One MPG Win, How Many to Follow?

When buying a new car we expect that almost everything onthat window sticker is accurate. If it says there is a car cd changer in thecar, we expect there to be a car cd player in the car. The same goes for other advertisedoptions such as power windows, heated seats, or maybe even hybrid technology. Theprice is the only thing on that sticker we expect (and hope) is not 100%accurate. There always seems to be wiggle-room when it comes to the pricing ofthe vehicle, but one Californian woman discovered another ambiguous numberadvertised: the MPG.

When Heather Peters bought her 2006 Hybrid Honda Civic shewas excited like most new car owners. Gas prices were shooting up and she nowhad herself a car Honda promised would get her 50 miles per gallon. So shedrove and drove and drove, but she never saw 50mpg. After some time, she wasonly getting 30mpg. Well, fast-forward some time and she has actually suedHonda for this misrepresentation. This week she won the smalls claims lawsuitwhich means Honda has to pay close to $10,000 for not living up to itsadvertised gas mileage to Peters (and maybe some of the 200,000 other 2006Hybrid Honda Civic owners).

I understand frustration with not getting high gas mileage,especially if you’re paying for a car with that specific purpose. But on theother hand, one MPG number can’t be taken accurately across the board. Livingin Southern California myself (like Peters), I understand my car’s gas mileageprobably suffers a bit from the hilly landscape and the fact that 85% of thetime I’m driving in stop-and-go traffic. Peters has now created DontSettleWithHonda.orgtrying to get other owners on board, while Honda is standing firm that they arerequired by law to post the highest mileage the car could get. With thisvictory, I’m interested to see how many others come out with the same complainton the Civic and on other vehicle models. But for now it seems like the scoreremains, Hybrid Owners: 1, Honda: 0.

Time for an Oil Change?

If your oil changes are costing close to $100 chances areyour engine requires synthetic oil. The metal components of your vehicle (suchas steering racks and steering gearboxes) need oil to stay lubricated, butthere is more than one type of oil available. Most vehicles take conventionalor natural oils which are derived directly from crude oil. This oil has manynatural properties which protect and lubricate the engine over long periods oftime.

A downside to natural oil is that it contains manyimpurities such as sulfur which can slow down the flow of oil throughout theengine. Over time contaminants can also build up and create deposits or waxwithin the engine.  With this in mind, syntheticoils were developed with specific chemical properties in order to create a moreconsistent substance. While natural oils can break down quickly at extremelyhigh temperatures, synthetic oils are made to withstand this heat. There areeven synthetic oil blends developed for specific purposes such as lubricating ahigh-performance or high-mileage vehicle. Despite its higher cost, synthetic oiloffers the benefits of improved lubrication, better stability, reduced oilbreakdown and fewer deposits.

However, just because synthetic oils offer these advantages does not meanthat you need to switch up the type of oil at your next oil change. In mostcases conventional oil does the job just fine; synthetic oil is only requiredfor specific vehicles. If you are thinking of switching up your oil be sure tocheck with your manufacturer before-hand for vehicle-specific recommendations.  

Clean Fuel Injectors Mean Better Gas Mileage

After time you may notice your car isn’t getting the same gas mileage it once did. A cause of this may be one of your diesel injectors, which can experience wear over time. Diesel or regular fuel injectors will need a bit of work to sustain the power and performance they had from stock. In some cases a simple cleaning of the injectors can restore the vehicle’s performance. In other cases, the diesel injectors may need to be replaced with a new diesel injector kit.  A recent consumer reports study shows that 46% of people think fuel economy is the most important factor when purchasing a car. (Have you seen any Hummers around lately?) The only factor that seems to have more of an impact on new car sales is price.

A main factor that can hurt the performance of a fuel injector is dirt. A fuel injector is basically a valve controlled by the car’s ECU. This valve opens and closes very quickly to allow fuel to be squirted into the intake valves. Ideally, the fuel is delivered as a mist and it is vaporized immediately. If there is any dirt on the nozzle or within the injector itself, the fuel will not be sprayed as consistently and the combustion system will suffer. This process takes place in small fractions of a second and is therefore extremely sensitive.

