Getting better fuel economy out of your engine

Although fuel efficiency has become increasingly important to motorists in recent years, they haven’t lost their appetites for speed and performance. A recent trend among vehicle manufacturers is developing increased performance from smaller displacement engines. Automakers are finding that combining smaller blocks with direct injection, Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and other technologies allows them to produce engines that provide the fuel efficiency of a four-cylinder engine while still delivering the performance of a V6.

General Motors, for example, incorporates advanced combustion technology in its allnew Ecotec 2.0L Direct Injection Turbo Engine. Gasoline direct-injection technology, VVT and an intercooled, twin-scroll turbocharging system allow the engine to produce 260 horsepower and 260 lb.-feet of torque while maintaining the fuel economy benefits of a small displacement port-injected engine. At 2.1 horsepower per cubic foot of displacement, the engine is GM’s highest specific output engine ever.

Honda is prepared to be a major player in this market as well. The subcompact 2007 Honda Fit features a 1.5L, SOHC, 16-valve, four-cylinder VTEC engine that produces 109 horsepower and 105 lb.-feet of torque. Its VVT and Lift Electronic Control provide highly efficient operation at low engine speeds and extended performance at high engine speeds.

Automakers have also been modifying transmissions and torque curves. An increasing number of seven-speed transmissions have hit the market, and Lexus recently introduced the world’s first eight-speed transmission in a passenger car. The gears of these new transmissions cover smaller ranges and act as multiple overdrives, further improving fuel efficiency. Some automakers have broadened the torque curves in certain vehicles to furtherincrease fuel efficiency and performance. The Mercedes-Benz 2007 GL-Class Crossover utility vehicle, for example, incorporates a two-stage magnesium intake manifold to broaden the torque curve, allowing it to be more responsive over a broad rpm range. When operating at lower speeds, a set of flaps in the manifold close off short intakepassages, improving torque at low rpm. The flaps allow a power boost at higher speeds when open.

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While gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles grab the spotlight when it comes to fuel efficiency, diesel vehicles are gaining momentum as well. In fact, diesel is 30 percent more fuel efficient than gasoline. The introduction of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel and advancements in diesel engine technology have enabled diesel passenger vehicles tomeet increasingly stringent federal emissions standards. High performance, fuel efficient new diesel engines are expected to continue their popularity surge in the coming years. According to John Moulton, president of the Powertrain Division at Robert Bosch GmbH, dieselhybrid models are also on the horizon, combining the advantages of hybrids in city driving with the advantages of diesels in highway driving. DaimlerChrysler has introduced BLUETEC technology to the diesel market, which the company claims is capableof producing the cleanest diesel vehicles in their segment throughout the world.

According to Dr. Dieter Zetsche, chairman of DaimlerChrysler and head of the Mercedes-Benz Car Group, BLUETEC isa combination of technologies designed to reduce all relevant emission components in cars and light trucks. M-B commercial vehicles pair highly efficient engines with exhaust gas treatment systems based on selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology that converts harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx) into harmless nitrogen and water vapor by introducing ammonia as a reducing agent in the catalytic converter.

Passenger cars and light trucks incorporate an oxidizing catalytic converter and diesel particulate filter, in addition to systems for reducing NOx emissions.

AMSOIL synthetic motor oils and drivetrain lubricants are ideal for customers interested in both fuel efficiency and performance. Their advanced synthetic formulations effectively reduce friction, heat and wear for maximum power, performance and fuel efficiency. To find out more about great products

A recent trend among vehicle manufacturers is developing increased performance from smaller displacement engines.

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