Improve
Your Car Gas Consumption
Save Money on Gas
– Without Changing Your Car or Driving
Habits.
Not ready to buy a new
car or change the way you drive?
Never fear; these fuel-saving tips take
the sting out of today's gas prices:
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If your car
"Check Engine" or "Service Engine Soon"
is on, bring your car for a Computer
Diagnostic because something related to
your automobile emissions is in fault,
this problem can help you save hundreds
of dollars per year and save the life of
your engine, not to mention the air
pollution in our city.
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Service
your automobile according to the
manufacturer service intervals, by doing
so, you will keep your vehicles fuel
economy as was designed by the
engineers.
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Changing
the oil every 3,000 miles or 3 months
religiously.
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If you
drive your automobile around lots of
constructions or very dirty roads, have
your air filter checked on every other
oil service, "engines also need to
breathe".
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Keeping
your tires inflated to specs, will
reduce road dragging.
-
Tires
should be rotated every other oil
service or 7,000 miles.
THE FOLLOWING TIPS WILL HELP YOU TO
STAY ON THE ROAD!
Tip
1: Every 3000 miles, make sure to change your Oil and Oil
Filter. This is due to your oil getting dirty as well as decreasing
viscosity which can be dangerous to the life of your engine. Oil and
Filter change cost between $20.00 to $120.00 dollars and a Engine
Replace can cost you anywhere from $2,000.00 to $18,000.00 dollars
depending on your automobile make and year.
Tip 2:
Your tires should be rotated about every 6,000 miles to keep the treads
even. When you don't rotate your tires, one or more of the tires may
ware unevenly, causing them to loose their treading, having to be
replace at earlier age. Tire rotation cost $15.00 dollars, to replace
your tires can cost you anywhere from $200.00 to $1,500.00 dollars
depending on your automobile make and year.
Tip
3: Factory Scheduled Maintenance Services should be performed
as recommended by the factory since there is a reason for maintenance on
a car just like a check-up from a doctor.
Tip
4: Make sure to read your automobile maintenance book,
in there you will find important information about
your automobile year and make and help save thousands of dollars in
unnecessary repairs.
F A Q - Frequently Asked
Questions
How often do I need a tune up?
About every 2 years or every 30,000 miles
Why do I need "scheduled maintenance?"
Regular scheduled maintenance practices will often find small
problems and keep them from becoming bigger problems. But remember, no
matter how well you take care of your vehicle, there is always something
that could fail. No one can predict the future!
How often should I change my fuel filter?
Every 15,000 miles or once a year. (Not changing the fuel filter
on-time is a leading cause for electric fuel pump early failure)
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My "check engine light" just came on, but the car is still running okay.
What should I do?
Even thought the car is "still running okay" you should have a computer
diagnosis done to find out why the check engine light came on. It can be
driven like that, but it should be checked as soon as possible. |
My car just "clicks" when I try to start it. What is wrong?
Possible weak battery.
For later model Ford vehicles (mid to late 1990's) a possible ignition
switch electrical failure.
Starter solenoid failure, high resistance in start system wiring.
The starter is bad and needs to be replaced.
The battery cables and clamps are dirty, corroded or loose.
You should have the the Starting/Charging system checked and repaired.
My battery light is on. What should I do?
First, don't shut the engine off unless you have to. It may not
start again. Maybe the alternator belt broke or came off. With
serpentine belt tensioners, failures are common on later model vehicles.
This is most often an alternator that has failed. You should have your
vehicle charging system checked for proper operation and repaired if
needed.
What is that "clicking" sound when I turn?
That "clicking" noise you hear is most likely a CV axle that has a
torn boot and dirt and debris has gotten in and the grease has all been
thrown out. The CV axle needs to be replaced (replacing only the torn
boot will NOT cure the noise).
Most common on Imports: Honda, Subaru, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, Mitsubishi
and on most any front wheel drive vehicle. But Honda is the most common.
Why do my brakes
squeal?
In the old days, brake pads were made of asbestos, which, a few
years ago, was outlawed by the federal government. Most brake pads now
are made of hard, semi-metallic materials. One result is that brake
squeal has become common, as the hard brake pad grinds on the steel
rotor. This is normal and is not necessarily an indication of brake
failure. On the other hand, squealing brakes may also mean your pads are
worn out, and the metal behind the pad is scraping against the rotor. A
brake inspection is the only way to find out for sure. Using cheap
generic pads can cause squeal as well and could cause a lot of dust on
the rim.
Why should I get an Alignment for my car?
The wheels on your car will often get out of "align" on your car,
causing premature tire wear, as well as handling problems. On older
cars, this problem was limited to the front wheels, but on most newer
cars it affects all four wheels, which is why the 4-wheel alignment has
become the standard. Many parts of your suspension (tie rod ends, idler
arms, control arm bushings, ball joints, struts, et cetera) have a part
in keeping your wheels in line over a wide variety of conditions. If any
of those are bent or worn, they will throw your wheels out of alignment.
If the car seems to pull to the left or the right when letting go of the
steering wheel, you should defiantly have the alignment checked. Pull
may also be caused by radial tires.
Why do you recommend a fuel injector service?
Fuel injectors can cost a hundred dollars or more a piece, and you
may have one for each cylinder. Cleaning them before they are plugged
can remove harmful deposits and keep them spraying in top form. After
they plug, replacement is sometimes the only option. It is very
important to keep the fuel injector clean,
The most common form of injector fouling comes from unused gasoline
evaporating inside the injector after you turn the car off.
Fouled injectors may give no overt symptoms, even while they are cutting
your mileage and pumping extra pollution into the air. When they get bad
enough, they can cause hard starting, hesitation, and loss of power. On
a scope, they will show the cylinders out of balance on a power balance
test. In order to pass a smog inspection, they have to be inspected and
properly cleaned.
The first two things to try for cleaning your injectors are using
premium fuel, which has more detergents, and putting a fuel additive in
your gas tank. These will be only partly successful, however. For the
best results, a technician will disconnect the engine from its gas
supply and feed pressurized solvent directly into the fuel rail in order
to flush out the injectors.
Failing that, injectors can be removed from the car, their fuel spray
patterns tested, and they can be more extensively cleaned. Sometimes,
nothing works and the injectors must be replaced.
Have a question about your car? Call us at:
469.235.1773.
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