Driving habits can significantly impact your fuel economy, costing you thousands annually. This episode dives into practical tips for improving fuel efficiency, including maintaining proper tire inflation, ensuring fuel caps are secure, and the importance of regular oxygen sensor checks. Niall shares insights on how driving behaviors like speeding and carrying unnecessary weight can further diminish mileage. With a mix of humor and expertise, listeners are encouraged to adopt better habits to save money and enhance vehicle performance.
What if the biggest fuel leak in your life isn't under the hood - it's behind the wheel?
In Part 2 of our Christmas fuel - saving series, Motormouth goes beyond maintenance and exposes the hidden fuel squeeze caused by poor driving habits, rushed mornings, and bad routines that drain your wallet every single month.
I n This Episode You'll Learn:
1) How aggressive driving, speeding, and poor time management destroy fuel economy
2) Why getting to bed earlier can literally put money back in your pocket
3) How "every drop, every drip" adds up to thousands of dollars a year
4) The 30 -Day Challenge that will blow your mind
The Challenge:
1) drive exactly how you do for 30 days-track every dollar of fuel
2) Next 30 days: slow down, plan ahead, drive the speed limit
3) Compare the results - and enjoy what feels like a household raise
This isn't theory. This is real life. And once you see the numbers ...you'll never drive the same again.
"Take the 30-day challenge. Track every dollar.
Then take that extra money you just found...and put it where it belongs - your family, not the gas tank."
Visit: our web site (ccbusnet.com) Car Connection Business Network.com On our home page you are able to connect with our sponsors directly, just click on their logo, connect and please let them know Motormouth sent you!
All the links for all the platforms Car Connection can be followed on are on our web site home page also: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, stevensville on the web .ca click the Businesses tab to open our profile, videos you wont see anywhere else, bloopers, out takes & just funny goofy stuff to make you laugh!
Visit our Merch store and grab some gear to join our mission into 2026, to support those who are suffering any addiction, and those who have fallen on hard times! Thank You for watching, Listening and Joining our Car Connection Community! Appreciate Y'all very much Friends, Happy Healthy Motoring! Bye For Now! Merry Christmas!
"Tire inflation. That's number five out of eight. This one really knocks it out of the park. Under inflated tires increase rolling resistance."
Tire inflation means making sure your tires have the right amount of air in them. If they're not filled properly, it can make your car less safe and use more gas.
Tire inflation refers to the process of filling a tire with air to the recommended pressure. Proper tire inflation is crucial for vehicle safety, fuel efficiency, and tire longevity.
"Under inflated tires increase rolling resistance. That's friction and cause a decrease in fuel economy. I'm going to give you two statistics."
Rolling resistance is the difficulty your tires have when they roll on the ground. If it's high, your car uses more gas because the engine has to work harder.
Rolling resistance is the force that opposes the motion of a tire as it rolls on a surface. It affects fuel economy, as higher rolling resistance means the engine has to work harder, consuming more fuel.
"...and cause a decrease in fuel economy. I'm going to give you two statistics."
Fuel economy is how far your car can go on a certain amount of gas. The better the fuel economy, the less gas you need to drive the same distance.
Fuel economy refers to how efficiently a vehicle uses fuel, typically measured in miles per gallon (MPG). Better fuel economy means a vehicle can travel further on a given amount of fuel.
"...it's a natural occurrence. It's not a leak that we can fix. It's what we call a natural leakage."
Natural leakage is when air slowly escapes from your tires just because of how they're made. It's normal and happens over time, especially when it's cold outside.
Natural leakage refers to the gradual loss of air from a tire over time due to the permeability of the tire material. This is a normal occurrence and can be exacerbated by temperature changes.
"the winter months to stay on top of your tire pressures. But when you listen, when you get this next statistic on the fuel saving tips on tires being under inflated..."
Tire pressure is how much air is in your tires. If it's too low, it can make your car use more fuel and wear out the tires faster.
Tire pressure refers to the amount of air inside a tire, which is crucial for optimal vehicle performance, fuel efficiency, and safety. Maintaining the correct tire pressure helps prevent excessive wear and improves handling.
"When it comes to mechanicals and components on your vehicle, heat is the enemy. Friction is heat."
Friction is what happens when two things rub against each other. In cars, too much friction can cause parts to wear out faster and create heat.
Friction is the resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another. In vehicles, friction can generate heat, which can lead to increased wear on components like tires and brakes.
"For every one PSI of underinflation, you're losing 2% fuel"
PSI is a way to measure how much air is in your tires. It's important to keep it at the right level for safety and to save fuel.
PSI stands for pounds per square inch, a unit of measurement used to express tire pressure. Maintaining the correct PSI is essential for vehicle safety and efficiency.
"...when the tires under inflated cuts into the sidewall of tire and chews it up..."
Under-inflated tires are tires that don't have enough air in them. They can cause your car to use more gas and can be dangerous if they blow out.
Under-inflated tires are tires that do not have enough air pressure. This can lead to decreased fuel efficiency, increased tire wear, and a higher risk of blowouts.
"...the inside of the tire on the sidewall because that's the part that take, cannot take a lot of heat..."
The sidewall is the side part of the tire that helps hold it together. If the tire doesn't have enough air, this part can get damaged and cause problems.
