impala

An Initial Review of the Impact of Fuel-Efficient Driving During Long Commutes

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Before I get into what this is about, it’s very important that I make it clear that the results I’m presenting here are not final, by any means. The calculations I’m doing are rough and not refined, at all. Consider this more of a “fuzzy” impression rather than an actual result. But these basic calculations still present some interesting findings.

I’ve been waiting a long time to start this post and, originally, I thought it would only be a single post. However, the mathematics to present very specific findings requires some thought and, simply put, I am not proficient in maths.

Consider this a very high-level observation, perhaps more similar to looking at a city from space, as opposed to viewing a house on a specific street.

My final goal, which is not presented here, is to provide calculations that show the amount of fuel, and money, I’ve saved with the savings based on the price of gas at each refueling. That’s not here. Instead, for this post, I’m only working with grand totals and an average for fuel price. And the values that I’ve presented for a couple of “what if my MPG had been lower” scenarios are based on the number of miles that I drove. A true representation of the number of fill-ups would need to account for the fact that I can’t put more than 17 gallons in my car, so if my MPG dropped, I’d actually have more fill-ups.

So, let’s begin.

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Using an OBD-II Splitter to Connect Two Devices (Fuel Economy Guage & Zubie)

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This post contains Amazon Associate links. If you purchase something through them I may get a small commission, which helps cover the hosting costs for this blog.

I’ve added a couple of posts about the fuel economy guage recently but in those posts I left out the fact that I already had one device on the ODB-II port of my 2008 Chevrolet Impala – a Zubie vehicle monitoring device that is cloud-connected via its own celluar connection (the one at this link is slightly different from the ones that we have; they are both white and were also purchased as a two-pack – I don’t know if there is any technical difference between the models).

In order to solve this issue I decided to purchase a iKKEGOL 30cm/12″ ODB2 ODB II Splitter Extension Y J1962 16 Pin Cable Male to Dual Female Cord Adapter. I’m not sure why the item name is written as ODB2 ODB II as it should instead be OBD2 OBD II but it does work properly. I read several reviews before deciding to purchase this devices as I was uncertain whether or not having two devices connected in this way would cause issues. I decided that it was not very likely to be a problem because the fuel economy guage only reads from the system and the Zubie device probably rarely ever sends data, if at all.

I haven’t had a single problem with either device since I connected them to the splitter.

OBD-II-Splitter

The white fabric is actually an elastic material helping to ensure that the connection to the OBD-II port doesn’t slip loose. Normally, the cables are tucked away better but I had just shifted them before taking this cable to reposition the fuel economy guage.

Update 04/18/2018: Using the splitter with these devices worked great and didn’t seem to cause any problems with my vehicle. 

Using an Auto Meter 9105 Ecometer to Improve Fuel Economy of a 2008 Chevy Impala

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This post contains Amazon Associate links. If you purchase something through them I may get a small commission, which helps cover the hosting costs for this blog.

Ecometer.jpg

Back in December my commute to work changed from about 15-20 minutes one way to one hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. This significant addition of mileage drove me (no pun intended) to make minor modifications to my vehicle and driving habits to improve my fuel economy. In the beginning I used my vehicle’s built-in Instant MPG data to adjust my coasting and acceleration.

This small move did show an improvement in fuel economy but the digital guage isn’t well placed for frequent checks. I decided to purchase something that was much more obvious as it could be mounted directly onto my dash.

I’ve been using an Auto Meter 9105 ecometer Fuel Consumption Gauge, which costs around $100, and connects directly to the OBD-II port of my vehicle. Not only does it present the data in a much easier format to quickly glance at but I’ve also discovered that the referesh of the data is much faster than that of the built-in guage.

I’d prefer that the display could be dimmed significantly but otherwise it’s nearly perfect. If I’m applying several basic hypermiling habits I can indeed improve fuel economy. My vehicle’s highest MPG rating (highway) is 29 MPG but I’ve been able to achieve 30.29 MPG once and most of the time I hit between 26 and 28 MPG unless I’ve had a lot of in-city driving in my car. I have more MPG data from this year that I may share in a later post.

The guage by itself does nothing to improve fuel economy but it provides the ability to make driving decisions quickly, potentially saving fuel.

Updated 04/18/2018: This device worked great the entire time that I used it. The only reason I stopped using it was because I unintentionally allowed the cable to slip behind the parking break, where it became crimped and shorted (fortunately this didn’t damage the car but I was lucky). But despite no longer having the device I’m left with a much better, innate sense of how to drive my vehicle more efficiently. 

Easy Accessory Power Switch for a 2008 Chevrolet Impala

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This post contains Amazon Associate links. If you purchase something through them I may get a small commission, which helps cover the hosting costs for this blog.

