How to reduce diesel fuel consumption

19.08.2019

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Issues discussed in the material:

Why is the fuel consumption of a diesel car less than that of a petrol car?
Why does the fuel consumption of a diesel car increase?
How to reduce fuel consumption of a diesel car
How do diesel engine additives work?

Engines running on diesel fuel will consume less fuel than gasoline engines, even if the load is the same. The dynamics of traction performance will also be better: maximum torque in diesel engines develops at low speeds. Today we will talk about why the fuel consumption of a diesel car is less than that of a gasoline car. We will also figure out why this parameter may change.

Specific fuel consumption

For diesel engines, this parameter is 200-230 g, and for gasoline units – 265-305 g. But the figures given are average parameters, since there is a whole set of external and internal factors that affect the actual performance for a particular car. The main ones are:

the weight of the car (the larger it is, the harder it will be for the motor to spin the transmission mechanism and the more energy will be needed for acceleration);
low tire pressure, which leads to a significant decrease in engine efficiency;
air filter contamination; long-term idle operation;
aggressive driving with sudden decelerations and excessive engine revs in low gears.

Technical condition and fuel economy

Pay attention to aerodynamics. Increasing ground clearance, installing a roof rack, wide wheels, mud-type tires, a tuning body kit and even an antenna increase air resistance and consumption.
Inflate your tires regularly. A decrease in pressure by 0.5 atmospheres increases flow rate by 5–8%.
When choosing tires, choose the minimum recommended tread. The downside is that the car's handling will deteriorate.
Check that the wheel alignment angles are correct. Incorrect parameters increase rolling resistance. This leads to rapid tire wear and increased consumption.
If the engine is fuel-injected, clean the injectors more often (every 18,000 km). Also pay attention to the condition of the mass air flow sensor, absolute pressure sensor, throttle position sensor, oxygen sensors and fuel pressure regulator.
Check the spark plugs regularly and change if necessary.
Assess the condition of the air filter. If it is clogged, the air flow is limited, which leads to more intense fuel combustion. The filter needs to be changed more often.
Choose motor oils with low viscosity (semi-synthetic or synthetic).
The brake mechanisms should not jam. This rarely happens, but it's worth checking regularly.

Often faulty “environmental” components are to blame for increased consumption. In this case, they can be disabled using chip tuning. ADACT partner explains how this is done using the example of Nissan Murano 3.5:

Signs of increased diesel fuel consumption

One of the main obvious signs of increased fuel consumption during engine operation can be a significant difference between the fuel consumption values indicated in the documentation for the unit and the actual ones. In addition, it is worth paying special attention to the uncharacteristic behavior of the motor during operation.

This is due to the fact that excess fuel, when it enters the combustion chamber, cannot be completely burned, which always leads to a loss of power. The engine begins to “choke”, characteristic pops begin to be heard in the exhaust system due to the fact that the fuel begins to burn out there. An additional visual sign of increased fuel consumption is the black color of the exhaust gases.

Ways that don't work

Magnets for the motor. At one time, this was a common method used by gullible drivers. They don't bring any benefit.
Engine ionizer. Another pseudoscientific way to reduce consumption. Does not work.
Fuel biocatalysts.
Additives and modifiers.

Main reasons for increased fuel consumption

There are several common causes of increased fuel consumption.

Clogged air filters.
Incorrect operation of the wheel alignment unit, causing vehicle skidding, increased tire wear, and a general decrease in engine efficiency.
Depressurization of the power supply system.
A high degree of wear on the crank mechanism, due to which engine power decreases, therefore, to maintain it at the initial level, the driver will use the accelerator pedal more often.
Increased wear of injectors or their contamination.
Problems with electronics, in which the sensors generate incorrect data, and the on-board computer, accordingly, normalizes the injection with an error.
Fuel line clogged.
Clutch wear.
The appearance of gaps in the valve mechanism.
The coolant temperature is below standard (in this situation, the engine will use more fuel to warm up itself, which can affect the overall diesel consumption by an increase of 10%).
There is a violation in the regulation of the angle at which fuel injection advances in accordance with the rotation speed.

How to prevent high fuel consumption on a diesel engine?

Do not forget about the particularly high demands of modern diesel engines on fuel quality.

Imported diesel engines have previously been very picky about the quality of diesel fuel. And now, with the widespread adoption of the Common Rail electronic injection system, even more so. In this regard, it is necessary to refuel only at well-known gas stations of proven and tested fuel suppliers. If there is a need to refuel at an unfamiliar gas station, then it is advisable to use special additives in this case.

Ensure correct adjustment of fuel equipment settings.

