I am aware of how it "works," but my question is how does it actually save fuel?
A vehicle needs to produce a certain power level to net 0 rotational losses, wind resistance, friction, etc and maintain a constant speed, lets call it 20 hp at 65 mph. 20 hp should have a definite brake specific fuel consumption, and the number of cylinders making "20 hp" should be arbitrary? if it's 1 cylinder making 20 horsepower or 12, 20 hp is 20 hp, and 20 hp worth of fuel is 20 hp worth of fuel? If half the cylinders shut off and we were suddenly using less fuel (and presumably making less power as a result of less fuel), we'd be at a net loss and the vehicle would begin decelerating?
Every article i have found on the topic seems to have been written for, or by, a 5 year old and is more concerned on explaining the deactivation of cylinders rather than fuel savings.
I figure there is probably something very simple i am not taking into consideration, but right now it just doesn't make sense to me.
A vehicle needs to produce a certain power level to net 0 rotational losses, wind resistance, friction, etc and maintain a constant speed, lets call it 20 hp at 65 mph. 20 hp should have a definite brake specific fuel consumption, and the number of cylinders making "20 hp" should be arbitrary? if it's 1 cylinder making 20 horsepower or 12, 20 hp is 20 hp, and 20 hp worth of fuel is 20 hp worth of fuel? If half the cylinders shut off and we were suddenly using less fuel (and presumably making less power as a result of less fuel), we'd be at a net loss and the vehicle would begin decelerating?
Every article i have found on the topic seems to have been written for, or by, a 5 year old and is more concerned on explaining the deactivation of cylinders rather than fuel savings.
I figure there is probably something very simple i am not taking into consideration, but right now it just doesn't make sense to me.