General Car Tips
Get Better Gas Mileage
It is much easier to increase your fuel mileage than you think. There are many things that affect your mileage in a small way, but when you put them together, they can save you $300 - $700 a year in gas. That could buy you a nice little vacation, couldn't it? I will give you a lot of suggestions; you can pick the ones that suit you the best.
The first thing is speed. Most people do not know that the smallest difference in traveling speed has a very large effect on fuel economy. Traveling at 65 mph (104 kph) instead of 55 mph (88 kph) can waste 17% more fuel. That alone can add a few hundred dollars to your annual fuel bill.
Here are some points:
- Minimize daily warm ups to 30 seconds. Even at sub-zero temperatures, 30 seconds is all a car needs if you don't race away, and make sure to drive the car slowly for the first few miles. The rest of the time you're wasting gas.
- Higher octane gas (super unleaded) does not give your car more power or better fuel mileage. It means your car is more resistant to detonation. Purchasing the more expensive, higher octane, premium fuel provides no benefit to most cars. The only reason to use high octane gas is if your car is starting to "ping" (which is also called engine knock). This knock will not only rob your car of power and fuel mileage, but more importantly, depending on the severity, can ruin your engine over time.
- On the highway, use cruise control to reduce gas consumption. It helps maintain a steady speed and therefore better gas mileage.
- Don't fill the gas tank to the brim. Stop when the pump clicks off. Usually, tanks have overfill tubes and when you go around a corner with an overfilled tank, some gas spills out through this tube.
- Check tires regularly. Under-inflated tires can run hot and shorten the life of the tire and rob you of mileage - up to 4% for every 5 pounds it is under-inflated. Air expands with heat, so when inflating a warm tire add about 4-5 psi to your recommended tire pressure. In addition, for every 10% your tire is deflated, you increase tire wear 15%.
- Some people over inflate their tires to get less rolling resistance and therefore better fuel economy. It does work, but there is a catch. You can get premature and uneven tire wear and end up replacing your tires much sooner than normal. The money you save on gas is more or less the same as the added expense of replacing your tires much sooner.
- Use your air conditioner sparingly because your engine has to power the air conditioner compressor. By using the air conditioner, you can increase your fuel consumption by 10% on the highway, and up to 20% in stop and go traffic.
- Some companies are marketing a product termed a "gasbooster" that retails between $25-$100. Each product uses the principle of ionizing the gas with a new gas line material or using the heat from the water hoses to help vaporize the fuel/air mixture. The product manufacturers claim a 3-5% better fuel economy and can reduce pollution by up to 15%. I have personally tested many of them, and they did not live up to their promises. There may be one out there that works, but I haven't seen it yet. And if these products are so great, improve fuel consumption and reduce pollution, why isn't every car manufacturer putting them on their vehicles?! It would only cost them a dollar or so in mass quantities.
- Many major gas companies or retail and department chain stores offer a percentage discount from your gas bill if you purchase gas on their credit card. Usually they will give you between 5 cents to 15 cents per gallon (depending on the total quantity purchased over a month). This can really add up at the end of the month. Just inquire the next time you are filling up at your favorite service station.
- Save up to 1.5% by removing unnecessary items from the car (commonly in the trunk). For every 100 pounds in extra weight, the car eats up 0.5% more gas.
- If you have a carbureted engine, a poorly tuned car can use 5-9% more gas then normal.
- Save up to 4% by taking your snow tires off as soon as it is safe to do so.
- You can save up to 5% by removing roof racks that create wind drag.
- Use premium multi-grade oils to save up to 5% on your fuel consumption. Friction modified oils can improve your mileage. Use low viscosity oil in the winter, like SAE 5W30 or 10W30. Also, start using EC (Energy Conserving) or EC II grade oils. EC oil reduces fuel consumption by up to 1.5 - 2.7%.
- Try to conserve the car's momentum. It takes 600% more gas to move a car from a dead stop compared to one that has a couple mph's momentum. By observing traffic conditions and maintaining a reasonable distance from the car ahead of you. This will reduce braking and allow you to keep the car's momentum. The gas it takes to accelerate from 0-35 mph in half a city block could have carried you a half a mile at 35 mph. Simply getting out of poor driving habits can save 10-25% in fuel expenditures.
- Radial tires can cut 3-4% of your fuel bill.
- If you own a pick-up truck, remove your tailgate (or put it down) for any highway driving. The tailgate acts like a drag chute giving you very poor fuel economy as much as a 15% loss). If you don't want to remove your tailgate; you can use a soft net-type gate or get a bed cover to almost eliminate the drag chute affect.
- Expect up to 10% drop in fuel economy in heavy rains, and 1-2% for every 10 degree Fahrenheit drop in temperature.
