Three Easy Ways to Improve Your Gas Mileage

In today's economy, every penny counts. With gas prices in Colorado hovering around $3.70 a gallon for regular grade gas, it has become far too large a part of everyone's weekly/monthly budget.

Short of bicycling to work (which I heartilly recommend, so long as you wear a helmet and are careful) what can be done to minimize your gas bills? Happily, the answer is relatively simple:

First, properly inflate your tires, and check them weekly.

Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 1.5 percent for every 5 pounds per square inch "PSI" drop in pressure of all four tires. You can improve your gas mileage by up to 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. This equates to approximately $.11 a gallon savings, based upon a price of $3.70 a gallon.

What is "proper tire pressure"? Proper tire pressure for your vehicle is usually found on a sticker in the driver's side door jamb or the glove box and in your owner's manual. Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire's sidewall. I will publish an article in my blog later this week that describes how to properly inflate your tires. 

You can purchase a tire pressure gauge at any auto parts store. Use it faithfully, and you will save yourself some serious cash.

Second, always use the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil for your vehicle.

This simple step can improve your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent. This equates to $.04 to $.08 savings a gallon.

For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 (the 5W-30 oil is "thinner" than the 10W-30 oil  in winter weather) can lower your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1 to 1.5 percent.

What does 5W-30 or 10W-30 mean? The viscosity of multi-weight motor oil is specified using two numbers. The first number is the viscosity when the oil is cold. This is followed by the letter W (which stands for winter, not weight), which is followed by the number that indicates the viscosity when the oil is at operating temperature. Technically, viscosity is defined as resistance to flow. Commonly though, we think of it as an oil's thickness. To be more specific, it is the thickness of an oil at a given temperature. The higher the number the "thicker" the oil.

Third, Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned.

Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. This equates to up to $.15 savings per gallon.

Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent.