Tag: fuel injectors

5 Tips on Making Your Car More Fuel Efficient

Posted by Jack – December 2, 2009

With gas prices sky high most individuals who drive are interested in ways they can make their car more fuel efficient and save as much money as possible. While there are no fuel saving tips that will keep your car full of gas without filling up, there are some tips that really can help you save money on fuel over the long run. All of these tips focus on making your car more fuel efficient.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #1 Drive When You Crank Up
This might seem obvious, but as soon as you crank up your car you should drive off. However, many people crank up and leave the car idling for a while. Instead of this, when you crank up drive off and only keep your car running when it is absolutely necessary.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #2 Don’t Ride the Break
Many drivers hit the break more often than is necessary. Additionally there are quite a few drivers that slow down for a braking car when they could easily switch lanes. Not riding the break can increase your fuel efficiency by up to 30%, so this is a great tip you should follow.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #3 Turn Off Your Car
If you are going to be stopping for more than 10 minutes you should switch off your car to keep fuel efficiency at its peak and not burn more gas than is necessary.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #4 Don’t Turn Off Your Car
If you are only stopping for a brief moment or less than 5 minutes then don’t turn off your car because the amount of gas used to crank up is more than you would burn in that short period of time.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #5 Inflate Tires Properly
Too many drivers never think of their tires, unless one goes flat. However, having tires that are properly inflated can save fuel and make your car more fuel efficient, saving you money. Because of this, you should check your tire pressure on a regular basis.

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Great Way to Find Cheaper Gas Prices

Posted by Jack – November 27, 2009

Instead of chasing the latest offer for gas price reduction, New Smyrna Chevrolet recommends becoming familiar with gas prices in the different areas of your city. On Gasbuddy.com, a system of volunteers post gas prices on the Internet. The amount of variation will surprise you.

When do you know you need new Brakes

Posted by Jack – November 26, 2009

 

Spending money on car repairs is the last thing any of us want to do, but it is a necessary evil. Generally, if you wait too long to get something fixed or replaced, it will end up costing you more than the original repair. Knowing when to change your brake pads is important; otherwise it can be very costly.

Step 1

If you bought your car new from a dealership, you can refer to your manual which should give you an idea of how many miles your brake pads should last you. Just keep that number in mind, and remember to consider getting new brake pads when you have reached that stated mileage. This does depend on your driving habits. Some people need new brake pads faster than others. I managed to make it 70,000 miles before I had to change mine.

Step 2

In either case, if you bought your car new or used, you can check the thickness of your brake pad yourself. Just take the tire off, and inspect the thickness of the brake pad. Most brake pad repairmen will tell you to replace your pads when they are 2 to 3mm thick. Keep in mind, new break pads are usually 10mm thick. Some people even say wait until the pads have the same thickness as a dime.

Step 3

The last way you can decide yourself, is to wait until you hear your brakes squealing. This a final warning telling you to get your brake pads changed as soon as possible. If you wait too long you might damage the rotors, which will double the price of your brake repair.

Step 4

If you’re undecided or don’t want to be bothered with checking it yourself, you can always take your vehicle to a dealer service department. They will be able to take a look at it and decide rather quickly if your brakes need changed. If you’re already hearing the squealing noise, they will probably take it for a quick test drive and let you know. Worst case, if they don’t need changed, they can give you a good estimate of how many more miles you can drive before your brake pads will need changed.

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From the Desk of Jack Holcomb

Posted by Jack – November 13, 2009

When we started this blog our main goal was to make sure the content was informative and useful. Thanks to all the positive comments, we feel confident it is serving the main purpose. More to come! Jack

Why should I clean my fuel injectors

Posted by Jack – August 5, 2009

Gasoline vapor deposits left in fuel injector nozzles after an engine is shut down form hard varnish. Over time, it can build up and clog the injectors. Gasoline additives and detergents already mixed into the gasoline you buy help reduce this problem, but they can’t eliminate it entirely. Injectors periodically need to be cleaned. Some experts recommend cleaning the injectors every 25,000 to 30,000 miles to keep them flowing at peak efficiency.

Dirty fuel injectors could cause your vehicle to be sluggish, maybe black exhaust,poor fuel economy,sometimes maybe a miss or splutter in engine.

This is the basic procedure:

  1. Either disable the fuel pump and plug the fuel return line (doing this on some cars may set a fault code which must be cleared after the job is completed), or
  2. Install a U-tube so the fuel will return directly to the tank.
  3. Disconnect the pressure regulator.
  4. Connect the cleaning kit to the fuel port on the fuel rail.
  5. Remove the fuel cap from the gas tank to ensure that excessive pressure does not build up in the system. Cleaning kits deliver a large burst of pressure to the fuel system.
  6. Turn the ignition to ensure that, with the fuel-pump shut off, the engine will not turn over.
  7. Open and continue to open the valve on the kit until the fuel pressure reading matches the one appropriate for your vehicle. (See your vehicle’s owners or service manual.)
  8. Start the engine to run the cleaning solvent through the injectors and let it run until the solvent is exhausted in about five minutes and the engine shuts down.
  9. Reset the fuel-pump switch and replace the gas cap.
  10. Reconnect the pressure regulator.
  11. Start the engine and check the fuel injectors for proper operation using an extra-long screwdriver as a “stethoscope.” Listen for clicking sounds in rapid sequence to indicate a properly operating injector.

Cautions:

  1. Badly clogged injectors may not pass enough solvent during a normal cleaning cycle to be thoroughly cleaned.
  2. You may have to do some additional tests such as checking HC and CO levels in your emissions or an injector pressure drop test to confirm that the injectors responded well enough to your cleaning efforts.
  3. Strong solvents may attack rubber and plastic components in the fuel pump, regulator, and fuel lines.
  4. Because of the flammability of the gasoline and solvent you’re working with and the fact your engine needs to be running during this process there is some risk of injury attached to using this method.
Clogged Injector vs Clean injector

Clogged Injector vs Clean injector

Another photo of a clogged injector vs a clean one

Another photo of a clogged injector vs a clean one