Does an engine use fuel when going downhill?
Going down a hill uses no fuel at all, and actually charges the battery a bit depending on speed and gear. Many modern cars are also capable of shutting off some of the cylinders under light load. In that case it again would take less fuel to keep the engine engaged than to let it idle.
Does going downhill in neutral save gas?
Nope, in fact, just the opposite, you will burn more fuel. In a manual transmission vehicle, going downhill in neutral means the engine and wheels are mechanically disconnected. Assuming you take your foot off the throttle, the engine will drop to idle speed and consume a small amount of fuel in order to maintain idle.
Can you engine brake in an automatic?
In an average consumer vehicle with an automatic transmission, engine braking is rarely used, but it’s technically possible to do so by switching from Drive (D) to Low (L). All the driver has to do is downshift to a lower gear and, once again, let the lower gear drag the vehicle’s speed down.
Why does my car idle at a higher RPM than normal?
And in modern cars, if you are running several accessories, such as the air conditioner or heater, the engine’s onboard computer may be telling it to run at a higher RPM to provide the necessary power. But if the accelerated idle persists even after the engine is fully warmed up, it probably indicates a genuine problem.
What happens if you let your car idle for too long?
Letting a vehicle idle does more damage to the engine than starting and stopping. In fact, running an engine at low speed (idling) causes twice the wear on internal parts compared to driving at regular speeds.
What happens when a throttle bore is damaged?
When it’s damaged, more air can pass through, which will cause the engine to idle high or low. A damaged throttle bore will result in the same problem, because it’s no longer able to regulate the volume of air flowing into the engine.
How does engine idling affect fuel efficiency?
There are some serious implications of engine idling when it comes to fuel efficiency. Excessive motor vehicle idling leads to increased fuel consumption which not only increases wear on engine components and shortens vehicle life, but also negatively impacts the environment. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce unproductive engine idling.