Getting the most out of every drop

There are a few techniques that can help keep high fuel costs from tanking your bottom line.
equipment fuel efficiency

Fuel — intoxicating, toxic, flammable and inflammatory, we can’t work without it. It’s one of the biggest overhead expenses any contractor has. Every dollar you don’t have to spend on it is one more dollar you have to reinvest in your business or put into the bank as profit. Fortunately, there are things you can do to cut the cost of the stuff that makes your trucks, mowers and handheld power tools go.

It keeps getting better

equipment fuel efficiency
Scott Walker, owner of Pleasant Green Grass in Durham, North Carolina, fought high fuel prices by brewing his own biodiesel and using it in his trucks. Now he seeks fuel efficiency by other means, such as keeping his tires properly inflated, and using GPS to keep tabs on how his trucks are being driven. (Photos: Diane McKinney)

The manufacturers of trucks, commercial mowers and handheld power tools know contractors want fuel efficiency, and they’ve made great strides in giving it to you, inventing things like electronic fuel injection.

“At this point, machines are about as fuel efficient as you can get them,” says Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, Alexandria, Virginia. “On the trend side of the equation, we’re seeing more small four-stroke engines with high compression and electronic fuel injection, and those are delivering efficiency.”
equipment fuel efficiency

Gasoline vs. diesel

Though there is some growing use of alternative fuels such as propane and biodiesel, most landscape equipment and trucks run on either gasoline or diesel fuel.

The prices of both fluctuate. If we leave price out of it, the question remains, which one gives you better fuel economy?

Like so many things in life, the answer to this question is “it depends” — there’s no definitive blackand-white conclusion. Bennett Prosser, a fuel economy engineer for the Ford Motor Co., says a diesel vehicle will generally have higher fuel economy compared to a similarly equipped gasoline vehicle.

“But that is not to say one is strictly better than the other; each has a slight advantage over the other in a given situation.”

Diesel engines give you greater torque, last longer and need less maintenance. However, trucks and mowers with diesel engines tend to cost more at the outset, sometimes several thousand dollars more, and many landscape contractors don’t think the trade-off is worth it.

Kevin Pollack, owner of Pollack’s Landscaping LLC, Ironton, Missouri, runs both gasoline and diesel trucks. “When we’re pulling heavy equipment it’s a lot more fuel efficient to run a bigger truck on diesel. On smaller-sized jobs where we’re not pulling heavy equipment around it’s more cost effective to run gasoline trucks.”

“There are a lot of variables that will affect the fuel economy of a vehicle and what you get out of a tank of fuel, including the climate, the driver and the vehicle itself,” says Prosser. “We can’t change the weather, but we can choose the vehicle we drive and how we drive it.”

Get the lead out

Needless to say, a pedal-to-the-metal driving style is not conducive to fuel economy. Simply instructing your drivers to lighten up on the accelerator can save many gallons of fuel. “A vehicle burns the most fuel while accelerating,” says Prosser. “Rapid accelerations and jackrabbit starts burn more fuel than gradual, smooth acceleration.”


“A vehicle burns the most fuel while accelerating. Rapid accelerations and jackrabbit starts burn more fuel than gradual, smooth acceleration.” – Bennett Prosser, Ford Motor Co.


Avoiding tickets isn’t the only reason for driving at or below posted speed limits. Excessive speed, especially while towing, drastically reduces fuel economy. Prosser suggests setting the cruise control at or below the speed limit on the freeway.

A newer truck may feature adaptive cruise control, which not only helps a vehicle stay at an even speed, it also helps maintain a safe distance from other vehicles while still keeping up with the flow of traffic.

“That’s great,” you may be thinking, “but I can’t be in the cab with every one of my drivers telling him to slow down.” Well, that’s what GPS is for. Scott Walker, owner of Pleasant Green Grass, Durham, North Carolina, has GPS in all of his company’s trucks. “If there are any jackrabbit starts or stops or speeding, I’ll know about it,” he says. Just knowing the boss is looking over their shoulders tends to keep his drivers in check.

But GPS isn’t just a virtual back-seat nanny; it’s also helpful to your drivers. Most GPS units will detect slowdowns due to accidents, construction or heavy traffic and suggest alternate routes. Not only will your crews get to their next jobs faster, they won’t be sitting in traffic idling, burning up fuel.

How your drivers brake also makes a difference.