- Fuel consumption is heavy in the first 20 minutes after start-up, especially in winter months, because the car hasn't fully warmed up to its efficient temperature. To reduce this effect, use a block heater. Purchase one with a timer so it comes on 2-3 hours before you have to start the car. A warmer engine means easier starting and better fuel economy. This also reduces pollution to our environment since the car's emissions are much higher before it warms up.
- Avoid driving with an open sunroof or windows at highway speeds. It increases aerodynamic drag and wastes fuel (up to 8%). Use the vehicle's flow-through ventilation to provide fresh air for passengers.
- If you are going to be stopped for more than 60 seconds with the engine idling, shut it off. It takes more fuel to idle over 60 seconds than it does to start the car.
- Make sure your front wheels are aligned properly. A misaligned front end increases fuel consumption.
- Keep filters and catalytic converters clean. Dirty filters increase fuel consumption as much as 10% and studies have shown that 33% of all vehicles on the road are in need of a new air filter.
- A V-8 engine averages 17.5% greater fuel consumption than a V-6 (that could amount to as much as $500 per year in fuel savings). A four-speed automatic gives you 5% better fuel economy than a three-speed automatic transmission. Consider this when buying a car.
- Also, when buying a car, it is good to find out if it has a lock-up device in the torque converter. If it doesn't, it means there is probably always slippage, which can increase fuel consumption by 6%. The lock up reduces this slippage and saves wasted energy.
- An automatic transmission will have an average of 5-11% poorer fuel economy than to a 5 speed manual transmission that is used properly. Most people don't know that power steering can add 3% to fuel consumption with its added weight and strain on the engine.
- By driving in a straight line instead of letting the car wander from side to side in the driving lane, you can save up to 2 mpg.
- A new car that is "broken in" properly can get as much as 5% better fuel economy throughout its life. Refer to the owner's manual for "break-in" procedures.
- When you go to foreign countries, many do not have gas pumps that reset to zero after each use. Many unsuspecting tourists are fleeced when they pay for their own gas and the gas registered on the pump before them. This is very common in Mexico. Don't end up paying for 50 liters of gas instead of the 30 liters you actually pumped.
- If you do an excessive amount of traveling, you may consider changing your final drive gear. You might want to get a low axle ratio gear so that the car's engine can turn the wheels faster at the same r.p.m.; therefore getting better fuel mileage. This lower final drive ratio is sometimes an option when buying a new car.
- Cars are usually "air-starved" at high speed. If you do a lot of highway driving it may be worth your while to use a homemade air ram. Purchase a length of air duct, similar to the type under the dash of your car, and attach one open end behind the front grill so air is forced into the tube. Cut an opening in the air cleaner intake and attach the other end of the air duct with sheet metal screws there (you can use duct tape to seal the connection if you wish). This will achieve better fuel mileage at highway driving speeds if your engine is "air- starved".
- A fantastic tip used by truckers everywhere is to purchase gas on Indian reserves. You can buy gas at 25
- 40% discount because there are no taxes on gas on the reserves. Most maps mark Indian reserves clearly, and many times they are just a few miles from major interstates. Plan your trip to stop and fill up on reserves and save big dollars.
- Split FireŽ plugs claim to give you 4.8% better gas mileage and a smoother running engine. Although you will probably see a slight increase in gas mileage, it is not guaranteed. I don't think it will be as high as 4.8%. We didn't notice any significant difference in our test car, but feel free to try it; maybe you will find a difference.
- Converting to propane is another alternative. Although this is an expensive project, you will save approximately 30 - 50% on your present fuel cost (depending on local propane fuel prices). With this type of saving, the conversion process could easily pay for itself within a year. After that, you are saving 30 - 50% for doing absolutely nothing but using an alternative fuel. Because propane is considered a cleaner fuel, it can mean smoother acceleration and idling, reduced engine maintenance, overall improved performance and less air pollution (carbon dioxide, is partially responsible for the greenhouse effect). As you may already know, most taxi cabs are converting to propane or natural gas. Tokyo has been using this system to improve air quality for many years now.
- Consider buying a diesel engine next time you are in the market for a new car. The disadvantages are: the initial purchase price is more, it's noisier and has less horsepower. The advantages are: much greater fuel economy (usually 25 - 30%), higher resale value and maintenance is lower due to a more simple engine. The best customer for a diesel engine is one who drives more than 15,000 miles a year. If lack of power is a concern, try a turbo diesel. They have about the same horsepower as a gas engine of the same size.
Changing Seasons affect damaged windshield
Windshield dings love to travel. Driving means extra vibration. And vibration helps little dings grow into big cracks.
Extended driving also means running the heater or air conditioner, which causes radically different temperatures on the inside and outside of the windshield. Engineers call this temperature stress "thermal shock." Dings call it "growth food."
