Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Fuel Economy

Hey Rob,
What is your tire pressure set at now? Did you know that your technically supposed to check your tire pressure like around once a month, and that it is normal for tires to loose a little pressure around the beads over long periods? It IS a possibility that your old tires hadn't been checked in a long time, and had lost up to 10 or more p.s.i. over time. If I haven't checked my pressure in ions, and then would go check, I always wind up a few p.s.i. low, and that effects mileage bigtime. I always run my tires a little on the firm side (40psi) for minimum rolling resistance and maximum gas mileage (plus they last longer too)

Josch,

I have been running my brand new X1's at 32lbs. I actually decided to run them a little lower because there seems to be a bit of a rough ride(but I'm not complaining). Today I drove back from Vancouver to Kamloops(wicked heat and many long up-hill climbs through the mountains). I ran the A/C all the way and averaged about 120km/75mph, sometimes up to 130-40km's. The car ran extremely cool(needle barely touches the "N" in normal). There was just myself this time and very light luggage. I have not refilled my car yet but I know from history that I get about 300-320km's on the first half tank. I did 358km. I am extremely pleased! New tires, tie-rods and an alignment. I'll be figuring out the official mileage soon.
Rob

I was able to get 672Km's on 49Ltr of premium gas! Though that was not by choice, I pulled a "dumb ass" and tried to make it to Edmonton with what little gas I had left, passing the few gas stations that were still open at that time of night! I thought I was on fumes but to only be able to put 49 liters in when I can normally put 52 tells me I was not!

You may want to get your stat or something checked! Going up those hills, as fast as you were, with the A/C on, you should have been running hotter than that! :rolleyes:

Running cool is ok to a point but you do need to get up to the optimal running temp.

I was R-M on the straight stretches and M-A on the hills, using the A/C only some times, going to Chilliwack and back from Edmonton!

Stephen

Stephen,

You may want to get your stat or something checked! Going up those hills, as fast as you were, with the A/C on, you should have been running hotter than that!

I think you could be on to something there - although, I have a new rad and fluid courtesy of the tranny shop that punctured it when I was get the 2nd gear synchro replaced.
When I was sitting in Vancouver traffic in the heat today, the needle would go up to about the half-way mark but quickly cooled again when I started moving.

How could I check to see if the needle is really true?
Rob

Sorry, I don't know the answer to that, best to ask the question on a new thread! Make sure you tell them about the new rad etc and the temp that your guage reads when driving in the city/highway!

Stephen

Thanks,
Will-do.
Rob

Most mechanics these days (including me), have an infrared temp sensor gun. You just simply point the pistol onto the object in question (thermostat housing in this case) from a few inches away, pull the trigger and whalla! Shows the actual temp (using infrared technology) onto a digital readout display. Go to your local auto shop, and see if they have one. It is a battery powered portable unit that u can fit into your pocket! I sometimes bring it with me on test drives, when I'm trying to figure out overheat conditions.

Thanks Josch,

So what temperature should the car be running at under normal conditions?
Rob

Well, if your running a stock thermostat, then once the engine's warmed up, the temp shouldn't run less than 190-195 degrees F. (rating of thermostat). The thermostat just controls the minimum operating temperature that the eng. can run. And as it heats up, most cars are set to kick the low speed mode of the cooling fans on at around 210-215 degrees F. So I would hope to see it somewhere in that range upon fan engagement. You should be able to check it while idling, and see it progressively rise up to the high end, and then watch the cooling fans kick on, and then progressively watch it go down to around 200 Deg. F. before you see the fans turn off. The temp may get as low as the thermostat rating on a cool day while there is windspeed air flowing through the radiator (car moving), but if the thermostat gets stuck OPEN, chances are that the engine wont even reach operating temp while cruising down the road (w/ radiator airflow). And on a really hot day, if low speed fan mode is not enough to keep engine cool while not moving (no radiator airflow), then you will hear the fans spool up to high speed operation. I think that happens around 220 deg. F on most cars. Also, if the A/C is turned on, fans run all the time, because the A/C condenser needs air flow to carry the heat out of the refrigerant that is passing through it

So, the question should be, where in the N-O-R-M-A-L should the readings be at the different driving conditions?

I know where my readings are, R-M and A-L.

Stephen