What Should You Do With Your Gas Hog

The economy continues to struggle and gas prices remain high. The cost to fill up the gas tank in an average car is over $60. If that is breaking your budget, there are two things you can do about it. You can try to improve the gas mileage in your car or you can replace it with a more fuel efficient one.

To improve the gas mileage in your car, make sure your tires are properly inflated. Under inflated tires will waste as much as 2 miles per gallon. Also, put in new spark plugs in every 30,000 miles and replace your air filter regularly. A tune up will also help. The smoother your car runs, the better its gas mileage will be. You should remove anything from your car you do not really need. The more weight there is in your car, the more gas it will use.  Also, remove your roof rack when you are not using it and if you have a pickup truck put a bed cover on. These changes will reduce drag and give you 2 or 3 more mpg.

Of course, the ultimate gas saver is to slow down. The faster you drive the more gas your car will use. If you drive the speed limit, accelerate gradually and avoid sudden stops you can save 3 mpg or more.

If you do buy a fuel efficient car, you have to figure out what to do with your gas guzzler. The car dealership will probably not want it as a trade in because there is no demand for them. For the same reason, it will be difficult to sell it privately. You can sell it for parts at a junk yard for a couple hundred dollars, or you can donate your car to charity. When you donate car, you get a tax deduction of the amount the charity sells your cr for or $500, whichever is more. You only need to itemize on your federal tax return to claim your tax deduction. 

Cars4Charities will gladly take your gas guzzler for donation. You car will be picked up for free too! You just need to provide them with a valid title for your car. And, Cars4Charities has hundreds of charities that can be helped by your car donation. For details, please go to http://www.cars4charities.org/ or call 866.448.3487.

Troubleshooting A/C Problems

This is the time of the year when you want the air conditioning in your car to be running at its peak performance. If yours is not, there are some things you can do to fix it.

If your A/C works for awhile, but then begins to blow warm air, it is freezing up. That occurs when there is air and/or moisture in the system. To correct the problem, use a vacuum pump to purge the system.

If you A/C only blows warm or hot air, check the compressor by starting the car and putting the A/C on. If the compressor itself makes a lot of noise or you hear a squeal, it is telling you it is time to replace it. If not, look to see if the compressor clutch is turning. The clutch is located in the front of the compressor. If it is turning, there is enough refrigerant in the system. Most cars have a safety switch that shuts off the compressor if it is too low on refrigerant.   

If the compressor clutch is not turning, check to see if it is getting voltage. If it is not, replace the fuse.  Then start the car and put the A/C on. If the A/C works for awhile, but the fuse subsequently blows, you have a short somewhere. If the compressor is getting voltage but it is not engaging, the clutch is bad and needs to be replaced. If you feel any liquid around the compressor shaft seal, you should replace that also. Remember, before you replace any parts, the refrigerant must first be evacuated from the system.

One good way to diagnose the system is by using a set of A/C service gauges. The price range for a set of gauges is $50 and up. Attach the gauges to the high and low service fittings on the A/C unit. Then turn the A/C in your car to the highest setting and rev the engine. If both gauges read low, the problem could be with the compressor or that the system is low on refrigerant. Before you recharge the system, check for leaks.

If you have an older car with an R-12 system, you can feel for an oily residue around the compressor, condenser, hoses, etc.  Most new cars have an R-134 system. Leaks with this system are harder to find because you will not find any oily residue. Another way to check for leaks is to spray some soapy water on the hoses, connections, etc. Wherever you see a bubble, there is a leak. If you find a leak, you need to replace that part. Unfortunately, if your evaporator or condenser is leaking, the replacement cost will be high. If you do replace the leaky part, you will need to recharge the system afterwards.

If you do not find any leaks, the system could still need to be recharged. That is because all cars leak some refrigerant through tiny pores in the hoses and through the seals. The older the car, the more refrigerant will have leaked. Newer cars have a smaller system capacity than older ones. Therefore, even a small amount of leakage in a newer car can negatively impact its cooling capability.