A diesel engine is structurally more complex than a gasoline engine. Mixture formation and injection here are carried out using a fuel injection pump - a high-pressure fuel pump equipped with an electronic control system. With considerable age and operational wear of equipment, especially heavy, heavy-duty equipment, tuning is especially important, since natural imbalances arise; increasing gaps that reduce the quality of the mixture; violation of the injection advance angle.

In particular, the injection advance angle has different optimal values at different speeds: 3° – 800 rpm. (idling), 4° - 1000 rpm, 5° - 1500 rpm, etc. It depends on the diesel fuel pressure inside the fuel pump housing and on the wear of the wave profile of the special washer. To achieve optimal values, a piston (or so-called “timer”) is provided in the fuel injection pump housing, which, by means of a driver, rotates the washer and thereby sets the time for the start of fuel supply to the injector. Timely replacement of a worn washer often solves the problem with fuel consumption and excessive fuel consumption. In addition, timely adjustment of the cyclic supply, which must correspond to the volume of incoming air, will significantly affect diesel savings.

Fans of a sharp and aggressive driving style should reconsider their habits, abandoning sharp “gas” with rapid power gains and braking.

It is better to adhere to a smooth and stable style of operating equipment that is optimal for economical fuel consumption. The diesel engine speed should be within 1600-2000 rpm. It also makes sense to avoid upshifting when accelerating to high speeds.

Change clogged consumables - fuel and air filters - in a timely manner, avoiding a significant reduction in their throughput.
Choose an engine oil with low viscosity that is optimal for diesel engines. You should not skimp on oil: you need to replace it within the period established by the manufacturers, and this replacement must be carried out in full accordance with the technical parameters of the tractor or car.
Do not forget to regularly monitor the tire pressure level, inflating them as necessary to the specified values.

So, in most cases, increased diesel engine consumption is the first serious signal that there is a malfunction in the tractor or truck. It is necessary to identify this malfunction and eliminate it, if possible, in a short time, without putting these actions on the back burner.

Ways to reduce diesel fuel consumption

Based on the technical reasons listed above that cause an increase in diesel fuel consumption, the logical solution is to eliminate them. This allows you not only to moderate the “appetites” of the machine, but also to make its operation more reliable and safe. So, for example, a low coolant temperature may be due to several reasons: it may be a depressurization of the cooling system, or the aging of the liquid itself (with a mileage of more than 60,000 km), due to which it does not fully perform its functions.

But there are also a number of objective reasons, which are much easier to eliminate.

When ventilating the car, do not open the windows too wide; a small gap is enough.
It is advisable, if possible, not to overload the vehicle beyond its carrying capacity.
Smooth driving style with a calm increase in speed and engine braking.
Maintaining the aerodynamic characteristics of the car.
Follow the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the fluids and oils used to lubricate transmissions and engines.

As practice shows, periodic vehicle diagnostics and following simple driving recommendations are enough to reduce fuel consumption.

LLC “offers its services for the supply of diesel fuel in bulk in volumes from 1000 liters at affordable prices. We have sufficient capabilities to organize the supply of fuel in any required volume in the shortest possible time with delivery throughout Moscow and the Moscow region. To buy diesel fuel with delivery, call our managers to place an order and agree on all conditions.

How to reduce the consumption of gasoline and diesel fuel. Additives for tank and engine. Cleaning the injector

The cost of fuel continues to rise, and with each car it becomes more expensive. What remains constant is its quality. To understand how to reduce fuel consumption, it is important to understand the reasons for the increase in consumption.

The data table shows fuel consumption in the city, on the highway and average fuel consumption for each car. This is due to the initial "fuel quality" that meets the standards, as well as the driving style. If you deviate from these first two conditions, using dubious fuel, from which no one is protected, and the driving style involves “gas to the floor and brakes,” then the consumption even on a new car will deviate significantly from the rated values. It’s a completely different matter when in the first years of using the car, fuel consumption was normal, and now you begin to notice an increase in appetite.

Reasons for increased fuel consumption:

Original quality gasoline and diesel fuel
Condition of the fuel system (pump, check valve, injectors or nozzles, plugs, filter).
Condition of the engine cylinder group.
Others such as tire pressure and condition, air conditioning usage and more.

Tank additives to reduce fuel consumption

Since we cannot afford our own refineries, we try to trust branded products and as they say, “trust but verify”, while there is no way to check the quality of gasoline and diesel, we are forced to rely on fuel additives.

There is only one way to counteract the increase in consumption - by increasing oxidation, which gives the most complete combustion, resulting in the return of acceleration and power, reduced soot deposition and reduced fuel consumption.

Such an oxidizer is an additive to the tank - a combustion nanocatalyst - in both gasoline and diesel engines. In addition, the additive allows you to increase the octane and cetane numbers by 3-5 units without damaging engine parts, which is usually achieved by adding soft metals to the fuel, which usually increase the octane and cetane numbers.

