100+ hypermiling / ecodriving tips & tactics

[Christ]

If you roll them up before parking, or after shutting the engine off, they use the same energy.

Makes no difference as long as you're not just idling when you roll them up.

[Wayneburg]

Originally Posted by Christ

If you roll them up before parking, or after shutting the engine off, they use the same energy.

Makes no difference as long as you're not just idling when you roll them up.

That's what I meant. Thanks for translating.

[hackish]

Originally Posted by Wayneburg

I'd like to add one more to the list of tips again.

Roll your powered windows up before parking the car. It wastes fuel when you park the car and then you have to keep the car running to roll the windows up. Yes, you could turn off the engine and use the battery to roll up the window, but that electricity is generated by the engine to begin with.

The energy taken to roll up the windows comes from the engine. If it must go back into the battery because you rolled the windows up with the engine in park or if it had to come from the engine while driving to your parking spot through the alternator it makes little difference. I do agree that it uses more fuel to idle the car just to roll up the windows.

Similarily you could shut the engine off and coast into the sport.

-Michael

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Wayneburg

I'd like to add one more to the list of tips again.

Roll your powered windows up before parking the car. It wastes fuel when you park the car and then you have to keep the car running to roll the windows up.

Mine will roll up even after the engine is cut.


In hot weather, roll them down using the remote as you approach the car.

[Vekke]

When driving on small country roads (one line on each direction). When you are facing trucks or cars that go other way try to go as far away of them as possible. This means driving on the outer egde of the highway/road. This normally is the line of least resistance anyway, but on dark it is safer to drive more centre to the road, you can avoid deer either way...

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by Vekke

When driving on small country roads (one line on each direction). When you are facing trucks or cars that go other way try to go as far away of them as possible.

That certainly applies when your on a motorcycle and can physically feel the bow wave of a truck.

With some trucks it's very smooth.
With others, it feels like slamming into a wall of air.

Applied aerodynamics.

[RH77]

I read this in an old $1-Store copy of a book on how to save gas:

To reduce the amount of friction on front disc brakes when not in use (before a long highway trip), make a swift left and right turn to slightly push the pistons inward (or fully retract). The slight caliper compression returns when the brakes are used again.

I'm not sure how valid this is, but it kinda makes sense.

RH77

[Frank Lee]

I don't see how doing that would presumeably distort the disks such that the calipers retract more

[Christ]

I don't think so, even though I've also heard that. The bearings would have to flex for that to be the case... Granted, we're only talking less than .005 flexion, so it's still plausible, I guess. Someone should set up a test.

[Frank Lee]

^ Bearing play, that must be it.