Fuel Saving Tips

[BigAl-sa]

Ok Lets start.

One liter of diesel contains the same amount of energy as its petrol couterpart.
in theory fuel consumption should be the same in both types of engines.

Diesel needs turbo charger, Which consumes extra ennergy.
Needs stronger internals which increases inertia and adds alot of weight.
Uses pressure and temprature to combust fuel mixture.

Petrol fueled engines on the other hand are much more advanced. You have a truely versatile engines with a wide band of power delivery and light weight cataristics.

My 2.2l diesel Ranger is more economical in town than my 1.6l petrol Corolla (8.9 vs 9.9l/100km).

On an open road, the cruise control on the Ranger is absolute magic!

 

[supersunbird]

Ok Lets start.

One liter of diesel contains the same amount of energy as its petrol couterpart.
in theory fuel consumption should be the same in both types of engines.

Diesel needs turbo charger, Which consumes extra ennergy.
Needs stronger internals which increases inertia and adds alot of weight.
Uses pressure and temprature to combust fuel mixture.

Petrol fueled engines on the other hand are much more advanced. You have a truely versatile engines with a wide band of power delivery and light weight cataristics.

Added to that, a diesel of the same specs often costs R20 000 or more to buy new.

To start saving on fuel (after paying for the excess purchase price) with a diesel it can easily be only after 80 000km or more. So if you drive 15 000 to 20 000km a year it can take you 4 to 6 years to work that off. So don't buy a diesel because of the savings on fuel, you are kidding yourself. Buy it for other reasons.

 

[Sinbad]

I would think it is the fuel pedal.

With cars with the those fancy fuel usage computers, hard pull aways the fuel usage shoots up. I tried the heavy braking... no impact really according to that system.

The fuel pedal converts fuel to motion, which is useful, and is maintained by inertia. The brake pedal converts motion to heat, which is not useful at all.

 

[pinball wizard]

The fuel pedal converts fuel to motion, which is useful, and is maintained by inertia. The brake pedal converts motion to heat, which is not useful at all.

Until road cars come out with KERS...

 

[SauRoNZA]

I would think it is the fuel pedal.

With cars with the those fancy fuel usage computers, hard pull aways the fuel usage shoots up. I tried the heavy braking... no impact really according to that system.

I think his point is that if you didn't touch the brake pedal you wouldn't need the fuel pedal.

Acceleration (getting the heavy weight in motion) is what eats into fuel economy.

Maintaining higher average speeds saves you on fuel, which is why highway driving is so much more economical.

Stop / Starting = Acceleration = Fuel

So the less you stop the less you need to accelerate meaning less fuel user overall.

Which is why the earlier comment about predicting your driving and anticipating others is probably the most valid.

 

[XennoX]

Maintaining higher average speeds saves you on fuel, which is why highway driving is so much more economical.

What do you consider higher average speeds? I ask this because the velocity-work relationship is damn near to exponential when you take the real world factors into account.

 

[supersunbird]

I think his point is that if you didn't touch the brake pedal you wouldn't need the fuel pedal.

Acceleration (getting the heavy weight in motion) is what eats into fuel economy.

Maintaining higher average speeds saves you on fuel, which is why highway driving is so much more economical.

Stop / Starting = Acceleration = Fuel

So the less you stop the less you need to accelerate meaning less fuel user overall.

Which is why the earlier comment about predicting your driving and anticipating others is probably the most valid.

When the local municipal idiots bring out traffic lights that are synchronised in any kind of fashion, then maybe that's doable.

 

[Sinbad]

What do you consider higher average speeds? I ask this because the velocity-work relationship is damn near to exponential when you take the real world factors into account.

Highway driving is more economical because there is no stopping and starting.
But the higher your average speed on the highway the higher your consumption.
I can get 8 litres per 100 out of my 17 year old v6 3.2 petrol 2 ton SUV by sticking to 100 on the freeway on the way down to durbs.

Drag increases as the square of speed, so 120 uses 44 percent more fuel than 100 to overcome wind resistance.

