PROTECT YOUR CAR AND THE ENVIRONMENT

I don't understand the first thing about my car's emission controls.
Fill me in.

Gasoline, when ignited, creates the energy that moves your car. This process also creates gases and particles that get into the atmosphere. For more than 20 years, cars have had devices to help reduce these emissions. The newer your car, the more sophisticated your emission control systems.

Car engines built in the last five or six years are electronically controlled. Mini-computers and special sensors work together to measure and maximize performance, fuel economy, and emission control all at the same time.

Whether your car is old or new, the same thing usually holds true: The better it's maintained and tuned, the less it pollutes

Sounds complicated. How do I know all this stuff is working right?

Read your owner's manual (especially the part about your emissions warranty, required by law for all cars and trucks since 1972). And reread the preventive maintenance chapter every once in a while. Here are some general tips for most cars made since 1975:

Don't use leaded gas. It ruins the catalytic converter, which is one of your car's most important antipollution parts.
Check the "Check Engine" light on the dash. If it comes on when you're driving, something is wrong with your engine's computer system. When that happens, combustion efficiency goes down and emissions go up. Have it looked at.
Get an emissions test or a tune-up. Mechanics have equipment that tells if your emissions are above normal. Key emission-control parts are inspected (and adjusted or replaced) when your car is tuned up.

Q.	I use self-serve a lot. Anything I should watch out for when I'm filling up?
A.	Don't overfill or "top off" your tank. Just stop when you hear the nozzle click off. If you force more gasoline into the tank, you risk spilling it. Even without spilling, you could force gas fumes into the atmosphere that would otherwise stay in the car's fuel system. You also risk overloading the charcoal canister that absorbs and stores gasoline vapors when the engine is off.

Come on. Does it really make a difference what gasoline I use?

Yes. Today's microprocessor-controlled engine systems have very little tolerance for inferior gasoline. It can really gum up the works.

Fuel injectors, for example, squirt gasoline through an opening about two thousandths of an inch across. If the gas doesn't have the right detergent additives, the injectors clog. Harmful deposits can also build up on intake valves if your gasoline isn't doing its job. Your engine's fuel economy and performance suffer. Your emissions may go up.

A modern engine's electronic devices and emission controls are designed to operate with a clean engine. They get confused by a dirty one. All grades of Shell gasoline contain the same highly effective detergent package to control deposits an help your car run smoothly and efficiently

My car is older. So none of this applies to me, right?

Wrong. Deposits can also build up and cause trouble in older engines that have carburetors instead of fuel injectors. The results are pretty much the same: stalling, hesitation, hard starting, and poor fuel economy. Poor fuel economy means higher emissions whether you' re driving a car made in 1990 or 1970.

The carburetor mixes gasoline with air systems. in just the right ratio for efficient combustion. If it's not adjusted properly, or if you have a dirty air filter, the air-fuel ratio won't be right and emissions will go up.

What else can I do to clean up my car's act?

The easiest way to avoid polluting with your car's old oil is to get it changed by professionals who have it safely disposed of or who sell it to recyclers. Used oil can be purified, redistilled, and used again. If you do it yourself, use a funnel to pour the old oil from the drain basin into sealable containers.

(Some automotive stores sell inexpensive oil-change kits with five-quart basins or buckets that become containers for transporting oil.) Take the used oil to a collection center.

Speaking of oil, you should remember to check under your car every once in a while for telltale leaks and driveway drips. (Don't panic if you happen to find dripping water on a hot summer day. That's probably just normal condensation from the air conditioner, if you have one.) Leaking oil car pollutes. It can also ruin your engine if the leak is bad enough.

Conservation? I thought we didn't have to worry about that anymore.

Good fuel economy makes good sense for the environment as well as you pocketbook. More miles per gallon not only saves money, it also cuts emissions.

When you start your car, you should not have to "warm it up." Start the engine, wait just a few seconds for the oil to circulate, and drive off gently Idling wastes gas. Prolonged idling can even damage the catalytic converter.

Smooth, easy acceleration saves gas. And the same thing goes for coming to a stop: when you see one coming up ahead, take your foot off the gas and coast up nice and easy. When you're traveling on the highway, drive a safe, steady fifty- five. The more you exceed that limit, the more gasoline you'll burn for every mile that you drive.

Any other ways I can get better mileage?

Sure. Follow these tips for better fuel economy and lower emissions:

Check every two weeks (and before a long trip) to make sure your tires are properly inflated. Underinflated or "low" tires cause drag which wastes gas. They are also the leading cause of early tire failure.
Avoid unnecessary idling (when you're waiting for a train to pass, for exam pie, just turn off the ignition). Starting the car again uses less gas than idling for 30 seconds or more.
Combine several errands into one car trip. Your engine uses less gas once it's warmed up.
Look into public transportation or carpooling

How do I find out what gas mileage my car is getting?

When you buy gas, fill the tank until the nozzle clicks off. Write down the number of miles showing on your odometer. Next time you fill up, do the same thing. Then divide the number of miles you've gone since the last fill-up by the number of gallons you just put in. The answer will be your car's miles per gallon. It'll probably be a little different each time you figure it, because of changes in driving conditions.

Q.	What's the story on alternative fuels?
A.	Alternative fuels are intended to produce lower emissions than the conventional gasoline now used in most cars on the road today. These fuels include compressed natural gas, electricity, alcohol fuels such as methanol (made from natural gas, coal, or garbage) and ethanol (made from grain), hydrogen, liquefied petroleum gas, and reformulated gasoline. The benefits and drawbacks of each one are being debated.
	One alternative fuel getting more attention these days is reformulated or "clean" gasoline. Reformulated gas doesn't evaporate as readily as ordinary gas, which means that less pollutants get into the atmosphere. Shell is working with other major oil companies and carmakers to test and compare reformulated gasoline and other alternative fuels in both current and prototype engine designs. The goal is to understand more about these fuels and their impact on air quality, including the resulting costs and benefits.

You can be good to your car and your budget while you're doing something for the environment. Read on and learn how.
Q.1 I don't understand the first thing about my car's emission controls. Fill me in.		Q.6 What else can I do to clean up my car's act?
Q.2 Sounds complicated. How do I know all this stuff is working right?		Q.7 Conservation? I thought we didn't have to worry about that anymore.
Q.3 I use self-serve a lot. Anything I should watch out for when I'm filling up?		Q.8 Any other ways I can get better mileage?
Q.4 Come on. Does it really make a difference what gasoline I use?		Q.9 How do I find out what gas mileage my car is getting?
Q.5 My car is older. So none of this applies to me, right?		Q.10 What's the story on alternative fuels?