Have yourself the luxury of less trips to the pump, with these quick tips.....
Back in the day, gas prices were so insanely low that no one technically had to worry about how much their vehicle consumed gas. Even the gas-guzzling Hummers seemed to fit in everyone's wallet!
We have all seen gas prices soar up to $6.00 in the United States and many people, including myself, cannot afford to buy a brand new hybrid car these days.
So is there possibly a way to make your car fuel efficient? Get ready to find out!
1.Always keep your tires at the recommended pressure levels (psi)
The recommended tire pressure (in PSI) can usually be found on either the driver or passenger side door jam. If not, then it can also be found in your owners manual.
DO NOT OVER- INFLATE THE TIRES! This could lead to multiple problems such as uneven tire wear. MOST important is that severely over-inflating your tire could lead to fatal circumstances to which the tire can pop while cruising down the highway. So please do yourself a favor in the long-run and inflate your tire to the correct PSI.
-Need A Tire Pump or PSI Gauge?
Here's a few off of Amazon!
2. Don't leave the engine idle for a long period of time.
Even if it's for warming up the engine. Modern cars have fuel injectors and so it is not necessary to warm up the car for more than one minute.
Many manufactures tell the owners that there is no need to warm up the vehicle before driving because it would only cause excess wear to the engine.
Make sure that you do not drive aggressively until the vehicle has come to optimal operating temperature. Try to keep the RPM below 3,000, if it's not an emergency!
3. Close Those Windows at High Speeds!
During the summer time, opening the windows while going at highway speeds will cause wind resistance (drag) which will severely impact your vehicle's gas mileage.
You would be better off turning on the AC in this situation.
4. Keep Calm and Let off the Throttle!
Modern cars have an ECU (Engine Control Unit) that sacrifices efficiency for more power when you "floor" the gas pedal. More speed means more fuel consumption.
If you drive aggressively, the ECU will make adjustments like holding the RPM at a higher value to give you more of a sporty and performance ride which is not so good for your wallet.
PLUS, you could potentially get yourself away from another speeding ticket ;)
5. Go easy on the brakes!
Slowly approach a stop light so you can continue the car's momentum when the light turns green. It takes more power to move the vehicle from a standstill than if the car is already moving.
If you've taken physics you probably heard of "static friction" which is basically the amount of energy needed to move from a standstill. Pretty much the same experience as pushing a dead vehicle from a standstill.
So in short, if you have the chance try to ease on the brakes to keep the car momentum going to save yourself some money!
6. Let Your Car Breathe!
The air coming into the engine could be restricted due to a clogged up dirty air filter!
This would be impacting fuel mileage as well as performance.
You could buy a factory air filter or buy a reusable air filter such as AEM or K&N (which needs to be cleaned with water and air filter cleaning solution) and replace it yourself.
There is some debate on K&N's "oiled" filters but I'll post another blog talking specifically about "oiled" vs "dry" performance air filters.
-Here's a few types of air filters and cleaning solutions in the market today!
7. Change the engine oil on a regular basis
Make sure to have your engine oil as recommended in the vehicle's maintenance guide, typically it is usually 5,000 miles and for some new cars it could even be 10,000 but please make sure.
What engine oil does is that it lubricates all the parts that are moving at high speeds (such as the camshafts, piston rings, crankshaft and so forth) so it will move easier with less friction.
But if the engine oil has not been changed for a while, friction will increase and the car would both lose power and decrease fuel efficiency by a considerable amount, besides the point that it would deteriorate your engine. -Don't have your mechanic find black sludge coming from the oil drain!
Wanna change oil yourself? Check out these helpful tools to get the job done!
8. Weight Reduction
Extra weight equals extra gas.
Simple enough, the more weight the vehicle has, the more energy (gas) is need to move the vehicle, and the smaller your wallet gets.
Most vehicles may have a spare tire. An alternative to a spare tire that some people use is having a can of air and "patching" liquid called "Fix a Flat" that can be used to temporarily patch any small holes and pump up the tire to drive to the nearest tire shop.
- Here's the "Fix a Flat" can and other tire related equipment!
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