 

[SauRoNZA]

What do you consider higher average speeds? I ask this because the velocity-work relationship is damn near to exponential when you take the real world factors into account.

I mean just in general where less acceleration from zero is involved and your average speed is higher.

Of course highway speeds that are too high are the opposite side of the spectrum with aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance etc making for lower fuel economy.

All comes back to peak torque and momentum requiring less work to maintain an already attained speed. Will differ for each and every car, but it can safely be said a car that stops 10 times on a trip will be less economical than one that doesn't over the same distance at reasonable (legal) speeds.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Drag increases as the square of speed, so 120 uses 44 percent more fuel than 100 to overcome wind resistance.

Yet I'm quite sure that 120 km/h over 5km will still be far better than 80km/h peak when stopping at 5 traffic lights in the same 5km.

So your statement of the brake pedal costing you most still rings true.

 

[Rickster]

And pay out your ass for services, tyres and other consumables. With a bike you save on time in traffic, but a big bike costs about the same to run as a car.

Half the tyers, half the spark plugs, half the oil. Exactly how would it turn out to be more expensive?

 

[DA-LION-619]

Half the tyers, half the spark plugs, half the oil. Exactly how would it turn out to be more expensive?

service intervals?

 

[Rickster]

service intervals?

I doubt plugs, oil and filters cost that much.

 

[supersunbird]

I doubt plugs, oil and filters cost that much.

You said half of everything... but if you spoke to bikers you would know they have more regular service intervals, generally half that of a car... so you arguing against yourself now or what?

 

[Rickster]

10 000KM/1 Year, according to BMW.

Anrt cars 15 000KM/1 Year?

 

[supersunbird]

Old cars yes, new cars (like say my 2012 Figo) are 20 000, some even more.

 

[Rickster]

Old cars yes, new cars (like say my 2012 Figo) are 20 000, some even more.

So thats aiding my argument even more.

 

[supersunbird]

So thats aiding my argument even more.

Your argument: Everything is half of that of a car, so its half as expensive to service a bike

Others argument: But you have to service it more often

Your argument: Ja, every 10 000km

Others argument: But you have to service car every 20 000km

Your argument: Yay I win!

:wtf:

So in the end it works out the same, or did you study at Zumas School For Kids That Can't Count Good And Want To Do Other Things Good Too?

 

[HeftyCrab]

Half the tyers, half the spark plugs, half the oil. Exactly how would it turn out to be more expensive?

Go to any motorbike forum. Generally anything bigger than a 250cc will cost the same as a small car (I had a 125cc for a few years. Was cheap as chips to maintain) because the tyres are expensive and have to be replaced more regularly. On some big bikes its every 10000km. Chain and sprockets are also expensive.

Generally most big bikes only get around 20km/l fuel consumption (obviously a blanket statement). There are some newer bikes, such as the Honda NC750 that SauRoNZA mentioned that reflect a change in motorbike manufacturers mindsets towards something thats more affordable to maintain compared to the power-solves-all-problems of the superbike era.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Half the tyers, half the spark plugs, half the oil. Exactly how would it turn out to be more expensive?

Half the tyres but normally more expensive and only last 20000km (at a maximum, sport rubber less than 10 000).





Fully synthetic oil, fancier plugs.





More regular services and more specialised so often more expensive. R2k per service minimum. R4k for majors.





It's generally not more expensive, but also not really much cheaper overall. Insurance ans excesses also different structures.





Now add riding gear to that (if you aren't an idiot) and a decent helmet is R5000, boots another R1500, Gloves about R1000. Jacket and pants another R4000. Now buy half those again for winter.



This is based on average middle ground bikes. Not super cheap and not super expensive bikes either.



A Ducati 30000km service is R7000. Their intervals are now 15k though which helps a little, their purchase price is also much higher.



You don't buy a bike to save money. You buy it to save time and effort and not want to kill yourself while being stuck in traffic. More than anything you ride because you love doing it.