Smooth, gradual braking is best in non-emergency situations. Habitual rapid braking — often caused by tailgating — can not only lead to early or excessive brake wear, but also limits the benefit of deceleration fuel shut-off, a technology some trucks have that stops an engine from burning fuel while coasting or braking, says Prosser.

More weight equals more fuel consumption, so consider what you’re hauling around and why. If a piece of equipment isn’t needed that day, consider leaving it in the yard. Even small items add up.

Mowing down fuel expenses

Follow these tips to keep your mowers running lean and mean.

  • Keep tires at the proper pounds per square inch. Underinflated tires burn more fuel.
  • Sharpen mower blades at least once a week. Reducing resistance is the name of the game. The sharper your mower blades are, the less hard the mower has to work.
  • Clean mower decks frequently. Fighting to push grass out burns more fuel.
  • Mow more often. If a client allows it, mow his grass at least once a week. Long grass is more difficult to cut and makes your equipment work harder.
  • Do preventive maintenance. Change or clean air, oil and fuel filters regularly, and lubricate.
  • Check belts and pulleys. See if all of them are attached and working, reminds George Reister, wheeled product manager for Husqvarna USA, Charlotte, North Carolina. A frayed belt or pulley puts a drain on the engine.

Too much truck?

We all like to go with what we know, and that’s not always a bad thing. Many contractors, faced with replacing a well-loved truck, choose to buy the same make and tonnage they bought before. It may be time to reconsider that reflex.

“Pickups, chassis cabs and vans have become much more capable over the last few years,” says David Sowers, marketing manager for RAM trucks at the Chrysler Group LLC, Auburn Hills, Michigan. “If a contractor just goes back and buys the same thing he had before, he may be buying too much truck.”

He further explains, “For example, someone might buy a 1-ton pickup instead of a 3/4-ton, or a Class 6 dump truck when all he really needs is a Class 5. Classes 1 through 5 have become much more capable over the last five to 10 years.”

Buying something that’s bigger and more powerful than you really need is counterproductive, stresses Sowers. “That’s going to be inefficient from both a purchase price standpoint and certainly from a fuel economy standpoint.”

Prosser agrees. “Choosing the right vehicles for the types of jobs you normally do is important. Consider what you need the vehicles for and how you’ll be using them. Having too much capability for a task leads to wasted fuel. Conversely, overworking a smaller vehicle can lead to excessive fuel use as well.”

Warning! Look before you pump

Many are confused about how to properly fuel outdoor power equipment, including the employees of landscape companies. People assume that whatever is safe to pump into your truck is okay to put in your jerry-can, chain saw or mower. That’s no longer true. It’s just too easy to pump an ethanol/gasoline blend higher than E-10 into a mower or small power tool, voiding warranties and ruining engines.

Why? “Congress hasn’t acted to reform the Renewable Fuel Standard,” says Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute, Alexandria, Virginia, “and because of that, the situation is worse than ever.”

“The current standard doesn’t take into account changes in the marketplace, such as the popularity of hybrid vehicles. There’s a lot of ethanol out there and no place to put it, so now we’re seeing a lot of E-15, E-30, E-40. That’s a problem for anything that sits a long time with fuel in it, such as seasonal equipment like mowers, trimmers and snowblowers.”

Ethanol is hygroscopic, which means it attracts water molecules. “The fuel phase-separates, literally pulls apart, with the water sinking to the bottom of the tank where the intakes are,” says Kiser. As the fuel evaporates, the ethanol leaves behind a tarlike sludge that can build up on fuel system components, unless you put stabilizer in or drain out all the fuel prior to storage.

“There are supposed to be required warning labels affixed to all E-15 pumps,” says Kiser. “How that’s being policed, I can’t tell you, but we believe the warning label to be highly ineffective. That’s why we started the ‘Look Before You Pump’ campaign. But we’re not budgeted to educate 100 million people. There are hundreds of millions of legacy products out in the field that weren’t designed for the stuff and nobody’s protecting their owners.”

equipment fuel efficiencyDon’t forget the tires

Don’t underestimate the importance of caring for your tires. Check tire pressures regularly. Keep them inflated per the recommendation on the door placard or in the owner’s manual. “Underinflated tires wear faster and cause excessive drag, which uses more fuel,” says Prosser.

He also cautions against installing those big all-terrain tires unless you do a lot of jobs in remote, muddy areas. They may look cool, but they’re less aerodynamic, have increased rolling resistance and are very heavy, all of which consume more fuel.

