Check out Mileage increasing maintenance tips at PartsAvatar Aftermarket Auto Parts.

Is your car having bad mileage? Or are you having frequent visits to the gas station? We have listed some important maintenance tips in order to gain your car’s mileage so read them out! - Brought to you by PartsAvatar car exhaust.

We know what we strive for most while shopping for a car- its looks and mileage. Gas mileage is foremost because with rising gas prices, it is not economical to drive using low mileage cars. So it is important to maintain and upgrade car performance parts in order to keep the car mileage constant.

But what if you are experiencing bad mileage? is your hard earned cash been used frequently on gas. You may need to upgrade some auto parts as many car parts experience wear and tear and they need to be replaced in order to achieve optimum performance.

Properly inflate car tires

Underinflated tires are not safe to drive, don’t have better handling, have short period and give degraded fuel economy. Make sure not to overly inflate car tire as traction is reduced in such case.

Reduced tire pressure means increased contact area between tire and the road. The friction between tire rubber and the road thus increases resulting in high fuel consumption. So make sure not to keep them underinflated.

Don’t skip Car maintenance schedule

Never skip them. Delaying car servicing would definitely increase the chance of having degraded fuel economy. So make sure that you never skip it and you will surely notice change or hike in gas mileage.

Also overall performance of your car optimizes too after servicing. So all in all it’s not a bad idea to give your car for servicing.

Respect the accelerator

By respect I mean to say that gently press the accelerator pedal or brake pedal. This is because in order to gain long term use out of car parts it’s very important to be not harsh with car controls.

Slamming on brakes or rough acceleration is one of the major causes behind the fuel economy degradation.

Quick acceleration consumes too much fuel, so accelerate slowly and gradually to save fuel.

Oil change – every 3 months

Oil change is necessary. Your car’s engine becomes fatigued due to high temperature, friction and constant usage. Oil works like blood to the car’s engine. In contrast the engine is heart of your car.

So in order for your heart i.e. car engine to work efficiently it is very important to schedule oil change every 3000 miles or 3 months for better performance and uninterrupted flow.

This not only improves engine’s performance but it also helps in increasing fuel economy.

Check fluids

Check your fluids regularly. Car seems like human body. Loss of fluids in human body causes dehydration, same goes for car as it gravely starts to impact gas mileage as a result.

Avoid using clutch too much

Unnecessary usage of clutch often wastes fuel. Know where you need to use them and avoid where you can.

Decrease extra weight

Note that the extra weight is the enemy of car’s fuel economy. The push to make cars lighter is playing a lead role in improving fuel economy in modern cars.

Lose weight to get better mileage. According to a study reducing weight by 5% from your car led to increase in fuel economy by 2.1 %.

Avoid idling

Idle engine in traffic lights is not good for mileage. Idling gets zero miles per gallon and collectively consumes several billion gallons of fuel per year according to U.S. Department of Energy.

Engine should be turned off if you have to wait for the traffic to move for more than 10 seconds. Turning the car off would be preferably better option.

Maintain constant speed

Speed not only kills people but also kills fuel economy of your car. It could be fun or thrilling experience to drive in high speed but in actuality you are killing your car’s mileage.

Try to maintain a constant speed in order to put less effort on car’s engine while accelerating or de-accelerating unnecessarily.

This will definitely reduce fuel consumptions.

Take it Easy on AC

Driving with car’s air conditioner on could give you a comfortable ride in summers but it is also helpful in increasing car’s fuel economy. How? This is because in order for the car air conditioning system to work, we roll up the windows.

But if the car windows are open, the cross ventilation causes more air drag for the car. This results in more fuel usage thus decreasing fuel economy.

Check Spark Plugs

Spark plugs are vital parts of car’s ignition system. If they go bad your engine wont start at all. Your car’s fuel economy depends gravely on spark plugs.

According to researches, spark plugs can deduce up to 30 % of fuel economy if they start malfunctioning. So what’s the remedy? Of course replace spark plugs and save your car engine from misfiring.

Misalignment

Misaligned wheels also have poorer fuel economy as the misaligned wheels have greater resistance with the road leading to higher gas mileage.

