Tips to Get Better Gas Mileage

In this day and age, especially for people commuting long distances to work or school, saving gas is important. That's why all of us need to drive a little smarter, and maybe even drop a little extra gas money into the car to fix it up a little. Keep in mind when reading these tips, that for the national average of $2-3 per gallon, 1% means 2-3 cents per gallon. So if two of these tips are practiced, and each one of those saves you 1-2% gas mileage, it could translate into paying around 6 cents less per gallon at the pump.

First, take a look at the carburetor/fuel injectors. For fuel injectors, a microscopic blockage of dirt or other foreign substance will shatter gas mileage. It will turn what should look like a triangular spray pattern into a dull drip. For a carburetor, blockages in the jets or float needles can not only flood your engine constantly, causing horrible gas mileage, it could also do serious engine damage. A simply fuel injector/carburetor cleaner can be purchased at a gas station for around $2-3 and can clean out small blockages. For larger ones, a cleaning of the injectors or jets may be required. Keep in mind that almost anything with access to the fuel line can block these.

Second, check those spark plugs. If the car is irregularly sputtering or "missing," it could be a fouled plug. Make sure to replace the plugs according to the manufacturer's specifications, and gap them correctly. 1 fouled spark plug can drop a car's gas mileage as much as 12%. That is over 20 cents a gallon at the pump!

Third, check the air filter. If it is dirty, clean it or replace it. If the car is not obtaining enough air, the air/fuel ratio is off, and will get worse mileage.

Next, check the air/fuel ratio. My advice is that if you are not 100% sure about what you are doing, let a professional mechanic do the work. Too much gas or too much air can cause a lot of permanent engine damage, such as burning pistons or heads. Until this ratio is correct, the gas mileage will be reduced fairly severely.

The next tip could be one of the most important. Check the air in all four tires. Not only do they need to be at a PSI close to maximum, but they all need to match. If one tire or more is riding too low, you may be losing up to 10% of your total gas mileage.

Finally, if you drive a V8, it is possible to turn it into a 4-cylinder engine. This is something that you should speak with a professional mechanic about, as your car may not be powerful enough to pull itself efficiently with 4 cylinders, but keep in mind that it can be done.

That is all for the mechanical tips, which can save a bundle by themselves, but once you learn how to drive for the best gas, you can really save.

First of all, avoid those jackrabbit starts. I don't care how fast your car is, or how much you despise the little old lady next to you for slow acceleration. She is laughing all the way to the bank. Never depress the pedal more than around a quarter of the way down when accelerating. This will generally allow average injectors or carburetors to function at peak efficiency.

Second, turn your overdrive on. Overdrive is generally for mountain use or pulling trailers. It locks out your highest gear and runs on one less. Running this next highest gear at high RPM's (high RPM's almost always worsen fuel efficiency) in non-mountainous terrain or without trailers will crush gas mileage.

Obey those speed limits! They are not just put there for cops to have an excuse to pull you. Not only will they help you avoid gas killing red lights, the lower speeds help to make gas mileage better.

Finally, plan out the paths you take. Don't just pick a way that seems shorter. Try to find the straighter road, with less stop signs or red lights. Stopping at signs and slowing down and speeding up on turns can hurt gas mileage.

I drive a car with a Chevy 350 engine in it. This engine averages around 12-15 MPG highway. Applying these tips actually got me up to around 18-20. This may not sound so good, but if they are applied to a newer car, they can receive around 25-35 MPG. Applying these tips may help you to keep on driving past the pump when, earlier, you would have stopped to fill up.