Tips for Improving Fuel Economy

With fuel prices nearing record levels, everyone is concerned with the price of gas. Sure, the fact you're emptying your bank account at the gas station could be because of the fuel pump in your fuel pump assembly, but it's not likely.  There are a few things you can do about increasing fuel efficiency to lessen the sting. Here are a few tips so save you some money at the pump.

 1.  Drive Efficiently – Slow down. Going fast on the freeway is tempting, even if it only saves us a few minutes, but it takes a lot more gas to drive 70mph than it does to drive 60mph – up to 2-4 miles per gallon! Also, try not to stomp on the gas or breaks. Ease on both the gas and the breaks to accelerate and decelerate and you will do wonders for your fuel economy. 

2.  Maintain your Vehicle – Always keep your tires properly pressurized. Inflating low tires can increase your fuel economy by 3.3%!  Keep your air filter clean, and if it’s filled with dirt and debris replace it. Check your owner’s manual and make sure to get tune-ups at the properly scheduled times, and always put the recommended octane fuel in your car. You may think you’re doing your car a favor by using premium fuel, but if it isn’t designed to run on high octane fuel you are spending more money for no benefit. 

3. Make Fuel Efficient Trips – If you have several errands to run, try doing all of them at once and in a loop from your house and back to minimize the distance you drive. 

4. Buy Gas When It’s Cool – Gas up in the morning after it’s been cool all night. Fuel is denser when cold – since gas pumps measure by volume you’ll get more gas if you pump when it’s cool outside.

5. Avoid “Gas-Saving” Additives – Many people are out to save gas, so fuel additives that supposedly “save gas” are all over the market. Beware – Consumer Reports has tested many of these products and found them to be completely bogus.

6. Get the Best Price – As long as it’s not out of your way, you can use sites like gasbuddy.com to find the best price of gas. Keep in mind though that even going one mile out of your way to go to a different gas station can nullify a 0.5 cent savings in gas.

7. Lighten Your Load – Don’t keep extraneous things in your trunk or car. Everything you’re hauling around in your car puts extra load on your engine and decreases fuel economy.

8. Drive Less – when it’s practical, walk or ride your bike to nearby destinations. That not only saves gas, but is good for your body and your mind. 

Hopefully with these tips you’ll be going to the gas station less often. It’s not always practical to go out and buy a more fuel efficient car, so this way you can make sure the vehicle you have is getting the best fuel mileage possible.

Essential Vehicle Maintenance: Tires

If you want to upkeep anything in your vehicle, the objects that keep your car rolling, and off the ground, should be at the top of that list. Tires are often overlooked because a car with bald tires can still drive, and replacing all four tires can be expensive. When your fuel pump or fuel pump assembly goes out, you have no choice whether or not you want to replace it because your car will not drive - bald tires can get you down the street and back, and the dangers always occur when it's too late. Nevertheless, keeping track of the condition of your tires, and keeping them properly inflated, can mean literally life or death for the people in the vehicle. Here are a few tips to make sure your tires will keep you and your passengers safe on the road.

The main cause of tire failure (when your tire goes flat or blows out) is the friction caused from moving contact with the road. This causes the tread on the tires to wear away. When the tread becomes too shallow, the tire is worn out and should be replaced. Bald tires give you little traction on the road, especially when the road is wet or icy. This means the difference in you maintaining control of your vehicle, and not maintaining control, is dependent on proper tread on your tires. One trick to check if you have proper tire tread is to place a penny, with Lincoln’s head down, between the tread of your tires. If Lincoln’s head isn’t completely covered by the treads on your tires, they need to be replaced.

