Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Bad fuel efficiency or not??

Hey everyone I own a 1999 Contour SE ATX with a Zetec in it. Just wondering what kinda mileage everyone is getting? I don't know if mine is bad or not but I would assume it is since I have owned 3 V6s prior to this car that got the same or better mileage. I get approximately 230 - 250 miles / tank. Just wondering if this is approximately what you guys are getting or if I need to do some work. If I need to do some work what would you recommend? I just changed my spark plugs, use premium gas about once every five tanks, and am not getting a CEL. TIA

P.S. I did search but found nothing to help me

What type of driving do you do? Hwy/City, speed limit/speeding, etc.

I got 570km/354miles on my last tank of gas because I made a point of avoiding excessive speeding (drove *only* 10-20kph above limit)and most of it was highway driving. I also have been using 92 octane from the first day I got my tour. :p

Try a new air filter, gas treatment and injector cleaner. There are more things to do but start with that.

Stephen

I can get well over 600km's per tank on the highway with my I4 MTX, with my V6 MTX it is more in the neighborhood of 525km's per tank. That would be doing around 130kmh. Not very sure about the ATX but it's final drive gear is bigger so in theroy it would get slightly better milage on the highway. Hope this helps.

I mostly do city driving and don't excessively speed or race or anything. I use the fuel treatment / fuel injector cleaner stuff everytime I change my oil and on occaision in between. Would changing my plug wires give me better efficiency or not? And also would my O2 sensors be functioning fine if there was no CEL or should I possibly look into that? One more question my car just started making the infamous rotten egg smell, the catalytic converter is the cause of the smell if I am correct and could cause this, poor fuel efficiency, also right? I am just curious because I am getting an SVT exhaust soon, my car has 55000 miles on it.

Thanks for all the replies.

Manufacturers recommend that you change O2 sensors every 60,000 miles, so that could be the problem. Rotten egg smell usually is caused by the sulfur in the fuel you buy. Sulfur levels can change dramatically between fuels, so you may want to try a different service station for your gas.

I do a combination of city/highway with my "daily driver". Just filled up tonight. 302.9 miles on 10.0 gallons for 30.3mpg. This is up a bit from the 24-28mpg earlier this month due to some warmer temperatures.

Ok I will check into the O2 sensors and as far as the gas goes I will try a different station than the 2 main ones I have been using. Thanks for the info!

EDIT: I just called the parts store does ~$65.00 sound about right for the sensors and I should change both of them correct (there are two right?)

Yeah, that's about right. There should be one before the cat, and another after, so yes, you have 2. The V6's (other than the OBD I 1995) have 4, 2 on each cylinder bank.

Thanks for all the info I really appreciate it

EDIT: BTW is it possible that I may be able to find a place on the internet or such that may sell the part for cheaper

I would think the Zetec should do better then a Duratec. On my last trip to Pittsburgh (400 Miles on one tank) I got 32.5 MPG. (402 miles on 12.3 Gallons), V6 ATX. And I was not driving for best mileage, though it seems I get better MPG when I drive ummm, quickly?, then if I drive ummmm,"slowly", if you get my drift.

Over the last 8000 miles of mixed driving I have 25 MPG. (I keep of spreadsheet of all expenses as I use the car for work.)

Hope the O2 asensor replacement does the trick.