Lets face it the price of gas is still rising and there is very little chance that it will ever fall back down to what it was. In fact the experts are predicting that it is going to get a lot worse, and this is sending many drivers into a frenzy trying to find ways to improve gas mileage and squeeze every last drop of gas out of their cars to get more MPG.
So just what can we do to get more MPG from our cars? Just a quick look on the internet will turn up hundreds of so called "gas mileage devices" that promise to get more MPG from your engine. Now I'm not saying that all these gas mileage devices are scams, but a lot of them sound pretty far fetched. With this in mind I have done some research and come up with ten ways to improve gas mileage using tips that most experts agree actually work.
1) This one is so obvious that it often gets overlooked. Make sure that your gas cap is in good condition and that the seal is not worn or broken. A loose or poor fitting gas cap will allow gas vapour to leak out, wasting precious fuel. As much as 17 gallons of gas a year can be lost due to a faulty gas cap. Also if and when you do replace it make sure you get a locking one as the rise in gas prices increases the rise in gas theft.
2) Stick with the right type of gas for your particular vehicle by using the correct octane rating that is recommended for it. A higher octane rated fuel such as premium will have little benefit for an engine designed to run on regular gas.
3) Don't let your engine idle for long periods. An engine that idles for 15 minutes can waste up to a gallon of gas.
4) Drive at a reasonable speed. The faster you drive the less fuel efficient your engine is, keeping your speed down is one of the best ways to improve gas mileage.
5) Make sure that your air filter is cleaned regularly. A clogged air filter will drastically reduce your fuel efficiency, so check it on a regular basis, especially if you drive on dirt roads where it will clog up quicker.
6) Don't forget your other filters. Routinely check your fuel filter and the PCU valve and breather filter. Replacing these can improve gas mileage by up to 15%
7) Get a mechanic to check your oxygen sensors. A faulty oxygen sensor can send more gas to the engine than it really needs to run efficiently.
8) Don't be a jack-rabbit driver. Always accelerate and break slowly (except in an emergency obviously). Fast accelerating and aggressive breaking will also reduce your fuel economy.
9) Keep your tires in good condition and check pressures regularly. A flat tire is a drag and will cost you gas.
10) Try to keep your weight down. All that junk you carry around in your trunk (the stuff you never use) is just adding to your gas bill.
These are just 10 simple ways to improve gas mileage and get more MPG for your car. There are many more and most of them are just common sense, so even if you don't invest in one of the new gas mileage devices on sale you can still make some savings and get more MPG for your car.
The message screams at us from every sign at every corner gas station-gasoline prices are at an all-time high and there's no indication that relief is anywhere in site. In fact, many experts are saying it could get worse-much worse-and that's sending masses of motorists scrambling for ways to cut down on gas consumption.
But what to do, when old, outdated myths and outright scams are filling the airwaves and internet? Just today we saw a television news station advising drivers to fill up their gas tanks in the morning when gas is cooler and more condensed, as a way of getting more for your money. While there is some truth that liquids occupy less volume when they are colder, it's not going to help you save hundreds of dollars a year on gas.
This outdated advice may have been true once-we don't know for sure-but we do know that today gas stations store fuel below ground in 30,000-gallon tanks. That means gas stays at relatively the same temperature and does not expand and contract with daily cycles.
We've seen all sorts of other bad advice that's outdated, ill-advised or just outright fraud. Claims that devises which bleed air into the carburetor can dramatically increase gas mileage turn out not to be true when put to the test under closely monitored conditions.
Face it-with a long-term gas crises looming ahead, there are plenty of governmental bodies and even private industries that have good reason to want to help you save on gas. Here's a countdown of the top ten tips they all agree will really help you do the job:
10. Keep your tires properly inflated according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Under inflated tires make the vehicle run less efficiently and waste gas. In fact, it can be estimated that for every 1lb of under inflation, you could be losing up to 5% of your gas mileage.
9. Don't be an aggressive driver. Jackrabbit starts, tire screeching stops and speeding can lower your gas mileage by 5% on city streets and as much as 33% on highways. Try to anticipate stops ahead of time so that you can ease up on the gas and coast to the stop, and accelerate less aggressively to conserve your gas.
8. Avoid excessive idling. Idling your engine for 15 minutes wastes one gallon of gas. Whenever possible, time your traveling to avoid lingering at traffic lights and reduce the amount of time you let your car warm up. In warm weather, driving is actually the most efficient way to warm up a combustion engine. Idling is the worst thing you can do - you get zero miles to the gallon if your car is running but not moving!
7. Slow down. The faster you go, the less efficiently your vehicle uses gas. 55 is the most efficient mph on highways. Go above 60 and your fuel efficiency decreases rapidly.
6. Remove excess weight. If you're used to driving around with your golf clubs and a chain saw in your trunk, you're paying a heavy price for it. Removing an extra 100 pounds from your car will increase your fuel efficiency by as much as 2%.
Both Richard Legg & Adam Kingston are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Richard Legg has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Internet Marketing and Cars. Discover for yourself more ways to make real gas mileage improvements and cut your gasoline consumption in half with simple Step-By-Step guides to show you how.