The sidewall of a tire is the part that connects the tread to the rim. It plays a crucial role in supporting the tire's structure and can be compromised if the tire is under-inflated, leading to potential blowouts.
"...the money light is on, it's an oxygen sensor or fuel cap. That's BS. You got to test."
An oxygen sensor checks how much oxygen is in the exhaust from the engine. It helps the car use fuel more efficiently and produce less pollution.
An oxygen sensor measures the amount of unburned oxygen in a vehicle's exhaust. This data helps the engine control unit adjust the air-fuel mixture for optimal combustion, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.
"...the lights on, it's your fuel cap because that's what happened to me..."
The fuel cap is the part that closes your car's gas tank. If it's not sealed properly, it can cause warning lights to come on and let fuel vapors escape, which is bad for the environment.
The fuel cap seals the fuel tank to prevent fuel vapors from escaping into the atmosphere. A faulty fuel cap can trigger warning lights on the dashboard, indicating a potential issue with the fuel system.
"...Nox emissions. Nox emissions is the one that's not healthy. And that is unburnt fuel vapor..."
NOx emissions are bad gases that come from cars and trucks when they burn fuel. These gases can cause air pollution and health issues, making it important to reduce them.
NOx emissions refer to nitrogen oxides, which are harmful pollutants produced during combustion processes, especially in vehicles. They contribute to smog and respiratory problems.
"on my 07 Toyota FJ Cruiser and also on the 97 Jeep TJ Wrangler Rescue that we rescued from the crusher."
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is a rugged SUV that looks unique and is great for off-road driving, based on a classic model from the past.
The Toyota FJ Cruiser is a retro-styled SUV known for its off-road capabilities and distinctive design inspired by the classic Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser.
"A worn oxygen sensor is unable to detect and adjust the fuel-air mixture correctly..."
The fuel-air mixture is how much fuel and air are mixed together in the engine. Getting this right helps the car run well and use less gas.
The fuel-air mixture refers to the ratio of fuel to air that is mixed in the engine's combustion chamber, which is crucial for efficient engine performance and emissions control.
"...for fuel trim. And we'll talk about that when we talk about tune ups on modern day vehicles, high tech vehicles."
Fuel trim is how your car's computer adjusts the mix of air and fuel for the engine. If it's not right, your car might not run well or could pollute more.
Fuel trim refers to the adjustments made by the engine control unit (ECU) to the air-fuel mixture in order to optimize engine performance and emissions. It can indicate how well the engine is running and whether any components, like sensors, are malfunctioning.
"...two vehicles that we did a bunch of front end work on, are ready to hit the alignment rack or wheel alignment..."
Wheel alignment is making sure your car's wheels are pointing in the right direction. If they're off, your tires can wear out faster and your car might not drive straight.
Wheel alignment refers to the adjustment of the angles of the wheels so that they are set to the car manufacturer's specifications. Proper alignment ensures even tire wear and improves handling and fuel efficiency.
"potholes out there the size of our moon size craters big enough to swallow a Hyundai Accent and fill the hole and smooth it off."
The Hyundai Accent is a small car that is inexpensive to buy and run. It's a good option for people who want a reliable vehicle without spending a lot of money.
The Hyundai Accent is a subcompact car known for its affordability and efficiency. It's often used as a practical choice for urban driving and commuting.
"they knock out the steering geometry. They do. Period. Again, bring me 10 cars at random from the local grocery store parking lot. Just go around and pick them and bring them to me."
Steering geometry is how the parts of a car's steering system are set up. If it's not right, it can make the car harder to control and cause uneven tire wear.
Steering geometry refers to the angles and relationships between various components of a vehicle's steering system. Proper steering geometry is crucial for handling, tire wear, and overall vehicle stability.
"Tire wear is an indicator of number one, under inflation, over inflation. Number two, steering suspension components that are worn out."
Tire wear is how much the rubber on your tires gets used up. If your tires wear unevenly, it can mean there are problems with how the car is set up or how the tires are inflated.
Tire wear refers to the degradation of tire tread over time due to contact with the road. It can indicate various issues, such as improper inflation or alignment problems.
"Number two, steering suspension components that are worn out. Number three, you just find it impressive."
Suspension components are the parts that help a car's wheels move up and down smoothly. They make sure you have a comfortable ride and help the car handle well on the road.
Suspension components are parts of a vehicle's suspension system that connect the body of the car to its wheels. They play a vital role in ride comfort and handling by absorbing shocks from the road.
"...that means a vehicle's pushing. If you watch NASCAR or any auto racing, they have to make adjustments on the fly..."
'Pushing' happens when a car doesn't turn as much as the driver wants it to. Instead of going around a corner, it goes straight, which can be dangerous in racing.
In racing, 'pushing' describes a condition where a car understeers, meaning the front tires lose grip and the car tends to go straight instead of turning. This can make it difficult for drivers to navigate corners effectively.
"...If you watch NASCAR or any auto racing, they have to make adjustments on the fly. When they get a yellow caution, the car can come in and they can touch it..."
NASCAR is a type of car racing in the United States where cars race around a track, usually in circles. Drivers and teams have to make fast changes to their cars during the race to keep them competitive.
NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is a popular American motorsport known for its stock car racing on oval tracks. It features high-speed racing and requires teams to make quick adjustments to their cars during races.
"...and then they blow, then they have a blowout, then a caution comes out because the tires all over the track..."
A blowout is when a tire suddenly goes flat while driving, which can make it hard to control the car. It's dangerous, especially if you're going fast.
A blowout refers to a sudden loss of air pressure in a tire, which can cause the tire to fail catastrophically. This often leads to loss of control of the vehicle, especially at high speeds.
"If they don't, you've got suspension problems in the rear."
Suspension problems are issues with the parts of a car that help it ride smoothly. If something is wrong, it can make the car drive badly and wear out the tires unevenly.
Suspension problems refer to issues with the system that connects a vehicle to its wheels, affecting ride comfort, handling, and tire wear. Common signs include uneven tire wear and poor handling.
"miles per gallon. Penalty is 1.5 MPG, miles per gallon. So if you've been, if you've stuck around..."
Miles per gallon (MPG) tells you how many miles a car can drive using one gallon of gas. The higher the number, the less gas the car uses, which saves you money.
Miles per gallon (MPG) is a measure of how far a vehicle can travel on one gallon of fuel. Higher MPG indicates better fuel efficiency, meaning the vehicle uses less fuel for the same distance.
"you got four fuel saving tips. Now, in episode two, when you listen to this, that'll wrap you up and give you eight fuel saving tips."
Fuel saving tips are ways to help your car use less gas. This can include things like keeping your tires properly inflated or driving at a steady speed.
Fuel saving tips are strategies or practices that help improve a vehicle's fuel efficiency, allowing drivers to get more distance from each gallon of fuel. These tips can include maintenance practices, driving habits, and vehicle modifications.
"This is a checklist that is absolute freaking gold, my friends. It's gold. Why? Because get your miles per gallon up..."
A checklist is a list of things you need to do or check on your car. It helps make sure you don’t forget anything important when taking care of your vehicle.
A checklist in automotive terms is a list of tasks or items to be completed or inspected, often used to ensure that all necessary maintenance or repairs are performed on a vehicle. It helps in organizing and tracking vehicle care.
"remember tomorrow morning when you're out driving, look at the RPM gauge. So between 2,200 and 2,500 RPM, 2,200 is a sweet spot."
RPM means how many times the engine's crankshaft makes a full rotation in one minute. If the number is too high, it can use more gas and wear out the engine faster.
RPM stands for revolutions per minute, a measure of how fast the engine is running. Higher RPMs can lead to increased fuel consumption and engine wear.
"...just like a fellow watching them do a burnout. I love it, a big smoky burnout. My father would say, there's someone got more money than brains..."
A burnout is when a car spins its wheels while staying in place, making lots of smoke. It's often done to show off or to make the tires stick better for racing.
A burnout is a driving maneuver where the driver accelerates the vehicle while holding the brakes, causing the rear tires to spin and create smoke. This is often done for show or to heat up the tires for better grip in motorsport contexts.
"...I used to have to go looking for the locking wheel nut dewy thingy to get the wheel nuts off..."
A locking wheel nut is a special nut that keeps your car's wheels from being stolen. You need a special key to take it off, which helps protect your wheels.
A locking wheel nut is a special type of nut used to secure wheels to a vehicle, designed to prevent theft. It requires a specific key to remove, making it difficult for thieves to steal the wheels.
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Good morning Niagara, you're tuned into Car Connection where the coffee's hot, the tools
are ready and the talk is always tuned up.
I'm your host Niall MotorMouth Jenkins, coming to you straight from the Car Connection workshop
where we mix a little humor, a little know-how, and a whole lot of horsepower.
Here it's not just about fixing cars, it's about keeping you rolling, saving you money,
and giving you the confidence to understand what's under that hood.
From the classics to the commuters, the weird noises to the what the heck moments,
we've got you covered. So grab your coffee if you're just heading through the drive-through.
A good idea is to double check your order, just saying, and lock it into your cupholder
and join the crew because this is Car Connection, your Monday through Saturday morning pit stop
for stories, smarts, a few good laughs. And I'm Niall MotorMouth Jenkins and we're going to shift
this thing into drive while you join us here with the MotorMouth Morning Drive. Thank you for
inviting us into your car or wherever you're tuned in from. This is episode two and we're
going to jump into it in just a moment, filling your stocking with fuel saving tips.
I have four more and then you add up your scores. So if you missed the first half,
we'll talk about that in just a moment. But Car Connection is brought to you by
Crystal Ridge Dream Center, serving men, women, children, and meals, love, and hope,
and changing lives one at a time throughout the entire Niagara region. They are our faith-based,
non-profit organization that's doing a lot of what many of us can't. And that is to reach
people, help them where they're at, and all we need to do is just give them a few bucks every
single month because I'll tell you, they know how to take a nickel and hammer it into a dollar.
So consider, would you consider being part of the community and donating a little something
once a month, whatever you can do? Just click on their logo on the homepage of our website at
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to us by one of my favorite places to purchase a pre-owned automobile, City Auto Sales in Leasing
because I know you can buy with confidence and be treated with nothing less than honesty
and integrity. They sell no junk there, low mileage quality vehicles at fair prices. That's
how they've earned the title, GTA's Greater Toronto Areas Premier Pre-owned Auto Store. Over 25 years,
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sales and service that you can trust. And thank you to our certified financial
planning professionals, Tony Miele and Larry Tietro. 50 years combined experience with IG Wealth
Management. These guys have been, they have been given awards for being two of the best of the best
in all of Canada, certified financial planning professionals. And we are blessed to have them.
