Partner Article

Fueling business cost reductions

In my time as a fuel and emission reduction specialist I have come across many fuel savings technologies and their associated claims, many do not work and their claims are often hyper inflated to gain sales. This does not help the business or fleet operator of vehicles.

Even though I have invented my own fuel saving technology and tested it in UK vehicles for 2 years now, there are still other ways to improve fuel economy and emissions that do not seem to gain the merit they really deserve. I offer this article as an insight into some long established but overlooked methods of saving your fleet money whilst reducing carbon emissions too!

Carbon Removal Service

Probably the fastest route to emission reduction and some fuel savings is by removing the carbon and other residual deposits caused by all combustion enegines whether that is diesel, petrol or bio-fuels. These deposits clog up your engine and exhaust sensors, EGR Systems and other vital equipment that all report their condition or status back to the Engine Management System. If the EMS dislikes what it see’s then all manner of issues can occur and you spend more money sorting them out.

Avoid expensive repairs and down time losses by keeping your vehicles as free from carbon build up as possible. I recommend a minimum of one engine decarbon service every year. Failing that you can notice fuel consumption increases and emission outputs getting worse via your onboard telemetrics and can do a carbon cleaning service at that point.

Two options exist here either you can buy in the service or do it yourself? DIY is more cost effective although you have to invest in setting the system and service up. Over time the cost is less than buying it in and you can do it whenever you prefer.

ECU Remap

In all my years of doing what I do I have never understood the reluctance of fleet owners to try retuning their vehicles to reduce fuel use and emissions. Most remap service providers are highly professional, insured and get worthwhile results. This is not a service I suggest you DIY as most remap or tuning files found on DIY websites are rubbish and will cause potentially fatal results for your vehicle.

Take the time to research the providers in your area and arrange for a trial on a vehicle you own or operate, if you do not like the results it can always be undone and no-one, not even a dealer, will be able to tell you have had it done so no warranty issues. On that note - Did you know it is illegal for a dealer to void your warranty without evidence that the work you have had done actually caused any damage? Burden of proof is on the person trying to void your warranty, not on you!

Pricing varies right across the board with vans, cars and trucks but trials are usually free but make sure you ask first. Cars can be done from as little as £50? I would recommend that you avoid such pricing as they are often generic remap files found in the darker recesses of the web and not to be trusted regardless of the vendors assurances. For a quality job you should be paying a quality price not peanuts. Do your homework.

Coolant for Life

Never heard of it? That is good news because this little gem can save you money and breakdown issues you can well do without. Life Time Coolant is a product that replaces water based products with one that will not freeze or boil. No more coolant changes for seasonal reasons, no more frozen pipes blowing off in winter and no more summer time overheating. This stuff rocks!

On an individual unit it can be expensive but for fleets the price should be greatly reduced. As part of this service you also have to de-water your radiator and engine plus swap out the current thermostat for one that works with the Life Time Coolant.

Think of the service labour and parts costs you will save over the Life Time of your engine? Add to this the breakdown and recovery costs you can avoid by changing to a product like this? Yes it is an investment, but if you are not investing in making savings you will never make savings worth the effort.

Works for all sized engines, even the big truck units and worth every penny over time.

So there are three ideas for you to save money on fuel whilst reducing emissions and raw materials use. All of these services can add to your CSR credentials and put more cash back onto your bottom line but only you can do this by taking action, if you need further advice or help I am happy to provide my support as there are a number of other ways you can save fuel in your fleet you may not have seen or heard before.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Derek Foxcroft .