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17

Jul

Improve Fuel Economy - How Choosing The Right Tires Make A Huge Difference

Posted by User ImageCar Fuel Saving  Published in Saving Fuel

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Cross-section diagram of a tire (tyre) showing...

Most people don’t realize that having the right tires can improve fuel savings. But it’s true. And you probably haven’t paid enough attention to the tires you have on your vehicle.

You’re probably paying more than you should for gas because your tires are hurting your fuel consumption. Add to that the fact that it’s hard to know which tires will be more efficient, and it’s a recipe for poor fuel mileage.

Hopefully, this will be soon be recified, because the federal government has decided that tire manufacturers must start labeling tires for fuel efficiency. This program would create a national labeling system that would rate the energy efficiency of tires.

To date, the government program hasn’t made much progress. Industry watchdogs claim that tire companies are stalling, but the manufacturers say they’ve spent millions of dollars on the research and development of tires that are fuel efficient.

You’ll find that tires today are more efficient today than they were in the 1970s. Radial tires have improved tire efficiency, and there have been many advances in tread patterns. Rolling resistance, (the power that is lost as rolling tires flex and change shape), has also been reduced by as much as 50%.

Unfortunately, efficiency can still vary by as much as half from tire to tire, reducing fuel economy by more than 10 percent. And experts believe the mandated minimum standards should help reduce the amount of gasoline used in the US by billions of gallons.

Until those minimum standards actually appear, though, you will have no way of knowing which tire will deliver the most fuel efficiency for your vehicle. Until labeling arrives, the best you can do is remember these tips from the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Your tires should be properly inflated. Check the manufacturer’s psi recommendations. You’re mileage will improve when your tires are inflated to the right psi. Make sure not to test the pressure in cold or hot tires.

If you’re in the market for new tires, think about replicating your original brand and model. Auto manufacturers usually choose the most efficient tires possible for their new cars.

Stay away from special wheels for your truck or car. Wider tires touch the road with more friction, and oversize wheels and rims weigh more. Your fuel efficiency will be reduced.

Penny Test - test for safe tread depth

Only replace your tires when they need it. To test the tread, turn a penny and put Lincoln’s head upside down. Then stick the penny in the tire tread groove. If the top of his head is noticeable, replace the tires.

Fill tires with air, and not nitrogen. There is no conclusive proof that nitrogen improves either tire wear or mileage, so it’s not worth the cost.

If you see that the tire tread is uneven, take your car in for servicing to determine the problem. You could have alignment, balance, or parts issues.

Use snow tires in a snowy climate and drive slow to increase efficiency. Don’t buy rain tires if you live in a dry climate.

By choosing the right tires, you’ll be sure to improve your fuel efficiency.

Want another great tip on how to improve fuel economy for your vehicle? Click Here for my best one - and cheaper than a new set of tires, too!

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7

Jul

Hybrid Vehicles - Answering The Two Most Popular Questions

Posted by User ImageCar Fuel Saving  Published in Hybrid Vehicles, Saving Fuel
2004-2007 Toyota Prius photographed in USA.

If you demand it, companies will come up with it. This has never been more apparent than with hybrid autos, the companies answer to a consumer nation that has become more environmentally aware.

The day you knew hybrids were here to stay was the day car companies started announcing hybrid SUVs. Imagine, all the size and little of the guilt. That being said, there are some misconceptions about hybrids, so lets address the big two.

Buy any old hybrid and you will get a major tax credit. This is the first myth that arises around the hybrid. Can you get a tax credit? Yes, but you must comply with certain requirments issues by none other than the Internal Revenue Service.

If you want to claim a tax credit for buying a hybrid, you have to comply with a few regulations. First, you have to purchase a brand new hybrid. Second, the IRS must have ceritifed the car. Third, you can only claim the amount then available.

The funny thing about the tax benefit of purchasing a hybrid is it is a moving target. The IRS initially sets an upper limi and then has the option to lower that amount each quarter of the year after it analyzes the number of cars sold.