So your safety and better gas mileage depends upon properly aligned wheels. Also misaligned tires drag instead of rolling freely on the road. Uneven tire wear results in low gas mileage. check owner manual for more information on alignment of wheels.

Replace filters

Car Filters such as oil filter, fuel filter or air filter if clogged, gravely impact the working and performance of car’s engine. Don’t let the dirty oil, air or fuel to enter into the engine and disturb its performance.

Make sure to timely replace clogged or malfunctioning car filters and you can yourself witness change in the fuel economy and that too would be a positive change. 

These tips are quite easy to apply. What you need to do is to change your car driving habits. Slamming, skipping scheduled servicing would definitely result in bad mileage.

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Protect car’s engine from overheating by installing Top quality Coolant Temperature Sensors @Partsavatar Auto parts.

Is your car suffering from poor Fuel economy? Engine is overheating? Don’t worry as Partsavatar offers high quality Coolant temperature sensors at affordable rates! ~ Partsavatar Auto Engine parts.

Drivers often have complaints regarding poor fuel economy, smoke emitting tailpipe and overheating engine. We know the root cause is coolant. But how do we know that is the right temperature of coolant?  We can determine coolants temperature with the help of car's coolant temperature sensors. Almost every modern vehicle comes equipped with coolant temperature sensors. So, what are coolant temperature sensors and how do they help us? We will give you the answers in detail.

Engine coolant temperature sensor or commonly called coolant temperature sensor is designed to monitor the temperature of the coolant inside internal combustion engine. The coolant absorbs heat from cylinders which is produced by the engine when it is running.

The coolant sensors detect the change in temperature and send the signal to the computer so that the changes can be made to engine’s timing and fuel calculations for better performance. This is done to tell if the engine is cold, warming up or at normal temperature or in worst situation is overheating.

Temperature plays an important role in determining engine’s performance. Engine performance issues could arise if the coolant temperature sensor goes bad.

How it works?

Car’s coolant temperature sensor is located near the thermostat of a vehicle’s engine so that it can give optimal results. The tip of the sensor is located near the coolant of the engine. The temperature sensor works by measuring the temperature that the thermostat or car’s coolant is giving off. The sensor reads the temperature and sends the signal to the on board computer or ECU which further adjusts engine performance based on this information.

Temperature sensors not only provide information about coolant temperature but they also tell whether or not engine needs a rich fuel mixture, to open exhaust gas recirculation or to limit spark advance during emission.

Coolant sensor Diagnostic fault codes

If the coolant temperature sensor starts malfunctioning, it will prompt the check engine light to turn on and after decoding the trouble code, you will know the root cause of blinking check engine light.

P0115- Engine coolant temperature circuit

P0116- engine coolant temperature circuit performance

P0117- engine coolant temperature circuit low input

P0118- engine coolant temperature circuit high input

P0119- engine coolant temperature circuit intermittent

So, whenever check engine light starts appearing on the dash, it’s better to visit your mechanic or a technician and he will decode the trouble code and tell you the exact cause.

When to Replace a Coolant sensor?

Following are the few symptoms that will alert you of the potential problem with coolant sensor. Because of coolant sensor’s vital role in triggering so many engine operations, a bad sensor will often cause poor fuel economy and emission problems.

Check engine light

We often get scared whenever the “Check engine light “starts appearing on the dash. Though there are various reasons that cause the check engine light to illuminate. But in pretext to failing coolant sensors, check engine light may be giving you an indication of potential problem going on with it.

If it detects any trouble code or problem signal from the coolant temperature sensor, it will start illuminating. Incorrect coolant temperature gauge readings due to faulty coolant sensor on instrument panel may also trigger check engine light.

Check engine light signal won’t disappear until you solve its problem. So annoying!

It’s better to call your technician and he will troubleshoot the problem code that the check engine light is showing. Problem code might be one of the above stated codes. It will eventually notify you of a problematic coolant sensor.

Engine Overheating

Overheating of engine is a crucial problem. There are generally many causes behind the overheating of the engine. But a faulty coolant temperature sensor can also lead to engine overheating.

Coolant temperature sensor will fail completely and will eventually start sending hot signals to the computer. The computer will read the wrong input and will compensate incorrectly for a lean signal which can result in overheating.

