If you’re out on the town midday, I can almost guarantee that you’ve seen pickup trucks at the gas station, in a parking lot, or on a job site just idling. This made me think, what are some really simple ways to consume less diesel fuel? After all, the stuff is getting absolutely ridiculous on price so why not try and use less?

#1- Take It Easy

Unless it is just a screaming emergency, slow it down. Anything, regardless of the fuel it burns, will burn more of it when you drive faster. Based on your gearing and tire size, find the MPH area that best fits your truck for the best mileage. If you’re doing 85-mph on the highway/interstate, chances are you’re burning quite a bit of fuel doing so.

Studies show that just 5-10-mph can change your mileage significantly and if you drive a lot, that will add up. On top of taking it easy, choose routes to your destination that allow you to make consistent speeds. The stop-and-go traffic isn’t optimal for mileage, but I understand this doesn’t apply to most. This is more of a big rig idea.

#2- Shut It Off

As mentioned prior, idling for no reason is a very common thing. I’m sure it is a few different things. You’re either someone that is on the phone carrying a conversation before you head into a store, you’re a boss man watching your workers on the site while you enjoy the climate control, or you just really like to listen to the sound of your engine. Whatever your reason, you’re consuming fuel.

Unless you’re relying on the engine running to perform some sort of work, you can save on fuel consumption by simply shutting the truck off. I get it, this may seem obvious but we’re naming off the reasons that will help. For big truck guys, if you’re using the running engine to stay warm or cool, look into a heater or a fan to help that.

#3- Take Care Of It, It Will Take Care Of You

The truck you take to work every morning or the rig you drive every day for work is your livelihood. It is what gets you to the job that pays you money for your family or the job that is paying you while you drive for bills. Not in that order, but the point is taking care of your truck is an easy tip. Taking care of your truck and performing preventative maintenance will decrease your fuel consumption.

These diesel engines are designed to perform a certain way and after a while, they need a little TLC to maintain that tip-top shape. By frequently changing your oils and fluids, using good fuel cleaners and stabilizers will result in better fuel economy which will do exactly what we want. Use less fuel. Do you have any other tips to add?

If you do, drop them down below. Share your ideas from your experiences down below for the rest of the readers so they can get the most out of their expensive fill-ups! For more quick news, stay tuned here at Diesel Army!