Electric Vehicle Kits: Build Your Own Electric Car

Electric Vehicle Kits: Build Your Own Electric Car
With rising fuel costs, more and more people and are looking for alternatives. One such alternative that is gaining popularity, especially with the do it yourself types, are the electric vehicle kits.

5 Tips On Making Your Car More Fuel Efficient
With gas prices sky high most individuals who drive are interested in ways they can make their car more fuel efficient and save as much money as possible. While there are no fuel saving tips that will keep your car full of gas without filling up, there are some tips that really can help you save money on fuel over the long run. All of these tips focus on making your car more fuel efficient.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #1 Drive When You Crank Up
This might seem obvious, but as soon as you crank up your car you should drive off. However, many people crank up and leave the car idling for a while. Instead of this, when you crank up drive off and only keep your car running when it is absolutely necessary.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #2 Don’t Ride the Break
Many drivers hit the break more often than is necessary. Additionally there are quite a few drivers that slow down for a braking car when they could easily switch lanes. Not riding the break can increase your fuel efficiency by up to 30%, so this is a great tip you should follow.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #3 Turn Off Your Car
If you are going to be stopping for more than 10 minutes you should switch off your car to keep fuel efficiency at its peak and not burn more gas than is necessary.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #4 Don’t Turn Off Your Car
If you are only stopping for a brief moment or less than 5 minutes then don’t turn off your car because the amount of gas used to crank up is more than you would burn in that short period of time.

Fuel Efficiency Tip #5 Inflate Tires Properly
Too many drivers never think of their tires, unless one goes flat. However, having tires that are properly inflated can save fuel and make your car more fuel efficient, saving you money. Because of this, you should check your tire pressure on a regular basis.

While gas prices don’t seem like they will be dipping considerably in the next few months every tip to help you make your car more fuel efficient is helpful. So, follow the above fuel tips and you will see that over time your car really is more fuel efficient.

SearchArticles.Net offers articles, tips and information on a variety of subjects including cars and trucks. For more tips for your car visit <a href="http://www.SearchArticles.Net" target="_blank">http://www.SearchArticles.Net</a>

Gas Prices Soaring Up And Up
Prices of gasoline are rising every day. The price per barrel has increased a whopping 60% since the year 2000. How mind-boggling is that? Yes there may be some days when we go to the pumps and the prices are slightly down but they never seem to stay that way too long. How many of us are searching for that gas station with the cheapest gas of the day? What a waste of gas, time and money that is especially when you have to sit there and wait in a long line to purchase the fuel. Well my friends I do not see any light at the end of the tunnel as far as the price of gas goes, and unless we all decide we are taking public transportation, bicycles or just going to walk, we have no choice. Saving on the amount of fuel you are burning in your car right now is one of the only ways you are going to save money on gasoline because the cost for fuel will increase further. There might be days of lower prices, but in general it will only go higher and higher. There are a lot of great automobiles that will get better gas mileage then others; the thing is a lot of us just can not afford to buy one; we have to drive what we have. Is there a solution for new cars, used cars, trucks, motor-bikes, etc. to save on fuel, and therefore save money? We all have to drive and I believe as long as that is our only option fuel savings should be one of our highest priorities. So how do we go about saving money on our fuel costs? Well you can always take a look at your driving habits. There are plenty of good articles and tips on the internet that will help you develop good driving habits. The other way to save money on fuel is to research and test some of the additives and fuel conditioners that are on the market today, however be careful, study the science of the product, make sure it s EPA registered so you know it s safe for your vehicle, check to make sure the product has been properly tested, and what s the cost verses the savings. These are just a few of the factors you ll want to consider when buying a fuel additive or conditioner. There are a lot of different products out there and deciding which one to try can be a difficult choice. Just use your common sense and don t get fooled by unrealistic claims. We have researched a number of different products that help save on fuel. There are some great products out there that really do work. For a report on our findings please feel free to contact us at: Ken Flegel or Brenda Larsen (306)545-4535 or (306)501-7424 E-mail kenflegel@sasktel.net

Ken Flegel works as a certified electronic technician , part time mechanic, and purchaser for the local school board. One of his responsibilities is the purchasing of the fuel for all the board s vehicles therefore giving him extensive knowledge in fuel quality, condition, and price.

Preparing Your Vehicle For Winter
Depending on where you live, getting your car ready for winter may be a matter of chaining up your tires or simply flicking on the heater. There are some basic tips in terms of preparing your vehicle for winter that can help in most conditions, however, and can ensure that you can avoid those slippery moments on the sleet, ice, snow, and slush of even the harshest of winters.

Little Things You Can Do To Save Money On Car Fuel
Nowadays, car fuel prices are on the rise and consumers are suffering. Gone are the days when you can carelessly drive your car without worrying about burning up too much gas.

There are important procedures that you, as a car owner, can take in order to improve gas mileage. The following are practical tips to conserve gas:

Close Windows - Windows that are open can create air drag that can decrease the fuel consumption by 10%.

Avoid Bumpy Roads - Rough roads should not be taken as much as possible. Dirt, bumps, rough roads and gravels can cause 30% increase in fuel consumption.

Keep Your Car Light - Take out unnecessary baggage. The trunk should be kept clean, any gadget, tools or loads that are not needed should be taken out. 100 pounds of extra baggage can affect fuel economy by two percent.

Drive Efficiently - Just drive reasonably within the speed limit. Remember that speeds of more than 60 miles per hour increase fuel consumption. Do not do sudden starts, accelerations and stops. Acceleration should be done gradually. The gas pedal should not be stepped on more than one fourth of the way down. This will allow the engine to function most efficiently. Gas conservation could reach up to 5 percent if sudden stops, jerks and accelerations are avoided. Make use of gears for overdrive and cruise control as needed.

