18.9 mpg mainly city. I just find it funny that my friends Mustang and a number of other cars get better gas mileage than my Contour. Oh well, I love the car, no matter what the gas mileage is. Hey, it could always be worse.
i can go 385 miles on a full tank on highway
I average around 24-25 on mine. If I'm travelling only highway, then it hits 28 easy, with the A/C on. However, I nearly ran out of gas just the other day because I was going faster than usual on the highway - about 85 with the A/C on - and apparently that really ate my gas. I only got 20.5 miles per gallon on that tank, which is the lowest I've ever had. So typically I get about 350-360 miles on one tank of gas, and I can get over 400 on the highway.
19=lead foot + city driving
city and a little highway I get about 23-25 pending upon weather and use of A/C.
Originally posted by RTStabler51:
12.5
Crazy Lightning drivers. Then again that is right on target for a Lightning.
I get around 22-24mpg doing almost all city driving back and forth to school. I get on it occasionally but not as much as I used to. The suspension is wearing quickly and the clutch doesn't like it to much either.
I average 32-35 on short trips, with some stop and go, but not truly city driving either. On the highway I get 40.
I don't run it hard, but every once in a while I'll get on it some.
Heavy foot, and the inability to travel a reasonable speed on the highway ( 70 ) equates to about 21 solid MPG every fill
22 or so city and I don't drive slow...
27-30 highway @ 85/90mph
I only measured once, 26mpg dogging on it. So I guess mid 30s being nice on highway.
Originally posted by Pudmunkie:
Heavy foot, and the inability to travel a reasonable speed on the highway ( 70 ) equates to about 21 solid MPG every fill
That sounds about right. Best ever was 25mpg. I discovered that if you shift at 3K, it pretty repeatable too. Can't seem to get any more though. Maybe I need a tornado under the hood
Jetta gets 36mpg, and it gets driven pretty hard.
Mustang 21mpg 90% of the time.
21-23 hwy on the Cougar, 21 HWY, 1-2mpg
city on the 5.0, 32 hwy 24 city in my tour' 45-48hwy, 39 city in the Aspire.
Originally posted by pole120:
26-30
how is he pulling that kind of MPG when my Zetec cant even do that?
I got 26mpg the other day (40/60 highway/city). I was quite happy
The wife had nearly 30mpg (80/20 highway/city) out of the ATX Mystique V6 the other week too ... so she's happy as well.
Originally posted by MAYBE aliasfriend:
Originally posted by pole120:
26-30
how is he pulling that kind of MPG when my Zetec cant even do that?
Probably highway, windows up, no a/c and overinflated tires.
I usually get 24 mpg on the highway with the a/c on (windows up and properly inflated tires). 
15-17 winter (warming up and defroster)
right now 18-19.5 depending on AC
my mpg sucks..
I don't usually drive fast at all and I only get 20-21 mpg, rarely more than 260 miles out of one tank.
I don't know how to classify the roads around here, it sure isn't highway driving with all the hills and stop signs, but it's not really city driving at all either, whatever way you want to classify my town, I get about 24-25MPG on average, and more on the highway, windows usually up, properly inflated tires, and I never use the AC.
Originally posted by Big_B:
I don't usually drive fast at all and I only get 20-21 mpg, rarely more than 260 miles out of one tank.
I assume you are referencing my excellent math skills. Let me clarify. When I fill up my car, after the low fuel light has popped on, it will usually hold 13 gallons. As I recall, we have 14 gallon tanks. However, my 13 gallons usually lasts 260 miles.
I ran out of gas once, after the low fuel light had only been on for 5 miles, so I don't test it any more. Usually fill up once it gets under a half tank.
With PROPERLY inflated tires.. MAX A/C 100% of the time (infant child with me everywhere I go), and mixed driving (say... 60/40 city?)
I get 23.6-23.9mpg, repeatedly.
On the freeway I can push 28 with the AC or 30.1-ish without it.
EDIT: This is with the occasional romp through the twisties at my house, or a few "involved" accelerations.