They are both, I call them my brothers from other mothers, but I'll tell you this. You want them in
your corner if you are dealing with a portfolio of investments that's not making you any money. If
you've got money invested at the bank, you need to get it out of there because you can be doing
100% better than it invested in the bank. And the reason being is when you have that
discovery meeting with Tony or Larry, you'll find out the reasons why. I'm not going to spend that
time here telling you, I can just say this, I've worked with both of them for over 20 years and
I'll tell you what, I wouldn't listen to anyone else. And remember this, if someone's giving you
financial advice and they're not standing where you want to be, then you should not be there
taking that advice. Smile, give them the respect they deserve, but move on. So from investment
portfolios to retiring debt, estate planning, wills and powers of attorney, arranging a mortgage,
life insurance and critical illness insurance, those are all the things you need to have in place
because there's six pillars to a financial plan and a financial plan does what? It gives you a
roadmap to achieve success with your goals and your dreams. Without the plan, you know what,
imagine not having GPS, a roadmap to look at or someone to ask if you're lost,
how are you going to get to that destination? Trial and error. So if your way is not working,
grab an hour and a coffee with Tony Miele or Larry Tietro, you have that given to you complimentary
because you know me and you know car connection. Let them know that I sent you, just click on their
their logo on our homepage at ccbusnet.com and connect, book that discovery meeting,
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or wherever you feel comfortable and confident, but I will say this, please don't pester them
if you're just looking to kick the tires. And the reason I say that, I say it in love is these
guys don't need any more clientele. They don't, but they, because they know me, they've promised
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to put together a budget to keep that older vehicle going and or take care of the next
vehicle better than you did the last one, how to run your household properly financially
and get out of debt and move forward. You get to have that hour in a coffee
discovery meeting with them to get answers your questions. I really want to press that at this
time of year, it being Christmas day, we're only days away from a brand new year, get started with
that discovery meeting, get things looked after. You're not making, I'm going to tell you this
straight up, you have investments in the at the bank, you are not making any money. It's disgusting
the profits that banks make and it's public knowledge, you can look it up how much money,
profitability the banks have made and a majority of that is off of those of you who put your money
in the bank for investments that make you very little, a ziplock bag full of cash.
So check in, get that hour in a coffee, I parked on that a little bit today because we are days away
from a brand new year and if you're having problems getting investments rolling, you have
investments through your work that aren't making you any money, you have money maybe in a TFSA,
a tax-free saving account and it's just sitting there chugging along at 1 or 1.5 percent when
you can actually have that money invested in investments that are making you dividends and
building your TFSA for you, tax-free, they don't do that at the bank. You won't take a TFSA out
with the bank, it's got the handbrake on and it's not making you pittance but if you do that with
Tony or Larry, they will invest your TFSA and make it make more money through dividends in
investments, gives you an investment portfolio, how cool is that? So there's lots of questions,
get them answered, you have an estate, you have a checkbook and a bank account, an automobile,
a snowmobile, a boat, children, a wife, a husband, you have an estate that needs to be planned for
and I'm pushing it because we're heading into a brand new year, do you have these things covered?
Do you have an estate plan? Do you have powers of attorney? Do you have any of that? Do you have a
will? Not one that you buy at the store in a packet, that doesn't hold any water and if you
read that packet all the way from front from cover to cover, at the end you will see this should be
checked by a lawyer, an attorney. Why? Because it will not hold up in a court of law if it's contested,
it will not hold up. So move on to mortgages, I haven't had a mortgage with a bank, you know why?
They treat you like poop. Exactly, especially if you're like me, self-employed for most of my life,
the majority of my life and you know what, I had a bank manager at a specific bank that said,
Nile, I hate small businesses. I left and I went back to the credit union and you know what,
they treat you like a human being there, I like it there. So take that hour and a coffee, get it
booked right now because the fellows are really, really busy and they can also sit down and tax
plan with you as well. They have every single thing about money and life and financials completely
organized to help any situation. Get that discovery meeting booked and organized and don't do a no
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for that. The Greenville family, Niagara Block 5000 Montrose Road, Niagara Falls are the people
that you want to connect with. Why? They've been building Canada since 1931. Building supplies,
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that have an ongoing addiction. Well, let's deal with it and nip that in the bud right in the
beginning of a brand new year. The Total Freedom Darien Center, New York, the campus is open to
Canadian residents as well as U.S. residents. That's for men and women. Total Freedom Sydney
Manitoba, Canada. That's with Rick and Robin, the facilitators. And let me tell you, they know
all about addiction. They have a great story each to tell you. A testimonial. That is a men-only
campus. And here's what waits for you. A brand new life. To start a brand new year in top-door
condition, knocking out that addiction. Because you cannot do it on your own. I've heard people
close to me say that. No, you can't. You cannot get through that addiction alone. You need help.
And that's what they do there. We have a merch store on our website at carconnectionbusinessnetwork.com.
