Gas Saving Tips

Many of us want to do all we can to either buy a new car that is more fuel efficient or to come up with a new way to save on gas such as carpooling, riding the bus, etc.  Well I dont know about you but the bus is not the greatest way to impress your hot date on a Friday night. So instead of hitting the road on your peddle bike just read these top 5 gas saving tips so you can roll in your own dream machine!

Tire Pressure-
Not only does having low tire pressure hold you back on mpg's but it also turns your 5 star safety rated car into a 2 star death trap. When your tires are low it creates a wider tire track therefore creating more friction on the road that will hold you back. Just think of it like this, If you push a car that has all four tires up to there rated psi it it move easily. Now, push that same car but with all four tires flat! Well no matter how strong your engine is it will need to compensate by using more fuel.

Windows Up!-
Unless you have been living under a rock for the past million years then you may have heard of a little thing called aerodynamics.Car makers actually spend hundreds of hours designing cars that are more aerodynamic for many reasons and one of those being fuel efficiency. Well when they test there cars they have the windows up because with them down it acts like a parachute catching air and holding you back. So keep your windows up so that your car is not working against itself.

Fuel Cap Tight-
You may have never noticed before but your fuel cap actually tells you to put it on tightly. And the reason why it tells you to do so is because your engines fuel system works better when compressed. By having your fuel cap on tightly there is very little room for negative air the fuel will be able to flow freely. Some cars check engine light will actually come on if your cap is loose. And remember your gas cap can go bad, a good way to check for this is if your fuel is low and you open your cap you should hear air escaping and if you don't then its time for a new one.

Clean Air Filter-
Many of you neglect your air filter because it is an easy thing to forget, but its also one of the easiest parts to maintain and replace. The filter is what allows your engine to breathe and get the air that it needs. Your engine runs on a specific fuel to air ratio and if there is a dirty or clogged filter than it can throw the ratio off or cause it to be uneven. When the fuel to air ratio is off then your engine tries to compensate for that and uses more fuel than necessary. An easy example or test of this is to run a mile while breathing through a straw and you will realize how necessary it is to have enough air, so keep your filter clean and dirt free.