bad gas mileage

[dannimarieiro]

my car by city driving onli gets like 160 miles a tank and when it reaches the Empty the gas light doesnt even come on so i dont even think it is emtpy but i dont want to take a chance anybody know why that is ???

[GapBoyPCS]

What Contour/Mystique do you have? Which engine? Automatic or manual?

One of the first things to look at with bad mileage is maintenance items. Make sure your fuel and air filters are clean, spark plugs are in good condition, tire pressures are to spec, etc.

[dannimarieiro]

i have a 1998 contour svt 2.5L

[loggerbomb]

do what GapBoy said. Plugs, wires, filters, tire pressure. Best money you'll ever spend.

[Apex]

160 miles is around 257 km's?

That's really low, I get at least 350 ( 400+ if I happen to drive a lot of highway that week ).

[98cont-UoG-FSAE]

350kms? That's really low, I get 700+ average...

[mbb41]

350kms? That's really low, I get 700+ average...

And I can assure you there is a marked difference between a 4cyl MTX and a V6 MTX. I can get 700+ with the 4cyl. Where as the v6 will only get me 400+ as of late. However I discovered that the headers were not seated right for quite some time if ever and there was a leak in the pipes before the O2's. It seems now that my mileage is on its way back up. So there is one more thing to look for. Exhaust leaks before the O2's. Lots more power to be found this way too.

[loggerbomb]

lol, you mean there IS a difference between a V6 and a V4?!?!

and 700 average???? Something is off.

[mbb41]

I don't think there is anything off. If you do a search I know there have been post on mileage on the old GTA forum. I have always gotten good mileage in the Mystake. Many others with the MTX have too. I'm pretty sure they are just running in good tune.

[loggerbomb]

well yeah but man, I drove 120 kms a day and the best I ever got on average was 550-600. I dont think my subs had THAT much impact on mileage. I just wish I had gotten 700 on average!