How to reduce fuel consumption as much as possible in a city traffic jam

The main contributor to fuel consumption and environmental destruction is urban traffic jams. In which the car is forced to stand more than to go. In addition, it is in the mode of constant stops and the active start of movement. This leads to the fact that the engine works in the so-called transient modes. As a result, the fuel does not burn optimally in the cylinders and consumption rises sharply. Moreover, even the now fashionable start/stop system does not always save the situation. How to be then? We turn on the intellect and begin to deal with the problem.

When we are stationary and our vehicle has an automatic transmission, its presence in Drive mode causes the engine to spend part of its power interacting with the torque converter. In this case, fuel consumption increases. That is, we stand, the selector can be switched to neutral mode. When the flow starts moving, we switch back to Drive. And the question immediately arises: how to reduce fuel consumption at start-up? After all, the engine has to overcome the inertia of a heavy body in order to get moving.

In other words, it will experience a large load and consume a lot of fuel. That’s why we don’t get moving so much by pressing the gas, but by smoothly releasing the brake pedal. And in any case, the power unit will have enough momentum to smoothly accelerate the car on a level surface. And only then carefully and carefully press the gas. But won’t this make other drivers nervous about our slow performance?

To avoid this, we try not to focus on starting the car in front of us. We always try to look a little further. And when the driver starts to move, by letting one go through, you can already engage Drive and release the brake smoothly. In addition, a lot depends on the tactics of braking. Understanding that the next braking in a traffic jam will be short, you can release the gas in advance so that the loss of speed does not force you to come to a complete stop.

If the car is going downhill, you can’t use the gas at all. And don’t even enable Drive. But it depends on how far you roll forward. If these are units of meters, then everything is fine. And if there are more, it’s better to still do it in shipping. What about mechanics?

Basically nothing changes. You just need to work with the clutch carefully, because unlike the “automatic”, it already provides a smooth start at minimum speed. In addition, to reduce fuel consumption, you can upshift much earlier than you are used to under normal conditions. This allows the engine to propel the car at lower revs and higher speeds.

And a little about other nuances. So, if you understand that a break in a traffic jam can last a long time, and there is no fuel at all, you can try to turn off the engine completely.

Although in winter (or in case there is any doubt about the health of the battery), the AvtoVzglyad portal recommends not to take risks. It is better to stall for lack of fuel than not to start with an empty battery.

Of course, all these techniques require constant control over the situation. And if you overslept at the start of the stream, and the cars behind it begin to honk hysterically, it hardly makes sense to aggravate the situation with a very smooth and careful start.