No matter whether your vehicle has a diesel engine or petrol engine, you will always strive for fuel efficiency. This is where your engine consumes the least amount of fuel needed to satisfy the demands placed on it by the driver. Unfortunately, there are several variables that can prevent this from happening and cause your engine to consume more fuel than is needed. This is when your fuel efficiency suffers, and you end up paying too much at the fuel pump.
Sometimes the reason for high fuel consumption can be directly connected to an issue with your engine. Either that or there may be another component which is limiting some aspect of the engine’s functionality. In any event, you need to examine the various causes of high fuel consumption in each type of engine. Then you can possibly figure out why your particular engine has lower fuel efficiency.
5 Common Causes for Petrol Engines
Below are the top 5 causes of high fuel consumption in the petrol engine.
1) Heavy Load
If you’re carrying a heavy load in your vehicle, then a petrol engine needs more fuel in order to generate more power. After all, a heavy load increases the weight of the vehicle. Whenever you have a heavier vehicle, the engine is under more stress to keep it moving. Only more fuel can allow this to happen.
2) Dirty Air Filter
If you have not changed your air filter and it is currently dirty, then it’ll cause dirtier air to enter your engine. This interferes with the combustion process because the air needs to be cleaned. To compensate for this, the engine will burn more fuel to generate more power.
3) Worn Out Spark Plugs
Bad or worn out spark plugs increase the chances of engine misfires. Each time you have an engine misfire, it consumes more fuel. Use premium quality spark plugs so that you won’t have misfires as often.
4) Faulty Oxygen Sensors
Oxygen sensors greatly influence how much air and fuel enters the internal combustion chamber. If you have bad oxygen sensors, then it could cause the engine control unit to send too much fuel to the chamber than is necessary.
5) Low Tire Pressure
Low tire pressure or poor tire traction can really stress out your engine because the vehicle has a harder time moving smoothly. So, the engine is forced to generate more power to push the vehicle and keep it going.
Read also:
- 5 Symptoms of a Bad Vapor Canister Purge Valve in Your Car
- Difference between Rich vs Lean of Air-Fuel Mixture Ratio in Your Car
- 5 Symptoms of a Rich Air-Fuel Mixture in Your Car
5 Common Causes for Diesel Engines
Below are the top 5 causes of high fuel consumption in the diesel engine.
1) Heavy Load
A heavy load in a diesel-powered car can affect its fuel economy just as much as in a gas-powered car. You must reduce the load if you want to save money on diesel fuel.
2) Not Enough Maintenance
You must perform regular maintenance on your air filters, spark plugs, and oil. This means you replace each one if they need it. Otherwise, more fuel will be consumed by your diesel engine.
3) Failure to Change Gears
Your RPM must be lower than 2,000 before switching gears. If the RPM is higher and then you switch gears, it will cause the engine to consume more diesel fuel.
4) Air Conditioner Usage
Using the air conditioner in a diesel-powered vehicle causes more stress on the engine. Because of this, more fuel is burnt to satisfy these power needs.
5) Fast Driving
The faster you drive, the more fuel your engine needs. A mere 10 MPH faster could cause 25% of additional fuel to be consumed by the diesel engine.
