Save Money with These Fuel Efficiency Tips

There’s so much information being broadcast lately about the economy and the high prices we are paying for consumer goods, so AskPatty thought we would offer ways to help you to drive more efficiently with this money saving advice we found at the Car Care Council.

Consider these vehicle conditions that cost consumers millions of dollars in wasted fuel:
    * Loose or missing gas caps
    * Underinflated tires
    * Faulty thermostats
    * Worn spark plugs
    * Malfunctioning engine controls
    * Poor wheel alignment
    * Inefficient driving techniques
How important are vehicle gas caps?
17 percent of the vehicles on U.S. highways have either misused or missing gas caps, causing 147,000,000 gallons of gas per year to vaporize into the atmosphere. (Source: Service Tech Magazine, Sept. 2000)

How do underinflated tires affect fuel efficiency?
Underinflated tires and incorrect wheel alignment can lead to conditions which increase rolling resistance. This is like driving with the parking brake not fully released, it can cost a mile or two per gallon on a car that normally delivers 20 miles per gallon. Correct tire inflation pressure is critical for good fuel economy, safety, maximum tire life and proper vehicle handling performance.
Keep your car in tune:
Keeping up with regular vehicle maintenance can improve gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent. Results may vary depending on the kind of repair and how well it is performed.

How do dirty air filters affect fuel efficiency?
An air filter clogged with dirt, dust and bugs chokes off the air and creates what is called a “rich” mixture - too much gas being burned for the amount of air, which both wastes gas and causes the engine to lose power. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.

Why should spark plugs be replaced regularly?
A vehicle can have either four, six or eight spark plugs, which fire as many as 3 million times every l,000 miles, resulting in a lot of heat, electrical and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug causes misfiring and that wastes fuel. They need to be replaced regularly.

This entry was posted on 11. January 2010 at 17:54 and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.