josephshark

Hey all,

I'm wondering about my gas mileage. I have 95 delsol 1.6 sohc.

I am currently getting about 21mpg mixed city/hwy . Shouldn't this be more ?

I replaced plugs, new dizzy(not related to normal tuneup), air filter, oil change, pcv.

I did not replace wires, or fuel filter. I have fuel filter, and will be doing this soon. Wasn't planning on doing wires. Would these two things make a big difference?

Thanks,
Joe

IHateJDM

do you drive like grandma, or is your foot on the floor all the time? 21 mpg is pretty low.

JimmyAtlantis

I'm having the same problem. I have a d16z6. I've replace plugs, wires, rotor, cap and fuel/air filters. I should probably do the pcv as well, but I know that won't make that big of a difference in itself. All Honda part btw. Bump for some help.

Slow EJ8

I say this in every gas mileage thread but check tire pressure. They can drop 1PSI for every 10* colder the temp gets. This might be part of what is causing you to have such low numbers. Numerous other things play a factor as well.

JimmyAtlantis

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Slow EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I say this in every gas mileage thread but check tire pressure. They can drop 1PSI for every 10* colder the temp gets. This might be part of what is causing you to have such low numbers. Numerous other things play a factor as well. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Such slight amounts won't make a +/- 10 mpg difference.

all_conference

how are you calculating your MPG? don't forget to count the gas that isn't being read by your needle....thats how 92-95 civics car, dunno about del sols...

IHateJDM

what octane gas are you running, and what does the o2 sensor look like?

Slow EJ8

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimmyAtlantis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Such slight amounts won't make a +/- 10 mpg difference.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Hence why I said....

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Slow EJ8 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">This might be part of what is causing you to have such low numbers. Numerous other things play a factor as well. </TD></TR></TABLE>

SovXietday

My friend is having the same issues in his del sol as you are, the cold weather will give you some lower gas mileage, but not by that much. Maybe it's just a sol thing, he's getting around 21mpg now too?! Wacked.

SlowEJ8 - I'll have those pics for you by wednesday, I should have time to get my fogs on Tuesday.

Slow EJ8

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SovXietday &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">SlowEJ8 - I'll have those pics for you by wednesday, I should have time to get my fogs on Tuesday. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Cool cool.... looking forward to it.

Redline96LX

Honda plug wires are great, dont replace em unless there like cut or fucked up.

What kind of rims/tires do you have? is it an autmatic or manual?

How do you drive? An effective way to drive is to not floor it a lot. But when accellerating, floor it, WOT, get upto cruising speed, and only use as much throttle as you need to maintain speed. Do you have the windows down? is the compressor on all the time?

Check out SeaFoam. A lot of times, the simpler solution is the correct one. Sometimes if the motor was running rich or something its just dirty and cleaning it can help a lot.

Throwing any codes? Is your exhaust making noise? running rich would cause such shitty MPG, like an O2 sensor is goin bad and makin the car dump more fuel in.

Check your wires and grounds and make sure the throttle rotor connector is greased.

I have a 96 civic LX with the crummy motor, and stock I got 28-29mpg. Now I get 36 with some mods.

thisisntjared

there are a couple of reasons why the mpg SUCKS.

--in the northeast, regular gasoline is an ethanol blend which will take the mpg down 3-4 (thats what it did to mine).

--dirty injectors could be a problem too. i bet the car has over 100k miles on it and they have never been cleaned.

--fuel filter aswell, but take care of the filter after taking care of the injectors.

--spark plug wires could also be an issue(i started averaging 1mpg better after the last time i changes the plugs and wires)

--tire pressure definitely effects mpg on the highway. after going to the track i forgot to fill my tires back up and drove around for a week(a little over one tank of gas) with 20 psi in the front tires. consequently my mpg was 2-3 mpg bellow average. however that was just one occurance and there could be some margin of error concerning that. tire width and type also greatly effects mpg.

in my car i average 34-35mpg with the daily commuting, which includes shifting at around 5k-6k from each light in each gear. however, strictly highway driving at 80mph is 38mpg solid.

josephshark

Holy Crap, some of you guys are getting serious mileage.

To answer questions.
I drive with a preety light foot.

I also forgot to mention that I used a whole can of seafoam in the tank, as part of the tune up, this was done before replacing all the other parts.
The only thing not done is the wires, but they look good.
The car has 103k miles.
I check the tire pressure preety regularly.

The tires are stock. The car is an Automatic.

The way I check the gas mileage is as follows.
I fill the tank all the way, reset the trip odometer, then when i get down to about a little less than quarter tank, I fill up, see how many gallons I put in, and look at the mileage on the trip. I then divide the mileage by the gallons put in.

I use 87 octane gas. I have not looked at the O2 sensor, but then again what for, I am not throwing any codes.

There is no noise coming from exhaust.

JimmyAtlantis

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What kind of rims/tires do you have?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Stock 14s. Proper tire size.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">is it an autmatic or manual? </TD></TR></TABLE>

manual...shift around 3500 rpm when accelerating normally, which is how I usually drive

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">is the compressor on all the time? </TD></TR></TABLE>

???

