Car blogs

By Scott Doggett, Contributing Editor


Fuel-economy improvements related to traditional powertrains aren't so much occurring in leaps and bounds these days as they are in baby steps.

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Right, the variable displacement oil pump improves the Chevy Cruze's fuel efficiency. The pump body pivots (blue lines), causing the vanes (red lines) to move, resulting in just the right volume of oil being pumped. When less oil is pumped, less energy is needed, which saves fuel. The pump is standard on the Ecotec 1.4-liter turbocharged engine.
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Take, for instance, a story that's splashed all over the blogosphere today, more often than not re-posted verbatim from a news release issued by Chevrolet this morning.






The news release begins: "The oil pump in the engine of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze takes a laid-back approach to its work, delivering the precise amount of oil needed during all driving conditions. That requires the engine to work less versus a conventional pump and ultimately saves fuel."


By lowering the volume of oil GM engineers reduced the amount of energy, or torque, required to pump the oil, without taking necessary lubrication away from the engine, Mike Katerberg, assistant chief engineer for the 1.4-liter engine, explained in the statement.
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Tags: Chevrolet, Emissions, Fuel Economy, General Motors, 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco, Emissions, Fuel Economy, General Motors

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Efficient Oil Pump Helps 2011 Chevy Cruze Eco Achieve 40 MPG on the Highway was originally published by Green Car Advisor. Read the full story by clicking here.