Ray
city driving back and forth every day, about 23-26 mpg. highway is just a lil higher, but not by much
my car doesn't run that great anymore
anybody ever notice that the gas gauge acts wierd when it comes to proper fuel readings? I have noticed that from ABSOLUTELY full it will take about... 110 city miles until it drops down to the 3/4 mark... I think to myself "sweet, im getting awesome mileage" then 3/4 to 1/2 takes about 60-70 miles. Then 1/2 to 1/4 takes about 80 miles.. Then that last quarter lasts forever... WHY IS THIS? All City Driving BTW. I have seen this too on the freeway... Going to detroit and back I saw my first 170 miles... AC the whole way, would take only 1/4 of the tank... then I got like 120 to the 1/2 point... and never went much further then that on the freeway.
On a slightl different topic... my mom bought a brand new Pointiac Grand Prix GT completely loaded without sporttronic shifter transmission and Supercharger. the Onboard computer constantly averages your MPG, tells you your Trannie temperature, 2 different trip computers, tells you engine hours, Date, Time, and how much life is left in the oil... Man I wish I could get something like that for the contour...
CBM!!! WHAT'S UP, MY HOMIE???!???
j/k
Ray
Originally posted by Ray:
CBM!!! WHAT'S UP, MY HOMIE???!???
j/k
Ray
Ahh...that buuuuurns. 
-SAV
Anywhere from 18-25 'city' driving. Thats with new plugs, wires, UIM/LIM rebuild and generally 93 octane gas. No idea why its that low. I generally shift below 3500rpms in the first two gears and @ 3k in 3-4-5. Its odd.
All highway, ~28MPG AC on an doing steady 65.
Originally posted by Tony2005:
Originally posted by MAYBE aliasfriend:
Originally posted by pole120:
26-30
how is he pulling that kind of MPG when my Zetec cant even do that?
Probably highway, windows up, no a/c and overinflated tires.
I usually get 24 mpg on the highway with the a/c on (windows up and properly inflated tires).
My SVT gets the same or better mileage in all conditions than my Zetec/ATX did (well, except in twice the highway speed limit conditions). Probly b/c I had to nearly floor the Zetec to decently accelerate, while the SVT has enough power to accelerate with 1/2 or less of the gas pedal.
My ride gets between 28.5 and 29.5 mpg on the freeway and about 21-23 mpg mixed.
Though retired, I had a 24.9 MPG average over 65000 miles. I used the 'Tour for work and tracked all expenses.
Those miles were 60/40 highway/city.
Originally posted by MAYBE aliasfriend:
anybody ever notice that the gas gauge acts wierd when it comes to proper fuel readings? I have noticed that from ABSOLUTELY full it will take about... 110 city miles until it drops down to the 3/4 mark... I think to myself "sweet, im getting awesome mileage" then 3/4 to 1/2 takes about 60-70 miles. Then 1/2 to 1/4 takes about 80 miles.. Then that last quarter lasts forever... WHY IS THIS? All City Driving BTW. I have seen this too on the freeway... Going to detroit and back I saw my first 170 miles... AC the whole way, would take only 1/4 of the tank... then I got like 120 to the 1/2 point... and never went much further then that on the freeway.
This seems to be the exact thing I have and is probably happens for all SVT's...takes awhile for the needle to start dropping and when it does it goes fast. I always get stoked when it takes 80-100miles to start dropping...heh
Originally posted by muskamike:
This seems to be the exact thing I have and is probably happens for all SVT's...takes awhile for the needle to start dropping and when it does it goes fast. I always get stoked when it takes 80-100miles to start dropping...heh
Between my parents' and my own cars, I've had experience with a wide variety of Fords:
'84 Tempo
'88 Thunderbird
'90 Sable
'93 Cougar
'93 Mark VIII
'99 Contour
And they ALL exhibited the same exact fuel gauge behavior. My guess is that it the tank's shape and the baffles inside cause the fuel level to drop in a weird way, and Ford doesn't set their gauges up to compensate for this.
i read somewhere once that supposedly this is done on purpose for some wierd psychological reason. i don't know how true this is but iirc it was in some automotive magazine.
Originally posted by my csvt:
i read somewhere once that supposedly this is done on purpose for some wierd psychological reason. i don't know how true this is but iirc it was in some automotive magazine.
Yes, not sure if it was GM or Ford who started it first. Apparently, customers were complaining of low gas mileage on their vehicles and they issued a TSB to recalibrate the fuel gauge to drop slow during the first 2/3 and then really fast during the last 1/3.
27 freeway no ac 22-20 ac freeway driving 20 over the speedlimt/ i drive 20 over all the time.