Overheating if not addressed can lead to multiple auto parts failure. I think it is economical to replace coolant sensors than under the hood auto parts replacement.

Poor Fuel Economy

Poor fuel economies are often caused due to failing coolant temperature sensor. Corrupt coolant temperature sensor will send false signal to the computer and throw off the fuel and timing calculations. In some cases, faulty coolant sensor can send permanently cold signal to the computer.

Computer will start using more fuel than necessary thinking that the engine is cold based on the signals received. This will damage not only fuel economy but also the engine performance.

Black smoke from Exhaust pipe

Black smoke from vehicle’s exhaust pipe also indicates a faulty coolant temperature sensor. After the faulty coolant sensor sends the faulty cold signal to the computer, the computer thinking the engine to be cold will enrich the fuel mixture further. Too rich fuel won’t be able to burn in the internal combustion chamber and hence as a result the exhaust pipes will start emitting black smoke.

Black colored smoke is an indicator of danger. If ignored it can also damage exhaust system parts and catalytic converter which is very costly to replace. Do not waste any second in calling a mechanic.

Buy auto exhaust system parts at partsavatar car parts with free shipping facility.

DIY- Replacing Coolant Temperature Sensor

It is often advised to replace the coolant temperature sensor when the engine is rebuild or when it goes faulty.

Before installing sensors, allow the engine to cool down first. Make sure to drain out coolant in the cooling system before beginning the replacement process. Do not drain the radiator draining some of the coolant is enough.

Open the valve to drain the antifreeze. Once you finish the draining of coolant, replace the old sensor with new sensor.

 Do refill the radiator with coolant before finishing. Tighten the sensor carefully to prevent damage. Make sure that air is out of cooling system otherwise the engine may start overheating and cooling sensors won’t be able to read correct reading.

Coolant temperature sensors are very important for fuel economy and engine performance. Have your vehicle checked by the technician as soon as you detect any problem.

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Is your Mechanic scamming you with extra repairs? Learn how to save yourself from auto repair scammers @Parts Avatar

Watch out for these tricks and pitfalls used by shady mechanics to scam you! Stick with reliable mechanics and save on Auto Repairs – By PartsAvatar.ca Aftermarket Auto Parts.

 

Whenever we have any car related problem we rush to the mechanic immediately. But not every mechanic is good. Most of the mechanics trap the vulnerable drivers by stating false repairs to be needed. “High Scare equals high profit”, says John Ibbotson who is consumer report chief mechanic and working in auto parts business since 1990.

Most mechanics believe the fact that their customers know nothing about their car. Based on that fact they try to scare and scam you regarding useless repairs they mention.They forge with the bills by adding extra repair cost. Actually those repairs have been done on their useless suggestion. So, beware of the extra charges and get to know your vehicle more.

Parts avatar suggests some item that you should watch out for while visiting a mechanic, as the mechanic may scam money by using those items as bait.It’s better to take second opinion of other certified professional or even a knowledgeable friend.Let us have a look at some scenarios that you need to watch out for.

Brake repair scam

Some dishonest auto services often practice brake repair scam services. We are often advised by our mechanic to replace brake rotors of car along with the brake pads. It has been observed that some mechanics offer cheap brake rotor replacement and also claim to offer lifetime brake pads by giving low quality brake pads in reality. It is advised to use either Aftermarket equivalent standard product or better go for an OEM.

When you need to replace the car brake pads, it is not compulsory or necessary to do so with brake rotors.Your mechanic will convince you in changing rotors and there are chances that inappropriate brake rotors may lead to more expensive repairs in future. So, better watch out!

Ask your friend before any replacement.You can search or read the symptoms of bad rotor and brake pads on internet. You can take advice from different repair shops so that you will have to pay a reasonable price for the brake repair. Always buy vehicle relevant aftermarket brake pads or rotors for replacement or original one instead of using mechanic’s own product as it won’t last long.

Spark plug replacement

Auto Spark plugs are also important component of ignition system. They provide with necessary spark that is needed to ignite the air fuel mixture within the cylinders. Problems with vehicle’s engine are prominent whenever the spark plugs go bad.

