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| Secrets to fuel mileage. (Page 2/5) |
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blackrams
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APR 27, 09:43 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by Notorio:
So that looks like the biggest variable in your list. Can you describe what the Efficient Drivers are doing that is so beneficial? My dad always warned against jackrabbit stops/starts and speeding. What else is there? |
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Sorry for the delayed response, been on the road. Just returned from a trip from Hattiesburg to the beaches SC, then north to Pittsburg, PA, then home.
Your dad was right, jack rabbit starts waste fuel. Winds and aerodynamics makes a huge difference also. Having clean lines for air to flow over always results in better fuel mileage. Speed kills, not only people but, the faster you go, the more fuel you're going to use. I constantly amaze others with the fuel mileage I can get with my vehicles but mostly with my trucks and trailers. I recently hauled a Porsche and a BMW for my BIL on my lowboy gooseneck trailer. He was driving his Ford pickup pulling another small trailer, my load was much greater than his. My trucks are all 6.7l Cummins diesels. His Ford is a turbo'd V6. This is where how the vehicle is equipped comes in to play. He also likes to get there and not spend any more time on the road than he has to. We moved the cars and cargo leaving at the same time but he quickly left me in his dust. I drove about 5 mph below the posted speed limit. He exceeded it but, I'm not sure by how much but he said he was bumping 75 mph. He got there before me but, not by much.
Regardless, the different power trains and different driving techniques made a huge difference. My truck got right at 17.5 miles per gallon, his was 12 mpg. We'd have been a lot closer had he stayed closer the my speed. Driving technique and the way your vehicle is equipped make a huge difference. Head winds and tail winds will also greatly effect fuel mileage. As the posted article says, there's a lot of things that go into saving fuel used per mile but, unless I'm in a hurry for some reason, I usually follow the practices I've described. Speed equals fuel that equals money so, if I'm going to speed and burn excessive fuel, I had better be making it up in some way financially.
Rams[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 04-27-2021).]
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cliffw
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APR 27, 11:14 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by Notorio:
So that looks like the biggest variable in your list. Can you describe what the Efficient Drivers are doing that is so beneficial? My dad always warned against jackrabbit stops/starts and speeding. What else is there? |
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Your previous President, Barrack Heusain Obama, said we can reduce global warming and save fuel, by being sure our tires are inflated to the correct air pressure.
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cliffw
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APR 27, 11:21 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by blackrams:
Having clean lines for air to flow over always results in better fuel mileage. |
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A friend of mine just recently participated in a day long race. He driving a GMC one ton dualy diesel P/U truck. (class equal).
He washed and waxed his truck before the race.
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blackrams
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APR 27, 01:21 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by cliffw:
Your previous President, Barrack Heusain Obama, said we can reduce global warming and save fuel, by being sure our tires are inflated to the correct air pressure. |
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| quote | Originally posted by cliffw:
A friend of mine just recently participated in a day long race. He driving a GMC one ton dualy diesel P/U truck. (class equal).
He washed and waxed his truck before the race. |
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Based on what I've been told (and it makes sense to me) our former President was correct.
One could assume that anything that cleaned up the air flow over or passing a vehicle would reduce parasitic drag. So, not only does washing and waxing make the vehicle look better and protect the waxed parts from corrosion, it may help in reducing parasitic drag.
I'm no expert, I simply hate wasting money. On this trip from MS to SC, PA and home again in MS, my overall average was 20.4 mpg pulling a 25 foot lowboy gooseneck trailer. That ain't bad, I don't care who you are. Of course, being retired, I have all the time I want to take to get it done (theoretically). 
Rams[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 04-27-2021).]
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Notorio
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MAY 02, 12:15 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by blackrams:
Based on what I've been told (and it makes sense to me) our former President was correct.
One could assume that anything that cleaned up the air flow over or passing a vehicle would reduce parasitic drag. So, not only does washing and waxing make the vehicle look better and protect the waxed parts from corrosion, it may help in reducing parasitic drag.
I'm no expert, I simply hate wasting money. On this trip from MS to SC, PA and home again in MS, my overall average was 20.4 mpg pulling a 25 foot lowboy gooseneck trailer. That ain't bad, I don't care who you are. Of course, being retired, I have all the time I want to take to get it done (theoretically).
Rams
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All very impressive. Yeah, the speeding habit can be hard to brake (pun intended.) In my youth I was known as Lead Foot
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Hudini
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MAY 02, 04:45 AM
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The reason an increase in speed causes worse fuel mileage also applies to aircraft. As speed doubles, drag increases 4 times.
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maryjane
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MAY 02, 07:04 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by Hudini:
The reason an increase in speed causes worse fuel mileage also applies to aircraft. As speed doubles, drag increases 4 times. |
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Does the same hold true in space?
Not 'much' drag other than the pull of gravity, but is it truly zero drag?
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blackrams
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MAY 02, 08:27 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by maryjane:
Does the same hold true in space?
Not 'much' drag other than the pull of gravity, but is it truly zero drag?
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An interesting question. Obviously, I'm not qualified to answer that but, other than waves of light, I'd think that only acceleration and changing direction would apply to fuel mileage in space.
Rams
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maryjane
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MAY 02, 08:37 AM
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Space is not empty. It contains dust and gases which also create a bit of 'interstellar' drag. Only an issue in extremely high velocities tho. [This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 05-02-2021).]
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blackrams
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MAY 02, 09:37 AM
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| quote | Originally posted by maryjane:
Space is not empty. It contains dust and gases which also create a bit of 'interstellar' drag. Only an issue in extremely high velocities tho.
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Agreed. But, according to my Voyager training, Warp Speed and Shields should overcome such problems.
Rams
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