Tips for Getting the Best Gas Mileage from Your Car
Common sense and experience tell us that gas prices will continue to increase during the coming weeks and months. Proper vehicle maintenance helps your car run well and consume the least possible amount of gasoline and oil. This saves money and decreases tailpipe emmissions.
Efficient internal combustion engines develop more energy from the fuelthey burn. To keep your engine efficient do the following:
- Buy a quality gasoline that contain detergent additives.
- The owner's manual contains the proper classifications of oil to use.
- Oil that is heavier than needed causes the oil pump to do more work than necessary, decreasing engine power and fuel economy.
- Service the fuel system every 25,000 to 35,000 miles. Replace the fuel filter and have the injectors, cleaning, throttle body and plate, and the inside of the intake manifold cleaned.
- Wheel alignment and tire pressures that are incorrect waste energy and decrease vehicle performance. Check the manufacturer's recommendations and maintain them which will also increase tire life, fuel economy, improve safety and handling, and make driving easier.
Take out everything in your vehicle that is unnecessary. Unnecessary stuff in your car, or in the trunk add weight making the engine work harder than it needs to, wasting gas.
- Change the air filter regularly. See how often your owner's manual recommends a change. Air filters clean the air of debris before it is put into the engine for combustion. More air increases burn efficiency and increases power and gas mileage.
- Service automatic transmissions to keep them from slipping. Check the torque converter's "Lock-Up" feature generates excess heat making the transmission less efficient which contributes to poor gas mileage.
