Tag Archives: fuel

How to Save Up to 25% of Your Car’s Fuel Bills

Many of us are feeling the pinch. The rising costs of fuel and the stagnant nature of UK wages means that most car owners are looking to make those savings where-ever possible. Whilst you cannot control the price of petrol, you can control how much you use and work towards a reduction strategy in four key areas.

In this article, we explore some of the quickest, simplest and easiest steps you can take towards becoming a less fuel dependent motorist, and see some real savings in your pocket.

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Replacing a Car Fuel Tank

A fuel tank is used for one of the most obvious purposes in your vehicle – for holding the fuel. With some forms of modern fuel, such as diesel, a hole or fracture in your tank is dangerous. However if your car runs on petrol the problem could be explosive.

The first sign that you have issues with your fuel tank will be puddles of fuel around your car after it has been parked. Alternatively you may notice that the fuel consumption on your car is higher than normal. An actual inspection of the tank should visually confirm that there is a leak or drip occurring somewhere from the part. Fortunately replacing your vehicle’s fuel tank should be a relatively easy process with very little need to perform any complex mechanical work. However as fuel is involved in this replacement you should take extra care to be as methodical as possible, working in a well ventilated area with the appropriate fire extinguisher, which would need to be a Class B extinguisher.

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Replacing a Fuel Injector

fuel injectors being taken out of an engine

All engines need air for the combustion process. Fuel injection systems have replaced the old style carburettors that previously mixed the fuel with the required oxygen and are now commonplace in most engines. There are a number of common signs that these small parts are becoming clogged or fatigued, including the detonation of petrol on the exhaust or the vehicle failing to start with a full fuel tank.

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How to Change your Car’s Fuel Pump

Has your car been bucking as you drive on the open road? When you put the key in the ignition, does your engine simply crank and turn over, but fail to start? If this is the case then the likely offender in the frame is the fuel pump. This part is used to supply fuel at pressure into the engine, driving the combustion process. An ineffective fuel pump means that your car is not getting the feed of fuel it needs to run properly. Like all parts this is prone to fatigue and will fail around the 100,000 mile mark.

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Refilling your Car’s Petrol

Most modern cars run on petrol or diesel fuel. This is contained in a tank usually located at the rear of the car. It needs to be regularly filled in order for the car to run. In order to ensure the good performance of your vehicle you should always try to keep your petrol tank at least 20% full – any less than this and impurities at the bottom of the tank can get into your engine and damage the pistons. If you suddenly find your car is losing petrol more rapidly than before, you should get it checked out at a service centre as the tank may have developed a leak. The process of filling your tank is fairly easy – it is the same for diesel fuel as petrol – in our example if you’ve got a diesel powered car just substitute the term diesel fuel for petrol.

Take note of where the petrol cap is situated on your car. When pulling up to the pump, unless the unit specifically features long fuel lines you’ll need to make sure that your cap is facing the pump. Be sure to select the right kind of fuel for your car- there is nothing worse than filling a diesel engine up with petrol or vice versa as this can destroy your engine.
Release the cap for your car’s petrol tank. In older cars there may well be a flap over the cap that can be opened manually and then the cap itself can be removed with a separate key. In newer cars there’s usually a special handle, sometimes located by the driver’s door, other times in the glove compartment, which can be pulled to release the petrol cap.
Remove the cap from the car and place it somewhere where you can locate it easily. Most people like to rest the cap on the top of their car or somewhere similar. It’s now just a case of placing the nozzle gun from the petrol pump into the opening and checking that all the counters on the pump are at the zero level before you start pumping.
Squeeze the trigger on the pump nozzle – this should start a mechanical process that will pump the petrol into your tank. Watch to ensure the counters on the body of the pump are going up – indicating the flow of petrol into your tank. There are two types of nozzles. Some have a special locking latch that will hold the trigger in place, then when your petrol tank is full you’ll hear a click and the trigger will automatically release. If you’re using a manual nozzle you should squeeze the trigger until you hear the click yourself.
Finally replace the cap and make a note of the amount of money that’s noted on the display of the pump. Pay the attendant in the kiosk the appropriate amount. Make sure you have enough money before you start pumping petrol into the car as you will have to fill out a number of forms if you cannot afford to pay your bill and return to the petrol station or face legal action.