Automotive Climate Control System Cuts Fuel Costs.

There are a lot of reasons to try and reduce the amount of gas we use in our vehicles as much as possible. There is the environment, of course, but there are also economical reasons to try and keep gas use to a minimum. Any way we can cut the amount of gas we use in our cars will help with the cost of keeping our cars filled up.

There are a lot of factors typically associated with gas consumption, like how many miles are driven and how fast a car is driven. These factors are thought of a lot, and people will try and keep their speeds down or use cruise control to save on gas. A lot of people don’t consider other things they do in their car when they are trying to reduce gas usage, though, or even think of them as being a cause using more gas. One major contributor to using excess energy and gas in a vehicle is the cooling system. Air conditioning, in particular, in vehicles causes drivers to use extra gas.

One way to reduce the amount of gas used by the air conditioning system in a car is to better regulate the temperature control. TRW engineers have found a more effective way to do this. They can adjust the settings of a vehicle to a person’s preferences, which will make the air conditioning system in the car much more efficient and this will reduce the amount of excess fuel used.

Usually, air conditioning is controlled by sensors based on the temperature of the inside of the vehicle. But, TRW engineers use sensors to read the levels of three different things to regulate the temperature. These readings can be set to regulate the temperature at levels of the air conditioning that are centered specifically on the owner of the vehicle.

This is a bonus for car manufacturers, too, because it cuts the amount of time they have to spend working on the climate system and getting it set at the right level in each vehicle. Because the system designed by TRW uses three sensors that can change air regulation, it doesn’t take as long for the cooling system to be finished in a car because the sensors stay the same in every car and don’t change.

So, by paying attention to the air conditioning in your car, you can help the environment and save money by using less gas. The sensors developed by TRW help do that, and they also help car manufacturers by reducing production time and costs. And if you don’t have a vehicle that has a system to help cut the amount of gas used when the air is on, remember that the less the cooling system is used, the lower the amount of gas you will need.



By Mazen A

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-34864076_ITM

Mileage tax vs. Gas tax in Oregon

I just read and interesting article about the idea of taxing drivers based on how many miles they drive vs. the amount of fuel they use. Upon reading the title I thought cool, maybe people will use alternative forms of transportation. I then realized that the amount paid by the taxpayer for a "vehicle" tax would remain about the same unless one decides to do alot more driving than they usually do. This may decrease incentive for those who are thinking of buying a newer fuel efficient car if their decision is based upon saving tax at the pump (although they'd still save on the cost of fuel). There is still the altruistic reason for doing it to saving the environment, which I wholeheartedly feel obligated to do and hope that other's do too. You can see the full text of the article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/02/oregon-exploring-idea-of-_n_154902.html.

Dorena Campbell

Post By: Badr Alyamani

DIESEL OR GASOLINE?

If you or your parents owned a diesel car 20 years ago, you may have some bad memories of the experience. American drivers have steered clear of diesel since the early 1980s because many of the cars were unreliable, noisy, and polluting. Though today's diesel cars have overcome most of their past performance problems, they account for only a few percent of new automobile and truck sales in the US.

In Europe, on the other hand, about 40% of new cars sold are diesel, amounting to more than five million vehicles each year. The demand for diesel in Europe is fueled by the high cost of gasoline. (Unequal taxation of the two fuels results in diesel costing about one dollar less per gallon in most European countries.)

Over the past few years, diesel's popularity as an automotive fuel has grown significantly. Thanks to its higher energy content and its efficient combustion process, diesel performance enables cars to travel at least 30% farther on a gallon of fuel than comparable gasoline models.

The improved efficiency of diesel engines can also help reduce oil consumption. It should be noted, however, that it takes about 25% more oil to make a gallon of diesel fuel than a gallon of gasoline, so we should really look at how a vehicle does on fuel efficiency in terms of "oil equivalents." Thus, we need to adjust the mileage claims for diesel vehicles downward by about 20% when comparing them to gasoline-powered vehicles.

Comparison – Diesel vs. Gasoline

CATEGORY	DIESEL	GASOLINE	NOTES
Initial cost	–	ok
Range	+	ok
Extreme towing capability	+	ok
Infrastructure availability	–	+ +
Tested tailpipe pollution	–	+
In-use pollution	– –	–	a
Maximum potential oil reduction	+	+
Maximum potential global warming benefits	+ +	+	b
Cost-effectiveness for oil reduction	+	+ +
Cost-effectiveness for global warming benefits	+	+ +
Net consumer savings	+	+ +	c

KEY:

Excels in this area	+ +
Does well in this area	+
Performs adequately in this area	ok
Does less well in this area	–
Performs poorly in this area	– –

Here is an interesting video about a comparison between vegetable oil and diesel:

Source:http://www.grinningplanet.com/2005/04-12/diesel-vs-gasoline-article.htm

Posted By: Badr Alyamani

Free Gas Saving Tips

Here are some things to think about that can help to minimize your fuel bill. If planning a road trip this summer the first thing to think about is shedding any extra weight you may have including baggage, bike racks, or anything else that may weigh your car down that you don't necessarily need. Reduction of extra aerodynamic drag especially when driving at higher speeds can aid in the reduction of fuel use.

The type of oil you are using in your car can also make a difference. It is important to make sure you are using the right grade and viscosity ("the property of a fluid that resists the force tending to cause the fluid to flow" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/viscosity)) of oil and preferably oil that has been rated energy conserving.

