Make Your Car "Green"

You don't need to own a hybrid, fuel cell, or electric vehicle to contribute to the environment. Regardless of what size, type, or model, you can make your car as a "green" (environmental friendly) vehicle with the right knowledge. That is according to the Car Care Council (www.carcare.org)

In connection with this, the Car Care Council recommends these tips for car owners to make their vehicles as green as possible. Take time to read and follow these guides to save our environment.

1. The first step is to keep your car properly tuned for optimum
performance. A well-tuned engine delivers the best balance of power and
fuel economy and produces the lowest level of emissions. A 21st Century
tune-up for modern vehicles includes the following system checks:
battery, charging and starting; engine mechanical; powertrain control
(including onboard diagnostic checks); fuel; ignition; and emissions. A
21st Century tune-up can improve gas mileage by an average of four
percent. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen
sensor, can improve gas mileage by as much as 40 percent.

2. The second step is to regularly check and replace dirty air filters. An
air filter that is clogged with dirt, dust and bugs chokes off the air
and creates a "rich" mixture -- too much gas being burned for the
amount of air -- that wastes gas and causes the engine to lose power.
Replacing a clogged air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10
percent, saving about 15 cents a gallon.

3. The third step is have the spark plugs checked -- if they haven't
already been checked as part of the tune-up -- and replaced if
necessary. A vehicle can have four, six or eight spark plugs, which
fire as many as 3 million times every 1,000 miles. This results in a
lot of heat, electrical, and chemical erosion. A dirty spark plug also
causes misfiring, which wastes fuel.

4. The fourth step is to maintain the cooling system of your vehicle. A
cooling system thermostat that causes the engine to run too cold will
lower the fuel efficiency of a car by as much as one or two mpg. There
also are improved radiator caps on the market today that allow the
cooling system to operate at a higher temperature before boiling over,
increasing the system's efficiency and reducing emissions.

5. The last step toward keeping a "green" car is to properly maintain and
repair your car as outlined in the council's Car Care Guide. The guide
helps drivers understand their car, the care it needs, and when it
needs it and why. Single copies of the free guide may be ordered on the
Car Care Council Web site, http://www.carcare.org/.