How to Improve Winter Fuel Economy

Cold engines are less efficient

This is true whether you live in the Scottish Highlands or on the English Riviera. A cold engine is less efficient than a warm engine. As the above statistic infers, an engine has a temperature “sweet spot” at which it returns optimum fuel economy.

One reason has to do with air, not fuel.

Cold air is more dense than warm air. Your engine consumes massive volumes of air about 14 times more air than fuel. Air that’s denser means additional fuel to compensate, boosting performance, but reducing fuel economy.

Secondly, cold fuel doesn’t ignite as readily as warm fuel. Have you ever noticed that your lawnmower, chainsaw or other equipment starts on the first pull after it’s been running for a while? Conversely, it’s harder to start first thing in the morning, when it’s cold.

The same principle applies to your car’s engine. To compensate, your engine automatically adjusts the fuel/air mixture to be richer when it’s cold, meaning it contains more fuel. This helps the engine start more easily, particularly when it’s excessively cold.
That’s one reason today’s computerized, fuel-injected cars start way easier than the old carburate beasts of the ’70s and ’80s. As the engine warms, the computer modifies the mixture to contain less gasoline, improving mpg.

Since a warm engine is more efficient, it stands to reason that you want to warm your engine as quickly as possible. Which is why you should avoid excessive idling.

Idling cars are the fuel-economy devil’s playground

While it’s nice to climb into a warm vehicle, the practice reduces winter petrol mileage and can increase the likelihood of wear. An idling engine can burn 1/4 to 1/2 a gallon of petrol per hour. That adds up to several gallons per month if you’re a chronic abuser – and a big hit on your average mpg.

Idling also increases the likelihood of fuel dilution, which occurs when fuel washes past the piston rings and contaminates the oil in the sump. Oil that’s diluted with gasoline loses viscosity, which can affect wear protection. It also forms harmful varnish and deposits that reduce efficiency.

Snow slows your roll

Driving through snow is not an everyday worry in most of the UK, but this is a more familiar challenge for our Scandinavian neighbours. Snow increases tire resistance, forcing your engine to work harder and burn more fuel to ply the roadways on a snowy day.

Winter-blend fuel contains reduced energy

Refineries switch to winter-blend fuel in the autumn, which evaporates more easily at low temperatures to aid in starting. It also helps the engine run more smoothly in frigid weather.
Unfortunately, winter-blend fuel contains less energy than summer-blend fuel, reducing mileage. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency notes summer-blend fuel contains 1.7 percent more energy than winter fuel.

What can you do to boost winter fuel economy ?

Most of us can’t avoid driving in snow, or having to face a bitter, frosty morning. or using winter-blend fuel.

• You can, however, check your tire pressure, which tends to decrease as the temperature drops. A tire that’s down 10 psi can reduce mpg by one percent.

• You can also stop idling your vehicle for more than a minute or two before driving in the winter.

• Also, remove unnecessary items that cut into your mpg, like a roof rack.

What else can you do ?

The same thing you should do any time of year to maximize fuel economy;

Use synthetic lubricants

AMSOIL’s range of fully synthetic lubricants flow more readily when cold, which not only helps improve wear protection, it reduces energy wasted in the form of burning fuel to circulate the oil at start up. Synthetics also improve lubricity, which further contributes to better fuel efficiency. SO no matter what the weather, AMSOIL lubricants help your fuel efficiency.