Why is the fuel consumption high in winter? Do you want to preheat the car or not?

Many car owners found that the temperature became cold in winter and the fuel consumption of vehicles began to rise, even more than that of air conditioning in summer. Why? Today, we will talk about why fuel consumption will soar in winter from several aspects. In addition, the instructions of many vehicles say: drive immediately after the fire, and don't warm the car at idle speed. So you really don't need a hot car after the engine is cold started? Even in the cold winter?

Why does fuel consumption rise in winter? ? First of all, the internal combustion engine is a "heat engine", and it must maintain a certain working temperature to work most efficiently. This temperature is between 85-95℃, and it is usually kept at 90℃. In the cold weather in winter, it takes a long time for the engine to reach the working temperature of 90℃, and during this time, in order to reach the working temperature faster, the engine will increase the fuel injection. The smaller the displacement of the engine, the longer it takes to reach the normal water temperature in winter, and the faster the displacement, so in winter, the increase in fuel consumption of small displacement engines is easier to be detected. So what can we do to make the engine reach the working temperature as soon as possible? Unfortunately, there is nothing our car owners can do. The only feasible way is to stay in the basement in winter.

In addition, pay attention to whether the oil viscosity is selected correctly. 5W-XX？ Our engine oil can at least cope with the low temperature of -20℃, provide lubrication as soon as possible when the engine is cold started and reach the working temperature as soon as possible. Of course, if we choose 0W-XX engine oil with better low-temperature fluidity, it will not only protect the engine better in winter, but also reduce the viscosity of the engine itself faster and save fuel with the increase of engine temperature. That is to say, before the engine reaches the normal working temperature in winter, 0W-XX? Than? 5W-XX？ Engine oil can save some oil. Once the engine reaches the normal working level, the oil consumption will not be greatly affected, which is consistent with summer.

Another reason that many people may overlook is tire pressure. Because of the physical principle of thermal expansion and contraction, the tire pressure in winter will be lower than that in summer, whether it is cold or hot. For example, your tire pressure is 2.3bar in summer, and it will drop to 2.0bar if you don't replenish air in winter, and the standard tire pressure value of most vehicles will be posted in the fuel tank cover, so just replenish air according to the standard tire pressure. In addition, in the case of low temperature in winter, tires will become hard and inelastic, which will not only reduce comfort, but also increase fuel consumption. Finally, it is worth mentioning that turning on warm air in winter will not increase fuel consumption. Warm air uses the residual heat of the engine and will not increase fuel consumption.

Do you want to leave your car idle in winter? ? The answer is yes, you need a hot car, but it depends on how hot it is. Suggestions for hot car: the temperature is-10℃, after cold start, 1 min,-20℃ for 2 minutes,-30℃ for 3 minutes, and so on. Why do you want to heat the car in situ? Don't many instructions say to drive immediately after the fire? Engine cold start is like a person just waking up, and all functions need to be restored slowly, so does a car. The oil needs to establish a circulation, and the coolant needs to gradually establish a small circulation. The hydraulic torque converter in the AT automatic transmission begins to stir the transmission oil, thus heating the transmission oil. If a fire breaks out in winter and you start driving immediately, these cycles have not yet been established, and the impact on the engine and gearbox is still relatively large.

After the hot car is idling, drive slowly for a certain distance, wait until the water temperature rises to about 50℃, and then gradually drive normally. This is the correct sequence of hot cars. The instructions say that driving immediately after the fire is actually an environmental requirement, but it is really not friendly to the engine. Therefore, it is recommended to idle for a period of time after a cold start in winter, even if you clean the glass and rearview mirror, fasten your seat belt, put your mobile phone away and put your clothes away before driving. Fuel consumption itself will increase in winter, and idling hot cars will not waste much for a while.

The most important thing to pay attention to when driving is the wear and tear of the engine caused by cold start. Even if the fuel consumption increases, it will not damage the engine, so it is still necessary to warm the car at idle speed. In addition, as mentioned at the beginning, the engine is a "hot engine" that needs working temperature. It is also beneficial to raise the temperature as soon as possible and let the hot car idle for a period of time.