Cleaning injectors to reduce consumption

Flushing the injectors on your car helps, and it makes sense if it has been used regularly since the car was born. But few car owners resort to this service constantly.

If we take into account the presence of significant mileage, when symptoms of roughness and increased fuel consumption also appear, then such treatment is unlikely to give the desired effect, since accumulated carbon deposits and varnish deposits cannot be washed off with chemicals.

In addition to the usual chemicals, the RVS-Master IC injector cleaner contains repair particles that, falling on the injectors, bombard their surface and thereby thoroughly clean the injector. As a result, the image of the injectors is restored, engine power and traction are improved, and gasoline consumption is reduced.

The injector cleaning additive RVS-Master DP3 is also designed for cleaning diesel injectors, which leads to deep cleaning of deposits and contaminants not only from injectors, nozzles, but also the upper compression ring, increases pressure in the fuel system, facilitates starting, promotes complete combustion of fuel and reduces its consumption. The diesel injector cleaner is safe and applicable to all injection systems. One bottle is intended for cleaning diesel injectors of engines up to 3000 cm3.

Requirements for a diesel boiler room in the house

Installing a diesel boiler in a house is a complex technical process that requires qualified assistance. When connecting, take into account current regulatory requirements and fire safety rules. Setup and maintenance are carried out using special computer software.

The organization of heating in a private house with a diesel boiler is carried out in compliance with the following conditions:

The room for the boiler is selected from technical rooms with sufficient area, lighting, and ventilation.
Placement of diesel boiler houses in residential country houses is carried out on a non-combustible basis. Walls and floors are finished using non-combustible building materials: ceramic tiles, plaster.
Automation – maintaining the temperature in the house is carried out automatically. Human participation in the operation of the heat generator is reduced to a minimum. It is mandatory to install an automatic safety system that turns off the operation of the boiler in the event of an emergency.
Ventilation in the boiler room is provided through channels with natural and forced air supply and exhaust. The cross-section of the ventilation duct is calculated based on triple air exchange within an hour.
Diesel fuel storage is installed in a separate building. In the boiler room, it is allowed to store a reserve tank with a maximum capacity of no more than 3-5 m³.

Correct installation of a diesel boiler in a residential private house is based on an understanding of work processes. The burner device creates strong noise interference, therefore, soundproofing measures are carried out in the boiler room.

Additionally, a UPS and a stabilizer are installed to ensure system operation even during power surges or power outages.

Advantages and disadvantages of household diesel boilers

Reviews of diesel heating boilers for private houses and cottages point to the same problem. The domestic consumer, even if he reads the operating instructions, adjusts the operation of the boiler to his needs, violating the manufacturer’s recommendations, which is the main cause of malfunctions.

The performance of boiler equipment depends on proper operation, from accurately adjusted settings to the need for regular maintenance. If you heat your house correctly with a diesel boiler, high rates of efficiency and heat transfer are observed. Any violations lead to excessive fuel consumption.

The disadvantages of heaters are:

Noise of boilers - as a rule, the noise is not heard if the passage to the boiler room is closed by a door. It is not recommended to install a diesel boiler in the kitchen or any room adjacent to living rooms.
Maintenance cost - you will need to regularly clean the heat exchanger and chimney pipe from accumulated soot. When switching to another type of liquid fuel, as well as before the start of the heating season, the burner needs to be adjusted. The optimal solution that allows you to save money is to sign a permanent service agreement.

The advantages of boilers are low installation costs, quick commissioning, and no need to obtain permits or approvals.

The most economical boiler is one that is installed and operated in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. After installation and connection, a company representative will provide instructions on how to use the heat generator.

Operating experience shows that following the recommendations is the best way to extend the life of the boiler, ensure maximum heat transfer and comfortable heating of residential premises.

Calculation of power and temperature of a warm water floor

Car adjustment

Contact a good diesel mechanic with a request to check and, if necessary, adjust the fuel pump if you have a car with an injection system based on a central high-pressure fuel pump, and the consumption differs significantly from the factory norm. Of course, we can assume that a device with a claim to the scientifically proven nature of its origin is an excellent option for those who want to save on gasoline.

Optional equipment

The equipment of the machine also affects the level of consumption. In the presence of air conditioning, powerful lighting and full-fledged car acoustics, the generator works to its fullest. Increasing the generator rotation speed requires an increased supply of energy, which the internal combustion engine receives by increasing fuel consumption.

Thus, if excessive consumption of diesel fuel is detected, it is worthwhile to thoroughly diagnose the injectors and other fuel equipment, check the electronics and condition of the filters, change the oil if necessary, and start buying high-quality fuel from a trusted supplier.