Originally posted by Big_B:
I assume you are referencing my excellent math skills. Let me clarify. When I fill up my car, after the low fuel light has popped on, it will usually hold 13 gallons. As I recall, we have 14 gallon tanks. However, my 13 gallons usually lasts 260 miles.
I ran out of gas once, after the low fuel light had only been on for 5 miles, so I don't test it any more. Usually fill up once it gets under a half tank.
your car has a fuel light? ive never seen my fuel light turn on/ i dont think i have one maybe thats why i get 40 more miles to than you do per tank lol cause of the weight of the bulb maybe lol
Originally posted by bigworm:
Originally posted by Big_B:
I assume you are referencing my excellent math skills. Let me clarify. When I fill up my car, after the low fuel light has popped on, it will usually hold 13 gallons. As I recall, we have 14 gallon tanks. However, my 13 gallons usually lasts 260 miles.
I ran out of gas once, after the low fuel light had only been on for 5 miles, so I don't test it any more. Usually fill up once it gets under a half tank.
your car has a fuel light? ive never seen my fuel light turn on/ i dont think i have one maybe thats why i get 40 more miles to than you do per tank lol cause of the weight of the bulb maybe lol
I'm saying the same thing! 
I've never seen a low fuel light on any one of the three 98's I have, WTF?
Originally posted by Tony2005:
Originally posted by my csvt:
i read somewhere once that supposedly this is done on purpose for some wierd psychological reason. i don't know how true this is but iirc it was in some automotive magazine.
Yes, not sure if it was GM or Ford who started it first. Apparently, customers were complaining of low gas mileage on their vehicles and they issued a TSB to recalibrate the fuel gauge to drop slow during the first 2/3 and then really fast during the last 1/3.
Hmm, well here's how mine acts. When I fill it up, the needle goes past the full mark. By the time it gets down to about 3/4 tank (I know this because of the mileage), the needle is at or just above the full mark. After that, it drops very rapidly. The only time it is correct is just below the halfway mark, usually after about 200 miles on a tank. It hits empty when the tank is actually at about 1/3, and shortly after the low fuel light comes on. From what I've observed, I still have 4-5 gallons when the needle hits empty, and about 3 when the low fuel warning lights up. By the time I actually need to refuel, the needle is sitting well below the empty mark. I've learned to not let this scare me because it cries wolf so often, and I just gauge how much gas I actually have in the tank by the trip odometer, which I reset every time I fuel up.
Which is awesome, though I am not sure I would agree with running quite so low on fuel before each fillup. (garbage in the tank, and the fuel pickup being so prone to clogging, as it is.)
I let the light come on, and fill up within about 5 or 10 miles of that, each time. The tank usually will take about 11.9 or 12.2-ish gallons.
Ray
The only time I tested my Contour's gas mileage was when driving it home 300 miles just after I bought it from my brother-in-law.
On that trip -- all freeway at about 65 mph -- it seemed to get 35 mpg as I calculated it when filling up. I was very happy!
However, when I told my nephew (the previous driver) I got 35 mpg, he said that he had NEVER gotten that kind of mileage even on the highway. So maybe I calculated wrong.
I don't run all that low on fuel before I go to a station. I usually fill up 30-40 miles after the low fuel light comes on, and at that point the tank will usually take 12-12.5 gallons. Before this last peak of gas prices, I would fill up regularly once every week, but now I tend to only drive the car as much as I need to and prolong buying gas until absolutely necessary.
wow.. your light comes on at a WAY different time than mine..
If I fill up within 10 miles of the light, it take 12.2-ish in her.. maybe as little as 11.9.. but still..
40 miles more, and it only takes 12.5?
Ray
Yup, like I said earlier my light comes on when I still have at least 3 gallons left in the tank, as far as I can tell. Next time I should fill up ASAP after the light comes on to see exactly when it comes on in relation to how much gas I have left. Just a guess, but it would probably take 11 gallons to fill it up at that point.
I could pull 27-28mpg in my old SVT in the city, and usually 31-32 on the highways.
The Scion extracts 31mpg in the city and 34-35 on the highways.
I drive the speed limit.
Originally posted by Derk2000:
I could pull 27-28mpg in my old SVT in the city, and usually 31-32 on the highways.
The Scion extracts 31mpg in the city and 34-35 on the highways.
I drive the speed limit.
Don't think I have ever seen anything close to that. I beleive it was around 22-23mpg.
