dish with the engine off and no aircon running. Ok back in the Uk but here the temperature rapidly goes up to furnace like!

As for coasting up to a set of lights with the engine off, I was under the impression that most modern fuel injected engines cut the fuel to the injectors when you lift the throttle and start coasting and only start pumping fuel again when the engine speed drops to low revs and is in danger of a stall.

[Steele404]

Definitely extreme and as you said sounds dangerous to me.

Not sure I want to be stuck at a set of lights like a boil in the bag dish with the engine off and no aircon running. Ok back in the Uk but here the temperature rapidly goes up to furnace like!

As for coasting up to a set of lights with the engine off, I was under the impression that most modern fuel injected engines cut the fuel to the injectors when you lift the throttle and start coasting and only start pumping fuel again when the engine speed drops to low revs and is in danger of a stall.

Yup, that is true. Once you lift the accelerator, the injector realise this and stop injecting fuel. But the car slows down much faster from the fact that the car momentum is now required to rev the engine. Coasting while idling uses gas, so with the engine turned off you coast much further without any gas.

However, I personally think to is a load of bull as you are "penny wise and dollar foolish". You end up losing more than what you save by putting your life on the line while incurring damage on the engine.

Howevever, there ARE people who do this extreme method on a serious regular basis, and this goes to show that the oil company should act when people are willing to go to such lengths.

Rather, lets post up methods on basics how to save money for fuel:

1) quit smoking (40 baht a day = 14,400 baht a year!!!)

2) quit drinking (300 baht a week = 15,000 baht a year)

3) quit your addiction to thai girls (1,xxx,xxx baht)

Follow the 3 basic steps, and you got yourself...ummm......25,500 LITRES of unleaded goodness!!!!!! HOLY Sh14t