3 Common Culprits Behind Declining Fuel Efficiency
Posted on: 23 September 2021
Is your car consuming more fuel than usual? While declining fuel efficiency may be a product of the miles you've accumulated on your car over time, you can't afford to keep losing money at the pumps because of issues that can be fixed.
There are several reasons why you may experience poor gas mileage. Keep reading to learn about a few usual culprits.
Overdue engine oil changes
Running your car's engine on old, dirty oil is one of the surest ways to hurt the vehicle's gas mileage. When engine oil is old and dirty, it becomes thick and sludgy. This impedes its ability to keep the moving components of the engine properly lubricated. When this happens, your engine won't run as efficiently as it should, resulting in increased fuel consumption.
A great way to maximise the fuel efficiency of your car is to conduct oil changes on a regular basis. How often you'll need to change your oil will depend on the model and year of the vehicle you drive. Modern car models generally tend to require oil changes at longer time or mileage intervals than older cars.
Dirty air filter
Your engine has an air filter that helps remove airborne contaminants from the air that gets supplied to your internal combustion engine. Over time, the air filter becomes clogged from collecting dirt and will need to be replaced.
Failure to replace your air filter on time will result in impeded airflow, which will result in an insufficient amount of air getting supplied to your engine. When this happens, your car will have a rich mixture, which essentially means the engine will burn more fuel than is required to produce maximum output.
Changing dirty air filters on a regular basis will help to maintain the correct air to fuel ratio, thus maximising the fuel efficiency of your vehicle.
Bad fuel injector
The fuel injection system is responsible for delivering fuel to your engine in the right amounts. When it is not working correctly, it may put excessive amounts of fuel into the engine. This will cause more fuel to be used to achieve the desired levels of engine performance, resulting in lower gas mileage.
How you drive, where you drive, weather conditions and other factors besides the inner workings of your car can also hurt the vehicle's fuel efficiency. Therefore, an all-encompassing strategy is necessary to maximise your gas mileage and minimise fuel costs. If you suspect that your car is losing its usual fuel efficiency due to a mechanical issue, contact a mechanic near you for car repair service.
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