Fixing a small ding costs as little as $50 to $60. Replacing a cracked windshield can cost hundreds of dollars; on some cars, the cost is much more. Dings that have a cone shape, a circle deep in the glass, or a star shape with points spreading out are the most likely to expand into a cracked windshield.
"Once a ding or star expands, windshield replacement is often the only option," said Leo Cyr, Vice President for Marketing at NOVUS Windshield Repair.
NOVUS, with more than 2,600 specially trained windshield repair technicians worldwide, was founded 28 years ago. The company has repaired or replaced nearly 20 million windshields in cars, vans, pickups and sport-utility vehicles.
"We repair whenever possible. If necessary, we also do replacement, but that is a last resort. We prefer to fix, not replace," said Cyr.
NOVUS repairs windshields without removing the glass from the car. This benefit of repair work means the job is done faster and the factory installed seal between the windshield and the vehicle body remains intact. Since passenger side air bags deploy off the windshield, preserving the factory seal is an important safety consideration.
Often, a NOVUS repair can be done at no cost to the vehicle owner. Many insurance companies pay the full cost of the NOVUS repair by waiving the policyholder's deductible. Even so, some consumers prefer to pay the reasonable cost of repair directly and avoid filing an insurance claim.
"Windshield repair appeals to cost conscious insurance companies," said Cyr, "because repair is the most economical solution to windshield damage. The savings generated by windshield repair help insurance companies keep their premium rates affordable and competitive. That means the policyholder benefits twice. Strength and clarity is restored to the windshield, and, repair contributes to the stability of auto insurance rates. Everybody wins."
The key to assuring an effective windshield ding repair is to act quickly. Do not attempt any repair yourself, without special equipment and training, all you will do is contaminate the ding, making repairs more difficult if not impossible. You can "band-aid" patch by putting a piece of clear packing tape over the ding. Make sure the tape doesn't obstruct your vision. The tape won't prevent the ding from spreading, but will protect it from contamination.
Until the ding is fixed, avoid washing the vehicle, the soap and water can contaminate the ding. Also, don't run the defroster, heater or air conditioning on high settings and don't park the vehicle in the sun. Rapid changes in interior temperature or prolonged exposure to sunlight can stress and weaken the windshield, causing the ding to expand.
If you get a ding while driving on vacation, don't wait until you get home to have it repaired. The longer you drive with a ding, the more likely it is to expand into a cracked windshield.
NOVUS has a free "800" number for more information or to locate the nearest NOVUS technician. Call 800/77-NOVUS (800/776-6887).
Should I do this service when it’s recommended?
Yes, definitely, regardless of whether you have a manual or an automatic transmission.
Manual: Most manufacturers recommend that manual transmission fluid be changed
every 30,000 to 60,000 miles. Under heavy-duty use, some manufacturers suggest changing
transmission fluid every 15,000 miles.
Automatic: Service intervals for an automatic transmission vary from every 30,000
miles . . . to never. The typical service interval is 60,000 to 100,000 miles. Changing it
more often does no harm.
Why do I have to do this?
Manual: In a manual transmission, the problem is not so much the fluid degradation,
but rather fluid contamination. This contamination occurs over time as the synchronizers,
bearings and gears in the transmission wear out. The resulting metal particles then float
around in the lubricant. And we all know that oil with microscopic particles of metal in
it does not lubricate as well as clean oil. So if these contaminants are not drained out,
they will shorten the life of your transmission.
Automatic: Because more heat is generated in an automatic transmission, automatic
transmission fluid actually degrades and breaks down with use.
In addition, like in a manual transmission, automatic transmission fluid will also become
contaminated with worn bits of the transmission. If these contaminants are not drained
out, they will shorten the life of your transmission.
What happens if I don’t do this?
If you don’t change the transmission fluid on schedule, you’ll be lubricating
your transmission with metal shavings and other contaminants. This will shorten the
transmission’s life. The result could be a hefty boat payment to your mechanic. In
other words, changing your transmission fluid at the correct interval is a good
investment.
Tip: Unlike engine oil, transmission oil doesn’t burn up. So if you’re low on transmission fluid, you almost certainly have a leak.
FLUID CHECKS
The first thing to check is the fluid level itself because a low fluid level almost
always indicates a leak. The level should between the full and add marks (the closer to
the full mark, the better).
The check should be made after driving the vehicle so the fluid will be hot. Heat causes the fluid to expand. Checking it when it is cold may give the false impression that it is low. On most vehicles, the fluid level is checked with the engine idling and the transmission in park.
Under normal driving conditions, transmissions should not use any fluid. If the level is low, therefore, it usually means the fluid is leaking out through the pan gasket or past the input shaft or driveshaft seals.
