Improving Your Car's Fuel Economy: 4 Things You Need to Check
Have you noticed that you aren't getting as many miles to the gallon as you used to? With rising petrol and diesel prices, many people are now looking to get the most out of a full tank of gas. Poor fuel economy is rarely caused by just one thing. It is normally caused by problems with multiple parts of the car. Alone, none of these problems would have much impact on your fuel economy, but combined, they created a perfect storm which causes your engine to guzzle gas. Below is a guide to 4 things you should check if you are concerned about your vehicle's fuel consumption.
Air Filters
Over time, the air filters on your car can become clogged with dirt and debris. When this occurs, the volume of air which can pass through the filter is reduced, starving the engine of the oxygen needed to fully combust the fuel. This results in more fuel being used to drive the engine. If you find that the air filter is dirty, you should change it immediately.
Fuel Injectors
Wear and tear can cause the seals on your car's fuel injectors to fail. This will cause fuel to leak out of the injector rather than being pumped into the engine. This reduces the engine efficiency and fuel economy of your vehicle. You should carry out periodic checks of the fuel injectors seals to check that they are intact.
Tyres
Not many people realise that driving with tyres which are underinflated can increase their car's fuel consumption. When a tyre is underinflated, a larger part of the tyre surface is in contact with the road surface. This increases the amount of energy needed to overcome the friction generated by the road surface, which means your engine has to burn more fuel to keep the wheels turning.
Spark plugs
Spark plugs ignite the fuel in the combustion chamber of the engine. Overtime, spark plugs can begin to fail or misfire. This can result in the incomplete combustion of the fuel within the engine which will result in the loss of power. In order to compensate for this loss of power, more fuel will need to be used. You should check your spark plugs on a regular basis, removing them and wiping them with a clean cloth. If you notice carbon deposits on a spark plug, you should replace it immediately.
If you would like further advice about improving your car's fuel consumption, contact a car service company today.
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