Cars, Vans, Trucks, Quad bikes: Car Maintenance - "10 Tips For Improving Fuel Efficiency"Thursday, 9 September, 2010 |
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Your car is optimized to drive at 40-60mph(80-100km/hr), when you drive 70-80+mph fuel efficiency drops by up to a whooping 33%. Yes 33%, that is not a typo. I had heard this before and thought it was an exaggeration, then I drove the new Chevrolet Cobalt which has a fuel efficiency gauge in it and I saw it first hand, what a surprise.
Is it worth speeding to save 5 minutes off your commute to work so you can just get held up in city traffic? Between the lost fuel efficiency, the extra wear and tear on the car driving beyond optimized speeds and inherent safety concerns I will need a good reason to start speeding on the highway from now on.
The same idea applies in city driving. Speeding up to make the next red light guzzles gas and is hard on your car. This can decrease fuel efficiency by 5%.
Why hurry up just to make the next red light? Let's face it, speeding in the city doesn't get you anywhere's faster. If you drive like a bat out of hell you might make an extra light or two and chop a mere 2-4 minutes off your commute assuming you make it there alive.
I drive at sane speeds throughout the city while most others fly by me and hard brake at the next red light, I then pull up beside them or even pass them as I may not of needed to stop as the lights are usually synchronized for sane driving speeds not surprisingly (it also takes more gas to get back up to speed than to maintain it). So have some fun watching people fly by you and seeing them at the next red light knowing your car is much better off.
Here's one everyone can do easily. It only takes a couple minutes to check your tires pressure. Under inflated tires can result in 3% less fuel efficiency.
Plan your trip to include as many destinations or errands as possible. Fewer trips means less cold starts, better fuel efficiency and less driving than multiple small trips.
You're getting 0 mpg for this one. If you're going to wait 5-10 minutes for a friend give your car and wallet a break.
For those who live in colder climates this is a bigger issue. We all want our cars toasty warm in the winter time when we get inside. Today's cars really only needs 30 second of idling to warm up even in cold weather, then 1-2 minutes of driving to get it fully warmed up. So bundle up and save yourself a bundle.
Inexpensive oil and air filter changes can boost your cars performance and increase your cars lifespan. A blocked air filter can decrease fuel efficiency by as much as 10% and a misfiring spark plug won't help either. So try to follow your cars service manual.. It beats dealing with an unexpected major repair and major inconvenience..
I like to measure how many miles / KM I get on half a tank after filling it up. It's easier to measure this way as we don't let our gas tanks completely run dry and its impossible to estimate how much was left when you fill it up again.
You can see how your driving habits affect your fuel economy and if your habits haven't changed and you fuel economy drops off, then maybe its time for some car maintenance.
Purchasing a fuel consumption gauge (if you car doesn't already have one) can give you real time feedback and more accurate reading. This provides great instant feedback on driving habits.
For each extra 100lbs you lose 1-2% fuel efficiency, so get the golf clubs out of the trunk until your next tee off time.
Leaving items on your roof rack also creates extra drag which makes your car work harder, so lock your mountain bikes up till the next trip.
Some people like to suddenly accelerate by putting their foot to the floor. This guzzles gas and gives marginal speed improvement to a gradual acceleration.
Tailgating results in unnecessary breaking and accelerating. Hang back a little more and you can avoid the added stress and save some gas. It's also safer to drive this way, give yourself an extra second to avoid an accident!
As the name suggests, these engines work on reciprocating actions of pistons. One stroke means one linear motion of the piston in one direction. When the piston moves in the opposite direction, that is counted as another stroke.
For a 4-stroke engine, the piston has to move up, then down, then up again, and then down again to complete one cycle of the engine. In that 4 stroke of the piston, the crankshaft will have turned 2 revolutions.
The 4 strokes of the piston is to complete 4 stages of the combustion cycle. As you might have
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Over the years, the minimization of vehicular related accidents has been gaining ground. In fact, different sectors of society have contributed to ensure that motorists should be protected from unnecessary road mishaps. The government, car manufacturers, and even motorists and passengers themselves have been conscientious about this, making plans and creating devices in order to decrease the possibility of road hazards.
There have been countless pieces of legislation enacted by the government in order to ensure the reduction of vehicular accidents. The government has enacted a law about the use of seatbelts. There is also a prescribed speed limit for
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We often ignore our tires unless they're flat. But they play a vital role in the overall condition of your car. Maintain them properly, and you'll save money on repairs and on fuel costs.
Keeping your tires properly inflated ensures that they wear longer and can prevent accidents. Your car likely has a card or sticker attached to the door edge or the inside of the glove box door. The right amount of air your tires need is specified here. In case your car doesn't have this sticker, you can check your owner's manual.
Serious accidents can happen if your tires are under-inflated
or
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What you'll need:
Tools Required
-Axle Stands (€20 approx per set)
-Socket Set (€50 for an adequate set)
-Oil Funnel (Any motor-factors, €8)
-Rag cloths
-Metal Oil Drain Pan (Again any motor factors, ensure you have this placed accurately before draining the oil)
-Fresh Oil (€16, will vary with quantity and quality of oil)
-Some Common Sense in relation to car mechanics!
Prior to attempting an oil change, you must ensure that you have the appropriate tools (as listed above), which prove essential for performing the task successfully. You will need to invest in a set of Axle Stands, a socket set and oil drain pan.
Preparation
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Time: 45mins. Approx Difficulty: ***
Tools Required:
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