This lowering of tax credit amounts can be a real shock to someone that purchased a hybrid. As of the writing of this article, the famous Toyota Prius is about to lose all of its tax credit. One has to think that fact is going to hurt sales.

Many people are outraged by the phasing out of the tax credit available for hybrids, particularly the manufacturers. Talk about a selling point! The credit, however, was never meant to support an industry, only generate interest in it.

A second area of misunderstanding with the hybrid vehicle has to do with the batteries. Obviously, the car requires special batteries. There is a myth that they have to be replaced every 40,000 miles. This is alleged to be a big problem because they are expensive.

In truth, there is no requirement that hybrid batteries be changed every 40,000 miles or so. Most brands come with warranties of up to 100,000 miles. Although hybrids are fairly new, the batteries are reported to last well into the hundreds of thousands of miles.

Should you make your next vehicle a hybrid? If you want to cut your driving costs and help the environment, then the answer is definitely yes. Just make sure to buy it new and check with the IRS on your tax credit amount.

Want to see how you can get hybrid-like fuel economy out of your current vehicle? Click Here for my best tip on how to improve fuel economy for your current vehicle - hybrid or not!

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24

May

Hydrogen Fuel Cells: The Truth

Posted by User ImageCar Fuel Saving  Published in Saving Fuel

If you are like me, these rising gas prices are really starting to get on my nerves. I started looking for alternative fuel and other ways to reduce my gas expenses. It was too the point where I was considering trading in my car for a hybrid. That’s when I discovered hydrogen fuel. In this article, I’m going to discuss the truth about hydrogen fuel cell generators and how you can build a hydrogen fuel cell for your car.

Is This Science Fiction Or Is It Science Reality?

The myth about running your car on water seems like something out of a science fiction movie. I can tell firsthand that this myth is true. However, it is not completely true that you can run your car on JUST water. It is impossible to extract enough energy from water to completely run your engine. The truth is that you can use the hydrogen in water to supplement the current gas running in your engine. This means that your engine will not run completely on gasoline but hydrogen as well. So instead of using 100% of your gasoline, you will be using something like a ratio of 60% gas and 40% extracted hydrogen. Can you start to see how you will be travelling less to the gas station? (It means more money in your pocket!)

Wait, Can You Really Run A Car On Hydrogen Fuel?

Not completely, but a portion of hydrogen fill help run your engine. Now in order to get the hydrogen, we need to understand the composition of water. Water is composed of 2 hydrogen molecules and 1 oxygen molecule. By extracting the hydrogen molecule through a process called electrolysis, enough hydrogen can be used to supplement the gasoline in the engine. This ongoing process of extraction allows enough hydrogen to be used to help power the engine. Makes sense so far?

How Do You Build A Hydrogen Fuel Cell Generator?

It’s fairly simple, but you can basically build a hydrogen fuel cell in one weekend without a large investment. You can build one as cheap as $150 for a single cell generator. There are step-by-step guides on how to do this and you don’t have to be a mechanic to do it. If you already know a bit of car maintenance, then building a system shouldn’t be too difficult.

In conclusion, the myth about hydrogen fuel cell generators is confirmed and it is possible to run a car on hydrogen fuel. The idea is to extract hydrogen from a known source such as water and use it to supplement the gasoline in your engine. These systems are not hard to build and with a good step-by-step guide, anyone can build one in their garage.

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23

May

Gas Or Diesel: Save Money Now By Increasing Miles Per Gallon

Posted by User ImageCar Fuel Saving  Published in Saving Fuel

How do you get more miles per gallon of gas or diesel? The number one factor for increasing gas mileage is to keep up on your vehicles maintenance. With everyone leading busy life styles it is often easy to overlook car maintenance and by doing this you are often failing to get the best gas mileage.

When was the last time you vehicle has had a tune up? If it has been a few years or your vehicle is running or idling a little rough or your miles per gallon has decreased you may be wanting to schedule an automotive tuneup.

