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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1985-10-30, Page 37rY tion WBx 11 !Loi ,e► ..SCh itn .:a' tra tleneliari� WI a good way to save enema, When you do rise your car, try to combine a number of short errands or chores into one trip. It is estimated that we use 30 per cent of our gasoline on trips of less than 8 km. These short ventures consume excess fuel because the car's engine is not warm for much of the trite Avoidjumpy starts, because more fuel is used and the tires wear out more quickly. Sharp jabs on the gas pedal activate the ac- celerator pump, which supplies extra fuel to the engine. Never rest your foot on the brake pedal while driving, however lightly; this could put needless resistance on the wheels. If you are waiting for someone, or are caught in a traffic jam, turn off the motor. Idling gives you zero fuel economy. Remove roof racks when they are not needed because they increase wind resistance significantly. Also, close your windows on the highway; open windows add to aerodynamic drag and raise fuel con- sumption. Fill your gas tank only to the first `click', when the pump shuts itself off. Never top up the tank because the fuel might expand in warm weather and overflow the tank. Try to decrease your speed on the highway — tests show that most cars use 20 per cent less fuel when driven at 90 km/h than they do at 110 km/h. Allow plenty of time to reach your destina- tion. Driving to beat the clock forces you to Ip 11 1 111 1 ,11 lul'I� II , 61h1�,1E1,, ,11 it speed, brakksharPly, aeCelerate too' ra and generally waste fuel and put atra the car. In the winter, drivers have to be even more careful if they want to improve the fuel efficiency of their vehicles. For exam- ple, at —12 degrees C the average engine needs at least 15 km of driving to warm up fully, so it is even more important to eliminate short trips from your driving pat- tern. It is not necessary to let your engine idle for a long period when starting in the winter — 30 second in all the car generally needs. It will warm best as it is driven, but be careful to accelerate smoothly. Watching the traffic well ahead of you and idly on !III Ume> Lion of thebestways tosaive fuel, o,nOWs you' to travel at a consistent, spm andavoid braking too often, If*tare !rave i I °on ami road, allow the vehicle. to slow ' : was you b the hital, andspeed up to the:legal> t when descending, In other words, main. even -accelerator pressure. Professionaltruckers call this: `road management'; Regular engine tuning is vital if you want to get the moat for your energy dollar. Tun- ing should be done every four months, but a fall and spring tuneup are most important to get your engine ready for drastic temperature changes. This can cut fuel con- sumption by 10 per cent. Tire pressure should be checked every 'dalesa do+�t potential for a5 per cent or WdMiter i ►e- ment.in>fuel econ lmy:over bias, . P Metric tires represent the state of the. edit) tires engineered for fuel economy These tires ars fighter, operate at higher pressures for the seine load and offer less resistance when rolling. An air conditioner adds weight to your ear and can reduce fuel eCononv by as much as h per cent in a small car, When in use it can increase fuel consumptions by as muchas 20 per cent in hot -weather stop -and -go driving. Car costs can be cut dramatically. Organize yourself to take advantage of alternatives like walking or biking, and try to allow for those minutes of extra car care that will save you money. There are reasons why your car is Several reasons why a car is burning oil in a guide, is fitted with a special seal; Do you think your car may be using too designed to permit only a Muted amount of much oil? One sign an engine is burning oil oil to pass. (Some oil is necessary for is blue smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. lubrication, but too much creates oil burn - There can be several reasons for this con- ing problems). dition, says Car Care Council, the most com- Eventually these seals will wear, harden mon being worn valve guide seals. Here's or otherwise fail. That's when oil burning why: The valves in a typical engine may begins. open and close as often as 100,000 times per Many of the conditions which cause an hour at highway speeds. engine to burn oil prematurely are caused The stem of the valve, sliding up and down by vehicle neglect. One example of this is worn piston rings which can wear out prematurely because of failure to change oil and filter regularly. Once the rings become excessively worn, an expensive "ring job" is the only remedy. With proper maintenance, however, an engine normally should go well beyond the 160,000 kilometre mark without needing new piston rings. It is essential to check the engine oil regularly. If oil is over -full or smells like gasoline, it could mean it is becoming diluted with gasoline. Thos, the oil becomes thin enough to work '191N''�?MNihNHI'!f h'i411�'HQL pendent it would pay you to the same warranty then it pays him. Instead of a skimpy 30, 60 or 90 days, we warranty our genuine Volvo rts for a full yea r. Regardlesslacement a o how many miles you drive•• And if a replacement part installed by an authorized Volvo Dealer should fail while under warranty, there will be no charge for the labor to replace it. If you're taking your Volvo to an inde- mechanic for service, ask him if he'll offer VouVO If he refuses, PARTS & SERVICE Bring your Volvo home. Tor paw Ir6Wkd by an authorized Volvo Dealer. burning oil its way into the combustion chamber, even- tually to burn and end up in the atmosphere as smoke. If you have to pump the accelerator to keep the engine from stalling, you may be pumping raw gasoline into the crank case. This situation can be avoided by keeping the engine in tune. Misfiring spark plugs can aggravate a situation such as this because they permit raw, unburned gasoline to wash into the crank case. Not only does this create hard starting, it also accelerates wear due to diluted engine oil. Another factor in oil burning is a malfunc- tioning positive crank case ventilation ( PCV) valve, which is intended to route oil vapors through the combustion chamber rather than permitting them to escape into the atmosphere. If the PCV system is not in proper working order, it can be the cause of oil burning. Excessive oil burning is a condition that gradually worsens and can affect other aspects of the engine. 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