A gas saving gadget that can improve fuel economy in your vehicle

I have heard that by using a simple vacuum gauge I can improve fuel economy of my vehicle. Is this so?

Yes! The gauge displays intake vacuum, which is an indication of how much load is on the engine and can be an excellent indicator of how hard the engine is working, along with how much fuel is being used. The greater the load or throttle input on the engine, the lower the vacuum reading and also the lower your gas mileage. So simply put, lower vacuum readings mean more power but less mileage, higher vacuum readings mean less power used, but more mileage. For diesels, higher boost means more power but more fuel used, lower boost is less power but better mileage.

Water pump tip

If the water pump is going to be out of an engine for more then a day, dunk it in coolant. This keeps the seal from drying out and will prevent it from leaking when you finally reinstall it.

Cleaning a a corroded battery terminal with Coca-Cola

I have heard that pouring coke on a corroded battery terminal is the best way to clean off the corrosion. Is this so?

NO! It does work to some extent, but coke contains enough acid, carbolic, phosphoric and citrus acid to make the metal bright and shiny, but it also leaves an acidic condition behind..Coke has a Ph of around 2.8, which will soon corrode the metal again, just as the battery acid did in the first place. Baking soda works better because it also neutralizes the battery acid and does not leave behind a corrosive acid film which is going to start attacking the wire.

Another fuel saving tip- A/C fan speed

I have heard that to save gasoline while using the A/C (air conditioner) use the low speed setting for the fan.

No! The energy consumption difference between running the fan on low speed and high speed is negligible and wouldn't show up in fuel consumption tests.

However, the A/C temperature setting is a critical factor in fuel
consumption since it directly correlates with how much the compressor runs. The compressor pulls up to 10 horsepower away from the motor. The best way to save fuel when using the A/C is to run the compressor as little as possible. Set the cabin temp on the warmest setting that still keeps you comfortable. Run the blower fan on its highest setting, which will maximize the convection cooling effect of the air coming out of the A/C ducts.

More Fuel saving tips!

Here are a few tips for saving fuel, often not thought of!

*Change the entire driveline over to synthetic oil and gain 10% fuel economy. Change to synthetic lubes in the engine, transmission, transfer case, and differential. Important: Not all synthetic oil is the same, and your results may vary. Added benefit: Extend the oil change interval 25-50% longer.


*Use a Car Cover if the vehicle is parked outside, a car cover may save time and energy. When used in sunbelt states and dark colored cars, a cover prevents the vehicle interior from being heated by the sun’s UV rays, the air conditioner has less heat to remove, cools the car faster with less energy. The 1- 2% fuel mileage gain will vary based on air temp, type of vehicle and driving habits. When used in snowbelt states, it can reduce defrost time by eliminating ice on the windshield and snow buildup in the defroster intake ducts located below the windshield.


*Use Window Tint Film Interlayer Film blocks the hot and harmful rays of the sun while still allowing crystal clear wireless transmission. This window solar film shades the specific light wavelengths that heat the car, reducing the load on the a/c. Tests have shown that compact cars in a traffic jam that use air conditioning can expect an increase in fuel economy of approximately 3%.



*Use Injector Cleaners Plugged fuel injectors Can rob fuel mileage by up to 12%. Regular use of an injector cleaning gas additive or annual injector cleaning is necessary.



*Replace the Oxygen sensor. Pre-1996 vehicles can have lazy oxygen sensors without the driver ever knowing it, which can rob fuel mileage by 10-15%. On these older cars, replace the oxygen sensor(s) if over 100,000 miles or 10 years old.

Manual transmission fluid changes

I have heard that manual transmissions should have the fluid changed because the fluid like automatic transmissions degrades.

No, In a manual transmission, the problem is not so much the fluid degradation, but rather fluid contamination. This contamination occurs over time as the synchronizers, bearings and gears in the transmission wear out. The resulting metal particles then float around in the lubricant. And we all know that oil with microscopic particles of metal in it does not lubricate as well as clean oil. So if these contaminants are not drained out, they will shorten the life of your transmission.