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And that's what our entire vision for car connection, our YouTube channel, Facebook,
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We can purchase car parts to keep a single mom's vehicle going on the road, a widow, a senior.
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Get your sidekick there, your passenger if you have one. Give them the crayons. Give them that
leaf bag because you're going to want the second half of fuel saving tips. I've already doled out
the first four. If you missed that, dive into our iHeart podcast channel and find part one
because you're going to need that to score yourself. You're going to you're scoring your vehicle
on lost fuel economy and you are going to be shocked at the end. So let's jump into part two.
Tire inflation. That's number five out of eight. This one really knocks it out of the park.
Under inflated tires increase rolling resistance. That's friction and cause a decrease in fuel
economy. I'm going to give you two statistics. First, I'm going to give you if you have tires
under inflated on your vehicle, which I could tell you right now if somebody brought me 10 vehicles
at random, nine out of 10 of those vehicles will be have one or more tires under inflated.
And this time of year in the winter when the air molecules shrink, all air molecules in a tire
pass through the sidewall of the tire. That's the thinnest part of the tire and it's a natural
occurrence. It's not a leak that we can fix. It's what we call a natural leakage.
Yeah, I can think of other things too, but I won't. This is a family channel leakage. Yeah,
as you get older, that's what happens leakage. Anyhow, that's why it's important more so in
the winter months to stay on top of your tire pressures. But when you listen, when you get this
next statistic on the fuel saving tips on tires being under inflated, under inflated tires are
costing you a bundle in lost fuel economy and wear and tear on the tire because heat is the enemy.
When it comes to mechanicals and components on your vehicle, heat is the enemy. Friction is heat.
Under inflated tires, that's friction. Yeah, I could tell you a story about my videographer
if I've got time about under inflated tires. Yeah, so you just learned something. Even though we
videotaped segments on tires, tire pressures, and the like, yeah, somebody was driving their van
with a flat tire and fully flat and wasn't paying attention that, well, something's not right. So
he is one to two miles per gallon. Now I'm going to throw a secondary tidbit in there for under
inflated tires. Ready? Write it down. For every one PSI of underinflation, you're losing 2% fuel
economy, 2% on one tire, one. And hopefully your vehicle has four. I'm hoping, yeah,
I'm hoping for you. You got four tires on your vehicle. So for every 1% one PSI
under inflated, 2% loss in fuel economy. And you're wrecking the tire, just saying. It's going to,
it's prematurely getting tore up on the inside of the tire on the sidewall because that's the part
that take, cannot take a lot of heat. And it cannot stand being under inflated because the rim,
when the tires under inflated cuts into the sidewall of tire and chews it up. And you can't see
that from the outside. But then you now have a tire that's been compromised. And let me tell you,
you don't want that tire on the front of the vehicle as a steering tire, because when that
sucker blows, it'll be a better ride than anything you can get at Canada's Wonderland. Got me?
Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Tires are costing you a ton of money when you run them under inflated.
And before the armchair warriors speak up, you cannot look at a radial tire and tell me and
look me right in the eye that it's under inflated or over inflated. If you could, you should probably
be working at NASA because it's not true. You don't have that trained eye that the tire pressure
gauge does. So $5, $6 for a decent tire pressure gauge, even more, I'd spend $20 on a tire great
gauge, and I take very good care of it. So I know that it's accurate. And I have a digital
and an analog gauge as well that I can check my pocket, my pocket, yeah, my pocket on my cover
holes. That is my friend, tire pressure gauge. And I need to know that I know that I know that it
is accurate down to at least a quarter PSI. So that when I'm checking tires for people or myself,
I know that it's reading correctly. And I can check that against my analog gauge and my digital
gauge to make sure that it is accurate because if you keep dropping it on the ground, by accident
or on purpose, treating it like a piece of junk, it is actually a tool. So buy an expensive tire
gauge and look after it. It's your friend in saving your tires from premature wear and tear and a
blowout. And number two, you're going to save up to two miles per gallon for tires being under
inflated. So remember again, quick recap, for every one PSI, a tire is under inflated, you're
losing 2% fuel economy. And you have four wheels. Don't forget the spare. Next, fuel cap.
Damage, missing or loose fuel caps cause over 147 million gallons of fuel to evaporate each year.
And this for the armchair warrior that says your service light, the money light is on,
it's an oxygen sensor or fuel cap. That's BS. You got to test. There is a tool for testing the fuel
cap to say it's yes or no. Yes, it can remain in service. No, it can't. The vent, the seal is done.
If I had a half a nickel for every fuel cap and oxygen sensor that a friend, a neighbor, a
coworker or whatever says, yeah, the lights on, it's your fuel cap because that's what happened
to me. Or my oxygen sensor went out and I ordered one on the jungle website and changed it. But
then they don't tell you the rest of the story. The light comes back on. The money light comes
back on. So we can test these things to verify 100%. The fuel cap is good, bad or ugly, period.
So that fuel cap should be checked on a regular basis to make sure that it is not venting fuel
vapors to the atmosphere. That's what we call that emission is the one that everyone needs to work
hard on to reduce. The carbon is a joke. And we'll leave that there. Just ask a farmer.
Nox emissions. Nox emissions is the one that's not healthy. And that is unburnt fuel vapor.
