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| Bonus Edition - March 2008 |
2008-03-26 |
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BONUS Edition!
Since March has the opportunity to come in like lion or go out as a lamb I thought that it might be fitting to send out two of our Car Connection Business Network Newsletters as an added spring arrival BONUS ! How ever if you asked either “Mamamotormouth” or Larry our “Web Guru” about the “why” I sent out two news letters instead of ONE they would have a different tale to tell I’m sure!
Enjoy & Happy Motoring my friends “Motormouth & Axel out..........
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Motormouth here,
Welcome “All" to our official spring 2008 edition of our Car Connection Business Network newsletter. Well folks I have to tell ya, that “Motormouth” is pretty excited that spring is officially arriving. Can I hear a BIG Woo Hoo or something! Or am I pretty much on my own in regards to celebrating the spring arrival?
Axel and I would like to think that we do not stand alone on this one! We I feel that there are just a few people getting a little tired of the dull, dingy, drab, damp, cold, wet/cold, grey, freezing cold, cold/rainy type weather that we have had to endure over that past several MONTHS.
Enough already, it’s high time we started to warm up without the use of some kind of heating apparatus! Axel and I prefer warming up “aux natural” through the use of THE SUN! no “human microwaves” for us ie. tanning beds.
There has been a number of tell tale signs that spring has arrived other than the given being the spring equinox of March 20th. Daylight savings time is here bringing us more daylight time. Easter has arrived early & the “Robins” are back, the Rabbits are chasing each other and I almost forgot another sign that spring is officially here, Axel & her sister Dinky are shedding!
As for March 2008, I think it is safe to say that for most of us it pretty much arrived as a “Lion” My thought is you might as well get the nasty stuff over and done with right out of the gate so to speak. The upside of things if the saying about March is true to form, it should exit as a “Lamb” RIGHT! Who’s with me on this!
Our executive club members wish to extend a special warm welcome to all of our official Car Connection Club “Newbies”. All of our executive club members are pretty excited about the “Robins” return.
Our nature lovers in the club house have kept a watchful eye over the last several weeks in hope of that “first sighting”! They really Love their red breasted feathered friend a lot so much so that the nature loving exec’s have come up with a wonderful initiation idea for our club “Newbies”
Here it is folks! All newbies will be equipped with their very own “head plate”. Allow me to explain further, each newbie will have strapped onto their heads a plate piled high with “Special Robin Treats”
All club “newbies” will then be strategically placed on and around the club house grounds. The idea is the more “Robin Goodies” available the more Robins there are on the club grounds for our nature lovers to enjoy!
My advice, stand really still, Mrs. Robin may be small & harmless looking, how ever that beak of hers looks as though it could do some serious damage! If you know what I mean! Newbies you do not want to exit this task looking like you have a very bad case of acne! This was not my idea, I am just the messenger! Good luck, your pals “Motormouth & Axel out………..
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With all that nonsense out of the way it is time to get into the nuts and bolts of things, in regards to learning more about owning/operating a motor vehicle. We do not have to be “Rocket Scientists” just a willingness and an open mind to learn a few things when it comes to carrrrrrrs!
Peace of mind driving does not cost it pays! Having a reliable means of transportation in my personal opinion is absolutely priceless! It takes regular vehicle maintenance and preventative vehicle maintenance in order to obtain that level of reliability for any make or model of motor vehicle. Our Car Connection Annual Maintenance reminder list continues below sooooo check out the “Bakers Dozen”
1) Rust Proofing
2) Transmission Service/Flush
3) Complete (wheels off) Brake Inspection/Service
4) Brake Fluid Flush
5) Balance Tires
6) Front End Alignment
7) Steering/Suspension Inspection
8) Replace, Fuel Filter, Air Filter & Cabin Filter Every Year!
9) Replace, Antifreeze, Power Steering, Differential & Manual Transmission Fluids Every Year!
10) Replace Cooling System Thermostat
11) Wiper Blades
12) Multi Point Vehicle Inspection
13) Complete Fuel System/ Engine De-carbonization Service Every Year!
There you have it folks! The Car Connection Vehicle Maintenance “Bakers Dozen”.
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Next on “Motormouths” agenda, some help to reduce those “Gas Pains” at the PUMPS!
First on my list some common sense fuel saving TIPS ! If you are guilty of any or all the items on my list you are truly wasting some BIG $$$$ in fuel economy. You may want to truly consider some changes.
