TRUK Advice Column

The fuel efficiency of a heavy duty truck is no simple matter, and there are many factors to consider.  Weather, traffic or required routes are factors out of a fleet manager's control, but many factors can be controlled, like powertrain specifications, vehicle aerodynamics and driver training. Proper maintenance can also positively impact a vehicle's fuel economy.

Proper maintenance of your truck and engine can constribute significantly to improved fuel economy.    Regular maintenance can increase fuel mileage by up to 5%.   Properly maintained fuel, air intake and lubrication systems, and also properly inflated tyres, correctly aligned wheels and brakes that are properly adjusted all contribute to good fuel economy
Each vehicle and engine manufacturer has specific maintenance requirements, so it is imperative to have the proper maintenance information available.

Here are some factors that affect fuel economy and also examples of service information that can help you keep your vehicles operating at peak efficiency.

Climate control: Air conditioning compressor usage accounts for approximately half of total engine cooling fan engagement time.  Using the air conditioning increases fuel consumption because engine power is required to operate both the air conditioning compressor and the engine cooling fan.

Tyre Inflation:  Underinflated tyres adversely affect fuel mileage.  Aside from fuel saving benefits, properly inflated tyres are safer and result in extended tyre life.

Lubricants:  Engine, transmission and axle oils with the proper viscosity also contribute to fuel economy. Using oils with too-high viscosity can increase the energy required to pump the oil through the lubricating system and result in internal viscous friction loss.

Wheel Alignment:  Tyre life is extended by assuring that axles are properly aligned, which also reduces fuel consumption.

Charge Air Cooler:  Turbocharger boost is lost if there are any leaks in the charge air cooler, as it reduces engine operating efficiency, which causes increased fuel consumption.

Engine Maintenance:  Engine valves in proper adjustment and properly operating engine control systems contribute to good fuel economy. Performing overhead adjustments at proper, regular intervals is part of essential engine maintenance.   Troubleshooting and repairing any causes of any illuminated indicator lights is vital.  

We hope this information will be beneficial to all truck or fleet owners.

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You may not realize it, but of all the variable costs for a truck owner-operator—such as maintenance, insurance, permits, licenses, and tolls—fuel is your most controllable expense, but also the easiest to waste. So how do you accomplish good fuel economy? Your truck must overcome three things: air resistance, rolling resistance, and gravity. Here are some driving tips to address these issues and avoid wasting fuel.

Don’t speed. Did you know it takes about 40-50 more horsepower to drive at 120 kmh than at 100 kph? Higher speed requires more horsepower, which in turn requires more fuel. Experts agree that every km per hour driven over 96 kph reduces fuel economy by one-tenth of a km per gallon.
    
Perform regular preventative maintenance. Along with sticking to your preventative maintenance schedule, check your kilometers per litre each time you fill your tank. If it ever falls, determine the reason.
    
Check your tyre pressure. Once a week, check the air pressure in all 18 of your tyres and air them up to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Accelerate slowly. Slower acceleration consumes less fuel and is easier on your equipment. Quick acceleration may get you a few extra seconds, but it creates premature wear on your engine, driveline, and tyres, in addition to increasing your fuel costs.
    
De-accelerate slowly. Slow braking avoids precious fuel from being converted to wasted energy. With hard braking, a lot of the fuel you’ve used to get up to speed is wasted when you apply the brakes. Watch ahead a distance of 12 seconds, and you should rarely have to react at the last split second.
    
Limit your idle time. Idling requires about a 5 litres of fuel per hour. That’s a tidy sum a week if your truck idles for eight hours a day. An extra blanket for when it’s cold outside and window screens for when it’s warm can help limit your idle time.
    
Make sure your trailer is snug to the tractor. Although your ride may not be as good, when your trailer is snug tight to the tractor, you cut down on wind resistance. The fuel savings are worth the trade-off.
    
Buy through the company fuel network. If you work for a trucking company (about 30% of all truck drivers are employed by the trucking industry), buy fuel through your company’s fuel network to control the cost and quality of fuel.

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