- ‘That’s a myth’ | Petroleum engineer busts gas mileage myths; “The reality is, there are very few things that you can do to save your pain at the pump,” said UH’s Chief Energy Officer Ramanan Krishnamoorti. Author: Melissa Correa | KHOU.COM | Published: 5:35 PM CDT June 7, 2022, Updated: 5:35 PM CDT June 7, 2022
- [F]illing up your gas tank in the morning will help your gas mileage … “that’s a myth. Whether you gas up in the morning or night makes very, very little difference.” …
- “Filling it up slowly, fast doesn’t make a whole lot of difference,” said Krishnamoorti. “The reality is, there are very few things that you can do to save your pain at the pump.” …
- While [a] Facebook post suggests you fill up when your vehicle is down to a half-tank of fuel, the UH professor confirmed, that alone will not improve mileage either.
- “Good driving habits, not only are they safer, but they will save you gas.”
- ADDITIONAL REFERENCE: Here’s why you may want to avoid waiting until your tank reaches ‘E’; KHOU.COM
- MIKE: Here are some basic bullet points for stretching your gas:
- Keep your tires inflated to the manufacturer-recommended COLD pressure.
- If you have nitrogen-filled tires, never mix them with regular air. The benefit of nitrogen in tires is that it expands and contracts less in response to temperature changes than air does. Green stem caps mean your tires are filled with nitrogen.
- Buy the gas your car is designed for. Buying a higher octane than necessary has no benefit and wastes money.
- Accelerate moderately and break gradually. Sudden acceleration will blow more unburned gas out your tailpipe, reducing gas mileage and increasing air pollution. Gradual braking — taking your foot off the gas in anticipation of stopping to decrease speed, then braking moderately to a stop — will not only conserve gas but also conserve your brake pads and disks,
- Use speed in moderation. Ideally, you want to go at the slowest speed in the highest gear. Above that, the faster you go, the more gas you burn per mile. If you go 50 miles at 50 mph, you’ll burn less gas than going 50 miles at 70mph. Balance speed with the time and distance you have to travel, while always driving safely for the conditions you’re in and speed limits.
- Use your air conditioner. You may save some gas with no AC and windows open at low speeds, but (according to “Myth Busters”), windows open at speeds above about 40 mph waste more gas fighting air drag then running the AC.
- Try to keep your engine properly maintained and tuned. Good maintenance isn’t cheap, but it does save gas. More importantly, it will extend the life of your engine.
- Don’t try to circumvent your pollution controls. Modern engines will likely burn more gas if you do.
- Consider using Top Tier ®™ fuels exclusively. They don’t cost much more if you shop wisely. Sometimes they’re even priced below average. Top Tier fuels have high-quality cleaning agents that help your engine stay clean. Clean engines run better and require less maintenance. Find info here: https://www.toptiergas.com
- MIKE: As a side note: When your low gas light goes on, it’s not a measure of gallons left. It’s an estimated number of miles, based on your car’s typical mileage. Usually, when the “FILL” light goes on, it means you have about 20-40 miles left in your tank, depending on how you drive and the driving conditions. BEST ADVICE: Don’t push your luck.
Mike’s Tips for Saving Gasoline and Stretching your Dollars
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