The appearance and condition of the fluid should also be noted. Oxidization will darken the color of the fluid, changing it from a bright red to a dark brown. Oxidized ATF will also smell like burnt toast. If the ATF in the transmission is discolored and/or smells bad, it needs to be changed without further delay.
Another way to check the fluid's condition is to use a "blotter" test. Place one or two drops of ATF from the transmission on a piece of blotting paper (or a paper towel) and wait about half a minute. If the spot is widely dispersed and red or light brown in color, the fluid is in satisfactory condition. But if the spot doesn't spread out and is dark in color, the ATF is oxidized and should be changed.
Belt Noise Troubleshooting
Terms such as chirp, squeal, rumble and yelp have been used in the automotive industry to describe noises caused by friction-induced vibration in engine accessory drive belts. The following report, based on testing by The Gates Rubber Company, examines primary causes and remedies for this problem.
All sounds that are audible to the human ear have their origins in some vibrating surface. For example, intermittent chirping that increases in frequency as the engine is revved up can be the result of belt vibration caused by misaligned drive pulleys -- a leading cause of belt noise. As a misaligned V-ribbed belt span enters the grooves of a pulley, initial contact is made with only one side of the V-groove. The greater the misalignment angle, the greater the radial sliding length experienced by the belt ribs as the belt seats in the pulley causing frictional vibrations, or chirping (see Figure 1).
Figure 1 
Radial sliding motion of V-ribbed belt.
Low belt tension, contamination and belt vibration are other common sources of belt noise. A screeching or squealing noise that occurs when pulling away from a stop normally indicates a lack of tension; check belt tension and automatic tensioners.
A tapping or grinding noise caused by a pebble imbedded in the belt is a common occurrence. Grinding sound also can result from damaged bearings, which must be replaced, aligned and lubricated to eliminate the noise and further damage.
Vibration and noise can develop over time as drive components such as pulleys and spring tensioners wear out of tolerance, as bearings and brackets loosen, or as belts wear and stretch.
In ongoing studies at the Gates Belt Testing Laboratory in Denver, engineers have gained the following insights to noise resulting from misalignment:
Figure 2 
Parallel misalignment.
Figure 3 
Angular misalignment.
Whenever a vehicle owner complains of belt noise, Gates says it is important to determine the type of noise and under what circumstances it occurs. A solution to a noise problem caused by drive misalignment is not likely to resolve a slip noise problem th at may be caused by insufficient tension or some other problem. Find out if the problem is more noticeable in the morning while the engine is cool (cool, damp belt). Is the noise loudest at idle speed, or when accelerating or shifting gears (rapid changes in engine speed can cause a belt to slip)?
Next, attempt to recreate the problem in the service bay. Using a spray bottle filled with water, mist the belt lightly. If the noise level recedes for several seconds, then returns louder, a misalignment problem is likely. If the noise immediately increa ses after the belt is sprayed, slipping is likely.
If the water spray test is inconclusive, or not successful at diagnosing the problem, attempt to remove the noisy belt and re-install it so that the belt runs in the opposite direction. Because misalignment noise is influenced by the direction of misalign ment in the drive, flipping the belt around in this manner will eliminate or significantly diminish (temporarily) any noise caused by drive misalignment. If the noise remains unchanged, the problem is not likely related to drive alignment.
In actual applications, the highest occurrence of belt noise due to misalignment comes from short belt spans entering large diameter pulleys. Service technicians are encouraged to look for the source of noise wherever these conditions exist.
Also, look for replaced drive components, such as a rebuilt alternator, which may have been improperly installed resulting in pulley misalignment.
Failure to correct conditions responsible for belt noise will result in the problem returning, usually within 3,000 miles or less.
If the problem is drive-related, depending on the degree of misalignment, it may be possible to modify the noise level by installing a new belt with noise-resistant properties.
Gates engineers have developed new elastomeric compounds that are noise-resistant under various environmental and wear conditions. These new belts feature additives that enable them to slide easily into and out of the pulley. This low-noise construction h elps to eliminate belt noise from most misalignment situations.
In the case of severe misalignment, repositioning of drive components using shims, or by changing the press fit of the pulley or the shaft, may be required. Pulley alignment and tension must be correct on all V-ribbed belt applications for the drive to operate properly.
TIP: The cure for this wash the belt and sprocket off with a mild soap solution. I like warm water and a small bit of Dawn dish soap. Use a rag to wipe the belt off as you rotate the wheel, then rinse with clean water. Let the belt dry thoroughly, or blow the water off with compressed air. Many times this is all you need to do, but for really squeaky belts you can spray the belt lightly with Dry Silicone Spray by Krylon that you find at the hardware stores. This will quiet the squeakiest belt.
I don't recommend using any type of commercial belt dressing. Because they are sticky they will cause dirt to stick to the belt.