Oil prices continue to soar to record levels. In return, gas prices, coupled with the major housing slowdown, is turning the economy on its head. With national averages now above four dollars per gallon, many motorists are looking for practical ways to increase mileage. To increase mileage, there indeed are several practical and inexpensive tips you can take – as well as some more drastic ones if you dare!
First, having basic knowledge of how your engine works will help understand what changes can be made. An automobile engine takes minute amounts of fuel and air into each piston chamber. This mixture is then pressurized by the piston moving upward. This pressurized mixture explodes through a spark transmitted by the spark plug.
This ignition/explosion of the mixture is the power that is used to transfer motion to through the engine into the components of your vehicle to propel the vehicle forward. This process is repeated thousands of times per minute (think RPM’s). Also, each piston chamber in your car produces this same result over and over – for example, a V-6 engine means there are 6 chambers doing this, and 6 spark plugs to support.
Making this process of energy transfer work better is a key to increase mileage. Lets discuss the role your spark plug plays specifically. The amount of spark the plug is able to send into the chamber is directly related to the quality of the plug itself. The more air tight the seals on the plug, and the higher the platinum level in the plug, the more efficient the charge sent will be. A more efficient charge means less additional charge is needed to get the same output level. Thus, less RPM’s and less fuel is used.
Having clean, high quality spark plugs can increase the efficiency of your engines performance, and in return, increase mileage. Many spark plugs can increase mileage by upwards of 2-5%. While this may not sound like a huge increase, changing your spark plugs (at a cost of roughly $4 per plug) will pay for themselves within that month for an average driver.
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