 

 Underinflation is very detrimental to your tires, and your fuel economy. Not having enough tire pressure causes excessive wear on the tires, and gives you less control of your vehicle on paved roads. You should check your tire pressure regularly. To check your tire pressure, make sure your tires are cool (so when the vehicle has been sitting for awhile.) If you need to go somewhere else to fill up your tires with air, check the tire pressure before you leave and fill up appropriately. You can find out the appropriate tire pressure for your vehicle by looking in your owner’s manual, the driver’s side door panel, the glove box door, or the fuel door.  Remove the cap from the valve on one tire. Firmly press the tire guage onto the valve. Add air to achieve the recommended tire pressure. If you overfill a tire, release air by pushing on the metal stem in the center of the valve with a fingernail or the tip of a pen. Recheck the tire pressure, and then replace the valve cap. Repeat for your other tires, including the spare.

 Another important factor in maintaining your tires is your vehicles alignment. When you are driving, does your car pull to one side, or shake? A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole can throw off your alignment. Have a tire dealer check your alignment regularly to make sure your vehicle is aligned properly. If the alignment is off it will cause your tire to wear irregularly, which can lead to tire blowouts.

You should also rotate your tires periodically, typically every 5,000 miles. Naturally your front and back, left and right tires wear differently on the road. By rotating your tires from front to back, left to right, you can ensure your tires wear evenly and lengthen the life of your tires.

I find inspecting the tires while filling up at the gas station is convenient. While the vehicle is filling up, you can check your tires for wear, visually check for proper inflation, and inspect for any debris that is caught in your tire tread and can damage your tires. This way you will always be on top of properly maintaining your tires.

What is an Oil Pump?

We all know what a cooling fan is. It is a fan that cools. We also now what a fuel pump is. It's a pump that pumps fuel. So, guess what an oil pump does? It is a pump that pumps Oil.  Woah, the answer to that question was more surprising than the end of a M. Night Shyamalan movie.  Ok, so the oil pump sounds like a pretty basic part, but it plays a vital role in the operation of your vehicle.

The oil pump inside of an internal combustion engine is used to lubricate the engine and reduce friction.  The pump powers oil through bearings, sliding pistons, camshafts, and other small parts. The decrease in friction also means the cooling of pistons, bearings, and shafts. Failure to properly lubricate an engine will result in engine failure.  Now you see how important that cleverly named oil pump is.

The oil pump needs to be generating approximately 10 psi per every 1000 revolutions per minute in order to properly lubricate the system.  If your oil pump is working well but you are still having a low pressure issue, it may be caused by a clogged oil pickup screen, too much wear on a high mileage engine, or you just need to add more oil to your car.  Each car has different oil requirements.  Higher performance vehicles put more stress on the system and they need more lubricating. 

There are basically three types of pumps, a twin gear pump, a Gerotor Pump, and an internal pump.  A twin gear pump has one gear connected to a shaft that is driven by the camshaft or distributor.  A twin gear pump turns at half the speed of the engine and is located inside the oil pan.  A Gerotor Pump has one small gear rotating inside a larger one.  While an internal pump is a Gerotor style pump, an internal pump turns at the same speed of the engine so it creates a stronger flow. An internal pump design is used on overhead cam engines.

Car Company to Close… I’m so Saab :(

Saab appears to have run out of gas. Not even a new fuel pump could save them now. The 74 year old car company filed for bankruptcy this morning.   This news is likely to be followed by the company announcing that it will shut its doors completely.  The only fuel pump that would rescue them would be one that turns gas into gold.

Saabs’ last chance was to acquire $782 million in loans from the Chinese company, Zheijang Youngman Lotus Automotive, but General Motors denied the deal.  GM was a former owner, but still had a say in the deal because they supply parts to Saab.  Speculation was that GM objected to the loan because they worried that some of their technology would end up in Chinese competitors’ hands.  However, GM came out and said that they were against the deal because it was, “not meaningful different,” from previous offers.

GM sold Saab to Swedish Automotive back in 2010.  Swedish Automotive is a Dutch company, which is not at all confusing.  Saab did get some funding back in June from a couple of Chinese companies, but they blew through that cash faster than my girlfriend spends her paycheck on Black Friday.

There is still a slight chance that Saab will still exist.  A new buyer could swoop in and buy the remaining assets.  So, if you and your friends have some extra cash lying around, feel free to group the cash together and go “Dutch” on the car company.