Cold temps and gas mileage.

[Timothy]

When the temps were in the 50s I was getting in between 39-41 mpg. Now that temps have plummeted into the 10-20F range so has my gas mileage. This week I only got 34 mpg.

I am hoping this is due to the cold and not some malfunction with my car. Does this happen to everyone else, and if so what is your winter time mpg.

[william]

It's the cold I do a full upper and half lower grill block .
with the highs in lower the 20 it's hard to get the car warm witch makes it run in open loop and dumps extra fuel to try and warm it's self up.
A grill block was good for 5 mpgs on my car when temps fell down really low.
A radiator block helps as well but a outer grill block dose the same thing and helps with areo at the same time.
Also check tires every 10 degree driop is about one psi drop in your tires witch will also kill mpgs.

[Timothy]

Cool. Thanks for the tips. 5 mpg is nothing to sneeze it. Glad it worked for you.

[ryanprins13]

Its typically a 10% drop in the winter. More if you idle the car lots. Headlights on more, tires pushing snow, cold air is more dense and harder to push, car spends more fuel warming up...

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[SuperDaveGulvak]

Yup I did a full grill block to help it warm up as well when I drove mine. Mileage still blew but a 2 mile drive to work & an automatic didn't help much lol

[lessersivad]

Along with all that was said, I'll add 'Winter blend' gasoline also plays a part in the decreased MPGs.

[Timothy]

Along with all that was said, I'll add 'Winter blend' gasoline also plays a part in the decreased MPGs.

Wow that's crazy. I just read more about this and the article I read said you can expect a 2% decrease with winter blends.

[reyestuninggarag]

Wow that's crazy. I just read more about this and the article I read said you can expect a 2% decrease with winter blends.

Winter blends in fuel?

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[Timothy]

Winter blends in fuel?

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Kind of confused by the question. Don't know if I'm going to answere it the right way. But gasoline is mixed differently from the refinery during the winter compared to the summer.

[reyestuninggarag]

Kind of confused by the question. Don't know if I'm going to answere it the right way. But gasoline is mixed differently from the refinery during the winter compared to the summer.

Well that sounds about right. I think. I know for SURE thats the case with diesel. But i would imagine that would be true for gasoline (petrol for our British friends). Now if that is the case it would be interesting as to what chemicals they add that would lower fuel efficiency in the winter months. Hmmm... de-icer?

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[Timothy]

Yeah I was curious about that too so I read a couple articles. So apparently during the winter they intentionally formulate the gas to evaporate more easily. This helps to start the car and keep it running during winter temps. Then when hotter weathed comes around we they switch to summer blend that evaporates more slowly.

[reyestuninggarag]

Yeah I was curious about that too so I read a couple articles. So apparently during the winter they intentionally formulate the gas to evaporate more easily. This helps to start the car and keep it running during winter temps. Then when hotter weathed comes around we they switch to summer blend that evaporates more slowly.

Interesting. So how does that effect fuel economy? Temps and aero stuff aside.

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[Dragonhealer]

Lowers the fuel economy as there is less specific energy per gallon. Out here they use ethanol among other things to lower vapor pressure and oxygenate better. Remember the MTBE fiasco? (Methyl Tertiary Buytal Ether) rotted all our fuel systems! They blend fuel for lower vapor pressure for high altitude also.

[reyestuninggarag]

Lowers the fuel economy as there is less specific energy per gallon. Out here they use ethanol among other things to lower vapor pressure and oxygenate better. Remember the MTBE fiasco? (Methyl Tertiary Buytal Ether) rotted all our fuel systems! They blend fuel for lower vapor pressure for high altitude also.

I do! So true. Wow i had forgotten about this...

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