Comments on: Fuel Economy Tip – Accelerate Less Rapidly http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/driving-habits/fuel-economy-tip-accelerate-less-rapidly/ Increase Fuel Economy and Save Money at the Pump Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:23:46 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Brian Carr http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/driving-habits/fuel-economy-tip-accelerate-less-rapidly/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Brian Carr Thu, 04 May 2006 03:16:00 +0000 http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=5#comment-22 Thanks for your comments. I haven't heard about how slower accelerations can lead to "pumping losses" but it's something I'll look into. Thanks for the info. Thanks for your comments. I haven’t heard about how slower accelerations can lead to “pumping losses” but it’s something I’ll look into. Thanks for the info.

]]> By: Frank http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/driving-habits/fuel-economy-tip-accelerate-less-rapidly/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Frank Thu, 04 May 2006 01:54:00 +0000 http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=5#comment-21 You need to be careful with this advice, because at part throttle (accelerating slowly), so-called "pumping losses" in the engine go way up. For the same reason your car is more efficient at 55 than 25 miles an hour, accelerating relatively quickly can be more efficient, with two important caveats: First, do you really need to be going that fast? On a freeway onramp, the answer is probably yes. If the traffic light up ahead is red, the answer is no. Second, don't floor it *all* the way. That puts the engine computer into "oh s--t" mode, pumping a good deal more fuel into the engine than you get out in the form of more speed (the idea being that if you're flooring it, the engine assumes every little bit of acceleration counts, fuel economy be damned). And for the nerd patrol, yes, if you're driving a diesel, this doesn't apply: they don't, strictly speaking, *have* throttles (or the associated pumping losses). You need to be careful with this advice, because at part throttle (accelerating slowly), so-called “pumping losses” in the engine go way up. For the same reason your car is more efficient at 55 than 25 miles an hour, accelerating relatively quickly can be more efficient, with two important caveats:

First, do you really need to be going that fast? On a freeway onramp, the answer is probably yes. If the traffic light up ahead is red, the answer is no.

Second, don’t floor it *all* the way. That puts the engine computer into “oh s–t” mode, pumping a good deal more fuel into the engine than you get out in the form of more speed (the idea being that if you’re flooring it, the engine assumes every little bit of acceleration counts, fuel economy be damned).

And for the nerd patrol, yes, if you’re driving a diesel, this doesn’t apply: they don’t, strictly speaking, *have* throttles (or the associated pumping losses).

]]> By: Brian Carr http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/driving-habits/fuel-economy-tip-accelerate-less-rapidly/comment-page-1/#comment-20 Brian Carr Tue, 02 May 2006 23:06:00 +0000 http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=5#comment-20 I don't think it would really make that much of a difference, maybe a car or two. I don’t think it would really make that much of a difference, maybe a car or two.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/driving-habits/fuel-economy-tip-accelerate-less-rapidly/comment-page-1/#comment-19 Anonymous Tue, 02 May 2006 21:08:00 +0000 http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=5#comment-19 Wrong, if you accelerate slower when the light turns green less cars can get thru the green light. Meaning that more cars are going to have to wait for the light to turn green, thus waisting fuel. Wrong, if you accelerate slower when the light turns green less cars can get thru the green light. Meaning that more cars are going to have to wait for the light to turn green, thus waisting fuel.

]]> By: Brian Carr http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/driving-habits/fuel-economy-tip-accelerate-less-rapidly/comment-page-1/#comment-18 Brian Carr Tue, 02 May 2006 14:18:00 +0000 http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=5#comment-18 Come on, there's no vast conspiracy going on here. It's a simple economic issue of supply and demand. With 1/3 of the world's population (India and China) beginning to consume more oil, prices were bound to go up. Come on, there’s no vast conspiracy going on here. It’s a simple economic issue of supply and demand. With 1/3 of the world’s population (India and China) beginning to consume more oil, prices were bound to go up.

]]> By: Ty http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/driving-habits/fuel-economy-tip-accelerate-less-rapidly/comment-page-1/#comment-17 Ty Tue, 02 May 2006 08:32:00 +0000 http://www.dailyfueleconomytip.com/?p=5#comment-17 wow. big deal. the us government will just gougue us more once they know we are cutting back on consumption. wow. big deal. the us government will just gougue us more once they know we are cutting back on consumption.

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