It is also important to check your engine's performance if you think you should be getting better mileage. A scan tool will help you learn what your engine parameters and trouble codes mean. Something as small as putting in a new air filter can make a positive difference.

One last tip that I think many don't think about is that the way you drive can make a big difference in fuel saving. Being able to lift your foot off the gas instead of braking can make a difference in mileage so remember to drive with moderation and anticipate traffic patterns ahead of you.

From Gadget-Free Gas Saving Tips

Mike Allen,

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Read more:http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2009/07/16/hearstmaggreen336790.DTL#ixzz0LT2A9BN4

Posted by: Jamie Dickinson

Biodiesel Fuel Facts...

Everyone seems to be looking for fuel alternatives to help save the environment and hopefully some money these days. A popular alternative is hybrid cars, which seems to be what most people automatically think of when it comes to the topic of alternative fuel options. Hybrid cars are great fuel efficient cars, but there are other options out there. Biodiesel is another fuel alternative that I honestly hadn’t heard much about and decided to do some research on what exactly it is and find out what the benefits of it are:

Biodiesel is a clean burning alternative fuel, made from renewable resources like plant oils, animal fats, used cooking oil and algae. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but can be blended at any level with diesel to create a biodiesel blend. Biodiesel blends can be used in most compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and free of sulfur. It's basically a clean burning fuel.

Biodiesel can also be self-made, which can save the user even more money. There are various books and how to guides available online that teaches people how to make their own biodiesel and here is a website that teaches the basics of making biodiesel: http://www.biodieselnow.com/blogs/methods/archive/2007/01/27/the-basics-of-biodiesel-production-101.aspx. Although they claim that producing the fuel is cheaper, the cost of the equipment, if not readily available can be quite expensive in the beginning. But in the long run, it evens out because of the money that will be saved on fuel. Here is a link to a savings calculator to see how much you can save with biodiesel: http://www.homebiodieselkits.com/savings-calculator.html.

A common myth about biodiesel is that biodiesel does not perform as well as diesel. In fact, Biodiesel can be used in many existing engines in blends of up to 20% with little impact to the operating performance. In 50 million miles of field testing, blends of 20% biodiesel showed similar fuel consumption, horsepower, torque, and haulage rates as conventional diesel fuel. For more myths and facts visit: http://www.biodiesel.org/pdf_files/fuelfactsheets/Myths_and_Facts.pdf

It seems that biodiesel is a valid fuel alternative that just needs more exposure and more people willing to try it out. Right now, it seems that most people would have to make their own biodiesel in order to have this fuel alternative; hopefully soon biodiesel can be an option at gas stations. Buying a hybrid car seems like an easier alternative to save on fuel, but biodiesel can provide even more benefits because it is all natural and renewable.

By: Rebecca Mark

Hydrogen Conversion Kits?

Recently I had a conversation with a local auto mechanic and we discussed ways on improving fuel efficiency. His response was “Have you heard of hydrogen conversion kits for vehicles?”

I did some investigating into the hydrogen conversion kit and basically found the system can be purchased for a few hundred dollars. The installation in the engine area can be accomplished with in a few hours (If you know what you are doing).

How it works?
Hydrogen is pump into the air system and then mixed in the pistons to complete the fuel burn off. Why, because not all fuel is burned when the engine combusts (Wasting Fuel). Manufactures claim these kits improve fuel efficiency 30% to 60%. However, certain vehicles will vary based on engine size and speed.

For those consumers seeking an alternative to expensive hybrids, these conversions kits may be right for them. You save fuel, save money, and the environment. Consult your vehicle manufacture to ensure you do not compromise any warranties.



Web Pages for References:

http://www.hydrofuelgenerator.com/
http://www.moneysavingdevice.com/products.php?cPath=21
http://americanfuelvehicles.com/IntergalacticHydrogen.aspx
http://www.impco.ws/
http://bestonlinereviews4you.com/gasconversion/

By: Brad B.

Best Practices

Keep A Lid On It

I don’t necessarily mean lid, it’s actually called a cap but it serves the same purpose. You know the type of cap that keeps things enclosed. Soda bottles, pill bottles, shampoo bottles to name a few. But there is a cap that is greatly underestimated. It was brought to my attention that our gas caps on our cars play a pretty significant role and they are being extremely understated. Yes, it’s the gas cap; we don’t pay much attention to it. Most of us have had few encounters with it and it so taken for granted. It is just there doing its job…to keep the gas liquid and the fumes contained. But is it really doing an adequate job and how would we know. Or do we even care? Well according to information put out by the Car Care Council by not having a tight fitting cap on your car you could loose up to 30 gallons of gas a year. And it is said that 147,000 gallons of gas vaporize into the air in the United States annually. Well, that doesn’t sound too good for the environment or for our pocket book. So a few tips for making sure that you’re not adding any more to your carbon footprint and save a few bucks.

1. Make sure that the attendant is properly twisting the cap the proper amount.
2. Check to see how worn it is.
3. If it hisses when you take it off it is probably has a good seal.

And did you know that every time you open your fuel tank that the fuel evaporates, so try to limit your fill ups. And of course don’t have the tank so called “topped off” it just adds more toxins into the air and your car is not going to utilize that portion efficiently. Every little bit we can do to reduce the pain at the pump and the save the environment is a good thing.

Vickie Wheatley