Fuel Efficiency Tips - 02

 Air Conditioning

Tips for using your air conditioner properly and much more can be found in this guide to improving fuel economy

There is a basic understanding among motorists that turning off the cool air in a car will help improve the fuel economy. This is not entirely true. There’s a lot more to get better performance in a car than just that. Here's what you need to know…

The car air conditioner filters and cools the hot air and then throws it into the ventilation chamber. How to do that is a topic in itself but let’s focus on why it affects fuel efficiency. 

The air conditioner is made up of five parts - the compressor which is the heart of the fan, condenser, receiver, expansion valve, and evaporator, each of which is supplied with various processes using a refrigerator to finally send cool air into the house.

It all starts with a compressor connected by a drive belt to the engine crankshaft. This connection increases the load on the engine when the air conditioning is turned on, thus disrupting fuel efficiency.

So naturally then, you turn off the air conditioner and you should have a better fuel economy. But, you don't always… Why is that? That's because every time we turn off the air conditioning, we tend to roll the windows down. 

Rolling the floor windows increases drag and thus eliminates the benefits of turning off the air-con. Finding the right performance for your car is not as obvious a cut as it seems.

To simplify or even help you find the right balance, here is a simple process you can follow -

Drag the enemy to efficiency. To reduce drag, we roll the windows up. When the windows are high, the cabbage is compacted so we open the air conditioning. That consumes fuel so finding the right balance requires striking a balance between speed and cooling air. Dragging the car increases as the speed increases. 

You will notice that the amount of air entering the room increases as you move faster and get used to rolling out the windows enough to keep spreading in the house. To get more efficiency in your car, roll the windows almost shut and drive without the AC turned on. While drag is reduced, there is no AC load on the engine. This is a good situation.

But sometimes, the weather in our country needs fresh air all the time. At these times, you have no choice. When driving on hills, on the other hand, there is a temptation to turn the windows down completely to get into the weather but that interferes with the efficiency of the fuel too much, especially since you are not going in a straight line. 

Crosswinds increase continuous tension and the engine is under pressure however due to mountain climbing. If you run into city cars, turning off the cool air will really boost your economy.

In all of the above cases, the efficiency of the fuel can be improved or maintained by simply finding the right balance between opening or closing the cooler air and rolling the windows up or down.

Reducing drag

Pure aero is just as important for fuel efficiency as it is for direct line operation. We tell you more about how it helps in the past.

A car with good aerodynamics can save a lot of fuel. Once you have purchased your car based on its traction coefficient, you expect it to work properly on its aerodynamic, pre-economic and performance front but there are times when it doesn’t.

Why is that? Avoid external extensions

As Indians, we like to get into our cars to make them look good. Items such as bull bars, rails on the roof, and rear wings are very popular in India. While these add-ons can add to the beauty of a car, they contribute to gravity by disrupting the smooth flow of air in the car's surface. 

In addition to interfering with the flow of air, they add to the weight of the car. Extra weight and air resistance reduce the car's fuel economy significantly.

While the rear wing in a few cases (especially large cars) acts as an aerodynamic element, in most production vehicles, it is an unnecessary addition. 

The rear wing prevents lift and wind channels from slipping out of the car. This only works like the speed increase even though the wing helps stabilize and operate the brakes.

 On public roads, if your wing has a good impact on the car, you are definitely driving faster than the legal limits.

Teeth brushing and painting

The car gets a circular motion for a reason. Thus air can flow through the body without much resistance. A toothed bumper or body panel disrupts air and creates an unacceptable air channel that increases drag. Too much drag means less fuel, so keep your car-free. 

If you get in the trash with another car, be sure to change the installed parts soon. If there is a hanging part, hang it or tape it until you fix it. Not only will it improve the fuel economy but it will also avoid the risk to other motorists if the share goes down. Loose speed should be given immediate attention.

 The paint on new cars lasts longer. Gone are the days when you saw cut paint a few years ago. But if that happens, the uneven panel can cause drag. Especially when you get into an accident, part of the constant contact loses its paint. 

A small piece won’t magnify a lot of drag you don’t have to worry about it other than aesthetics, but a poorly painted area with bumps or crushed parts should be repainted. Get your car repainted in a dusty free-standing booth. Many accredited car manufacturer workshops have these features.

Make friends with the wind and you will be the fastest and most efficient car.