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Check out SeaFoam. A lot of times, the simpler solution is the correct one. Sometimes if the motor was running rich or something its just dirty and cleaning it can help a lot. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I've heard great and bad about SeaFoam. I don't want to be one of those who's headgasket falls apart.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Throwing any codes? Is your exhaust making noise? running rich would cause such shitty MPG, like an O2 sensor is goin bad and makin the car dump more fuel in.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Don't know about the codes. There's no bulb for it in the dash, but she doesn't run in limp mode. The Mobil right by my house is full serve. Everytime I fill up there my car wreaks of gas for a couple days. My car's dirty. By the time I think to look to see if they spilled it down the side it's too late to tell.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Check your wires and grounds and make sure the throttle rotor connector is greased. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The grounds need replaced. Thanks for reminding me.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I have a 96 civic LX with the crummy motor, and stock I got 28-29mpg. Now I get 36 with some mods.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I had a 94 dx with a d15b7. With I/H/E and 205/50r15s I got 46 once and over 40 on multiple occasions.

FuNkDrSpOt

iTrader: (5)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">How do you drive? An effective way to drive is to not floor it a lot. But when accellerating, floor it, WOT, get upto cruising speed, and only use as much throttle as you need to maintain speed. </TD></TR></TABLE>

I thought it was universal common sense to NOT WOT at ALL in order to get better gas mileage...The slower you accelerate the less gas you use. WOT, whether or not it's to 35 45 or 105, will always use more gas than if you just drive normal.

FuNkDrSpOt

iTrader: (5)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JimmyAtlantis &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Don't know about the codes. There's no bulb for it in the dash, but she doesn't run in limp mode. The Mobil right by my house is full serve. Everytime I fill up there my car wreaks of gas for a couple days. My car's dirty. By the time I think to look to see if they spilled it down the side it's too late to tell.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds like your running really rich or you have an exhaust leak then. You should replace your bulb and then see if you are throwing a code. My guess would be that you are if your car *reeks* of gas.

Redline96LX

Not necessarily. We have a mileage car at skool doing 1100mpg and believe me we know about how to effectively accellerate. I wont get into this.

You dump the seafoam into the gas tank, not all of it. you run it into the motor and itll get some of the carbon build up out. THo i doubt JUST carbon build up is making it so bad. there may be some sort of drag in your drivetrain. are any of your brakes warped or wearing abnormally fast?

josephshark

What is WOT ???

Also my brakes are perfect, front rotors and pads were replaced, and rears are mint.

code47mastermind

i average 33 mpg if i drive the freeway at least once........

FuNkDrSpOt

iTrader: (5)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by josephshark &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">What is WOT ??? </TD></TR></TABLE>

WOT is an acronym for W.ide O.pen T.hrottle . It means your driving with the max amount of air/fuel mix. I.E. your gas pedal is on the floorboard.

Redline, I know your a mechanic, or going to an engineering school or some **** like that and that you usually know your stuff but im still stumped that you would say floor it until you get to cruising speed to get better gas mileage. Maybe the car that you guys built severely leans out @ WOT or something but for the rest of us, that wouldn't work, or would it?

rcjustin

ya, you should be in the low 30 mpg mark.

Redline96LX

The theory goes that although gas is related to RPM x throttle position, the amount of gas burnt going WOT to 60mph in 8 seconds may still be less than if using all 5 gears to get to 60 at light throttle taking 20 seconds.
Also when driving stick, at closed throttle and the RPMs are going down, like on a hill, if your still in gear, the engine uses no fuel at all, simply the engine is acting as a air pump till it falls to 1100 or you throw in the clutch. Sensors and modern technology do that.
When driving on the highway, build up speed before a hill with more than crusing throttle. On the hill, keep the throttle constant to where your barely loosing speed. then over the hill, go light (maybe off) the throttle. at this downhill, your using almost no gas. then use light throttle down the hill to build speed before the next hill.

If you drive like some kid in a racecar, you can really make youre MPG terrible. but if you know how your car works, you can kick the MPG up real high. Like this one guy with his Honda Insight got over 100mpg, however thats called 'driving with the intent to get good mileage' and may not work like in Atlanta where I am.

FuNkDrSpOt

iTrader: (5)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Redline96LX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The theory goes that although gas is related to RPM x throttle position, the amount of gas burnt going WOT to 60mph in 8 seconds may still be less than if using all 5 gears to get to 60 at light throttle taking 20 seconds.
Also when driving stick, at closed throttle and the RPMs are going down, like on a hill, if your still in gear, the engine uses no fuel at all, simply the engine is acting as a air pump till it falls to 1100 or you throw in the clutch. Sensors and modern technology do that.
When driving on the highway, build up speed before a hill with more than crusing throttle. On the hill, keep the throttle constant to where your barely loosing speed. then over the hill, go light (maybe off) the throttle. at this downhill, your using almost no gas. then use light throttle down the hill to build speed before the next hill.

If you drive like some kid in a racecar, you can really make youre MPG terrible. but if you know how your car works, you can kick the MPG up real high. Like this one guy with his Honda Insight got over 100mpg, however thats called 'driving with the intent to get good mileage' and may not work like in Atlanta where I am. </TD></TR></TABLE>

The guy with the insight gets 100 mpg because he uses like 10 batteries.

Redline96LX

No ive seen a stock Insight do it. It IS doable, this aint like the hybrid EF civic. I bet you If I changed tires and drove around well, I could hit 45mpg with my car. It'd drive me nuts, but I could do it. Who am I kiddin, hell no I wont, I gotta tear up my roads to show off to the high school girlies, hehe.

thisisntjared

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by josephshark &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The car is an Automatic. </TD></TR></TABLE>that accounts for part of the problem but doesnt explain 21mpg. try tanking up with 89 cus they dont add the ethanol to 89. what percentage of your driving is highway?

and easy on the thread jacking jimmy...

the reason for my mildly above average mpg is a few aerodynamic mods.

ha yea i wouldnt get thinner tires for better mpg. traction is more fun.