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Fill Your Stocking With Fuel Savings  |  Simple Car Neglects Costing You MPG

Fill Your Stocking With Fuel Savings | Simple Car Neglects Costing You MPG

Car Connection Workshop Dec 24, 2025 42 min
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About this episode

Nile 'Motor Mouth' Jenkins shares valuable insights on fuel savings in this lively episode. He presents eight practical tips to enhance your vehicle's MPG, starting with the importance of a clean air filter and regular oil changes. With a mix of humor and automotive know-how, Jenkins emphasizes preventative maintenance to avoid costly repairs. He also highlights the significance of understanding your vehicle's needs to save money in the long run. Tune in for the first four tips and stay tuned for the continuation in the next episode.

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Technical Too Afraid to Ask
Car

Toyota FJ Cruiser

"...the 2007 FJ Cruiser, I'm going to have to be replacing the catalytic converters on both sides of the engine and it's quite a job and it comes with a pretty good price tag to do so."

The Toyota FJ Cruiser is a type of SUV that looks unique and is built for driving on rough terrain. It was made from 2006 to 2014 and is loved by people who enjoy outdoor adventures.

Part

catalytic converters

"...the 2007 FJ Cruiser, I'm going to have to be replacing the catalytic converters on both sides of the engine and it's quite a job and it comes with a pretty good price tag to do so."

Catalytic converters are parts of a car's exhaust system that help clean up the gases that come from the engine. They make the car less harmful to the environment.

Term

prosumer

"...you, the consumer, I'm trying to turn you into a prosumer, not a consumer."

A prosumer is a person who not only buys things, like car parts, but also learns how to use and understand them better. They are more involved than just regular consumers.

Part

air conditioning condenser

"...I could see that the air conditioning condenser had been replaced, the radiator support had been replaced."

The air conditioning condenser helps cool down the air conditioning system. It's important for keeping your car's interior comfortable on hot days.

Part

radiator

"...the radiator support had been replaced. The radiator itself had been replaced."

The radiator helps keep the engine cool by removing heat from the coolant. It's essential for preventing the engine from overheating.

Term

front end collision

"...was this car had a front end collision? Oh, no. No, no, no, has never been hit."

A front end collision is when the front part of a car hits something, like another car or a wall. It can cause serious damage to the car's structure and parts.

Term

road test

"...we take it for a road test with one of their sales guys. We're in downtown Toronto."

A road test is when you drive a car to see how it works. It's important to check if the car runs well before buying it.

Term

front end work

"...did you guys do some front end work on here?"

Front end work means fixing parts at the front of the car, like the steering and suspension. It's important for making sure the car drives safely and smoothly.

Part

transmission oil

"I was on the passenger front and look, there's transmission oil all over the roadway. And I see the axle shaft is broken."

Transmission oil is a fluid that helps the car's gears work smoothly. If you see it leaking, it could mean there's a problem with the car's transmission.

Part

axle shaft

"And I see the axle shaft is broken. And I said to my cohort, I said, we might as well walk because this thing is done."

An axle shaft is a part of the car that helps the wheels turn. If it breaks, the car can't move anymore.

Concept

four C's

"So the four C's concern, cause, correction, confirmation. When I closed my shop in 2001, yes, 2001, and I went to work for a major European car manufacturer, I had to learn those four C's myself."

The four C's are a way to think about fixing car problems. They stand for concern (what's wrong), cause (why it happened), correction (how to fix it), and confirmation (making sure it's fixed).

Part

engine air filter

"Okay, number one, a dirty air filter. The engine can use more than 10,000 gallons of air for every gallon of fuel burn so it's easy to see how important the air filter that is the engine air filter not the cabin air filter engine air filter."

The engine air filter keeps dirt and dust out of the engine. If it's dirty or blocked, it can make it harder for the engine to breathe, which can cause problems.

Term

oil change

"...the air filter should be checked at every oil change and I will say this. Some of these make some models and manufacturers."

An oil change is when you replace the old oil in your car's engine with new oil. It's important to do this regularly to keep the engine running smoothly.

Part

engine oil

"That's number one dirty engine oil dirty engine oils causes friction. And you've got to remember, if you have a service reminder light, they are set way too far off in the distance for me."

