Coasting Downhill.
EIGHT AND WRONG WAYS. The way in which downhill slopes are taken has a considerable influence upon petrol consumption, particularly in undulating country. The driver of an ordinary car, provided he is traversing roads with which he is acquainted, can coast them in order to save fuel. This should be done not by holding out -the clutch pedal, which causes undue wear, but by slipping into neutral, and allowing the car to coast with the engine ticking over. . Practice is needed to get the hang of re-engaging gear—the process is to rev the engine to the required
speed with the clutch in, then declutch and engage the gear—and until the driver can do it confidently he should not attempt neutral coasting. Finally, fuel can be saved on up grades by not allowing the engine to labour in high gear, instead of
changing down to second. However, this should not be overdone or fuel will be wasted by “ over-revving ” in the lower gear. Probably the safest rule is to change down on a hill when the high ■gear speed falls below 20 miles per hour.
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Bibliographic details
Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 251, 23 August 1928, Page 7
Word Count
186Coasting Downhill. Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 251, 23 August 1928, Page 7
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