A tune up usually involves a diagnostic engine test. Spark plugs and air filters are often replaced and sometimes corroded or cracked or defective spark plug wires are replaced. Often gas metering and airflow adjustments are made.

It may be found that your diesel engine has a defective glow plug or your gas engine has a clogged or dirty fuel injectors then your engine performance will be poor.

Depending on what is discovered or found during an engine diagnostic you could end up having oxygen sensors replaced or other sensors that help monitor your engines performance and emissions to help it run at peak performance.

You may also find you have a weak battery or alternator affecting your charging system and this can have an effect on you vehicles mileage.

A properly performed tuneup can in most cases result in an increase in gas mileage. It would not be unusual to see mileage increases of 40% in a worse case scenario.

If your looking to do it yourself on a few improvements properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage a few percent. Replacing a dirty air filter can increase gas mileage up to ten percent. Adding a fuel additive every few thousand miles can help keep your engine clean but always check your owners manual before using additives. These are just a few items you can do at home or on the road that can help you get more miles per gallon.

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20

May

5 Important Gas Saving Tips

Posted by User ImageCar Fuel Saving  Published in Saving Fuel

Gas is something that just can’t be avoided- anyone with a need to get somewhere across town or in need of travel will likely have to shell out money in the process. With gas prices becoming ever higher, it becomes important to get thrifty in the process, so as to be economical on the matter and save money as a result.

Contrary to popular belief, air conditioning isn’t such a gas hog when traveling at high speeds. Nevertheless, it is common for those in need of fresh air to lower the windows instead of turn on the air conditioning. This actually lowers gas efficiency more, however, since the drag caused from the lowered windows affects gas mileage more so than the strain that air conditioning puts on the engine.

It’s no wonder that older folk seem to have to get gas less than others. This might be due to the fact that they travel less, but also because the elderly tend to drive slower on average. Driving slow and responsibly will increase fuel mileage, as it helps keep unnecessary strain on the engine. Slow acceleration and braking habits also help to give vehicle owners increased fuel efficiency.

Even though car manuals sometimes claim that cars should be run on the highest grades of fuel, this is not true. Cars that can accept low grades of fuel should, since this gives cheaper prices for just about the same amount of mileage. Purchasing gas with a higher octane rating may help improve mileage, but not enough to actually justify the price difference.

When one’s tires are low, there is a big loss in fuel mileage per gallon. Under inflated tires will cause more work to have to be done on the engine, meaning there are fewer rotations of the tire per gallon of gas. This can be such a dramatic chance in fuel efficiency that consumers should constantly check their air pressures in their tires in order to get the maximum benefit in fuel efficiency.

Lastly, it should be noted that when “warming up” a car, it shouldn’t take more than a minute or two before the car is safe to drive even in winter conditions. There is no use in warming up a car longer than necessary, as this burns extra fuel. When wanting to listen to music while sitting idle, it is also best to turn a car’s ignition to the setting that only drains the battery- but be careful not to do so for long or the car may not start again.

Closing Comments

Gas prices are just going to keep increasing as demand continues to be so high. The only relief is going to come through careful conservation, buying fuel efficient or hybrid cars, and maintaining a certain sense of responsibility when having to drive. Car pooling with others or riding a bike to locations is much better for the economy, environment, and one’s wallet- so don’t miss a chance to leave the car behind on your next excursion.

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19

May

How To Use Less Car Fuel And Get The Best Gas Mileage

Posted by User ImageCar Fuel Saving  Published in Saving Fuel

You want to know how to get the best gas mileage while driving your car? While our gasoline prices increase daily some parts of Europe and Great Britain pay twice as much for their petrol. You may not be able to go out and buy that latest 20,000 dollar electric hybrid. You need to make sure that you keep up on your vehicles maintenance and should you notice a noticeable miles per gallon decrease you should schedule your vehicles for an engine tune up or engine diagnostics with your automotive mechanic. Most newer vehicles do not require a tune up until you reach 100,000 miles.

