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Worse Fuel Milage than an SUV

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Namrepus221

New CEG'er
Joined
Aug 8, 2008
Messages
19
Location
Belle Vernon, PA
(Yes I know it's my third troubleshooting topic. But I'm taking the car to a Ford Dealer/Garage tomorrow and they will take a look at the dome light and fix the fuel issue)

Fueled up my tank last night and ti took the regular 45 minutes to do so...then I noticed something.

My trip counter (which I reset every time I fill up) was at 108.5 miles

I only put 7.668 gallons in my tank.

I'm mathematically getting about 14 MPG

My dad get's 16.1 MPG in his Ford Explorer

Talking with a friend I should think about replacing the Air Filter with a K&N filter (which is gonna be a purchase next month possibly. I really have a feeling that the schmuck that sold me the car never replaced the air filter when he supposedly "fixed it up") and checking the oxygen sensors as well as replacing the spark plugs.

By the governments fueleconomy.gov website I should be making about 4 extra miles per gallon ( http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/bymodel/1999_Ford_Contour.shtml )
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ouch thats pretty rough. I'll let the experts chime in on possible fixes. I thought i was doing bad with 18-20 mpg in my SVT
 
I'm no expert, but I'd say that you have a hell of a lot more wrong than a dirty air filter and fuel filter if you're getting that kind of mileage. I get better mileage than that when I take my 3L autocrossing, to put things in perspective.
 
i have the same problem, i just changed my plugs, wires, and air filter .... gona give it a an oil change or so ... my plugs were fouled to no-end and my air filter was clogged badly. Auto Zone had my air filter and plug wires and i paid about 31 for those things. lifetime warranty on the plugs.... duralast.
 
Well I took it to the garage....

They looked at the fuel line. Filter and Inlet valve need to be replaced

$318 dollars... to replace them...

AND he said that the front swaybar is messed up a little...and there is a problem with the transmission...which would've tacked on an extra $500 to the price tag...

I swear if I ever find the guy who sold me this POS again.....
 
My brother was getting 18 mpg in mixed driving w/ his 99 SVT. We recently did a UIM cleaning, plugs + wires, PCV valve, and fuel filter. His last trip netted 33 mpg....not a bad improvement.:cool:
 
Whatever you do, dont buy a K&N. If the car came with it you might leave it but dont spend money on one when you can get a better filter for the same price or less.
 
Post year, mileage, engine and transmission. An automatic will have worse mileage than a Manual. A V6 will have worse mileage than a I-4. Older cars generally have worse mileage than newer cars. Is your CEL light on?
 
Year - 1999
Milage - Bout 102,000
Engine - V6 2.5 L
Transmission - Automatic

CEL light is not on.

This is probably gonna be the last "major" thing I do to the car cause I know I'm not gonna be able to resell it without some major repairs and putting almost more than triple than what I paid back into the car...
 
Harrry said:
He is!! :laugh:

On topic, can you post everything you have done to so far to this car?
Click to expand...


I am as well, my buddie's maf sensor went out because of his K&N, I would go with a dry filter, F the oiled filters

anyways, to the op, I am probably getting just as crappy of milage as you so don't feel too bad, but if I were you I would replace those parts the dealer listed by yourself if you can, parts can't be more then 20 bucks :shrug:
 
biminiLX said:
Dude you have got to be the biggest anti-K&N nazi I've ever seen
Click to expand...

I am after having a MAF on a BMW die from the oil on a new out of the box filter and K&N telling me to screw off and stop calling about reimbursement. Plus I've seen enough used oil analysis data that showed higher silicon (dirt) levels when using a K&N to make it a big turn off. For the same money you can get a dry media performance filter that filters and performs better.
 
When i first got my 98 svt i was getting like 12 mpg....i replaced the fuel and air filters, spark plugs, wires, all 4 02 sensors, pcv vavle... i still don't know what it was but something helped... and now i can get close to 30 mpg on a rare accasion.
 
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