Just on another note, when airplanes have a problem, big ones, the big planes that carry
thousands of tons of fuel, yeah, I can't remember what the number is, but it's horrific.
And they got to do a safety, a safe landing, they got something going on and they're just,
they just took off. So the plane is fully stuffed with fuel. They fly out over usually a body of
water about 15,000 feet and they dump fuel into the atmosphere. They say it evaporates, but I'm
thinking, say 15,000 tons of fuel, they're dumping it. That's some Nox emissions into the
atmosphere, isn't it? How many leaking fuel caps per number of vehicles would equal that dosage
of fuel dumping? Yeah, I know they got to do it because it is what it is. And it is what it is
not for safety to do a safe landing with less fuel on board than jam-packed. Anyways, I throw
that in there. I digress on that one, but I'm just thinking, one airplane that has to dump,
say 15,000 tons of fuel to do a safe reentry landing to have lesser fuel on board than what
they have just enough to get to the airport and get the thing down. How many cars would that be
that have leaking fuel caps? How many would it take to equal 15,000 tons of fuel? I don't know.
Google it. I probably will. All right, number where we at? Seven. We're at number seven.
Warn oxygen sensors. So yes, the reason I digressed on that was to segue
into oxygen sensors. Again, the armchair warriors will either tell you the service lights on because
the fuel cap was loose or it's not working, just replace the fuel cap, and then the money light
comes back on. The same applies to worn oxygen sensors. They lose their sensitivity and we can test
them. We can test input signal, output signal, and we can also see the signal on an engine analyzer,
like a heartbeat. And we can tell when it's open loop, closed loop. And I won't get into that right
now what that means, but I will address oxygen sensors and what we're looking for and how they work.
In fact, yes, we have a YouTube video up for that because I had to deal with the oxygen sensor
on my 07 Toyota FJ Cruiser and also on the 97 Jeep TJ Wrangler Rescue that we rescued from the
crusher. I had to rewire an oxygen sensor harness into it because somebody did some work under the
hood, left the entire plug that plugs into the vehicle harness from the oxygen sensor
into the vehicle harness was melted and looked like some kind of form of grilled cheese sandwich.
So that is on our YouTube channel and you can see what an oxygen sensor rather is,
how many wires it has, whether it's a HeGo or just an O2 sensor. And to find out what that means,
you have to watch the video on our YouTube channel that breaks out and shows you and I talk about
everything oxygen sensor on that video. So here's what we got. You ready?
A worn oxygen sensor is unable to detect and adjust the fuel-air mixture correctly
and can cause your vehicle to use more fuel than it needs to. And that's true. It's absolutely
true. If it's out of calibration, it's out of calibration, period. And the oxygen sensor tells
the computer what temperature the exhaust is at and if there is any NOx or carbons in it's,
I like to call it the electrical nose. It breathes in the exhaust gases and tells the computer,
yo, dude, yeah, put the cartoon mag down there for a minute. Yeah, we got a problem down here.
I'm smelling, I'm smelling way too much arm burned fuel. It's rich. So then the computer says
to the injectors, fellas, fellas, stop giving the engine too much fuel. Well, well, you know,
the oxygen sensor is telling us that, you know, there's a problem here.
We're running, we're not getting enough fuel to keep this thing running right. So we're just
doing our job. Well, it all works together. So if your oxygen sensor, you may have more than one,
I have four on the FJ Cruiser. Really sucks to be me. And it says we, that's like two,
two more than I need, I think, and feel. But anyways, they all have to work together
for fuel trim. And we'll talk about that when we talk about tune ups on modern day vehicles,
high tech vehicles. Yes, we still do tune ups. Sparky, it's true. So more an oxygen sensor that's
out of calibration, you're ready for this one, write it down on your your card, on your leaf bag,
mile per gallon penalty, up to three miles to the gallon. All right, last but not least,
wheel alignments. I have one vehicle that's ready for actually two vehicles that we did a bunch of
front end work on, are ready to hit the alignment rack or wheel alignment, because if the alignment
is out, and I'll tell you this, once a year, you're not going to like me, but it's true. Once a year,
you need to have your vehicle four wheel aligned. You might say, well, that's just another added
expense. I can hear the armchair warriors. And you know what, it's okay, because destructive
criticism is the death gargle of a loser. And that's where I leave it. You know, many years ago,
I said no to drama. And I mean it, period. No to drama. I stay away from it. I don't need to hear
it. It's too negative for me. You know, no, negative Nellie's and that negative Niels forget
about it. They don't have a place in my life. Not at all. So here's the thing. We have potholes out
there the size of our moon size craters big enough to swallow a Hyundai accent and fill the hole and
smooth it off. It's disgusting. And in my own town, I know what lane to stay out of. Otherwise,
if you're trying to drink your morning coffee, you're going to have half of it down the front of
your shirt, or whatever it is you're wearing, and possibly on your lap, leave your screaming
like a little girl. Guys, right? Exactly. So just banging into the potholes, like most of you do,
instead of avoiding them and slowing down and get out of the way of the potholes,
they knock out the steering geometry. They do. Period. Again, bring me 10 cars at random from
the local grocery store parking lot. Just go around and pick them and bring them to me.