NEITHER HAVE I, in the city, that is.
24.5-25.2 is the BEST I've ever seen (for an SVT)
Ray
Originally posted by OB1:
Originally posted by bigworm:
Originally posted by Big_B:
I assume you are referencing my excellent math skills. Let me clarify. When I fill up my car, after the low fuel light has popped on, it will usually hold 13 gallons. As I recall, we have 14 gallon tanks. However, my 13 gallons usually lasts 260 miles.
I ran out of gas once, after the low fuel light had only been on for 5 miles, so I don't test it any more. Usually fill up once it gets under a half tank.
your car has a fuel light? ive never seen my fuel light turn on/ i dont think i have one maybe thats why i get 40 more miles to than you do per tank lol cause of the weight of the bulb maybe lol
I'm saying the same thing! I've never seen a low fuel light on any one of the three 98's I have, WTF?
Mine comes on after it gets into the red... way different than my old Accord, which came on at 1/4 tank (which meant it was almost always on).
Originally posted by livinsvt:
Originally posted by Derk2000:
I could pull 27-28mpg in my old SVT in the city, and usually 31-32 on the highways.
The Scion extracts 31mpg in the city and 34-35 on the highways.
I drive the speed limit.
Don't think I have ever seen anything close to that. I beleive it was around 22-23mpg.
You have to remember that he lives at a pretty high altitude. IIRC, cars get better fuel economy but less power at that height.
I generally get about 25 in the city, but its not a well documented avg. over any amount of time (just the quick distance/gallons at the pump). My best highway MPG was on the way to SZ at 32mpg.
I know Derek and I have very similar engine mods (well, had in his case
). You think the headers and altitude could have anything to do with it? I bet those headers can account for most of the MPG gains he saw and Im seeing. . . . .
I average 27-28 MPG. I drive pretty conservatively but usually slightly above the speed limit. I also take the car out of gear and coast down long hills.
Well its past editing time but also that MPG best of mine was at 80MPH.
I was getting around 25 mpg highway before I changed my egr now I got 29.
But when I am in town it ROCKETS down because there is something wrong with my right foot, gravity works harder on it for some reason.
Originally posted by KingpinSVT:
I know Derek and I have very similar engine mods (well, had in his case ). You think the headers and altitude could have anything to do with it? I bet those headers can account for most of the MPG gains he saw and Im seeing. . . . .
Never thought about altitude affecting milage...hmm. 
It definately killed the hp, though. 
There's no doubt that free flowing intake and exhaust pathways help with the milage. That was a huge "justifier" for many of my mods.
Originally posted by KingpinSVT:
Well its past editing time but also that MPG best of mine was at 80MPH.
And that's weird, because gas mileage drops terribly when I drive 80. The best is at about 75 mph, where it averages 28.5 mpg with the A/C on (haven't tried it with the A/C off yet). By the time I hit 85 mph though, it's down to 21 mpg. That's why I don't drive over 75 mph any more.
Originally posted by Rishodi:
Originally posted by KingpinSVT:
Well its past editing time but also that MPG best of mine was at 80MPH.
And that's weird, because gas mileage drops terribly when I drive 80. The best is at about 75 mph, where it averages 28.5 mpg with the A/C on (haven't tried it with the A/C off yet). By the time I hit 85 mph though, it's down to 21 mpg. That's why I don't drive over 75 mph any more.
Same here. My gas mileage goes in the dump when I go over 80. I got 23mpg on my last road trip because of that. That's when the Contour needs a 6th gear to bring the revs down a bit.
I agree. After taking a couple road trips, I thought that a 6th gear would be a great idea - before I even knew it was an option. Next summer, I'm going to seriously consider getting a Mondeo 6-speed MTX from Terry, depending on available funds.
I used to average 24 or so in town and about 28 on the highway. The past few months however, I've been getting 27-28 in town and 32 on the highway. Not sure what changed because my driving really didn't. I suppose I shouldn't complain . . . . .
Originally posted by zakatak:
I used to average 24 or so in town and about 28 on the highway. The past few months however, I've been getting 27-28 in town and 32 on the highway. Not sure what changed because my driving really didn't. I suppose I shouldn't complain . . . . .
Any major mods in that time period?
Originally posted by Rishodi:
Originally posted by zakatak:
I used to average 24 or so in town and about 28 on the highway. The past few months however, I've been getting 27-28 in town and 32 on the highway. Not sure what changed because my driving really didn't. I suppose I shouldn't complain . . . . .