You may not recall your last tune up and if you bought a used vehicle there are often no service records. Consider buying a used car from a reputable dealer or used car lot and often maintenance check and a tune up has been done. Used car dealers may not always do a full tune up prior to selling a used car if the vehicle is running well. If you have your doubts ask and if the motor is running a little rough then see if the will do a maintenance check and tune up free prior to buying that used car for sale.

Peak gas mileage will be consistent on your car or truck when your vehicle is taken in for regularly schedule service and maintenance checks including oil changes. An engine diagnostics check often can discover faulty sensors that may have a negative impact on your gas mileage. A perfect example is a faulty oxygen sensor that is replaced can improve gas mileage up to 40%. It pays to have your car or truck regularly serviced and an engine diagnostics performed if a check engine light comes on or you notice a noticeable decrease in gas mileage.

Always get oil changes every 3000 miles or no longer than what your vehicles owner manual suggests. Dirty oil can reduce gas mileage up to 2%. Other tips and secrets include changing out that dirty air filter. Clogged air filters when replaced may be one of you better cost replacement savers, a dirty filter you can increase gas mileage up to 10%. Taking extra weight out of your vehicle can also add miles you your tank of gas. The only other option if gas prices are eating your wallet for breakfast and you drive a gas guzzler truck or SUV is to look for used cars and buy one that gets better mileage if you can not afford a new car.

An electric hybrid may be out of the question due to costs but what else can you do if you have already followed you owners manuals schedule? You may already be using gasoline additives or you may have already found a gas saving device that is not a scam. Fuel additives can keep your engine and fuel injectors clean optimizing gas mileage. The sad truth is many fuel savings devices do not work or work as claimed but a few do and these age gaining popularity on the Internet and in forums and are often of home built origins.

One of the latest devices that is gaining in popularity and getting mention even in the news is HHO gas. HHO gas can be generated from a HHO gas car kit or plans and blended with you current gas or diesel gasoline which may give you the best gas mileage ever. HHO gas generator is introduced into the intake manifold and most HHO plans or kits are easy to follow for simple construction or installation. Some refer to such a systems as hydrogen on demand. A simple HHO fuel cell is can easily fit under the hood of a car and in larger engines more than one cell can further improve gas mileage. This technology is experimental but because it can be constructed or installed at home most basic starter kits can be made for under 100 dollars if you shop around and price parts. HHO gas kits are helping people who implement this technology get the best gas mileage of 15-40% on average and in some cases much higher. The other benefits besides improving gas mileage is an increase in power and usually improved emissions.

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10

May

7 Simple Steps To Accurately Compute Your Car’s Gas Mileage

Posted by User ImageCar Fuel Saving  Published in Saving Fuel

Figuring out your gas mileage yourself is very easy to do, and if you remember this simple method you can figure it out for yourself every time you fill up your tank.

First, you need to figure out the number of miles between each fill-up. Second, you will figure out how much gas was used. Finally, you will estimate your gas mileage, using only simple math. To get started, you will need a calculator, a piece of paper, and pen or pencil.

Step 1: Completely fill-up your gas tank.

Step 2: Push the trip odometer in your vehicle so that resets to zero. If you can’t for whatever reason, then you can just write down the total mileage of your vehicle on the piece of paper.

Step 3: Drive as you normally do until the gas tank is almost empty.

Step 4: Fill your gas tank completely full.

Step 5: Now you need to calculate the number of miles you have driven since between fill-ups. If you reset your trip odometer (in Step2), check it now for this number. If you wrote down your vehicle’s mileage in Step 2, subtract it from the current total mileage of your vehicle. Write down the number you get because this is the number of miles you have driven between fill-ups.

NOTE: Keep in mind that most of the time, the number you write down in step 5 should be between 100-500 miles. If you’ve driven a lot more or a lot less, there might be a problem with your math (or you’re getting really good mileage).