I guarantee you nine out of 10 have a steering geometry problem, which means your vehicle is
pushing your tires down the road, not rolling. Tire wear is an indicator of number one,
under inflation, over inflation. Number two, steering suspension components that are worn out.
Number three, you just find it impressive. Maybe that gives you some kind of
chiropractic adjustment by hitting every deep dish manhole cover, or I patched the road myself
kind of campaign. I was on a road like that yesterday. I slowed down to like three kilometers an hour.
And you know, that cold patch, that's such a waste of freaking time. Oh my gosh,
might as well stick a pencil in your kneecap. It's less painful. That's our tax money going
out the window. I think I flicked most of it out. Doesn't work. So in other words, you've got to
slow down, keep an eye on the road surface itself, get to know the roadways where you're driving,
and avoid them because that knocks out your steering geometry. And when it's out, that means
a vehicle's pushing. If you watch NASCAR or any auto racing, they have to make adjustments on the
fly. When they get a yellow caution, the car can come in and they can touch it. If they've got a
car that's pushing in the corners, that means it wants to go up in the wall, but you're turning
hard left, right? That's NASCAR. Turn left, turn left, turn left, turn left. But if the car's
pushing, that means the driver is fighting the car to stop it from going up to the right into
the wall where it wants to go. And it wears tires and then they blow, then they have a blowout,
then a caution comes out because the tires all over the track, et cetera, et cetera.
Our own vehicles are no different. It's exactly the same. If the steering geometry is out of whack,
the car is pushing. It's pushing the tires down the road, scrubbing the tire surface
and wearing your tires out prematurely. That's money. So for all those who are going,
anyways, do my money on a freaking alignment. Well, good for you. What could do? Yeah, period.
If your vehicle's in alignment, you're saving money on fuel economy and you're not burning
off your front tire, period. Because that is one of the biggest things that will give you
indicator that your steering geometry sucks. It's got problem. You look at the tires, they don't
look like the back ones. The back ones look nice, neat, and tidy, and even. They should, if they
don't, you've got suspension problems in the rear. And vehicles today, four-wheel alignments,
we can adjust a lot of, there's a lot of adjustments on the rear tires as well as the front.
So we need to make sure steering geometry is good on all four corners of your vehicle.
So, wheel alignment that's out of whack, which it probably is,
miles per gallon. Penalty is 1.5 MPG, miles per gallon. So if you've been, if you've stuck around
and you had, you took in episode one, you got four fuel saving tips. Now, in episode two,
when you listen to this, that'll wrap you up and give you eight fuel saving tips. Add up
your fuel penalty miles per gallon and watch your eyeballs come out of your head.
Absolutely. This is a checklist that is absolute freaking gold, my friends. It's gold. Why? Because
get your miles per gallon up and do what you need to do out of this checklist to get your vehicle
in right standing. It's money in your pocket when you got the nozzle in the tank. That's what I'm
saying. As a friend of mine, who's an immigration officer for over 40 years would say, learn it
and live it. And that is so true. So changing a few driving habits are going to help keep you
see and help you see an increase in fuel economy, friends. Avoid quick or jackrabbit starts and
stops. You know who you are. I always, you know, you zip past me like you, you know, it's one lap
to go and you're waiting for the checkered flag and I'm right on your butt at the next stoplight.
I love that. You know what I do? I laugh my pants off. Well, not completely. Maybe just personally.
Sitting idle will also get you zero miles per gallon. Turn the vehicle off if you've been sitting
for more than a minute. I do that quite often. If I'm stuck, traffic any moving, I shut it off.
It saves you money. And here's another one. You're not going to like me on this one. You ready?
Drive the speed limit. The signs, friends, it's not a suggestion, just so you know.
And yeah, I'm the slowest driver in the household and I'm okay with that award because I got a
slow driver and he reminded me about what the results would be of my stupidity in poor choices.
He said, poor choices. Your poor choices are going to cause you to have to get a bus pass,
mister. And today's the day you need to fix that. Because if you come back here again
and stand before me, you'll know already it's not, it's going to be a memorable day for you.
There you go. So drive the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds
above 65 to 70 MPH. So what we know about 60 miles per hour is about 100 kilometers per hour
suggestion on the roadside, on the roadside. So that should help you. Each mile per hour driven
over 70 MPH can cost you, ready? Another 10 cents per gallon.
For you not fixing your schedule so that you have more time to get to work,
get into bed early so you can get up early or and get set off to work sooner.
That lifestyle is costing all of you thousands of dollars in more fuel
expense every single year. Do you realize that? But the reason you don't feel it is you don't see it.
That's why. And here's another statistic for you. If you have, I'll leave you with,
I have one more and then I'm going to leave you with this episode two
on fuel saving tips, giving you some bonus round here.
If you have a tachometer in your car, fellas and felets that have a big foot to press that loud
pedal, you're the ones, you know who you are out there on the highways and byways because I,
I, my head is on a swivel when I'm on the road and I'm watching your driving habits and I'm going,
you have got to be dumber than a stick to drive like that because you're spending thousands.
