How to Increase my Gas Mileage with Certain Auto Maintenance

With gas prices steadily increasing, you are probably wondering if there is a way to make your vehicle perform better in the gas mileage department. Good news is, there are some general auto repair and maintenance things we can do to make sure your vehicle is getting the most efficient mileage possible. Most of these maintenance repairs are very small issues, relatively cheap and simple. If you bring your vehicle into Dave’s American Discount Muffler, we can do a quick evaluation on your vehicle and find out if any of the following could be negatively affecting your gas mileage:

Do you need an oil change? Are you using the best type of oil? Do you have enough oil in your vehicle?

Keeping up with your vehicle’s oil is important for many reasons, but it can also help with your gas mileage.  Having your oil changed properly, with the best type of fuel, and maintaining your motor oil level can increase your fuel economy by up to 3%. This may not sound like much, but we all know when it comes to gas, those miles and those pennies add up quickly.

As is pretty common with most systems that require air flow, your vehicle’s air flow can have a significant impact on overall performance. It’s often overlooked and not thought about by auto owners, but with the current rise in fuel prices, it’s worth it to give yours a check – especially if it hasn’t been changed in a long time or potentially at all. If your vehicle is over 10 years old, this is even more important for your gas mileage. The recommended range to replace an air filter is dependent on vehicle make, model and year, but typically falls between 30,000 – 45,000 miles.

The function of your mass air flow sensor is to measure the air flow into the engine and prompt your vehicle’s computer to regulate the fuel injection. When this sensor is dirty or damaged, the reading is going to be inaccurate and displace the balance, causing your engine to work harder and thus negatively affecting your fuel economy. We can easily clean or replace your mass air flow sensor to ensure optimal performance.

Very similar to the mass air flow sensor, the oxygen sensor is important for optimal vehicle engine performance. The difference is, the oxygen sensor is a little more difficult to get to and check. The oxygen sensor monitors your exhausts air flow before and after the catalytic converter. If your vehicle can’t properly read the exhaust flow, both your engine and your fuel injection are negatively affected. It is recommended that you change this sensor every 100,000 miles approximately, so if your vehicle has over 100,000 miles and you’ve never replaced this, you may want to consider doing this soon.

Your vehicle’s spark plugs, in basic terms, take the electric current from your ignition and deliver it to your engine. This sparks combustion and makes your engine work. The recommendation varies within the industry of whether to change out your spark plugs or not. We typically notice that by 80,000 miles, your spark plug is nearing the end of its fully efficient and optimal lifespan. If your spark plug is hanging on by a thread, you’re not getting the most efficient and effective vehicle start. New spark plugs give your engine efficiency a boost, increasing your gas mileage.

When it comes to fuel economy, basic auto maintenance can have a significant impact. These are just some of the main auto maintenance things that can help increase your miles per gallon. The rising gas prices have hit hard across the country. Let Dave’s American Discount Muffler help make sure you’re getting the most efficient mileage, call us today.