Any major mods in that time period?
Tinted my windshield Nope, they were all there before the change.
Well you almost all have me beat... i get between 15-17 city and if i'm real lucky i can hit 20 on the highway but that's because i'm usually doing around 80-85 on the highway....
Well, since my MPG is kinda "low" I'm thinking about changing my plugs and wires here soon(ish) I also have a lead foot too. 20MPG I calculated last time I filled up, not bad for all/most city driving and a lead foot. I'm thinkin about also changin the fuel filter. So I'm not doin so horrible bad on gas mileage.
29MPG highway (75MPH avg speed)
24MPG = my usual mix
21-22MPG if mostly stop and go
Sorry to rehash this thread but, My Contour is currently getting 21-23 mpg mixed driving. My Mustang is actually getting the same or better mileage with a heavier car with more cylinders, more power and more torque. Is the efficiency of the Contour that bad? I shift around 3-4k in normal driving with the tour. And I by no means "baby" the Mustang. This sucks. The Contour has a brand new air filter so that is out of the picture. Tire inflation is 2 psi over recommended.
Hell, my Mustang averaged 19 mpg during the Woodward Dream Cruise including bumper to bumper traffic all day, spirited driving and a couple burnouts.
Originally posted by Mossberg:
Sorry to rehash this thread but, My Contour is currently getting 21-23 mpg mixed driving.... Is the efficiency of the Contour that bad? ...
Any CEL codes? When was the last time you changed the spark plugs and wires?
Consistently 26 MPG and that's all highway driving @ avg 70MPH.
Originally posted by Tony2005:
Originally posted by Mossberg:
Sorry to rehash this thread but, My Contour is currently getting 21-23 mpg mixed driving.... Is the efficiency of the Contour that bad? ...
Any CEL codes? When was the last time you changed the spark plugs and wires?
No codes, never changed plugs or wires. I have about 50k miles on the odometer.
Originally posted by Mossberg:
..No codes, never changed plugs or wires. I have about 50k miles on the odometer.
Try the UIM cleaning and then the spark plugs and wire change.
Duratec Maintenance FAQ
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=v6maint&Number=958650&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1
i used to get close to 30mpg when i lived in ct, now that i live in phoenix and i have to drive in the city i get more like 23ish.
I just recently got ~27mpg on my 3.0L...
Highway driving - 25 mpg
City driving - 20 mpg
*Winter* City driving - 13-14 mpg (I am not excited)
Mine never even breaks into the twenties anymore
Must be something about never driving it for more than 5 miles at a time!
-Lance
I commute 55 miles/day three times a week for school. That's 55 miles total per day.
Each "cycle", each commute takes up one quarter tank.
Let's see... 14.5 gallons/4=3.625 gallons in one quarter tank.
It takes me a total of 3 minutes for the commute (time on road). Let's see. 3.625 gallons/0.5 hours=3.625x2=7.25 gallons per hour. I have flown airplanes with better mileage! A small plane (i.e. Cessna 172) uses approximately the same amount of gas, give or take, as a Ford Expedition. It sounds about right, considering that, on average, general aviation air distances are 15% shorter than road distances.
Let's go back. 55 miles/3.625 gallons=15.172413793103448275862068965517 miles/gallon.
Roughly 15 miles per gallon. And that's on the highway!
I really need to get a new car.
3.625
So you are saying that your car burns 7.25 gallons an hour on your 55 mile commute? What are you doing keeping it in second gear?
If it were second gear, I would be only getting 5 miles to the gallon.
I'm not surprised with the mileage of my car.
If I move further north, I would save money flying to school (my school is, thankfully, close to an airport). I would be building valuable flight time, though. Shave off some credits from college, too.
Just seems like a lot of fuel to burn in one hour. Sounds like you need a good tune up you should be getting far better fuel economy than that. My SVT averages about 24 MPG that is probably on a 70/30 City/Highway split.
Either way, a car that size should be getting WAAAAAAAAAYYYY better gas mileage.
Originally posted by gilroynewball:
I commute 55 miles/day three times a week for school. That's 55 miles total per day.
Each "cycle", each commute takes up one quarter tank.
Let's see... 14.5 gallons/4=3.625 gallons in one quarter tank.
