Back to all

How to Get Better Gas Mileage in Joliet

October 22, 2017

There is no escaping it: things work better when you take care of them. Something most of us in Joliet can relate to is our computers. You've probably noticed how they get slower and slower over time. It takes longer to start up and programs take forever to load. Eventually, many of us just get a new computer at our nearest Joliet computer store. But computer experts know that there are things you can do to delay the need for a new computer purchase. You can run utilities that clean off temporary files and clean your memory registry. You can optimize your hard drive and a number of other things.

What you're doing is maintaining your computer to make it efficient. It's the same thing with your vehicle. You maintain it to make it more efficient. It works the way it was designed to and that means it uses less fuel while you drive around Joliet. And you save money.

To help organize our discussion, let's think of things that rob us of fuel economy in two ways: increased friction and inefficient fuel combustion.

Friction. Anything that increases friction increases drag or load on the vehicle engine. It has to work harder to overcome the drag – and that takes more fuel. The first thing that comes to mind is engine oil. Low oil means there's not enough to fully lubricate the engine so there's more friction. Dirty oil won't lubricate as well as clean oil. The same principles apply to transmission fluid. Getting your oil changed and transmission serviced on schedule at Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield) will reduce friction and help you get better fuel economy.

Another friction related problem is underinflated tires. When your vehicle tires are low on air, it's like driving on Illinois highways through sand – your vehicle has to work harder to move every mile. Check your tire pressure at least once a month.

Wheels out of alignment and dragging brakes also increase friction. And your tires and brake pads will wear out much sooner as well. At Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield), we provide quality brake and wheel alignment services.

Let's move on to Fuel. You have to get the right amount of clean fuel to the combustion chamber at precisely the right time. A dirty fuel system has varnish and gum interfering, and the fuel injectors may be unable to deliver the correct amount of fuel at the right pressure  and in the spray pattern — that the engineers intended. A vehicle fuel system cleaning at Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield) will get all of that working right and really improve fuel economy.

Replacing your fuel filter on schedule will help keep your fuel clean. Replacing a sticky PCV valve will allow unburned fuel from the engine to be returned to the intake system to be used. Replacing worn spark plugs will burn your fuel as efficiently as possible.

All of these things can help you save money on gas at Joliet pumps.

Give us a call.

Tuffy Joliet (South Plainfield)
2031 SR 59
Joliet, Illinois 60586
815-436-1829

More articles from Tuffy Joliet

Keeping Your Cool (Coolant System)

March 24, 2024

No matter what the weather is like outside, your internal combustion engine expects to keep its cool all the time, even when it's really cold. That's because engines create the power that moves you to your destination by a series of tiny explosions of a fuel and air mixture. In turn, that genera... More

Not-So-Smooth Operator (Transmission Signs of Trouble)

March 17, 2024

You are heading down a flat, newly paved street when all of a sudden you feel it. Your vehicle jumps a little bit when you're accelerating and changing gears. You know it's not the surface of the road because it's smooth as silk. So what did you just feel? That kind of jumpingor grinding or sl... More

Ready, Set, COLD! (Getting Vehicle Ready for Winter)

March 10, 2024

When the temperatures plunge, your vehicle better be ready because it faces a whole new set of challenges. Rubber stiffens, glass fogs, fluids freeze. Just thinking about it can get your heart beating faster. So here are some tips for getting ready for those inevitable colder temperatures. Mak... More