How to Maintain Your Car’s Engine to Improve Fuel Efficiency

Fuel prices have never been more expensive, making fuel efficiency even more of a priority. Even small changes to your driving habits can make a big difference in how much gas you use each month.

Maintaining your car’s engine is essential, and that requires regular upkeep. Here are some tips to help you do just that!

Check the Engine Oil

Engine oil is essential in providing lubrication to all the moving parts of your car’s engine, decreasing friction and wear-and-tear on various components.

Additionally, engine sealing is improved, avoiding rust and cracking of piston rings and other components within the combustion chamber. Without this lubricant, an engine could rapidly become damaged.

Engine oils come in a range of specifications and additives that may benefit your car. Understanding these characteristics will enable you to select the ideal oil for your engine and avoid costly repair bills down the line.

Consult your car’s owner’s manual to determine the type of oil required for your vehicle. Most automakers recommend premium conventional oil, which comes in various viscosities and has been tested according to the most up-to-date API service level requirements.

Check the Air Filter

The air filter is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to increase your car’s fuel efficiency. It filters out bugs, water, road grime, pollen and other impurities that could clog up the engine’s intake system.

Changeing your air filter not only reduces emissions from your car but it helps keep its engine running more efficiently as well. That is why changing the filter is such an essential step in maintaining its performance and minimizing its carbon footprint.

Replace your filter every 15,000 miles, or sooner if the air restriction gauge in your car indicates a problem is developing. Depending on how much air is passed through and where you drive in, this frequency of replacement may need to be adjusted accordingly.

Dirty air filters can reduce your car’s engine’s performance by restricting airflow and taking away horsepower. This leads to poor fuel economy, acceleration issues, as well as more contaminated exhaust emissions.

Check the Spark Plugs

Your car’s spark plugs are electrical components that ignite fuel in its cylinder. The flame pushes the piston down, rotating its crankshaft and driving your wheels at high speed.

Spark plugs consist of an electrode covered in either copper or nickel alloy. When charged from an ignition coil, these electrodes receive a high voltage charge which jumps a gap and creates sparks.

The high-voltage charge ionizes the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber, creating a spark which pushes the piston down and turns the crankshaft. This cycle occurs thousands of times per minute in your car’s engine.

Check the Coolant

Your car’s engine produces a lot of heat, and to prevent damage it needs to be cooled regularly. Coolant transports this heat from the engine to a radiator at the front of the vehicle.

The temperature of your coolant determines how efficiently your engine can run. To improve fuel economy, ensure your coolant levels remain optimal and fix any leaks in the radiator.

Coolant is a solution composed of antifreeze and water that helps to keep your engine from overheating. Your technician or owner’s manual will determine which kind of liquid is ideal for your car, as well as how to top up if it drops below recommended levels.

If your coolant level has dropped below the recommended amount, it could indicate an issue with the system. Low coolant levels can lead to overheating issues and decreased gas mileage as a result.