Bad fuel mileage in cold weather?

Probably a combination of high winds, no sunshine, and an old Swift trailer, He had to run a gallon of conditioner through the lines, use a blow torch and a hammer to get me back on the road. Said it wouldn't have happened if I would have "Backed off" the trailer brake overnight. Got stocked up on groceries and had a good run at the casino though so it wasn't a total loss.

 

Fuel expands when warm, so the actual volume of a gallon is more, and goes farther. Hard to believe, but it makes a difference, I think it was flying j, that got caught selling “hot” fuel. I think cold fuel atomizes better, burns more efficiently. Don’t really know for sure, myself. But I’ve always seen better mpg, using additives. Enough to pay for themselves, PS, Lucas, and even Howe’s. I’m going to start using them again, occasionally, year round, just to keep injectors, cylinders clean. They definitely don’t hurt anything.

 

Cold air is denser = more power = more fuel

 

Colder air.

My car drops from 36 to 31 when the temp drops from 40 to 20. On the same tank of fuel.

 

I agree...I never get a tailwind....N.S.E.W...it seems to slam me from the sides

 

Well one reason you get worse mileage in cold weather is because cold air is denser. Denser air requires more fuel to get the mixture right. This means you get more power when it's cold but at the expense of worse mileage.

This doesn't consider anything with fuel blends. Just air density. To a point cold air being denser also makes the truck a tad harder to push through the air.

 

In winter after driving through spray or snow I have only froze the brakes once in 20 plus years.. My secret is after I park I do paperwork or just waste ten minutes then I roll forward and backwards before dropping trailer This gives stuff time to cool down and by moving trailer it helps prevent snow or ice from freezing shoes to the drum .. also be very easy on the brakes the last few miles before parking to keep things cool..Your fuel mileage drops a lot when the oil in hubs get thick from sitting. Best way to drive on cold days is do longer shifts if possible that way you spend less fuel trying to loosen things up after starting each time you start ..

 

Congratulation! You've invented new internal combustion engine. Professor, by your law engine will burn less fuel at higher elevation where air is not so dense and work without any fuel in vacuum. Do i get it right?

 

In summer weather you can get a few extra miles from a tank of fuel if you top your tanks in the morning before sunrise when the air is cool, the fuel has cooled all night and is more dense in the morning, expands as the day progresses.

Your tire pressure and flexibility also changes in cold weather.
Check your pressures in Florida then check them again in ND, should see a difference.
Synthetic oil in the diffs and trans will help in winter and summer.

The other day here at home the windchill was -46ªC or -51ºF, a little on the nippy side.

 

Today’s Trucking magazine had a good article on the reasons for poorer winter fuel economy in the neighborhood of 20%.
4% was winter blend fuel, the rest was air density, thicker oils and lubes in the drive train and wheel ends.
It’s just phsyics.