It takes me a total of 3 minutes for the commute (time on road). Let's see. 3.625 gallons/0.5 hours=3.625x2=7.25 gallons per hour. I have flown airplanes with better mileage! A small plane (i.e. Cessna 172) uses approximately the same amount of gas, give or take, as a Ford Expedition. It sounds about right, considering that, on average, general aviation air distances are 15% shorter than road distances.
Let's go back. 55 miles/3.625 gallons=15.172413793103448275862068965517 miles/gallon.
Roughly 15 miles per gallon. And that's on the highway!
I really need to get a new car.
3.625
That's roughly what my moms mystique gets highway(I did a rough estimate of about 12-14 MPG).
I by no means beat on it really, usually shift around 4k getting onto the highway then 2-3k afterward. 
I'm going to be doing plugs and UIM cleaning nextweek sometime.
I would compute your mileage by the more accurate method of filling up and then dividing your total miles driven by the amound of fuel you used since you last filled up.
The gauges on most cars do not move in direct proportion to the amount of fuel consumed. 1/4 tank on the fuel guage might mean 1 gallon at the low end of the guage.
I usually get 150 miles from the full mark before my needle hits the 3/4 mark. That would be 41 MPG and we know that's not true! After that I generally get about 75 miles per 1/4 tank and it gets less and less as I go toward empty.
Originally posted by gilroynewball:
Either way, a car that size should be getting WAAAAAAAAAYYYY better gas mileage.
well you ever heard about maintenance....maybe you need a tune up or a fuel filter change or even a manifold cleaning?????
instead of whining about this contour you seem to hate so much(since about 90% of the posts i've seen you post on here have said this)you act like someone held a gun to your head and made you buy this contour you hate so much,i say if you hate it so much sell it and buy something else
Quote:
well you ever heard about maintenance....maybe you need a tune up or a fuel filter change or even a manifold cleaning?????
instead of whining about this contour you seem to hate so much(since about 90% of the posts i've seen you post on here have said this)you act like someone held a gun to your head and made you buy this contour you hate so much,i say if you hate it so much sell it and buy something else
Heh, it does sound like that. I usually DO harp on either the problems with my car, or on the wonders of aviation.
Well, let's see. I'm a pilot. Pilots are not airplane mechanics, even though we check the aircraft systems thoroughly before every flight. Again, we are not airplane mechanics. We are NOT LICENSED to do such maintenance. If a screw comes off, well, yeah. We'll fix that. When the plane needs oil, we'll put that in. We'll even remove the oil, remove the oil filter, cut the cap off, screen it, and check for metal particles! But, as for reassembling everything, it needs to be logged by a LICENSE AIRCRAFT MECHANIC.
When they say something is AEROSPACE GRADE, it means that something is so reliable that it can be used in aerospace. It is proven safe, and redundant to the point where you will experience carefree operation, between TBOs.
I am a pilot. I do the work of a pilot with everything I do. I'll even use my E6-B flight computer for fuel calculations IN MY CAR! That's how much an aviator I am.
When you're broke as hell, you can't do much, can you? It took me a week to pick up a new vss for the car.
Just remember it this way. I'm ending this possible argument on a possibly light note.
"Pilots are people with a special air about them". To some, such as yourself, you may find us odd, quirky, or sometimes, just plain out annoying. So I use an aviation scanner instead of my car radio sometimes. So what? I am merely bringing out possible problems that some other drivers may come to have in the future.
Another cliche in aviation is "Never make the same mistake more than once. If you have to make a mistake, make it a new one." People learn from others. Pilots learn from other pilots' mistakes. That's why NTSB finding on air crashes are distributed freely and easily for all pilots to research. For what? TO BETTER THEIR FLYING!
Yes, I know that flying a plane is a world away from owning a defective car with readily available resources to make it fit the owner like a glove. But, a world is a world after all. At least there's one commonality.
It may sound to you as an utter refusal to actually get my hands dirty with the car. I'm not saying that.
ALL I AM SAYING is that I will only do things that are within my scope of ability. Remember. I traded auto shop for flight training in high school. I am going to college to become a professional pilot. NOT to turn wrenches as a grease monkey. (My dad retired from being an auto mechanic for the same reason). I am more than wiling to keep my car as fit as an airplane. BUT ONLY AS LONG AS I HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO SO.
Besides. You're going off topic. 
