The year 2000 diesel fuel cost have proven to be a huge challenge to many fleets. At Stevens Transport we realize that tractor maintenance has a crucial impact on fuel economy. A poorly maintained tractor is likely to deliver poor fuel economy. A well-maintained tractor should operate at peak efficiency and deliver acceptable mpg's.

     Checks that identify engine inefficiency are the exhaust coming from the exhaust pipe. Black smoke on acceleration is a sign that fuel is not being burned completely. When you see black smoke, the engine is burning off the hydrogen portion of the fuel and carbon is leaving the exhaust system unburned. White smoke on cold start up is fuel that never vaporized. Since liquid fuel will not burn, white smoke indicates that fuel economy is suffering.

     Fixes to black smoke problems can be as simple as replacing the air filter to more expensive causes, which could be injector, turbocharger or sensor failures. White smoke problems are much harder to identify and may be unavoidable in many cases, but try to avoid excessive idle time to eliminate white smoke on a cold start. In either of the two cases of black or white smoke contact the maintenance department for assistance.

Several other factors affect fuel economy such as oil change intervals, tire pressure, vehicle alignment, idle time and driving technique.

     The oil in a diesel engine increases in viscosity (which means it gets thicker) as soot builds up in the oil making it harder to pump causing fuel economy to decrease. For the owner operator, lease or company driver get your services done on time. For company and lease tractors we are currently on a 30,000-mile oil change interval which proves to be efficient.

      Tires need to be properly inflated to specs. At Stevens Transport, we currently run 110 lbs. in company tractors. In relation to tire inflation, proper vehicle alignment is necessary. If you notice any irregular wear on tires, it probably represents an alignment problem and you should get your tractor checked. Improper alignment produces more rolling resistance and reduces fuel economy in addition to scrubbing rubber from tires. Correcting this problem solves two costly issues, fuel economy and premature tire replacements.

      Engine manufacturers estimate that a diesel engine consumes 0.5 gallons of fuel per hour idling at 600 RPM. Idling also accelerates engine wear and increases maintenance costs. Keep idle time to a minimum.

     Driving techniques can sometimes have a greater impact on fuel economy than the equipment itself. Engine manufacturers speak of a technique called Òprogressive shiftingÓ. This procedure teaches drivers to upshift as soon as possible and always use the highest gear possible. This reduces engine speed, which saves fuel and reduces engine wear. Also remember that the faster that you travel, the more wind resistance your vehicle will meet and it takes more fuel to overcome the resistance.

     Proper maintenance, driving habits and buying fuel at the proper locations are the key to surviving fuel costs. Hopefully the above tips will help Stevens Transport combat high company fuel cost and many tips may be helpful for the owner operators and lease drivers. Good luck through the challenging remaining months of 2000 and beyond.