Auto Tips: Diesel Gas Mileage & Diesel Vehicle Engines
Posted by admin at 23 April 2015, at 20 : 52 PM
Most buyers choose diesel, because it provides better gas mileage. Although diesel engines have higher initial cost, they will end up being the more economical choice, because of the savings they will produce in the long term. Plus, if you decide to sell the vehicle after a few years, a big part of this investment will be returned.
Diesel engines are proven to be longer lasting than gasoline engines, as test results suggest that when both engines are used under identical conditions, a diesel engine will most likely produce at least twice the life of a gasoline engine. On top of that, once the vehicle gets past the 100,000 miles mark, rebuilding or replacing a typical gasoline engine costs more.
In the case of SUV vehicles, diesel provides around 10-30% better gas mileage compared to fuel injected gasoline engines. Another advantage is that for the past two decades, diesel has been less expensive than gasoline and this trend looks set to continue during the next years.
Of course, the diesel gas mileage is greatly influenced by the style of driving. It should be pointed out that speed is more critical on a diesel than a gas engine, and hence the fuel economy goes down about 3 mpg for each 10 mph increase in speed in the 50-75 mph range. So as the speed increase, the fuel economy deteriorates, and at some point, it will be equal to a gas engine.
In general, gasoline engines produce acceptable fuel economy over a wider rpm range. The optimal driving speed is around 55 mph as test have proven that it provides you about 10% better diesel gas mileage contrary to the speeds of 65 and 70 mph. You should try to maintain this speed for as long as you can.
There are certain ways for you to increase the diesel gas mileage of your car. The first one is to use a gas saving additive, which can sometimes increase the diesel gas mileage with as much as 25%. Those additives also decrease the emissions and clean up the combustion chamber and fuel system. They are available in a pill, powder, or liquid form, and are added to the gas tank when it’s being filled.
Another useful tip is to make sure all tires have correct air pressure. Under or over inflated tires can burn more gas. Check your car’s manual for the recommended pressure values. Turning off the air conditioner will also increase the diesel gas mileage. It’s more economical to use the air conditioner on a highway than in the city traffic where you constantly stop and go. The last advise that can further increase diesel gas mileage is to regularly check and replace the air filters.