1. Plan your road trips by combining your errands instead of running here & there! Use public transit, car pool where ever possible, walk or ride your bicycle!
2. Be sure your tires are properly inflated, for every one psi your tires are under inflated you are loosing 5% in fuel economy. Have your tire pressures checked/adjusted once per month.
3. Have your vehicles emissions levels checked/verified twice per year through the use of an emissions test. Doing this will help ensure your vehicle is able to achieve optimum fuel economy/ performance. NOx emissions (un-burnt fuel) is what we need to monitor. Un-burnt fuel exiting the tailpipe costs us all in two ways: 1) it’s harmful to the environment 2) the engine is wasting fuel not utilizing it!
4. Keep your engine clean inside by changing your engine oil & filter on time!
5. Have your engines ignition system tested to verify all components are working properly. Worn ignition components rob horse power from the engine. Replace the parts as required.
6. Have your brakes checked, including the emergency brake verifying there is no brake drag in any way holding the vehicle back.
7. Be light on the vehicle accessories ie, rear window defroster, air conditioning, large stereo systems. Accessories cause the engine to work harder using more fuel. In some cases up to 20% more fuel.
8. Make sure that your vehicles exhaust system is leak FREE! A leaky exhaust system throws off the reading the oxygen sensor is sending to the on board computer. The result: the engine runs a richer fuel mixture costing you major fuel economy!
9. Avoid “jack rabbit” starts & stops, better driving habits will save you fuel economy big time!
10. Keep to the posted speed limits, leave earlier give yourself additional travel time.
11. Travel light, make sure that your trunk & interior of your vehicle is not cluttered with unnecessary items adding to the weight of the vehicle.
12. Avoid prolonged idling of your vehicles engine where possible, eg. Line ups at drive thru’s. Park & go in to get food/beverage items.
Here are some awesome refueling tips that were sent to me by a petroleum tech from California. What he has to share completely makes sense when it comes to filling up our gas tanks!
Fill your vehicle in the early morning with fuel while the ground temperature is the coldest. Service centers have their fuel stored in tanks underground. The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline becomes. When the ground gets warmer the gasoline expands therefore buying your fuel in the afternoon or evening… a gallon of gasoline is not exactly a gallon!
The petroleum companies pay close attention to the specific gravity & temperature of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, ethanol and a variety of other petroleum products. This information plays a very important role in the fuel making business. A one degree rise in temp is a very big deal in the fuel making business. Refueling stations do not have temperature compensation at the pumps.
Refuel your vehicle slowly, Do Not rapid fill your fuel tank. On most refill nozzles there are three modes of refueling, fast, medium & slow. Pump the fuel into your tank in slow mode, reducing the amount of fuel vapors. All hoses at refueling stations have a fuel vapor return. If you pump the fuel in on fast mode some of that fuel becomes vapor. The vapors are then sucked up & returned to the storage tanks in the ground thus getting a little less fuel for your money.
One of the best refueling tips is to make sure that you refill your vehicles gas tank when you reach the half way point. The reason behind this is simple the more fuel in the tank the lesser the air space above the fuel. Gasoline evaporates at a rapid pace when mixed with air. Therefore the more fuel you have in your tank the less the opportunity for evaporation to take place.
Fuel production companies have fuel storage tanks that have an internal floating roof. The floating roof creates a zero clearance between the fuel and the atmosphere, thus minimizing evaporation unlike refueling stations. Every refueling truck filled with fuel is temperature compensated at the refinery so that every gallon is just that, a gallon.
Do not refuel at any service station if the truck is dropping a load of fuel, there is a great risk of picking up water or debris in your fuel creating contamination along with possible drivability issues caused by the fuel becoming contaminated. The churning of the fuel as the tanker pumps its load into the underground storage tanks mixes up a lot of “stuff” you do not want inside of your gas tank!
In short, refuel in the morning pumping the fuel slowly into your vehicles gas tank when the level is at the halfway point & not when the tanker is refueling the service center.
I hope that you find these fuel “tid bits” helpful, I share them with you as they were sent to me. Take them for what they are worth. They do make a great deal of sense! Your friends Motormouth & Axel.
Taking good care of your motor vehicle doesn’t cost it pays! Axel and I have a date with a fresh box of Donut holes, soooo till next time “friends are like stars you may not always see them but you know they are always there” keep them close! Keep it under 100, Happy Motoring & put that coffee on because we are well on our way! Your friends Nile “Motormouth” Jenkins, Mamamotormouth & Axel out……………….
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