How to Improve Fuel Efficiency in Trucks

Big trucks tend to waste fuel, especially if they are hauling a lot of equipment.

Driving a big truck can give you a sense of power and make you feel like you are king of the road--but it can make you are a real prince to the oil companies for burning excessive fuel. Driving a truck is sometimes necessary due to your occupation, for instance, or if you need to haul equipment. There are inexpensive and free ways to improve the fuel efficiency in your truck, and other more costly ways to modify the engine so that it will improve the performance and fuel efficiency of your truck. When the economy is bad and budgets are tight, saving money on gasoline is vital.

Things You'll Need

• Internet connection

Instructions

1. Drive like a responsible citizen. Avoid aggressive driving techniques; typically, you will not get there any faster, but you will burn more fuel in your truck and may cause an accident. Excessive braking and rapid acceleration all tend to burn gas less efficiently.

2. Observe the posted speed limits. You will get to your destination safely and use less fuel.

3. Remove extra unnecessary weight from your truck bed. According to the Fuel Economy website, an extra 100 pounds in the bed of your truck can increase your fuel usage by 2 percent per gallon (see Reference 1).

4. Avoid placing your truck in idle while your spouse or significant other runs into the store for a quick errand. This is wasteful, burns unnecessary fuel, and is bad for the environment as well. If you spot someone in a parking lot and want to pull up and have a chat, put your truck in park and turn the motor off.

5. Use your cruise control for highway traveling or when you take long trips. This control will help you maintain a constant speed, thus burning less gasoline.

6. Use your overdrive, this cuts down on the engine speed, thus saving fuel and wear and tear on your engine.

7. Look into engine modifications, such as a cold air intake, a plug-in computer programmer or a free-flow exhaust system if you do not wish to purchase a more fuel-efficient truck. These modifications may cost a few hundred dollars but may save you more than that in fuel efficiency over a span of a few years.

References

• Fuel Economy: Driving More Efficiently

Resources

• Get Rich Slowly: How to Improve Your Fuel Economy: 23 Top Tips for Better Gas Mileage