Engine oil helps your car's engine run smoothly by keeping its parts lubricated. If the oil gets dirty, it can cause problems and make the engine work harder.

Term

maintenance reminder light

"Only that stupid maintenance reminder light that might as well come on at once a year. Yeah, that doesn't work for me."

The maintenance reminder light is a signal on your car's dashboard that tells you when it's time to take your car for service. It helps you remember to do important things like changing the oil.

Term

motor oil

"Motor oil and filters are cheaper, far cheaper than replacing an engine. So this one's huge as well."

Motor oil is a liquid that helps keep your car's engine running smoothly by reducing friction between moving parts. Changing it regularly is important for keeping the engine healthy.

Term

tune-ups

"All right, number three, tune ups. We're going to be talking about that in the new year as well."

A tune-up is when you check and fix different parts of your car's engine to make sure it runs well. This can help improve fuel efficiency and performance.

Car

Ford F150

"...I would love to have a sales guy in our workshop and I pick something really nasty like a V8 powered Ford F-150 where the motor is put in with a shoehorn and have them get the spark plugs out at 200,000 kilometers."

The Ford F-150 is a popular truck that many people use for work and everyday driving. It's known for being tough and reliable.

Part

spark plugs

"...have them get the spark plugs out at 200,000 kilometers. And there's a couple of videos this past summer I did."

Spark plugs are small parts in a car's engine that help start the engine by creating a small spark. They need to be changed sometimes to keep the engine running well.

Car

Kia Borrego

"You may have not heard of this particular vehicle, a Kia Borrego. It's a behemoth of a four-wheel drive."

The Kia Borrego is a large SUV made by Kia. It has a strong build and is designed for driving on rough terrain, making it good for off-road adventures.

Part

coilovers

"It's got a V8 in it, a coilover plug."

Coilovers are parts of a car's suspension that help control how the car rides and handles. They can be adjusted to change how high or low the car sits.

Term

air-fuel mixture

"It makes adjustments to air fuel mixture and idle while you are driving."

The air-fuel mixture is how much air and fuel are mixed together in the engine. If it's not right, the engine won't run well and can waste gas.

Term

money light

"...when the money light comes on, the service light comes on, that means you pushed it too far..."

The 'money light' is a warning light on your dashboard that tells you something is wrong with your car, and it might cost money to fix it.

Term

miles per gallon penalty

"...worn spark plugs will cost you a miles per gallon penalty of up to two miles per gallon."

A 'miles per gallon penalty' means your car is using more gas than it should, so you won't go as far on a gallon of gas, costing you more money.

Part

fuel filter

"...and that never needs a fuel filter. Well, that has an intake fuel filter and it plugged up and it burnt out the fuel pump a month after I owned it."

A fuel filter cleans the fuel that goes into your car's engine. If it gets dirty or blocked, it can cause problems with how the engine runs.

Part

fuel pump

"...it plugged up and it burnt out the fuel pump a month after I owned it. There's another backstory to that as well."

The fuel pump sends gas from the tank to the engine. If it stops working, your car won't start or run properly.

Term

miles per gallon (MPG)

"Then I'll give you the miles per gallon penalty and we'll wrap this thing up for today. When the fuel filter becomes restricted, you will not even notice that you're pressing on the accelerator pedal further down than you normally would to get that vehicle to take off and run at whatever speed it is that you, you know."

Miles per gallon (MPG) tells you how many miles a car can go using one gallon of gas. If the MPG is lower, it means the car is using more gas than it should.

Term

fuel injectors

"So the more you press the gas pedal, the more you're telling the onboard computer to open the fuel injectors, open their mouths wider like baby birds. Mama's coming with a worm or a bug or something and their mouths come way open, right?"

Fuel injectors are like tiny nozzles that spray fuel into the engine to help it run. They make sure the fuel mixes well with air for better performance.

Term

ECM

"Well, you're telling the ECM when you're pushing further down on that accelerator pedal, feed me mama, feed me more gas, more fuel."

The ECM is like the brain of the engine. It tells the engine how much fuel to use and when to use it to make sure the car runs well.

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