Take Care of Your Oil If You Want To Save Gas!

A car that is performing at it's peak will get the optimum fuel economy. If conditions of the engine deteriorate, it will loose peak performance which will then cause you to use more gas and spend more money. Oil is critical in preventing engine deterioration. Good fuel economy and proper management of the oil in your engine go hand in hand.

A priority in your car maintenance needs to be scheduled oil changes. Changing the oil according to the car makers recommendations is essential to keeping your car at its peak and keeping your gas economy at its best.

The job of the oil in your car is to lubricate the moving parts of its engine, minimizing friction. preventing metal- to-metal contact and carrying away excess heat. All of those functions promote better gas efficiency.

Another major function of oil in your engine is to remove dirt, metal shavings and other impurities which are then captured in the oil filter. In addition to negatively affecting fuel economy, neglecting the oil in your car could lead to replacing the engine itself.

You should follow the manufacturers recommended maintenance schedule for oil changes. If the manufacturer says to change the oil every three thousand miles or every three months, do it. If oil is not replaced at the proper time it becomes saturated with impurities it is supposed to remove from the engine. If it becomes saturated with these impurities, sometimes called dirty oil, it will be less efficient in doing its job. That will cause the engine performance to decline and your fuel economy will decline with it.

Another factor in maintaining the best fuel economy is the proper grade of oil. Use the grade of oil recommended by your car maker. The efficiency of the engine can improve as much as 2 percent when using the correct grade of oil as opposed to using the wrong grade of oil. This becomes even more critical in cold weather.

Using the right grade of oil ensures that your car will run as smoothly as it should in all types of weather. Oil that is too heavy forces the engine to work harder to overcome the oil's resistance. If the engine works harder it uses more gas. You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil and not a higher grade.

As an illustration: using 10W-20 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage. Use only the oil recommended in the owner's manual for the best engine efficiency and the best fuel efficiency.

Many drivers make the mistake of procrastinating in getting the oil changed. The more a driver puts off changing the oil the worse the fuel economy will be. Using the proper grade and changing the oil on time will help you get better gas economy.

Article Source: http://www.christiannotepad.com

Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page manual of automotive industry insider information on saving gas and money at the pump (beatthegaspump.com). Visit us to learn how you can get better gas mileage. Find out how to increase gas mileage.
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