29 MPG FESTIVA IS THIS RIGHT?

[ectonine]

i have a 1989 carbureted festiva that is getting 29 mpg in town with a/c full blast all the time. shouldn't this car get better?

[ajb999]

i've seen some other people complain about bad mileage on here. mines a 92 L FI w/ 180k miles and i drive it pretty hard and still get at least 40. generally it averages out city and street at around 45 or -.

[ectonine]

i really don't think these people are doing the math right. i think they are leaving out about a gallon of fuel in there equations. my car gets no more than 33mpg with the air off and thats combined city/hwy. now with the a/c on its getting 29mpg solid. i am absolutely sure about this, i am filling my car up with fuel and driving it until i run out of gas on the side of the road to get my numbers, thanks--jeremie

[ajb999]

that's the way i do it. fill it up full, note the mileage and amount put in. do the same thing every time and all you have to do is divide the difference in mileage by the amount of gas you put in the car and it should give you your mpg. unless you're using different size tires.

[Taylor_cook]

all you do is fill your tank till it clicks. get in your car and set the trip odometer or note the mileage. come back to the same gas station about a week later (the closer to empty the tank is than more accurate the estimate) fill the tank up till it clicks and see how many gallons it took. divide the mileage by the amount and there you go... i tend to get around 33-35 in the city in my '89l with a/c off 50% of the time (i also have a lead foot) i dont drive any on the highway so i dont know what i get there...

[darkdan]

Time for a tune-up, auto-rx, and FP60 by www.lubecontrol.com

In the winter my mileage goes down to about 27. Then it creeps back up to 36 to 40 in the summer.

[ectonine]

maybe i need to throw this carb engine away and drop a fuel injected engine in.

[packrat427]

, i am filling my car up with fuel and driving it until i run out of gas on the side of the road to get my numbers, thanks--jeremie

You run it out all the time ? :shock:
That is a good way to fill your carb with junk.




ectonine
Newbie



Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 48
Location: Bowling Green Kentucky
Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 10:05 pm Post subject: 1989 ford festiva fuel pump????

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the car is a 1989 carbureted festiva and these are the problems...i think:

1. i smell fuel under the hood and in the car when sitting still for to long.
2. the car idles weird up and down from 400-800
3. when i put my hand under the fuel pump i feel air coming from it and if i hold my finger where the air is coming from long enough fuel or oil (smells strong of fuel) accumulates on my hand.
4. over the course of and oil change i'm loosing a quart or two and i'm not leaking or burning.
5. theres a weird stumble in second and third gear around 2600-2800 rpms.
6. the car feels gutless. (could just be the feel of an 89 carbureted festiva)
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[Guest]

29 sucks but having a/c and being carbed has a lot to do with it. Especially if it has some miles on it and the carb is dirty or gummed up.

My beefed B6 gets 34+ in the city and 40 on the highway.

But I don't have a/c and mines an efi B6..

[TheresGabe]

hmmmm....

http://fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm This says that car should be getting 39 and 43 if it's a 5 speed, and 38 and 40 for a 4speed. I never got less than 40 on either of my 4-speed carburated 88's.........No my Auto aspire with A/C blasting....That's a different story..... :cry:

[Tim]

I got the same on my carb'd 4 speed until I ran SeaFoam through it. It incresed the fuel economy by like 8 mpg.


Regards,

Tim

[packrat427]

I Filled up today to check my mileage ,on a fairly short trip.
55 mph, 60 at times, 2 windows down ,back widows shut , just me , slight wind. Maybe 5 to 6 miles of that was in town
73.5 miles ,it took 1.5 gal =49.0 mpg
I used the same station,same pump,and filled it the same way.
And I think my speedo is still off a little.
I don't think I am off a gallon or so :lol:

[dixiehorn festiva]

29 mpg? thats pretty haggard. my uncles Mark VIII gets better mileage than that. My festy is runnin at 42mpg and i just graduated, so thats proof that im doin the math rite!

[Taylor_cook]

29 mpg? thats pretty haggard. my uncles Mark VIII gets better mileage than that. My festy is runnin at 42mpg and i just graduated, so thats proof that im doin the math rite!

WOW 29 MPG in town in a mark VIII!!!!! that must be a new record WOW i really dont think your doing the math right even if you just graduated that claim to 29 or better in the city seems WAY off; even if it is great condition i doubt a mark VIII would get 29 on the HIGHWAY!!! http://auto.consumerguide.com/Auto/U...eviewroadtest/ i think to get 29 highway on that car you'd probly have to swap in a B3 and strip the interior!!!

[geezerstiva]

we have 2 festivas, ones a 90 EFI and the other is a 88 carbed. the 88 gets better mileage than the 90! 88 gets 40-46, 90 gets 40-42. i'll thank you not to diss carburetors.