Reversible Fans : Clean Radiators Can Save on Gas

Heavy machinery can guzzle gas. A simple idea for cutting back on their thirst is to keep their radiators clean by reversing the cooling fans to blow any obstructing dust and dirt off. Radiators clogged with dirt will require more work from the fans to force the same amount of cooling air through the engine. Fans working harder means more fuel spent to run those fans. The alternative is to operate the engine without sufficient cooling airflow, but the resulting higher temperatures will reduce equipment life and lead to losses in efficiency, which in turn waste fuel.

By running the air intake fans in reverse for a few moments much of the obstructing material can be removed. A simple but great idea for saving on gas!

Can Color Save on Gas?

Aside from taste, does the color of your car matter? Can it have any influence over anything? Recall that light colors reflect more light than dark colors. This means that a car in strong sunlight with a dark paint job will get hotter than a light painted car. In the heat of a sizzling summer, the difference might be quite a bit. On other days, the difference might be enough to make you decide between switching on the air conditioning or not. And if the air conditioner is on, a light paint job will make its job slightly easier.

The air conditioner burns extra gas every minute it is running. So using the air conditioner less will save on gas. So if you are interested in saving on gas, especially if you live in a hot and sunny place, choosing a light colored vehicle could help you out.

Lightweight Electric Fans

Does your vehicle have an engine-driven fan? Many trucks, vans and SUVs have a heavy metal cooling fan that is run off the engine crankshaft by a belt. These fans are heavy and have a lot of inertia. It takes a lot of rotational kinetic energy to get them going which is just lost when they slow down. That translates to more gallons spent per hundred miles of driving. Think about replacing it with a much lighter, plastic electric driven fan. The weight savings will give a fuel savings. And many modern electric fans are designed to be more efficient than engine driven ones because they have a computer which can control their speed independently of the engine speed. You will get a fuel economy boost and a litle extra horsepower too!