I used a dashcam, phone charger and bluetooth adapter in the car for a while but I grew tired of having to manually unplug those devices when not in use or when I turned the car off. Unfortunately, in my 2008 Chevrolet Impala the vehicle would continue to provide power to any plugged in accessories even when the engine was off. Most of these devices are low power but even a dashcam, given enough time, could eventually drain the vehicle batter, especially if the car wasn’t being used for several days.

Re-wiring the electrical system and messing with fuses is beyond my experience so I decided to see if I could find an automotive power strip that would have a built-in power switch and sure enough I was able to find the perfect device.

The EUGIZMO Cigarette Lighter Splitter only costs about $16, offers three DC outlets, four USB power ports, a large power switch for the unit and also a very good visual indicator to show whether or not it is on.

I chose to mount this upside-down, just below the vehicle’s built-in DC power ports. This placement moves most of the power adapters and cables out of the way; whenever I turn the car on or off it’s very easy to just reach down and hit the large power button.

Car-Power-Strip

At first affixing the unit beneath the dash was a bit of the problem as the first type of velcro that I had used simply wasn’t holding and it would often come loose during the day. Eventually I ended up using some VELCRO Exterme Outdoor Strips and it hasn’t come loose since.

Updated 04/18/2018: The splitter and power button continue to work perfectly. In addition, the VELCRO has held; it hasn’t come loose yet. 

Using a Zubie Key (Vehicle Monitoring Service)

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ZubieMy wife recently purchased a new vehicle and so I started thinking about also purchasing a new vehicle. And then I decided that not having a car payment was something that I currently prefer over having a car payment (note – my wife had a very good reason to purchase a new vehicle, I do not).

Instead of purchasing a new vehicle I decided to add some enhancements to my current one. One of those enhancements is a Zubie Key.

The Zubie Key requires a subscription service that costs $99/year. The device works in conjunction with the Zubie Cloud service, which is used to review data via Web browser or from the Zubie App. When connected to a vehicle’s OBD-II port the device automatically connects to the Zubie Cloud via cellular connection. GPS is also built into the device.

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A View of What Fails in the Blend Door Actuators (Impala 2008)

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Actuator-01As a 2008 Impala owner I’ve become well acquainted with a specific part failure. Typically, it’s not expensive to correct (as long as it’s not one under the dash) but it can be inconvenient and over time I’ve had to replace two of them multiple times each.

For those that have experienced this problem I decided to post some photos that help reveal where the failure occurs.

The first photo included in this post shows an unopened actuator.

The next photo shows the actuator split open:

Actuator-03

When I opened the actuator several of the damaged teeth fell out of the casing. A closer photograph reveals that several teeth from a gear are missing:

Actuator-04

I suspect that all of these that have failed in my vehicle would show the same problem. Could this problem be solved by using metal gears? Perhaps.

Solving a P0449 Engine Code on a 2008 Chevy Impala (Evaporative Emission System Vent Valve/Solenoid Circuit)

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About a month ago my car began showing an engine code, which appeared after I ran out of gas (that is its own story). Using DashCommand on my iPhone, and connecting to my car, I was able pull the following code:

Evap-Valve-Solenoid-00

Unfortunately I was unable to permanently clear the code. Every time I cleared it the code then reappeared a second later. So it wasn’t simply a left-over from running out of fuel, though I suppose that perhaps the event itself contributed to the equipment failure.

After doing some “research” via Google I determined that it was a relatively simple part to replace.

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Fixing a Window Lift on a 2008 Chevy Impala (Driver Side Window)

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Note: This was originally posted as a joke. However, I did not realize how close I actually was to figuring out how to replace the window regulator. This year (2019) my driver’s side window regulator went out, again, but I was able to purchase a new replacement for only $65 and replaced it myself. Checkout this video by someone else, on YouTube, for a great, step-by-step instruction on how to do this.

When I left work this afternoon I approached my car and found this:

Impala-Door-01

Considering that an automotive windshield is typically rather transparent, as is most glass, it may be helpful for me to point out that the driver side window is down in the above photo.

Upon seeing this was I was so confused that, for a moment, I was actually stupid, which is generally uncharacteristic. Stunned, I entered the car and just sat there trying to remember if I had rolled down the window on my lunch break and simply forgot to roll it back up.

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Changing Brake Pads on a 2008 Impala

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That’s brake cleaner under the rotor and not brake fluid, if you were concerned.

I thought that it was time to change the brake pads on my 2008 Impala. Unfortunately, the front pads were only about half worn and the rear pads still had a little bit of life. Since I’d already had the wheels off at that point I went ahead and changed them anyway.

Considering that the sets of front and rear pads together only cost about $55 I wasn’t really out much (and in the long run I’m not out anything anyway) and I did learn a couple of things in the process that may prove useful later.

I didn’t bother to document the process but it wasn’t much different than changing the brake pads on our 2006 Scion tC (except this time I did it right and lubed the caliper bolts).

Updated 05/31/2012: Part of the reason I decided to change my brake pads now was because I planned to take my car to a shop for new tires and an alignment. I did take it yesterday and had four new tires put on it. That was a little different; usually I can space out replacements so I’m only changing one pair at a time.