Check Your Car Regularly - The car should always be maintained. The engine should be given a regular tune up, the tires should always have the right air pressure and efficiently aligned, the oil should be changed when needed and air filters replaced regularly. Clogged filters can affect gas consumption adversely by up to ten percent.

Don?t Burn Gas Unnecessarily - Turn off the engine whenever there is an opportunity. Idle engine wastes fuel. There are instances where the engine could be turned off; stopping for gas, waiting for someone, changing tire pressure, caught in traffic and a lot more.

Don?t Warm Up Too Long - Lengthy warming up of the engine should be avoided. 30 to 45 seconds should be enough time. Also check if the automatic check is removed after warming up the engine. This is usually stuck which could usually cause poor gas and air combination.

By following these simple tips, you will be surprised at how much money you can save on your car fuel. And guess what? The money really adds up if you continue to follow these simple practices for conserving car fuel!

Dr. Drew Henry owns a network of auto-related websites, including <a href="http://www.carsandtrucksecrets.info">Cars And Trucks Secrets</a>, <a href="http://www.carrimsecrets.info">Car Rim Secrets</a> and <a href="http://www.caraudiosecrets.info">Car Audio Secrets</a>. Visit his sites today!

Toyota Modified Valve Body
As many Toyota and Jeep owners know, the AW4 / Toyota 340, A340, and A341E series of transmissions are generally very well made and demonstrate excellent durability in unmodified applications. The framework is present for an extremely strong transmission that is to be used in a high performance or extreme duty application.

The problem is that the original calibration is engineered for driver comfort rather than ultimate component strength. The soft, sliding shifts that are part of the original design are not appropriate for increased horsepower applications, towing, off road use, racing, etc.

These calibration inadequacies quickly manifest themselves as extremely poor shift quality, and more often than not, severe damage to the gearbox is soon to follow. One of the most common symptoms of this is the engine stuttering or hitting the rev limiter during a full throttle upshift.

Without going into too much technical detail, the factory shortcomings can be addressed through modification and recalibration of the control valve assembly, a.k.a. the valve body.

The valve body is a component that is comprised of valves, solenoids, an orifice separator plate and an intricate series of passages- it is the most complex component in the most complex part of your vehicle- the automatic transmission.

The function of the valve body is to act as the “brain” of the automatic transmission- it directs hydraulic pressure to the appropriate clutches and bands at the right time to initiate upshifts, down shifts, selection of reverse, converter clutch application, etc. As well as controlling shift timing and shift quality, it is also responsible for directing hydraulic pressure to the cooler and the lubrication circuit.

As you can imagine, the transmission’s operational characteristics can be drastically altered and also customized to the given application through modifications to this component.

Because there are no commercially available shift kits for these transmissions, we began working on valve body modifications that were appropriate for Supras, Jeeps with the AW4 transmission, Toyota Tundra, Tacoma and 4Runner, and also Lexus SUV’s and rear drive passenger cars- especially those that needed to handle the additional power that accompanies the installation of a supercharger, turbo or nitrous oxide injection.

At the risk of oversimplification, there are a few things that are done in concert to create much more favorable operation of the gearbox.

The first thing that needs to be done is to increase the hydraulic operating pressure of the transmission- this pressure is known as “line pressure”. All hydraulic functions of the transmission are based on this pressure- what is especially of concern for these purposes is the clamping force which is applied to the clutches and bands to get them to hold against engine torque.

In simple terms, increased engine output is complemented by increased line pressure and increased “clamp” on the clutches- this can be likened to a performance clutch with a heavier pressure plate spring in a manual transmission equipped vehicle.

The idea is to raise this pressure only slightly at light throttle but increase it by 30-40% at full throttle- where it is really needed. The effects of this are shifts that are not overly uncomfortable at lower throttle openings, while at heavier throttle, firm shifts with much shorter clutch application time and increased clamping force can be achieved.

An additional benefit of this is increased flow through the transmission’s cooler and lube system.

Secondly, hydraulic pressure is normally routed through an orifice in a metal “separator plate” that resides between the two halves of the valve body before it gets to its intended destination. By altering these orifices, we can increase the volume of hydraulic oil that is used to apply the various clutches and bands.

The final part of modification is the alteration of the accumulator circuits. These are hydraulic circuits that are parallel to the components that are used for shifting. Their function is to absorb or “accumulate” some of the hydraulic pressure that is intended to apply a clutch pack or band. By limiting the action of what is essentially a “shock absorber” for each shift, we are able to further reduce clutch lock up time and shift lag at wide open throttle.

The end result is that shift time is reduced by 30 to 80%, depending on the amount of acceptable shift feel and the intended application. The clamping force that is required to apply the clutches and bands is increased by 30 to 40% at full throttle. Flow through the cooler and lube circuit is increased and the converter clutch application time is also reduced.

Transmission and valve body upgrades are not only for American made vehicles anymore. Increased performance and more efficient shifting is now available for vehicles of almost every manufacturer thanks to the few companies that are willing to do the research and development work required for this rapidly growing segment of the automotive aftermarket.

John Lombardo, a.k.a. Transdude, is owner of IPT Performance Transmissions and has been in the transmission and high performance industry for over 20 years. Visit his website- <a href="http://www.importperformancetrans.com" target="_blank">http://www.importperformancetrans.com</a> for more drivetrain information articles.

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