Step 6: Next you need to figure out how much gas you have used between fill-ups. To do this, all you have to do is to look at the pump. The number of gallons on the gas pump is how much gas you used between fill-ups. Write down the number of gallons with a few numbers after the decimal point on the piece of paper.

Step 7: Now, on your calculator, divide the number of miles you drove between fill-ups by the number of gallons of gas you used (The number in Step 5 divided by the number in Step 6). This equals your gas mileage!

If you drive a truck or large SUV, gas mileage should be somewhere between 20 and 12. If you drive a large car or small SUV, gas mileage should be somewhere between 25 and 18. If you drive a mid-size or compact car, gas mileage should be somewhere between 35 and 25. Gas mileage for scooters is so great, that drivers shouldn’t even calculate. If your gas mileage is significantly more than what is listed above, you may have either calculated something incorrectly or there is something wrong with your vehicle.

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4

May

4 Simple Steps To Save 20% At The Pump

Posted by User ImageCar Fuel Saving  Published in Saving Fuel

With the ever increasing cost of gas, we can all use a few tips to save gas. Here are a few things you can start doing right now to help out.

Could you imaging decreasing your gas costs by 20%? Well, if you take an active role in managing you fuel consumption, this is possible.

One of the other things to think about would be that you can increase your gas mileage by 20%. This is basically the same thing, just worded from the other perspective, as reducing gas costs by 20%.

Today, you can begin by just slowing down. When you drive the speed limit, you are already saving gas. Plus, you really do not get anywhere that much faster, and it is safer. So, I guess there could be 3 reasons for this one.

Your car needs oxygen to burn gas and make the engine run. But, if you have too much oxygen, there will be gas left over after the combustion takes place. This is wasted gas. The most likely culprit of this is a loose gas cap. When you replace the cap after filling up, just make sure it clicks.

An area many people neglect their cars is the air pressure in the tires. This is a real simple tip you can do. Just stop by a local service station, and fill up your tires to the pressure rating listed on the side of the tires. Not only does this save gas, but it als makes the car handle much better.

One last thing you can do is stop buying the super unleaded gas. It does nothing for gas mileage. This alone is a 5-6% savings in the price you are paying for gas.

These are just a few of the things you can start doing to save gas or increase your gas mileage. There are many more tips to save gas out there. I would suggest looking for and implementing as many of them as you can. The gas prices will only keep increasing.

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1

May

More fuel, less cash - is it really possible?

Posted by User ImageCar Fuel Saving  Published in Saving Fuel

As I write this, gas prices are over $3.50 a gallon. It seems un-American to have to pay $4 this summer for something we paid $3 for last summer, and $2 the one before that.

The scary part is that analysts on the tube predict this trend to continue and prices may double yet again before the next presidential election season.

Personally - I’m fed up!

Every time I put my credit card into the slot on the gas pump, I can feel it sucking the cash faster and faster, with that precious liquid flowing slower and slower for every dollar I spend. And yet, as I look around the web for ways to save money at the pump, I found most recommendations scattered here, there, and everywhere.

If we ever hope to live the lifestyle that we have become accustomed to - driving where we want on vacations, taking a tour of the country, or simply just getting to work without needing to ask for a raise twice a year to pay for the commute - what is to be done?

I put this site together to answer that very question. I want to know how to save money by spending less on fuel. When I go to buy a new car, I want to know what the most economical, fuel-efficient cars are. I want to know if I can modify my vehicle, such as with plug-in Hybrid technology, or if I can use bio-diesel where I live, or even acquire any other alternative-fuel source.

I want to save money on gas. And I don’t want to have to buy a bicycle and park my car in the garage forever to do it.

If you’re like me, please bookmark this page and come back frequently. My pledge to you is to research alternatives, interview experts, try out and critique new techniques and add-ons for my car, and do whatever I can do so that I don’t have to spend so much on fuel and can fill my tank less often.

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