Mowers: try EFI

What about your big commercial mowers? There are ways to lower their fuel costs as well (see sidebar on the lower left). “One of the best ways to become more fuel efficient is to buy mowers with electronic fuel injection,” says Jamie Briggs, senior marketing product manager for Exmark, Beatrice, Nebraska. “Some smaller contractors haven’t adapted to that yet.” Cost is the main factor here, as the initial upfront investment in an EFI mower is higher. They’re also a bit more difficult to work on. But the added cost may pay off in the long run.

Maximizing fuel efficiency in your power tools

Your trimmers, blowers, edgers, chain saws and other small power equipment can save fuel, too. Though battery power in this category has made great strides, most contractors are using either gasoline- or propane-powered hand tools.

“The type of fuel, throttle type and user technique all make a difference in fuel consumption and performance when using outdoor power equipment,” says Wayne Hart, communications manager for Makita USA, La Mirada, California. “Using higher octane fuel generally provides better acceleration and easier starting and may also improve fuel efficiency.”

All of Pollack’s power tools run on gasoline. To use less gas, he lubricates more. “Certain things really need grease on them once in a while, like hedge trimmer heads. They can get strings or weeds wound up in them.”

In general, four-stroke engines are more fuel efficient than two-stroke ones. They produce more torque at a lower rpm, but four-stroke power tools tend to cost more and are more complicated.

As with trucks, the way an operator “drives” a power tool makes a difference in how much fuel it consumes. ”As far as technique, power equipment users tend to over-throttle,” says Hart. “But you don’t need 7,000 rpm and full throttle to cut trimmed and mowed grass. Using partial throttle can substantially improve fuel efficiency.” Teach your crew members to use only as much power as they need at the moment.

Alternative fuels

You may have considered trying out some alternative fuels such as biodiesel or propane and even compressed natural gas. How do they stack up?

Biodiesel B5 to B20 (the number refers to the ratio of biodiesel to diesel; B5 means 5 percent biodiesel) will perform about the same as diesel, Prosser says, but has the added benefit of putting out reduced emissions. Propane and CNG will deliver fewer miles per gallon, as propane and CNG contain less energy as compared to gasoline. However, propane and CNG may cost less per gallon and may be more advantageous in terms of operating cost, especially for fleets that have easy access to the fuel.

Walker was one of the first in the Raleigh/Durham area to offer organic landscape services. He homebrewed his own biodiesel from used cooking grease he got free from a restauranteur friend. For a few years, he powered all of his trucks with it.

He’s since gone back to using ordinary diesel. “Several factors changed around the same time,” he explains. “When I first started making biodiesel, the price of diesel was way up, almost five bucks a gallon — but used vegetable oil, they gave away free. They were happy for you to take it away.

“Then, as more people started making biodiesel, used vegetable oil became a commodity, and restaurants started selling it. At the same time, fuel prices kept going down; diesel went way down. At that point, it stopped making sense financially.”


Why he went back to regular diesel …

“As more people started making biodiesel, used vegetable oil became a desirable commodity, and restaurants started selling it. At the same time, fuel prices kept going down … it stopped making sense financially.” – Scott Walker, Pleasant Green Grass


Looking at cost-per-gallon alone, propane is usually cheaper than gas or diesel. “The national average for regular gasoline is flirting with $3 a gallon, says Jeremy Wishart, director of off-road business development at the Propane Education & Research Council, Washington. (We spoke on May 25.) “Non-ethanol premium, which a lot of contractors use, is currently around $3.50 a gallon, and diesel is about $3.20 a gallon.”

“Propane has always been lower in cost than gasoline and diesel, even when both of their prices were low. Right now, that cost comparison is magnified even more. We like to say that propane is, on average, 30 percent lower than gas or diesel because you’re not losing fuel to evaporation, spillage or theft.”

But you can’t pump it. You must have the cylinders delivered, or if you have a big enough fleet, install a 500- to 1,000-gallon bulk storage tank.

A big advantage of propane is that machines using it can be operated in urban areas during the hours when anti-smog ordinances restrict the use of gasoline- or diesel-powered equipment.

Most mowers and power tools can’t run on propane right out of the box but can with an aftermarket retrofit. CNG isn’t much of a player in our world, although conversion kits exist for it, too.

You’ll have to decide what will work best for you.

Meanwhile, the makers of your trucks, mowers and power tools will keep working on getting more productivity out of every tank of fuel you buy.

This article originally appeared in Irrigation & Green Industry magazine.
Mary Williams-Villano is a contributing editor to Irrigation & Green Industry and can be reached at pouncerspy@gmail.com.

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