How To Increase The Mileage Of CNG Cars?

CNG auto owners are often worried about the poor mileage of their cars. You can actually expect 40 to 50% rise in efficiency for each kilogram of compressed natural gas compared with one litre of gasoline. Therefore, if your auto is running 10km with one litre, you might expect 14 - 15km with one kilogram of CNG, which depends on the technology you use. It is estimated that one kg of CNG can give half as much mileage as a litre of a petrol auto. Here are some tips to increase the mileage of CNG autos.

1. Have a clean air filter

The first thing you should do is to take good care of your car’s air filter. You should replace it for each 5000 km ride. Because CNG is much lighter than air, the air filter must be clean enough for the air-fuel ratio to remain ideal and have good efficiency. A stock air filter with a high flow such as K&N is highly recommended since its service life is up to 1.5 lac KM’s and will never be fully choked. It fits well into the original air filter box and doesn’t require any modification to install. K&N should be installed on new cars as it has an unlimited life span and is more economical when compared with a traditional paper filter cartridge.

Make sure your car’s air filter is clean

2. Replace the spark plugs for every 15000 or 20000 km

The ignition temperature of CNG vehicle is higher than that of petrol car. Therefore, CNG cars need a  stronger spark plug to ignite. You should ensure your car have a good set of spark plugs with the same code and heat range as prescribed by the car maker. Besides, silver spark plugs are better than normal ones. Good spark plugs will ensure the gas fuel-air mixture is fully ignited and no fuel is left unburned, which results in higher CNG kit mileage.

3. Maintain high tension leads and ignition coil

High tension leads as well as ignition coil ought to be in good condition to ensure that strong sparks and the gas-air mixture are ignited fully in the car’s combustion chamber. A weak lead or coil may lead to poor ignition and poor engine efficiency.

4. Check tyre pressure

It is important to check tyre pressure frequently, especially in the summer and in the winter, to ensure the safety of the vehicle. Moreover, driving with maximum tyre pressure can make a huge difference to your vehicle's fuel efficiency. Low tyre pressure means increased contact area between the road and the tyre. That friction between the tyre rubber and the road rises, which will result in higher fuel consumption. Therefore, you should always keep tyres inflated as per the manufacturer’s specifications and check your tyre pressure in too cold and too hot conditions as well as after a drive. Proper pressure in all four tyres makes sure that the vehicle will run smoothly.

Make sure your tyres are properly inflated

5. Check the car clutch

A car clutch is a friction disc which is installed inside the auto’s transmission. A worn-out clutch might reduce the car mileage significantly since it prevents the engine power from being transferred to the wheels, which results in low efficiency and fuel waste. Therefore, you should ensure that your clutch is in good condition.

6. Check for gas leakages

If a very small amount of gas being leaked all the time, your car mileage will be lower and your safety will be threatened. Micro leaks often get undetected with the normal soap solution based leakage. Therefore, you should be careful with strange smells and install a gas detector to ensure that your CNG kit is 100% leak-free.

Make sure the CNG tank be in good condition

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