What’s Octane?

You see it every time you fuel up at the gas station—octane. What does it mean? Are you using the right one? Continue reading to find out what octane actually means and if you are using the right octane grade.

Octane ratings measure fuel's ability to resist engine knock. Engine knock is caused by fuel being ignited by something other than the spark plug.

If you are using an octane grade that is too low for your vehicle, something other than the spark plug can ignite the fuel in the engine. The engine could even get hot enough where the fuel explodes by itself. This decreases the performance of your engine.

What octane does your vehicle require? Check your vehicle's owner's manual. Don't upgrade to more expensive octane ratings unless your manufacturer recommends it.

Lubricar Jiffy Lube is here to help. Just stop on by your nearest Jiffy Lube and one of our qualified technicians will make sure your vehicle is running efficiently.

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Photo Credit: "Upupa4me"

Spring is a Time to Clean

Winter not only puts our patience to the test, it puts our vehicles to the test. Cold weather, snow, ice, road salt, and potholes are just some of the curveballs winter likes to throw at your car. Spring is a good time for a little spring cleaning for your vehicle. Here are a few tips to help spring your vehicle to a clean spring.

Dealing with Potholes

With the passage of spring comes the increased passing of potholes. That’s right, pothole season is here, to the chagrin of your tires. Some potholes are easy to avoid, other potholes are impossible to avoid. When you have the unfortunate happenstance of hitting a pothole, damage can happen to your tires, wheels, steering and suspension. Keep reading to find out if hitting a pothole did any damage to your vehicle.

Jiffy Lube Fuel System Cleaning Service

Our Fuel System Cleaning Service will help dislodge and remove deposits of dirt and varnish on intake valves and cylinder heads—the very places you need to keep clean in your fuel system. The end result is a cleaner fuel system.

Every time a vehicle’s driver presses the gas pedal, they are controlling how much fuel and air the engine takes in. The pedal tells the throttle valve how much air to let in and the computer tells the fuel system how much fuel to deliver. These calculated amounts of air and fuel are typically mixed together before being sucked into the combustion chamber of an engine cylinder. There the spark plug ignites the mixture, producing the controlled burn that powers the vehicle.

How to Test Your Motor Oil

Here’s a cool trick to visually test your oil to see if it still has more miles left in the tank or if it is need of a

change.

Maximize the Life of Your Car Battery

With all the technology and gadgets manufacturers add to cars nowadays, there is one vital part that keeps everything running: the battery. Without the car battery, a car wouldn’t work. From lights to spark plugs, everything is depending on the battery to give them the power to perform properly. Maximizing the life of your car battery helps both the health of your vehicle and your wallet. Here are the biggest factors that hurt the life of your battery.

Maximizing Road Trip MPG: Part II

Road trips are a great way to save money on your adventures around the country, whether for vacation or holiday family get togethers. Here are a few more ways you can make sure you’re maximizing your MPG and saving as much as you can at the gas pump.