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Chapter 5
5-6
FUEL
Engine
Maintain the engine in peak mechanical condition by having it serviced regularly in
accordance with the Maintenance schedule in Chapter 12. This will ensure items
such as the spark plugs, air cleaner, etc. are maintained for minimum fuel usage and
peak engine performance.
Tyre pressure
Inadequate tyre pressure causes higher fuel consumption and increased tyre wear.
Keep the tyres at the recommended pressures.
Wheel alignment
Maintain correct front wheel alignment. Incorrect alignment makes the front wheels
drag and increases fuel consumption.
Warm ups and idling
Avoid long engine warm ups through idling. They are unnecessary and waste fuel. An
engine reaches its efficient operating temperature most effectively when driving.
You should also avoid long engine idling. If you have to wait for more than a couple
of minutes it is worthwhile to switch off the engine and conserve fuel. Three minutes
of idling corresponds to approximately 1 km of driving.
Accelerating, driving and braking
Accelerate gently and avoid rapid starts. Sudden bursts of speed, full throttle acceleration
and hard braking are certain fuel wasters.
Drive the vehicle at steady speeds where possible (after run-in). It is desirable to reach
top gear as soon as possible, but under no circumstances should you force the
engine to labour in top gear.
Riding the brake
'Riding the brake' by resting your foot on the brake pedal when you do not intend to
brake can cause overheated brakes. This can wear out the brake pads faster, damage
the brakes and waste fuel.
Air conditioning (if fitted)
Turn off the air conditioning when not required, to reduce fuel consumption.
Roof racks (if fitted)
Roof racks can increase fuel consumption by 1 litre per 100 km or more, due to the
increased air resistance. They should therefore be removed when not in use.
Loading
Unnecessary weight increases fuel consumption, especially when accelerating. In
city traffic, a load of 100 kg can increase fuel consumption by 0.5 litre per 100 km.
REDUCING FUEL CONSUMPTION
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