I get 15 miles to the gallon ON AVERAGE. That an AVERAGE between street driving and highway driving. And no, I don't punch the throttle. I keep my accelerations AT OR BELOW 2500 rpm.
ok that just confused the hell out of me but ok....what i was trying to say is that there must be a reason that your car is getting such terrible gas mileage is all...i mean i get that in my modded v8 with 120k on it,and 3.73 gears,and that's city driving....there is something wrong with your car,it should get alot better mileage than you are getting...
I know. That's why I'm sending it to the shop when I get a little green in my wallet. Besides. I absolutely HATE tune-ups in V6s. If I wanted to climb onto an engine and reach into dark holes....I better end this. Kids may be reading this
Webster's Dictionaly definition of "Pilot": (N), the highest form of life on earth.
Originally posted by gilroynewball:
Each "cycle", each commute takes up one quarter tank.
Let's see... 14.5 gallons/4=3.625 gallons in one quarter tank.
A "quarter tank" judging by the gauge is pretty much useless because the gauge is calibrated and/or the tank is shaped so you go a LOT further on full to 3/4ths than you do from 1/4 to empty. If you're always stopping to fill up at the same point and going by the gallons on the gas pump it should be pretty accurate though. And in that case, 15mpg is atrocious. I drive almost exclusively in the city, rarely shift below 3500 rpm, go to WOT all the time, and still get about 21 mpg.
As for working on the V6, the rear O2 sensor is a b!tch, but the plugs/wires are actually more easily accessible than any car I've ever owned. Tuneups aren't too bad.
Speaking of which, do any of you guys have an accurate fuel sender unit?
Mine doesn't fluctuate due to rippling fluel in the tank. At certain RPMs, it appears to be lower. When the engine is off with hardly any fuel to read, the sender says 1/4 tank. Does this happen to you by any chance? I'll get the sender replaced if it truly is defective.
22mpg city/highway when I'm really clomping on the gas. 26mpg city/highway when I take it easy. 32-35mpg all highway w/ cruise.
Don't bother with a new sender.
It has to do with the fact that the float arm and sender are not engineered/calibrated to report the fuel level in direct proportion to the remaining fuel.
Aircraft are engineered to very very different standards. In general in the Aerospace industry, a set of fuel gauges on various types of aircraft are expected to work exactly the same. In addition, the engineers are very likely expected to produce a sender that compensates for the rate change in float arm travel as the fuel levels change. If the gauges read 1/2 tank, you can bet that you really do have 1/2 of your fuel supply remaining in that tank. If it doesn't it will be considered a bad design and unacceptable. I briefly studied Aerospace engineering before changing to Computer Science.
Then we get to quality... 99% of the time you won't die if you car breaks down. In an aircraft your odds are lower no matter how much experience you have. Cars are cheap, aircraft are not. You get what you are paying for!
Apples and oranges my friend!
---
I hope to join you up in the air once I get around to taking lessons.
Originally posted by �¡Oracle!:
Don't bother with a new sender.
Apples and oranges my friend!
---
I hope to join you up in the air once I get around to taking lessons.
Apples and oranges? True, but they're still fruits!
The sender still bothers me. But, ah, why bother.
You'll love flying.
I had my first lesson while I still lived in LA. Flying in the late hours of the afternoon, seeing the sun set at 4,500 feet over Malibu. On the way back, when you have the yoke, rudder pedals, and throttle all in your control, flying over a mountain while descending, during a sunset? It just can't get any better than that!
I get 24-26mpg highway..I drive 110 miles roundtrip daily..Car has about 73k on it and only done minor repairs to it..I do notice if I use Costco premium gas my mpg drops 2-3 mpg..Must be reason why their gas is cheaper...
I average about 280 miles on a tank, which I thought was good until I found out I had a 15 gallon tank...
Friggin' 18 mpg...
Oh well, it's better than that 12-15 I got in my FB.
Atleast I drive the car like it was intended to be driven! Haha.
18-ish is what I'm getting in mixed driving now - mostly highway. I'm gonna do the mystery mod soon as I also had CEL codes for my pre-cats. That should help.
Originally posted by Shawnb:
I average about 280 miles on a tank, which I thought was good until I found out I had a 15 gallon tank...
Friggin' 18 mpg...
That sounds like me after my recent drivetrain fixes.
I still have to do the throttle hang fix. Those RPMs coasting high can really eat up gas, right?