Aspire getting only 22mpg!!

[FestYboy]

this is a stock aspire, and it's in good mechanical condition/maintenance. exhaust is NOT restricted and the intake is clear as well. as of this week it's getting 22 MPG and that's while being driven like an old lady.

any suggestions? if I'm not mistaken it should be getting around 35mpg.

[Tim]

Re: Aspire getting only 22mpg!!

this is a stock aspire, and it's in good mechanical condition/maintenance. exhaust is NOT restricted and the intake is clear as well. as of this week it's getting 22 MPG and that's while being driven like an old lady.

any suggestions? if I'm not mistaken it should be getting around 35mpg.

Try a can of SeaFoam and see what it does to your MPG.


Regards,

Tim

[packrat427]

I'm going to start buying stock in seafoam :lol: :lol:

[ericsmith32]

You need to do what tim said first... seafoam it two or three times through the brake booster. I would also clean the TB and don't scrimp on the spray, and get a big bottle of techron run it first then use MMO and run it through a couple tanks. How new are your plugs, wires, cap, rotor? If any doubt replace them. Next O2 sensor replace it unless you've already have. Timing belt how new they should be replaced every 65-100k, they stretch out throwing your timing off.. my festiva has 135k on the original I can tell the timing's off. You could clean the MAF, I used a cotton swab and some glass cleaner non-residue type. I did all of this and I went from 34 to 37 on the highway but still get 30-33 in stopngo. Smaller tires help as well I went from 175/80 to 165/70.. big difference just don't put 40 psi in the 165/70 make your teeth fall out. Good luck.

[gtd2000]

You need to do what tim said first... seafoam it two or three times through the brake booster. I would also clean the TB and don't scrimp on the spray, and get a big bottle of techron run it first then use MMO and run it through a couple tanks. How new are your plugs, wires, cap, rotor? If any doubt replace them. Next O2 sensor replace it unless you've already have. Timing belt how new they should be replaced every 65-100k, they stretch out throwing your timing off.. my festiva has 135k on the original I can tell the timing's off. You could clean the MAF, I used a cotton swab and some glass cleaner non-residue type. I did all of this and I went from 34 to 37 on the highway but still get 30-33 in stopngo. Smaller tires help as well I went from 175/80 to 165/70.. big difference just don't put 40 psi in the 165/70 make your teeth fall out. Good luck.

My japanese "Aspire" (Mazda 121) gets around 26mpg all the time - has done since 16,000 miles and now at 56000 miles...

Changing to smaller tyres is just kidding yourself for fuel economy.

The tyres rotate faster producing an error in the actual mileage driven. This means that your economy will improve as far as the odometer is concerned as it will report more miles - but the fact is you are reading the true mileage incorrectly.

You might actually get some improvement in economy but it won't be the full amount.

I've changed from stock 185/60 14's to 155/70-13's and thats an error of 6% already.

Go to the gallery and look for the Jap Spec 121 thread where you can get a link to calculate te error. The table showed a 5.93% error for me - but I already estimated it as 6% from speed testing.

Does anybody know how to test the o2 sensor?

O2 sensors are very cheap in the USA at Autozone etc but they are at least double the price over here in the UK....like everything else.... :evil:

Not to mention our $7 a gallon gas!!! :cry:

[FestYboy]

I've done the SeaFoam thing before and the O2 is in good working order (tested w/ an oscilloscope) the MAF is the heated self cleaning type, so that's out. air filter is new. the plugs are 5000 mi new (platinum) cap and rotor are clean. the tranny is being a bitch but the engine is WAY down in power and it isn't the tranny's fault completely. when the car was bought, it was getting 30mpg in town less than a year ago.

hope this helps narrow it down a bit.

[gtd2000]

I've done the SeaFoam thing before and the O2 is in good working order (tested w/ an oscilloscope) the MAF is the heated self cleaning type, so that's out. air filter is new. the plugs are 5000 mi new (platinum) cap and rotor are clean. the tranny is being a bitch but the engine is WAY down in power and it isn't the tranny's fault completely. when the car was bought, it was getting 30mpg in town less than a year ago.

hope this helps narrow it down a bit.

Do you have any links to an idiots guide to testing an O2 sensor?

[Tim]

Do you have any links to an idiots guide to testing an O2 sensor?

THis link contains some useful info:

http://www.bobblick.com/techref/projects/o2sensor/o2sensor.html

[darkdan]

How cold is it in PA?

When the temps drop to freezing or below my gas mileage sucks.

Past few tanks it's been 29 mpg because it's been about 30 degrees. A few weeks ago when it was near zero I was getting 22.5 and 26 mpg or something (I could check the logs).

Also, check the compression.

[gtd2000]

Do you have any links to an idiots guide to testing an O2 sensor?

THis link contains some useful info:

http://www.bobblick.com/techref/proj.../o2sensor.html

That was a pretty interesting read.

[ilikemychickscar]

IM IN THE SAME BOAT GUYS

I WILL DO SOME CONVERTING

MY AUSTRALIAN FESTIVA 1995 model has really bad fuel economy at the moment im lucky to get 300km out of tank of fuel

my car at max we fill it from bottom to top has 8 gallon tank and im only getting 186 miles


works out at 23 Mto a gallon


before i was getting 450-500km out of a tank about 280 out of 1 tank


im going to double check my air filters etc properly this afternoon

[darkdan]

Don't forget fuel filters.

[gtd2000]

Don't forget fuel filters.

Changed mine...no difference at all for me.. :cry:

Everything has been changed that would normally be a contributing factor.

Air Filter, Plugs, Petrol Filter, Plug Leads..distributor cap/rotor removed and checked and cleaned.

Car starts/idles perfectly so distributor "should" not be the problem...well not to the extent of say 10-15mpg anyway... :?:

None of my mates (buddies) can believe the MPG I get.... ops:

[ilikemychickscar]

ive lost over 10 mpg

[ericsmith32]

Does your cars have EGR? Clean it or block it off and see what she does.