Before any of this work was done I had started to notice something that I can only describe as a slight rotation or wobble, which was much more noticeable in the rear of the vehicle.

I knew it was time for a front-end alignment due to uneven wear on the front, passenger-side tire. This was also part of the reason I had to replace all four tires. The rear tires were already in need of replacement and the one front tire was going bad.

I wondered if I also needed a rear-end alignment. It wasn’t until we had the same done for my wife’s car that I knew this was needed from time-to-time on some vehicles. According to the shop my car can have the rear aligned, which they did.

The rotation/wobble I had been noticing is gone. I suspect the rear was out of alignment but the mechanic at the shop had also mentioned that a bad or out of balance tire could be the cause.

Regardless, the car is driving much better than before. Perhaps some time this year I’ll be able to afford to replace the suspension in the vehicle. At that point it should ride like new.

Impala 2008 Dash Clicking

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This post was originally added in 2010 but I have since added a couple of notes regarding additional failures, including how I had to handle the failure of another actuator that was located beneath the dash. The first one that failed was ordered from AutoZone but I’ve since ordered several more from Amazon.com listed as a Dorman 604-108 Air Door Actuator. The images above represent the minimum number of times I’ve had to replace a door actuator in this same vehicle since I purchased it.

Earlier this week I was planning to watch a football game nearby, after work. I reached my destination, parked, and shut off the car. Suddenly, I started hearing a loud clicking sound on the passenger side of my dash. I restarted the car and fiddled around until I narrowed it down to the vent that draws air into the car from outside.

When I set it to recirculate air I heard the vent door shift and stop clicking. As soon as I set it to outside air the clicking started. Shutting the car off didn’t help because it always attempted to revert back to the outside air position.

Well, that ruined my plans for watching the game. I couldn’t leave the car because it would keep clicking and could potentially drain my battery or further damage whatever was making the noise. As a results, I drove back home. Of course, when I got home I was able to get it to go into the correct position without clicking.

I quickly learned that the most likely cause was a blend motor, which controls the position of the vent door. Based on others’ experiences it was mostly likely a stripped gear. The component would need to be replaced and one poster stated that he paid about $40 for the part.

Fortunately, replacing the part isn’t too difficult because it’s accessible from the glove compartment. To get the glove compartment fully open I had to push up on the upper plastic part (part of the dash) so two clips in the back of the compartment door could slip under and allow the door to open completely.

The motor that needs replacing is on the far right side. There are at least two (one on the left, which I originally removed but realized it was the wrong one). The one that needs replacing is in a bit of a tight fit. I have a 5mm socket that will fit but I’ll need a very short socket driver to actually remove it. For now, I just unplugged the power connector.

If you have this same problem I recommend that you disconnect it when it’s in the position that circulates outdoor air. The reason is that typically the windshield defrosters will only work using outside air. Of course, once you unplug the motor the car will think it’s still working so you probably can defrost without it in the right position. However, I suspect there’s a good reason the defrosters normally work with this configuration.

I ended up ordering my part from AutoZone and it was in the neighborhood of $40. It hasn’t arrived at the time of this post so I have yet to actually install it.

Here’s the post that gave me the info I needed:

2008 impala passenger dash clicking (Impala Forums)

Part: Blend Door Actuator (AutoZone)

Update: I successfully installed the new part. It was indeed a tight fit. There’s a wiring harness that runs right in between the access. I was able to un-clip one section of the harness but it didn’t give me much room to move. I didn’t have a short ratchet so I had to borrow one – a standard size ratchet was too long to work in that area. It was very tight and I had to be extremely careful to not drop the screws or socket.

Updated 09/08/2011: The other motor on the far left failed a few days ago. The part arrived today. I installed it and took a few photos during the process.

Updated 07/06/2014: Another one failed and this time it was one located in the middle of the dash. Rather than make an attempt to reach it, and possibly never be able to put the dash back together properly, I took it to a mechanic. This repair cost me over $300. The part was about $80 plus three hours of labor.

The replacement blend door motor.

Installation begins with opening the glove compartment.

The compartment drops down easily without the need for any tools. It’s just a matter of pressing up on the top in the proper area. It might take a few minutes to figure it out the first time but it does not require a significant force.

The blend motor I replaced this time is located within the red circle on the left. The first motor that was replaced is located near the circle on the right and is more difficult to replace.

This photo shows the blend motor (identified as the part with the bar code) with its power connector unplugged. Caution should be used when removing the two screws that hold it in place. If they’re dropped I’m not certain how difficult it will be to retrieve them.

Removal only requires disconnecting the power connector and two screws. You may need a screwdriver to pop the connector up without damaging the clip.

This shot shows removal of the top screw. In this case, this tool worked best, but for the motor on the right a short socket wrench is more suitable.

The faulty part removed from the car.