Gas Mileage and Gas Prices » oil change http://www.fueleconomyhelp.com How to Increase Gas Mileage and Beat Gas Prices Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:36:28 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Oil Changes, Gas Prices, AC: Better Gas Mileage Answers http://www.fueleconomyhelp.com/2008/11/oil-changes-gas-prices-ac-better-gas-mileage-answers/ http://www.fueleconomyhelp.com/2008/11/oil-changes-gas-prices-ac-better-gas-mileage-answers/#comments Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:52:27 +0000 Fuel Economy Advisor http://www.fueleconomyhelp.com/?p=121 Today I decided to run a question and answer type of blog post, since I read this one over on Mercury News which answered some great questions as to why gas stations of the same brand sell gas at different prices. 

By the way, it’s because every gas station gets their gas from different suppliers or zones. Those and other factors can mean a gas station of the same brand a few miles apart can still have different gas prices.

Q. Does an Oil Change Help Fuel Economy?

A. Yes, it definitely can.  You will certainly get better gas mileage with clean oil than with dirty oil.  As with just about any other type of maintenance you can perform on your car, the less you service it the more work your car’s engine has to do.  Running oil clean is not only healthy for your engine, it also makes it run better and more smooth, which translates to better gas mileage for you.

Also consider using synthetic oil, rather than petroleum oil.  I’ve seen lab tests state that you can gain as much as a 5% to 7% increase in gas mileage with synthetic oil.  It can be a bit more expensive, but may be worth it in the long run. 

Now this doesn’t mean go changing your oil every thousand miles just to get better gas mileage; it’s not worth it if you spend a fortune in oil.  I would suggest an oil change every 5,000 miles for petroleum oil and every 10,000 for synthetic.  Modern autos can probably run fine for more miles than that without an oil change, but those are good guidelines to follow for better gas mileage.

Q.  Does Removing the AC in a Vehicle Help Gas Mileage?

A.  Technically, yes, but for the same reason not turning your AC on will help gas mileage.  Running your car’s AC puts an increased load on your car’s engine, which in turn uses more gas.  You will usually get less power and poor gas mileage out of a car with the AC running.  But that doesn’t mean you have to remove the entire AC system from the car.  Just don’t turn it on!

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]]> http://www.fueleconomyhelp.com/2008/11/oil-changes-gas-prices-ac-better-gas-mileage-answers/feed/ 2 Simple Maintenance Tips to Increase Fuel Economy http://www.fueleconomyhelp.com/2008/10/simple-maintenance-tips-to-increase-fuel-economy/ http://www.fueleconomyhelp.com/2008/10/simple-maintenance-tips-to-increase-fuel-economy/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:14:21 +0000 Fuel Economy Advisor http://www.fueleconomyhelp.com/?p=86 Increasing your gas mileage can be easy when you follow these tips to maintain the optimum performance in your engine, which can reduce fuel consumption and save money on gas. 
 
Make sure the vehicle has properly inflated tires. When the tires are balanced and inflated the vehicle is able to drive efficiently. If even one of the tires is deflated it can decrease the gas mileage of the vehicle by up to five percent! As easy as it is to stop after filling up the vehicle and check the tire pressure of the vehicle most people don’t bother.  This is one of the easiest ways to maintain the vehicle and increase gas mileage. Check the manual that comes with the vehicle to see what pressure the tires should be at for optimal performance.
 
Is your air filter clogged? If it is, than you could be increasing the fuel consumption of your vehicle by up to fifteen percent – the air filter should be checked every twelve thousand miles to ensure proper function. After this amount of time it will more than likely need to be changed, as they become clogged. Many times when you bring the vehicle in for an oil change they will check the air filter as well.
 
Ensuring that all spark plugs within the vehicle are in working order means increased fuel efficiency. If even one component of the vehicle is not working properly it causes the engine to have to work harder. What does it mean when the engine has to work harder? When the engine works harder it uses more fuel, which can increase consumption and decrease gas mileage.
 
Maintaining simple and regular oil changes will reduce friction within the engine, thereby increasing the fuel efficiency within the vehicle. As the oil ages it becomes less slippery and can increase friction within the engine. The reason oil is used within the vehicle is to maintain a smooth ride, decrease the friction and create a well-running engine.
 
Using these tips can increase your gas mileage through the use of simple maintenance techniques created that will extend the life of the vehicle, maintain optimal running performance and save money on gas.  After all – with gas prices at the levels they are at, we can all use a break at the pumps!

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