How do you clean your fuel injectors? Give them a bath! Ultrasonic cleaning is one of the more intensive (but effective) solutions.  This process involves actually removing the injectors and giving them a “bath” in a special cleaning solution. Simpler cleaning tips include doing a few full throttle accelerations on the highway. After having the injectors cleaned, most car drivers notice an immediate improvement in performance.

If there has been too much dirt buildup or there are other problems facing the fuel system, the fuel injectors may ultimately need to be replaced. If it comes to this, you should probably consider changing out all of the fuel injectors at the same time. So save yourself some money at the pump this holiday season and make sure your getting the gas mileage you’re suppose to!

Saving Some Change at the Pump

Gas prices are on the rise again and that means it is time for all of us to start thinking of ways to save a few cents per mile. Of course there is always checking the fuel pump and fuel level sender on the fuel pump assembly but there are lots of other tricks to help get some extra mileage out of our cars. The efficiency of a vehicle is based on the way it is drive and the weight it has to haul around.

First take a look at what is in the car besides you because anything that adds weight is something that losses mileage due to added weight. With a trunk full of stuff or a back seat full of clutter can add a good 100 lbs to the car and that will cost you over time. Under inflated tires can cost money over time, the change in resistance from the tire against the road surface changes the efficiency. Every vehicle on the road has been designed to be as efficient as possible with the fuel it was designed for. While many people believe they will get better mileage by using premium gas, it is simply not true. If your car was designed to use 89 octane and it will run worse with 91 or 93, and vise versa. Use the correct fuel in your vehicle to reach maximum efficiency.

There is a common saying in the gear head world and it works well for fuel savings as well. Don’t upgrade the car, upgrade the nut behind the wheel. Basically it means if you would like to save gas change the way the car is driven. While it may be fun to stop the gas and take off like a rocket at every light, it is sure as hell not the most efficient. Conversely extremely slow acceleration will waste gas as well due to the time that the engine is in an advanced rev range. The best thing to do is find a gradual acceleration point which uses the lease gas and still gets the car safely to travel speed. Never sacrifice safety in the quest for gas savings but a few extra thoughts about it are enough to save hundreds over the course of the year. 

Better Gas Mileage-Auto Repair Savings-Blog-Tune Up

Auto Repair Savings

How many articles have you read when it comes to getting better gas mileage for your car or truck so far this year? If your like me I’m getting tired of hearing the same old tips and advice on getting the best gas mileage for your cars and trucks. I have spent over 25 years specializing in engine performance helping my customers get their optimum performance out of their vehicles so they can get their best gas mileage possible. From tweaking out their computerized carburetors to replacing a worn out and stretched timing belt, my customers always got their gas mileage increase along with some lost power they thought they had lost forever. I showed them proof of increased gas mileage after I got through with my tune ups. Some of the things I showed them were a decrease in lost voltage on the oscilloscope and the 4 gas readings before and after the tune up. Here are a few more items they were shown and were very happy with:

1. Increased fuel pump pressure after changing out their old gas filters

2. Oxygen sensor voltage jumping around back and fourth like a Easter bunny on crack
3. Tons of carbon shooting out of their tail pipes after a good fuel injection cleaning
4. A very smooth idle as if they all were a Cadillac
5. Increased power by changing out their old sloppy and loose timing belts
6. Better gas mileage and optimum engine performance

Auto Car Timing Belt



Auto Repair Savings

I think that’s the problem with these so called auto technicians today, all they want to do is sell you parts that you don’t need and they do not take pride in their work. When ever I tuned up a car I always had a scanner hooked up to the cars computer system, the oscilloscope hooked up to their primary and secondary ignition wires and a four gas hanging out of the tail pipe making sure everything was synchronized and working before I let that car leave my bay. I also guaranteed them best and better gas mileage! The next time that you get a tune up on your car or truck see if they can perform all of this while you are watching them. I just bet they will tell you that you have to leave the shop area due to their insurance policy. I think the last time I checked, a tune up these days is just changing out your spark plugs. The rest is just an up sell for them. I hope that today’s tune ups in 2011 has improved so you can get your best gas mileage possible.