Is Your Vehicle Anorexic?Written by Dee Scrip
Symptoms of vehicular anorexia: ·Loss of power (especially noticeable going up hills) ·Decreased mileage per gallon (whether diesel or gasoline) ·Increased environmentally toxic exhaust emissions ·Get up and go has got up and went If your vehicle is experiencing one or more of these manifestations, then you need to immediately seek help. Your vehicle is starving to death ! But don’t point all fingers at yourself ! I know you’ve been faithfully binge-feeding fuel to your vehicle, thinking each time you were pumping it back to health. But truth is, all automobiles, buses, trucks, boats, trains, etc., are doomed to succumb to vehicular anorexia. There are several causes for this ravaging disease, one of which is engine combustion. Combustion occurs when fuel combines with oxygen and creates energy. Energy is needed for your vehicle to move. According to Fuel Economy Guide, “Only about 15% of energy in fuel you put in your gas tank gets to move your car down road or run useful accessories…” The remaining 85% of energy in fuel is lost. However, this is just one cause of vehicular anorexia. The next biggest culprit is water and sulfur. Water is always present in both gasoline and diesel fuel. A portion comes from atmosphere, but fuel also attracts water. Sulfur is ever-present in both gasoline and diesel fuel. Sulfuric acid is created by combining water and sulfur. Carbon deposits are formed inside your engine when sulfuric acid it is not burned off during combustion. The condition worsens, as unburned carbon in your engine also leaves behind lethal carbon deposits on your spark plugs, valves, etc., or can be forced into your oil. As carbon deposits increasingly obstruct your vehicle’s ability to properly function, anorexic symptoms begin surfacing. When your vehicle does not function efficiently, it increases toxic exhaust emissions released into environment, which inevitably leads to failed emission test inspections.
| | 2005 Honda Insight: America's First Hybrid and Fuel Efficient Vehicle with Top quality Honda Parts from Parts TrainWritten by Jenny McLane
Since it was introduced back in 2002, Honda Insight's 1.0-liter three-cylinder gasoline engine and Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) motor-generator have been modified, and CVT model's final drive ratio is considerably lower, at 5.69:1 compared to 3.21 for manual, to take advantage of CVT's wider-spread "gear'' ratios.Powered by Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA™) system that pairs a 3-cylinder VTEC™-E engine with an electric motor, Insight comes fully loaded with dual front airbags (SRS), power windows, mirrors and door locks, a remote entry system, AM/FM stereo cassette, alloy wheels and much more. Like a turbocharger, IMA motor-generator is called to action when extra power is needed for acceleration and hill climbing, and feels like a low-pressure turbo. Unlike at turbo, motor becomes a generator when braking or coasting, which recharges nickel metal-hydride battery pack The Honda Insight gains efficiency not only by its drivetrain but by light weight and clean aerodynamics. Curb weight is less than 2,000 lbs even with CVT and air conditioning (standard on CVT model, optional with standard transmission). Like other hybrids, Insight's engine stops when car is stopped at a light or in traffic, contributing greatly to fuel economy. The Insight achieves EPA city/highway fuel economy ratings of 60/66 (manual) and 57/56 (CVT) mpg, respectively.
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