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Poor mpg / gas mileage?

C

csvt99

CEG'er
Joined
Oct 23, 2001
Messages
142
Location
Lancaster PA
Ever since I last changed my oil, I've been getting less than par gas mileage, and recently its been gradually getting worse. When I usually get 250-275 mi/tank city driving, I've been getting around 230 lately. My low fuel light just came on with 211 miles. The only thing I can think of is that the plugs may be fouled. I cleaned out the UIM with intake valve cleaner the last time I changed the oil, and I guess that can foul the plugs? Also, I have a minor exhaust leak at the flange where the cat back bolts on (the one bolt broke), so I'm not sure if that would hurt as well.

What do you all recommend? Change the plugs and go from there?
I've got a lil less than 70k on it. Plugs last changed around 45k
 
If you havn't cleaned the injectors yet, do that first. I like Red Line SI-1. Add it to a full tank of gas. Also clean the throttle body if you didn't when the intake was cleaned.

By the way, winter driving with winter blend fuel gives the poorest fuel economy. You might not really have a problem.
 
My mileage went from about the same (270 or so) to about 210-220 these past few months. It happens pretty much every winter. Not to mention how many times the car just sits idling in the driveway warming up on freezing cold or snow days.
 
I used injector cleaner when I changed the oil and cleaned the UIM. I cleaned the throttle body as well, and the K&N not too long ago.

What exactly is winter blend fuel? I've owned the car for 6 winters now and I've never had mpg this poor. Also, I noticed the decrease as soon as I changed the oil. I went from getting 250+ miles a tank for 6 years to suddenly getting 225 or less. What gives? Its been about 1500 mi since I changed the oil.
 
I've been getting crappy mileage for a while & have been battling it fiercely. I think I have finally figured it out. My PCV valve was sticking patially open from what I can tell.

I put in a new PUROLATOR valve that comes with an assortment of fittings (one a direct copy of the one on our cars) and my gas mileage has skyrocketed. I have slightly less than 1/2 tank of fuel in my car & have 200 miles on the tripometer. This after I already had 60 or so miles without the PCV swap & that is the only mod I've done except for the Redline Tuning hood struts.

It's a cheap bit of maintenance, so what the hey???
 
Bah, I get 21mpg 90% highway driving shifting under 3K in every gear. Wonder what the tune will give me in a little less then a month... I filled up with 221 on the trip this morning.. :cry:
 
how in the heck do you get 35
i wish mine did the best ive ever gotten was 28 almost all highway

i get around 280 a tank mixed driving the worst was like 18.8 hardcore driving
 
35 was during optimal conditions, 60 degrees, straight roads, 65mph, etc. But I consistently got 32 in less than ideal conditions during highway driving. Occasionally I would do as bad as 28-29 in pouring down rain and wind.
 
I think that a weak t-stat that's not letting your engine maintain normal temp can cause a drop in MPG. Recently happened to me. Most of my driving is highway and I noticed that the temp gauge was only getting about halfway to normal temp. By the time I got it changed out I also realized that my mileage had dropped from 23 to 20.
 
A low thermostat can do that.

Winter blend fuel has more light ends, smaller molecules, less powerfull molecules, to enable better cold vaporazation to promote better starting in cold weather.

Seasonal alteration to the fuel blend happens at the refineries about every six weeks.
 
drivebymashing said:
how in the heck do you get 35
i wish mine did the best ive ever gotten was 28 almost all highway

i get around 280 a tank mixed driving the worst was like 18.8 hardcore driving
Click to expand...

I had a '99 ATX Duratec and got over 30mpg highway. What a great car. Got 33mpg one time on the way back from TN - that was on the way through GA & north Florida, so it wasn't goin' down the mountain side.

With all this talk of mods I'm really missing my old T-Red Contour... :cry: I think it was a factory freak or sup'm 'cause it seemed to have much more power than my current 2.5 that has the same PCM code, better gas mileage, responded to mods well, ... (* SIGH *) Now I'm trying to re-create that car with my Mercury.
 
Thanks Big Jim.

95SVT, I have a feeling you are right about the thermostat, the radiator light often turns on for the first 5 minutes of my drive. I'll have to look into this!
 
How about changing your fuel filter, its a messy job, but there is no doubt that it is a good maintance precaution like the PVC valve. I remember when I first bought my contoour at about 75k miles on it, the fuel filter was practically rusted to the fuel tank and I knew it had never been replaced. Defiantely got a better fuel response and milage after that! Just make sure you pressure down your fuel lines before replaceing!
 
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