Gain better efficency from your whip!

Hey - I always used to think some of the bullshit I was hearing about how to save gas and so on - were just stupid myths - I guess I was wrong huh. Check out this article:

Buying Petrol.

1.Pump petrol in the morning when the ground temperature is still cold. The reason is the colder the ground is, the more dense the petrol is! When the ground gets warmer petrol expands,so buying in the afternoon or in the evening returns lesser litre you are buying.

2. Fill up when your tank is HALF FULL. The more fuel you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space. petrol evaporates faster than you can imagine. Petroleum storage tanks have an internal floating roof. This roof serves as zero clearance between the petrol and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.

3. Do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode when you are filling up petrol. In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapours that are created while you are pumping. All hoses at the pump have a vapour return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapour. Those vapours are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.Make everydrop counts - don't pump until the tank overflows; you pay for the petrol. Always tell the attendant to set the pump to auto-stop.

4. Do not fill up, if there is a fuel truck pumping into the storage tanks; The petrol will be stirred up, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

5. The pricing structure is rather confusing. Price can be before discount, after discount, and a free gift if you spend certain amount within the specific period. Even different credit cards will enjoy different discount rates and repayment period. So you have to do some homework to find out which station gives you the best deal. (Newly opened station may have promotional campaign to attract customers at a better price). Everything being equal; buy from a busy station - the quality of petrol will be better.

Before driving.
1. Parking. Always try to park in the shade, as it will take less time to cool down the car once you start driving again.

2. Can you work from home - is the trip to the office necessary? Walk to your neighbourhood shops? - maybe you need the exercise. Arrange for car pooling - if your colleague is staying somewhere nearby? Get a lift from other tennis players? -save parking fee as well.

3. Before you start your journey you need to plan your route (better still if you have a gps). You should find alternative routes to avoid jam or rough road. Try to arrange for trip to be multitasking - doing many things on a single trip.4. Buy a car with better mileage if you are changing your car.

Regular maintenance.
You must maintain the engine in good condition. A bad engine can cut the car's mileage by as much as 20 per cent. The spark plugs must be checked regulary. The engine oil should be checked and used according to the car manual specifications. Regular maintenance and servicing your car is very essential. Always keep you vehicle clean. A clean car offers less wind resistance.

Lubricants.

Change the lubricant at regular intervals. Use only branded oil recommended by the manufacturer. It is also advisable to use an engine flush before changing the oil to remove dirt in the engine.

Handbrake.

It is always better to use the handbrake than the clutch and accelerator when you want to halt for a little while.

Clutch.

Avoid driving with your foot on the clutch, it leads to more fuel consumption. Use the clutch carefully only when changing gears.

Use thinner tyres.

Tyres with thick width will improve the handling of your car. However, it will also increase your car's fuel consumption. Thicker tyres mean more rolling resistance! And thus will consume more fuel.

While driving (Your driving habits!)
Don't let your engine idle Minimize fuel wasted in idling by stopping the engine whenever your car is stopped or held up for an extended period of time. Idling more than a minute consumes much more fuel than restarting the engine. By having the engine switched off, you will save more fuel than is lost from the burst of fuel involved in restarting the engine. The net increased wear and tear from this practice is negligible.

Air con.

Don't use air con where possible. Air conditioners can use about 10 per cent extra fuel when operating. However, at speeds of over 80 km/h, use of air conditioning is better for fuel economy than an open window.

Start up the car properly.

With today's cars, it is not necessary to prime the engine first by pumping the accelerator pedal repeatedly.Do not crank the engine excessively This only wastes fuel.When starting the engine, idle it no more than 30 seconds to warm it up. An engine will warm up faster on the road. However, avoid sudden acceleration before the engine has warmed up sufficiently.

Rules at traffic signal.

When you are nearing a traffic signal, slow down gradually. When you start, avoid accelerating immediately. Always switch off the engine while waiting for the light to turn green. Waiting with the engine on for more than a minute means more fuel consumption. Comparatively, the engine uses lesser fuel to restart.