Auto Maintenance Tips For Saving Gasoline

Posted by in Auto Maintenance, Tips on August 26, 2011

By Brenda Williams

Some owners keep their automobiles running like finely tuned Swiss watches. They carefully follow all of the manufacturer’s recommendations in the owner’s manual. They buy premium grade oil, order regular check-ups and rush to the repair shop when they detect any unusual noise.

However, most of us are inclined to skimp a little on maintenance and some of us never see the repair shop until the car quits. Sometimes this is due to finances but most of the time it is a matter of convenience. We need our cars to take us where we have to go and we’re reluctant to give them up even for a short period of time.

But, now that gasoline is still at astronomical prices, we need to re-think our maintenance practices. Letting some things go can cost us money in extra fuel consumption. For instance, repairing a faulty oxygen ensor can result in a 40% improvement in gas mileage. Tuning an engine can increase mileage by 4%.

You should be sure that your air filter is always clean. If your engine is fuel injected, airflow regulates the quantity of fuel that is burned. The process of mixing air and fuel is quite precise so the filter needs to be clean to ensure an efficient mixture. The air filter also protects your engine from impurities, extending the life of the engine as well as saving on gas.

It is also important to check oil regularly and change dirty oil. An engine with clean oil operates at maximum efficiency, which translates into gas savings. You should definitely use the grade of motor oil recommended by the manufacturer. Using one weight oil in an engine designed for a different weight can lower gas mileage up to 2%.

You can also realize greater efficiency from using a high-quality multi-grade oil but if there is a price difference you need to compare the costs involved.

And when your tires are not properly inflated, your gas mileage decreases by 5%. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that millions of American cars run on tires that are not correctly inflated. Correctly inflated tires will also last longer and are safer.

The owner’s manual always states the correct pressure for the tires. If you are driving a pre-owned car with no owner’s manual, you can call a local dealer or research the information on the net.

Radial tires are supposed to improve gas mileage by 5% when driving in the city and by 7% when driving on a highway. So if you don’t already use radials, you might consider switching.

Another benefit of radial tires is that they last longer. However, you should be careful not to mix radials with conventional tires unless the owner’s manual clearly states that this procedure is acceptable for that model car.

In addition, tires need to be properly balanced. Properly balanced tires reduce road friction thereby increasing fuel efficiency.

You also need to check wheel alignment to ensure that wheels are properly aligned. Wheels that are out of alignment also cause your car to burn extra fuel.

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Easy Vehicle Maintenance With Automotive Tools And Equipment

Posted by in Auto Maintenance on August 26, 2011

By Jessie Rojas

With high quality automotive tools and equipment, vehicle maintenance is an easy job even for a novice. A complete kit of automotive tools includes a large range of implements required for various jobs such as repair, maintenance, tuning and in general, to ensure smooth running of the vehicle. With a onetime investment on a complete set of automotive tools, a vehicle owner can save on the fees paid for professional tuning and servicing every year.

Basic Automotive Tools

Automotive equipment distributors have a wide range of tools and equipment to meet the needs of different types of vehicles. They include simple tools such as:

* Monitors

* Hammers

* Jacks

* Dollies

* Screwdrivers

* Brake lathes

* Sockets

* Heat guns

The above are a few of the basic tools required for the servicing of any vehicle.

Advanced Automotive tools

For more advanced maintenance, high quality, sophisticated tools are required, which can be basically categorized as follows:

* Auto Lift Equipment: Used to access the under-carriage of the vehicle for cleaning and repair purposes.

* Lubrication Equipment: Includes oil pumps, grease valves and oil meters needed for periodic lubrication of the vehicle.

* Air Compressors: Generally used to measure tire pressure, and if required to inflate or deflate tires.

* Tire Changers: Helps in changing tires quickly.

* General Service Tools: Includes body equipment, wheel balancers, paint, brake fluid exchangers, booster cables, battery chargers and other tools which help in periodic servicing of a vehicle.

* Exhaust kit: The exhaust equipment and hoses are manufactured to withstand high pressure and heat. It is essential to buy manufacturer approved exhaust kits as it can be dangerous to use sub-standard equipment.

Wheel Alignment

Wheel alignment is the process of adjusting the angles of the wheels to be perpendicular to the ground and parallel to each other. Wheel alignment is a highly complicated process, and needs to be handled precisely according to manufacturer’s specifications. Therefore, is essential to use high quality equipment like Hunter alignment equipment. Proper wheel alignment with computer based Hunter wheel alignment equipment is linked to various benefits such as:

* Improved driving performance

* More gas mileage

* Reduced tire wear and tear

* Improved handling and safety of the vehicle

How to Buy Automotive Tools and Equipment

Automotive equipment distributors offer the needed tools for sale at their outlets or on their websites. Online distributors provide all types of automotive equipment starting from auto lift equipment and Hunter wheel alignment to simple power tools, wrenches, wheel balancers, metal working products and many more. Though these tools are available at local shops, it is preferable to buy them from reliable online sources which offer quality products at competitive rates and also provide proper after sales services.

Using high quality automotive tools and equipment will ensure that vehicle maintenance is a hassle free job for anyone. It makes sense to have a set of automotive tools handy, as vehicle maintenance is not an option but a basic requirement for the smooth performance and safety of any automobile.

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