Top Ten Tips for Fuel Economy!
Your Serene, Green Auto Repair Team and Small Business of the Year.
Written by Henry & Lisa Carter
Every day folks are becoming more ‘in tune’ to being Green. Here are ten pro-active tips to help you drive it green from the ‘Serene, Green Auto Repair Team’.
- Motor Oil. Top off and change oil as a regular maintenance routine can improve fuel economy by up to 2%. Changing the oil and filter regularly also affects the life of the engine. Oil, as it ages, thickens and the oil filter gets clogged. Replacing conventional oils with synthetics may offer even greater fuel economy benefits.
- Air Filters. Have your air filter changed at the end of its recommended lifespan. Replacing a clogged air filter can improve a vehicle’s gas mileage by up to 10%.
- Engine Performance. A properly maintained vehicle gets better fuel mileage and puts out less smog producing fumes than a poorly running car. Having engines tuned and fresh spark plugs can make a world of difference in how efficient your engine runs. A single misfiring spark plug can cut fuel economy by up to 4%.
- Brakes. Improperly maintained brakes can result in unwanted drag. This extra resistance can have the same effect as driving with your foot on the brake pedal.
- Warning Lights for ‘Service Engine Soon’ or ‘Check Engine’. Ignoring these indicators may result in poor fuel economy performance and lead to expensive repairs. For example, a warning light may indicate a faulty oxygen sensor is sending more fuel to the engine than necessary, which can create a 40% fuel economy decline. Or perhaps it denotes a bad thermostat, which can prevent a cold engine from reaching its normal operating temperature, causing exorbitant injection of fuel.
- Tire Wear. Replacing worn tires can save hundreds of dollars per year.
- Tire Inflation Pressure. One well known thing is to check your tire pressures regularly and make sure they are not lower than factory specs. Some people say set tires higher than normal. This is ok if you monitor your tire wear, making sure the center of the tire treads are not worn. It is not very green to get merely half the life out of tires because the pressures are set too high. We do not recommend more than 2 to 4 P.S.I. (pounds per square inch) over factory specifications. Under-inflated tires require more energy to roll, meaning more fill-ups at the gas station.
- Unnecessary Items that adds weight to the vehicle lowers fuel economy.
- Evaporative Emission Controls such as a gas cap, charcoal canister and purge valve. When these items are functioning properly they capture the gasoline vapors and recycle them to the fuel tank. Faulty controls waste gas and degrade air quality.
- Transmission. Properly operating transmission and drive components are critical to vehicle fuel economy performance. Routinely check proper fluid levels and schedule flushes every 30,000 miles.
It is good to be green! At Water Star Motors, a certified green business, we believe in keeping your car operating for a long, leak free, well-maintained life, with best fuel mileage as possible. Stop by and let us check your ‘Top Ten List’.
Water Star Motors is at 318-A River Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. 831-457-0996
We want to answer your car questions through Rock, Paper, Car.
Send questions and comments to: Henry&Lisa@WaterStarMotors.com
