okay I have an 07 4dr Civic LX and I just hit my 6000k mark. Got an oil change and lately it seems like I am loosing gas milage. Usually I'd fill up and it about 30-40 miles before one bar goes down, but not its been like 13-20. checked my air filter, clean plus its still brand new...any suggestions?

 

Don't just rely on ONE dot. Measure the mileage using almost the entire tank of fuel. Take it down to one or two dots, fill up, then do it again.

My car was the same way. Sometimes it took 40 miles for the first dot to disappear....sometimes it went out after only 20 miles. There are many factors that affect gas mileage so chances are no two vehicles will be exactly the same.

 

x2. Fill up until it clicks. Run it down to almost empty. Compare the trip calculator mileage over that time span to the amount of gas when you refill. Repeat a few times.

The MORE data (use almost the whole tank, do the average of several fillups) you have, the more accurate it will be.

 

The correct way to measure fuel economy is to record the gallons pumped and the miles at time of fueling. Running the vehicle until complete empty or near empty is not necessary or required

http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-You...ficiency-(MPG)


^i attempted to make this link work, you will have to cut and paste.


Modified by Kidnkorner at 7:33 PM 11/25/2007

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kidnkorner &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The correct way to measure fuel economy is to record the gallons pumped and the miles at time of fueling. Running the vehicle until complete empty or near empty is not necessary or required.

http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-You...fficiency-(MPG)</TD></TR></TABLE>

It's not required, but it's smart.

If you set your trip calculator at zero after filling up, drive 3/4 of a tank, fill up again, and note your fuel economy, you're getting the average of 14 vs 10 gallons (i'm speculating). It's not a certain measurement in the tank, it's just an attempt to get the MOST gas you can out of that tank to help determine your average.

If you do that several times you get the average of 56 gallons vs. 40 gallons over 4 tanks. Having more data makes your measurement more reliable. If you drove on one gallon of gas, calculated the economy, and just assumed that it was correct for every other tank you'd probably be wrong

It's good to keep a log at each fillup. Date, miles, gallons, MPG, and your estimates of percentages of city/highway driving. It can help save you one day, if say, your 02 sensor is broken and you start getting shitty mileage.

 

I see you are from IL - northern climate. You can expect to get worse MPG in the colder temps. Grin & bear it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kboyer &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I see you are from IL - northern climate. You can expect to get worse MPG in the colder temps. Grin & bear it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yea my fuel economy drops 1mpg city between summer & winter. Sucks.

 

Well when I first got my car, I was averging about 32-34 mpg, roughly around 320-350 miles before i have to fill her up when the light goes off. Now I am averging about 30-32mpg having to fill her up when i hit 300-320miles. And I live out in the country where speed limit is always 55 or higher which I don't understand...possibly the motor is broken in now I suppose can play the factor right? taking into consideration I don't shift after 3k rpm and I dont engine break as well..

 

Mine goes down 3-5 MPG depending on temps and how long I have to let it warm up.

 

It's colder. Check and adjust the tire pressures. Don't wait for the TPMS light to come on. The gas mileage will come back up in the spring when it warms up again.

 

illinois cold weather = worse milage
You engine wont really get broken in till 10k.
If you look at long term road tests of honda motors. their mpg and 1/4 mile times improve when car and driver/road and track does their 40,000 milage tests.
The motor didnt come alive till after 10k on the si

 

I've been monitoring mine (somewhat) religiously and the best I can pull from my EX is 312 miles per tank. Average hits round 285

 

Get a K&N drop in filter, or a high flow intake, remove the lower tube from your air box during winter, get a cat back exhaust, replace your engine oil and transmission fluid with synthetic, fill your tires up with nitrogen, use cruise control whenever possible, buy gas an hour before the sun comes up, and always keep it topped off, don't drive faster than 55, don't use more than 50% throttle, keep only necessary items in the car (weight), buy skinnier tires, get forged wheels, install chromoly flywheel.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by IN VTEC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Don't wait for the TPMS light to come on.</TD></TR></TABLE>

The TPMS on the civic is a basic system and it's only intended for safety purposes. If it were for fuel economy then there would be 4 individual readouts like there is on the 350Z.


Modified by Kidnkorner at 10:22 PM 12/6/2007