How to Get Better Gas Mileage and Save Money

This how to will you provide you with in depth tips on how to save money by spending less on gas and getting better gas mileage from your vehicle.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A Car
• Tire Pressure Gauge
• Socket Wrench Set
• Spark Plug Socket
• Spark Plug Gapping Tool
• A Jack
• Tire Iron
• MAF Sensor Cleaner
• Carburetor Cleaner

1. One of the things many people don't know about the gasoline they buy is how the octane rating, or "grade", of fuel relates to their specific car. If your car does not have a turbo charged or high compression performance engine, then chances are it is designed to run on 87 octane or "regular". Using "Mid Grade" or "Super" just means that you are using a higher octane gas meant for turbo charged and performance vehicles. Though using higher octane fuel wont harm your car, it really doesn't provide any benefit either, so you may as well buy "Regular" and same some cash.

2. Don't be picky about brand names. Most of the time any group of gas stations in a given area are all supplied by the same fuel supplier. It's all pretty much the same gasoline, so buy it where it's cheapest. Also remember to fill your tank whenever you are in an area where the gas is notably less expensive.

3. I've personally found that tire pressure makes a huge difference in gas mileage. If your tires are under inflated then your gas mileage is going to suffer. The correct tire inflation should be written on a sticker located in the driver side door jamb along with other information about your vehicle. It should also be listed in the owner's manual. I've found that running the tires about 5psi over specification can improve mileage a bit more but do so at your own risk, and never exceed the maximum pressure written on the side wall of the tire.

4. The next most important thing is driving habits. Sudden stopping and aggressive acceleration are sure to bring down your MPGs. It might be a good idea to keep an eye on your tachometer to make sure you shift at the lowest RPM possible in a manual and don't go above a certain RPM in an automatic. Also plan your route to avoid traffic and stop lights if it all possible, idling while stopped burns a lot of gas and gets you nowhere. Sometimes the shortest route is not actually the shortest in terms of time and gas burned.

5. Get a four wheel alignment. If the wheels are not aligned then chances are your car is pulling in one direction or another, causing you to have to compensate by turning the wheel slightly. This compensation will make your power steering work harder, thereby burning more gas. This can also cause premature tire wear, which will also cost you money.

6. Check to make sure your spark plugs are properly gapped and in good working order. Corroded, damaged or improperly gapped spark plugs can result in a weak spark or even a cylinder miss fire potentially robbing your car of its fuel economy. A visual inspection of the spark plugs will tell you if they are in good working order and gap can be checked with an inexpensive spark plug gapping tool. ("How to" to come)

7. Check the air filter. Replacing the air filter is one of the cheapest and easiest basic maintenance things you can do on your car, and a dirty one can ruin your gas mileage.

8. Clean your MAF. Most modern fuel injected cars are equipped with a MAF or "Mass Airflow Sensor". The MAF measures the amount of air coming into the engine and is usually located after the air box on the air intake. The MAF can be cleaned with a specialized "MAF cleaner" which is sold in an aerosol can at most auto parts stores. Cleaning the MAF sensor element is a very simple procedure if you follow the instructions on the back of the can. ("How to" to come.)

9. Make sure that your brakes are not dragging. If your car seems to rev fine but does not seem to get up to speed as fast as it should a brake could be dragging which can also cost you mpg's. Simply jack each wheel up, one at a time, and see if it spins freely while the parking brake is disengaged and the car is in neutral. Drive wheels should take a bit more effort to spin but ultimately be easy to move. If any wheel seems to be particularly difficult to spin then you may have a dragging brake and you may want to take it to the shop.

10. Check for vacuum leaks. A vacuum leak can wreck havoc on your gas mileage as well as performance. Finding a vacuum leak can be somewhat difficult but there is a fairly easy method; spray your vacuum lines with carburetor cleaner. If the engine revs higher while you are spraying then that means the carb cleaner has gotten into the line and you know where your leak is. The leak can usually be repaired by replacing the line.

11. Now that we've discussed how to get better mileage from your vehicle and how not to over pay for gasoline, we need to point out some scams and gimmicks that need to be avoided. Things with names like "Turbonator" and "Tornado" and other devices that are insert into the air intake system of your vehicle and supposedly increase air flow by introducing some sort of spiral effect. These devices not only litter ebay but are also for sale at many reputable auto parts chains and all have one thing in common; they do not work. The same goes for "electric superchargers" and many other devices where the gains seem way to good for the price. Save yourself some money and don't get sucked in by the advertisments.

Tips & Warnings

• Many of the steps in this guide refer to more complicated procedures which go beyond the scope of this article, this is the reason for the moderate difficulty. Though I've provided a general idea of what to do in each step, it may be a good idea to go ahead and look up a procedure if you're not familiar with it. For instance; if you don't know how to change or gap spark plugs now might be a good time to look up a how to on it.
• Avoid scams and gimmicks that claim to double your gas mileage for a low price and little modification to your car. If a product seems to good to be true, it probably is.