And I'm not talking hundreds and just single dollars, thousands of dollars in wear and tear
on your vehicle as well as lost fuel economy because when that RPM gauge jumps above 2,500
RPMs, you're not getting any fuel economy at all. If you listen closely and put all four
windows down, you can actually hear a severe sucking sound. Yeah, that's the fuel being
sucked out of your fuel tank and going through the engine because you got a big foot, you got a
bad habit with your schedule and you do not drive the speed limit. Well, I'm just keeping up with
everybody else. Well, I'll tell you something. My, my, my father said to me when I was younger,
if your buddy jumped off the bridge into the Niagara river, would you do it?
I don't know. Well, there you go. That's what he's saying. Well, there you go. So just because
somebody else is doing that, you're there for you to keep up with someone you don't even know
and you don't even like is costing you thousands of dollars in wear and tear and fuel expenses. So
remember tomorrow morning when you're out driving, look at the RPM gauge. So between 2,200 and 2,500
RPM, 2,200 is a sweet spot. The engine's not overworking. It's just out for a stroll in the park
and that gets you more mileage. That's how I make it to half a million miles on a vehicle.
I'm not doing what you're doing, but you have to go and replace your vehicle because you wear
the damn thing out. Yeah, you wear it out prematurely costing more money. Yeah, that's being a really
bad donkey. Absolutely. So when you hit 2,500 RPM, you can do this. That's kissing your fuel economy
totally goodbye because you're not getting it. You're not getting any fuel economy
to keep up with your lifestyle. Ain't happening, not today, not tomorrow, not how well you
maintain it and change the oil on time and everything. You're kissing your fuel economy
goodbye at 2,500 RPM, gone. That is what I call a foregone conclusion. All right, next.
I'm scolding you a bit, but I'm doing it in love because you're costing yourself
money just like a fellow watching them do a burnout. I love it, a big smoky burnout.
My father would say, there's someone got more money than brains. It's true. It's absolutely true.
Tires aren't free unless maybe you're working for a tire manufacturing company. All right,
here you go. Last bonus round for fuel saving tips. This should fill your stocking. Avoid
carrying unneeded heavy items in your trunk and extra 100 pounds in the trunk. And I know
a lot of you, I used to have to go looking for the locking wheel nut dewy thingy to get the
wheel nuts off. And the trunk is stuffed full like a warehouse. And I'd have to phone and say,
could you, I can't get your wheels off until somebody comes down here and finds the locking
wheel nut dewy thingy so we can get the wheels off. I said, if you want to pay us by the hour to
try and find it, it's hide and seek two hours. That's like 140 bucks. I'll say my wife now.
That's usually what would happen. So avoid carrying unneeded heavy items in your trunk
or in your pickup truck. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces the typical cars fuel economy by
one to 2%. I've gone on a little too far for you. It took up an extra 15 minutes of your time,
but I've given you every fuel saving tip in two episodes. So be sure to check in
and listen to episode one to get the first four. Episode two will give you the next four,
along with the bonus tips as well. And I really mean that on the speed. Slow down,
watch how much money you save in one month. That's my challenge. That's my 2026
New Year's Fuel Economy Resolution for you is take one month and track your fuel economy,
how much money you're putting in the gas tank every month, every driplet, every droplet,
every squeeze for one month, continuing to drive with the driving habits you currently have.
Next test. One month, driving maybe 10K over, 5 to 10K over the speed limit,
just barely. I do that. That's it for me. 5 to 10 over. I'm done. I'm watching my RPM
because I do not like squeezing fuel and wasting fuel into my car. I just do not want it.
You know, we work hard for a dollar and then you're pissing it away just like that.
So then you're going to take a whole month, do the speed limit, plus a tad, a tad.
I prefer the limit, but then there's those that are just, they're the evil doers that, you know,
you should be run off the road into the rhubarb patch into the lake through the fence
over the guardrail because you're going the speed limit. I poo poo those people. It's okay
because remember, as long as you're behind, you know, if you ain't the lead dog, the view is always
the same. So when they come up behind me, I just laugh. It's okay. I'll get there and I'll save money.
So for one month, you're going to change your driving habits. You're going to fix your schedule,
getting too late to bed, having a hard time getting your butt out of bed in the morning,
and you're running behind all the time. Fix that for one month and watch how much money is left
over at the end of the month compared to the month before you'll be blown away. You'll be all in
to what I've just shared with you. You will be all in. So I have a very, very Merry Christmas.
If you're out and about with friends and family, I always like to say this.
If you have a little too much cheer, make sure, you know what, there's several ways to get you
home safely and you're not out there while I'm out there. Just do it. All right. You can take the
bus, arrange a cab, arrange an Uber, take a, what do they call it, designated driver with you. No
excuses. No excuses for that. Pre-plan. Have a good time. But remember, if you're going to have some
cheer, make sure you have a way, a safe way to keep us all safe out there and yourself and get
home safely. Have a very, very Merry Christmas and enjoy time with family, friends and those that you
normally can't get time with. And let's not forget those who've had a rough year and lost family
members around this time a year, say a year ago or just very recently, which I can say.
Think about them. Reach out to them because it's a tough time for those people right now.
It's a tough time. The memories, the hurt and everything else. So peace, patience, kindness,
keep it under 100. Happy, healthy motoring and we'll see you just after Christmas.
I'll be here for you Monday through Saturday. Stop by for MotorMouth Morning Drive. Don't miss it.
Love y'all. Bye for now.
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