In older engine’s there was a time when you needed spark plug replacement twice a year because engine didn’t burn fuel efficiently. But if your car has traveled fewer than 100000 miles, and your mechanic is suggesting you for spark plug replacement, you better take a second opinion.Engines with new technology are less prone to wear and aging of spark plug so there may be a chance that your mechanic is not honest.

Air filter replacement

This is most popular car repair scam practiced by most mechanics (dishonest ones!).When you take your vehicle for regular service to the mechanic, he may tell you that your car’s air filter needs replacement.Car Air filters seldom need to be replaced. Even when you need replacement, it is a DIY project and you can easily perform the replacement process yourself without help of mechanic.

There are several videos and stories on internet that tell how the mechanics intentionally put mulch and leaves into the filter to make it look as if it needs replacement.You better search for the symptoms that could lead to a failed air filter and then you can yourself do the replacement.Air filters are quite cheaply available at aftermarket online stores which provide same standards and functionality as that of original ones.

Oil change scam and faking Leaks

Oil change is very important when it comes to maintenance. When we go to mechanic for vehicle’s oil change, the mechanic advises you to use either synthetic or premium high quality oil instead of the low quality oil that you have been using previously. He will also tell you to repair some problems that he noticed while checking your vehicle.Some fake auto shops spray coolant on a part of an engine purposely to make it look like a leak. You better ask them to properly show you the leak that’s causing this dripping of coolant. It is advised to better go to a certified, trust able mechanic from the very beginning.

Flushing of fluids

Some auto repair shops unnecessarily offer to flush out the auto coolant and car's power steering fluids. Cars are designed to go 100000 miles with fluids. It is very rare when you need fluid flushing and it happens under certain circumstances. Go through your vehicle’s owner manual. Replacing a fluid could also cause an old transmission to fail.You will find information about fluid flushing.  Take a professionals help and advice.

Offering free inspection on tire rotation

If any auto repair shop is offering you free check up of vehicle or even free tire rotation check up, be forewarned. This could also lead to a planned scam. Whenever you visit for free check up, mechanics scare you by stating different unnecessary problems with your car and offer as many things to repair as possible. You could just be wasting your hard earned money by going for a free inspection of your car. So watch out!

Watch out!

You read about certain elements that could be tempered by the mechanic in the name of repair. Let us read about some preventive measure that you can take to shield yourself from auto shop scammers and save your cash.

·          Mechanics should be paid by the hour, not for the part that they repair or replace or merely touch.

 If the mechanic doesn’t get the repair done efficiently for the first time, it is not wise to pay him. Do not pay your mechanic unless you are satisfies with your car’s performance. Otherwise mechanics would charge you again and again for any problem with the previous repair he has done.

       

             Most mechanics sell additives and tell that they miraculously cure your vehicle.Additives don’t harm your car but they also don’t make the car run faster at the same time. Additives can be used to clean a specific component but not every time. So don’t get forged.

                Mostly auto repair shops use scare tactics to sell what they want to. Beware of those who say” it’s impossible for your car to drive another mile”.Never get scared of any tactic they use and always instead counter scare them by saying that you need time to take a second opinion.

                You should inspect the auto repair shop for the state license of your country. Many shops proudly display their license.

              Any mechanic who says that he doesn’t need any technical tool to analyze the condition of your engine should be avoided.

                Never sign a blank authorization form. Be aware of repair jobs and warranties that are applicable.

    Unless you are using second opinion as a counter scare tactic, do not tell your mechanic that you took second opinion before coming.

     They will give you free replacement of mufflers stating that they would last long. But you could be heading towards an expensive repair road as car exhaust mufflers and pipes are quite expensive to repair.

      Some of the expensive parts like catalytic converters or exhaust and emission parts have long warranty and free replacement provided by law. Consult your manufacturer before going for other replacement.

     Do not let your mechanic to keep your car’s old parts. This way can you can inspect if they have been changed and you can show them to your friend for second opinion.

    Do not forget to test drive your car to access the performance.

     Before buying new tires know what your state’s tire tread specifications are. Then let the mechanic check the old tread with a gauge.

This way, if a mechanic is trying to overcharge you for car repairs, you will see it coming. Take second opinion and research before going to the mechanic.

For more information about Aftermarket auto replacement parts chat with a knowledgeable expert at PartsAvatar.ca.

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