Do you want to get better fuel economy from your diesel? Follow these tips – Jalopnik

If you choose a diesel pickup over a gas pickup, you’re already ahead of the curve when it comes to fuel economy. According to the Ministry of Energydiesel vehicles can be 30-35% more efficient than their gas counterparts. But maybe that’s not good enough for you. No, you won’t be satisfied until you’ve squeezed every last bit of fuel efficiency out of your car. We don’t blame you, considering the high price of diesel fuel (averaging over $3.60 per gallon at the time of writing). The good news is that there are several things you can do to make your diesel car even more efficient.

The easiest way to improve the fuel efficiency of a diesel vehicle has to do with its drivability. Being careful not to have a lead foot is good practice, as trying to set 0-60 and land speed records can be quite taxing on fuel economy. But hard braking is also not good for fuel consumption. So give yourself enough time to come to a standstill. And try to avoid idling if it’s not necessary. These are all things that anyone can do.

But there are many more things that can help. For example, products like vortex generators and tonneau covers can make a difference by making your vehicle more aerodynamic and reducing wind resistance. Using high quality fuel and oil is better for fuel economy than lower quality fluids. It is important to replace your filters when necessary, as well as other regular maintenance. Losing extra weight is a good habit, as is maintaining the air pressure in your tires.

While you want to press the accelerator lightly, you should also avoid touching the brake as much as possible. It takes more fuel to brake than to stop. So make sure there is enough space between you and the car in front of you. Anticipate stops and release your foot from the accelerator in time so that your car can slow down on its own most of the way without braking. When driving down a steep hill or mountain road, apply engine braking by downshifting so your engine runs at lower speeds.

Idling is also not good for your fuel consumption. Contrary to popular belief, this is not more economical than stopping the engine and restarting it. What about those cold days when you need to warm up the engine? Consider purchasing a block heater so that your engine takes less time to warm up.

Wind resistance is something you should consider whether you add bug screens, hood scoops or extra wide mirrors. If you have grille shutters in your vehicle, make sure they are closed. Some vehicles have active grille shutters that close at a certain speed, so you don’t have to worry about that. If you have a truck without a camper conversion, the air sinks into the bed and has to push it up and over the tailgate. That also causes resistance. Therefore, place a tonneau cover over the bed. Hubcaps over exposed wheels can be a great way to improve airflow around your wheels.

What if you drive a semi? Stick some vortex generators on the roof to improve airflow. A roof fairing can guide air smoothly over the trailer. Side fairings and side skirts can also make a big difference. You may want to use cab extenders to reduce the space between the cab and your trailer.

You also don’t want to skimp on fuel. Cheap, low-quality fuel can contain all kinds of contaminants that can damage your diesel engine and clog things like your fuel injectors. At the very least, a clogged fuel injector can significantly affect your fuel efficiency. High quality fuel, on the other hand, is usually cleaner and will not clog the engine. Should you use fuel additives to increase your fuel efficiency? It is not necessary on newer engines, and some say the effect is barely noticeable on older engines. It doesn’t seem like it’s worth the effort or expense. The best thing you can do is make sure you are using the right fuel.

You will also want to check your tailpipe emissions, whether your state requires emissions testing or not. What do your exhaust pipes look like? Do they have a lot of black soot? Is too much black smoke released when your engine is running? A little bit of smoke is normal, especially under hard acceleration, but thick black smoke is not. It’s a good indication that you have a clogged fuel filter, your fuel injectors are leaking, your turbocharger isn’t working properly, the EGR valve is stuck open, or you have worn piston rings. Whatever the cause, you can be sure it will affect your fuel economy. In fact, all that smoke could indicate that some of your fuel is being wasted. Your engine may be getting too much fuel, but not enough air. That means it’s getting more fuel than it can burn, and some of the fuel has to be pushed out as soot. Not great.

Speaking of things that make your engine work harder than it should, try not to load your vehicle with too much weight. The more weight your vehicle has to carry, the harder the engine has to work and the more fuel it uses. So take a moment to take inventory of what you keep in your vehicle. It might be time to get rid of things like duplicate tools, camping gear that you only use part of the time, and spare anvils. What? Don’t have anvils in your truck? So where do you keep your anvils? There are many things you can do to optimize the fuel economy of your diesel vehicle. It just takes a little effort and keeping up with simple maintenance.