A page for randomness

Improve MPG: The Factors Affecting Fuel Efficiency - Article - OmniNerd
I own a 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. This vehicle is actually an upgrade from my previous 2004 Jeep Wrangler Sport that did not have any air conditioning or cruise control.1 After spending a year in the desert heat of Iraq, I vowed to myself that if it were in my control, then never again would I go without air conditioning.2 So, I figured if I was going to burn gas up in my 4×4, I may as well burn it up a little more comfortably.

Unlimited2006

However, there is nothing comfortable about rising gas prices. All jokes aside about Jeep Wranglers having the aerodynamics of a rolling post office box or a brick on wheels, I decided to figure out the most fuel efficient way to drive my car to save a little money. Granted, I could have traded in my old Wrangler for a more fuel efficient SUV like the Liberty CRD or the new hybrids, but none of those vehicles compare to the Wrangler when it comes to off-road performance. So, like it or not, I needed to figure out some new driving habits.

For increasing fuel efficiency, there are three basic courses of action. First, driving style affects fuel efficiency. Many people will cite “rules of thumb,” but most cannot back these claims up with evidence. To learn the truth about how driving style impacts fuel efficiency, I conducted road tests with a computer hooked into my engine’s OBDII interface. The second way to improve fuel efficiency is to modify the way an engine performs. Modifications can take many forms, so I browsed the Internet to find the most common and analyzed the fact and fiction behind their influence on fuel economy. Lastly, the very fuel that goes into an engine plays a role in fuel efficiency. With all the talk of alternative fuels these days, I wanted to know what they are, whether they work in my engine and how they compare to regular gasoline. Ultimately, I take all the cards relating to fuel efficiency and lay them on the table for scrutiny.

Trackback This Post | Subscribe to the comments through RSS Feed