How to get better Gas Mileage

There are many car repairs you can (and should) do to get better gas mileage. Since almost every system in your vehicle can affect gas mileage, here are some of the more common repairs to increase gas mileage. Please note: this information is not meant to be a "how-to" section on car repair, it focuses on repairs that can increase gas mileage.



car repair - brake system - brake repair that can increase gas mileage
When brakes drag, something is broken or out of adjustment. It can be anything from overadjusted rear brakes to a worn out front brake caliper. Brakes are serious business as the life of the driver and passengers obviously depend on them, so any repairs done to get better gas mileage will ususally go hand in hand with increased safety.
car repair - cooling system - maintain proper cooling for best gas mileage
Overcooling or undercooling (overheating) can both affect gas mileage negatively. Undercooling, when the engine runs too hot, can cause metal engine parts to expand an increase internal friction, which kills gas mileage. Overcooling, when the engine runs too cold, allows more combustion heat to escape the engine as heat always moves toward cold. The engine has to burn more gas because too much energy is converted into heat and simply dumped into the cooling system.
car repair - fuel system - keep fuel system clean and in good order to get good gas mileage
Two common problems here are fuel injectors that are worn or stuck open (partially or completely), or stuck chokes on carbureted systems. Fuel injectors can get stuck open or partially open from dirt or wear, allowing too much gas into the engine. This can happen whether your engine has TBI or multi port injection. Carbureted engines often develop problems with the choke mechanism, which can cause the engine to use too much fuel.
car repair - suspension system - keep suspension aligned and tight to maintain good gas mileage
Many suspension problems cause an out of alignment condition which causes the wheels to "drag" instead of tracking a straight line. This can make it difficult to handle the car since it will try to go in a direction other than where the driver is steering it. This also causes premature wear of the tires, another major safety issue. Springs that sag, struts that allow the car to bounce too much, ball joints and tie rod ends that are worn all contribute to an out of alignment condition. All should be repaired immediately.