Page 1 of 2
better gas mileage
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 12:08 am
by crappyrice
HELLO, i am totally new legacy owner, just bought a 1991 legacy turbo, the one with the hood scoop, and its red, i really like it.
the only problem, well one of them is that its not exactly a honda civic when it comes to gas. and i am really really poor, so i was wondering what are the best and cheapest things i can do to get better milage, and mabye even a little more power.
i've been reading these forums for about a week now and i got some really amazing tips, so i know this is the perfect place to ask this.
so far i was thinging about a k&n air filter, becasue someone said i can get 1-3 mpg increase with it, plus its cheap.
second and last one is a underdrive pully, the one by unorthodox i believe, and it said 4-5mpg increase, but it costs much more.
if u have any idea , ANY, please let me know, if its cheap or not dont make any difference for now, i just want to know the options i have.
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 12:18 am
by evolutionmovement
A good tune up is always the best soultion and possibly you're only one. A pulley won't buy you that much mileage. You can inflate the tires to a higher pressure and stay off the gas. New plugsa and wires are nearly always welcome (unless you get Magnecors, which don't wear out like the rest), and O2 if your mileage is worse than average.
Steve
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 12:21 am
by crappyrice
ok, well staying off the gas was always hard for me, so thats out of the question. especially in a turbo car.
what exactly is done in that tune up?
also, what will the the cost of the wires that u mentioned. cheap?
also what do u mean by o2?, do u mean the sencor?
and finally, what milage shold i be getting right now?

also, thats for the quick reply,
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:35 am
by J-MoNeY
My pully + IC upped my gas mileage to 50 more miles a tank.
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:55 am
by LaureltheQueen
invest in a good downpipe
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:02 am
by J-MoNeY
LaureltheQueen wrote:invest in a good downpipe
Does that actually help much?
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:06 am
by THAWA
You're not going to get civic mileage with a lead foot.
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:51 am
by evolutionmovement
Or even with a helium foot.
I think I paid under $80 for the Magnecor wires. These cars eat other wires. Tune ups are just filters, plugs, and wires. Maybe cleaning the idle control if needed.
Steve
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:00 pm
by Brat4by4
PCV valve. Diamond coilpack.
Tune-up. Italian tune up. Sea foam.
Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 5:41 pm
by tris91ricer
Werd.
Get the Subaru oil filter, they're recommended.
When you free up your exhaust, you free up TONS of other things, including power and mileage. Get a downpipe (a good one) and continue it back to the muffler. Your car will sound great, and drive even better!
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:04 pm
by crappyrice
what is a PCV valve and a Diamond coilpack., and how much do they cost.
also what is the differnece between tuneup and italian tuneiup.
what is the cost of a downpipe?
Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 11:55 pm
by Subaru_Nation555
crappyrice wrote:what milage shold i be getting right now?
Well depeding on whether you have a 5-speed or a 4-EAT you should get anywhere from 15-17 mpg. When on boost alot it will really drop your fuel miliage. I think your best bet is a good tune and a conservative driving style. I don't think any turbocharged Subies get good city gas miliage
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2005 1:25 am
by evolutionmovement
Italian tune up is when you drive the car hard. Acceleration burns crap out of the cylinders.
PCV - positive crankcase ventilation. It is on your intake manifold near the throttle with a hose going into it.
Diamond coil pack is an alternate part they used on our cars. If you don't have one, they can be found in JYs.
Steve
Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2005 1:36 am
by Subaru_Nation555
crappyrice wrote:what is the cost of a downpipe?
A downpipe will run you anywhere from 150-400 dollars depending on the brand/type/condition. Since no downpipe will pit perfectly with the stock exhaust system, you would have to invest in a new mid-pipe if you went that route.
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 1:28 pm
by Tleg93
What is our fuel tank capacity? I'm at work and not anywhere near a manual.
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 1:34 pm
by Tleg93
Gah, nvm it's 15 gal. Knowing that, all you folks who say you're getting 20-30 mpg, are you actually getting 300 miles per tank @ 20 or 450 per tank @ 30mpg?
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 8:58 pm
by LaureltheQueen
I got quoted $680 australian for the downpipe that I want, the CES twin-dump pipe with the boost enhancer plate. That comes to just about $540 US today. It's currently one of the only things limiting me from upping my boost though.
Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2005 9:34 pm
by crappyrice
thanks a lot guys, all this info really helped
and i like the iddea of a italian tune up, since i seem to be doing that all the time, without even knowing it, LOL
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 7:47 pm
by Brat4by4
15.9 gallon capacity. 60L to be exact.
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 8:10 pm
by professor
I'll award a prize to anyone who can actually get 15.9 gallons in these tanks...so empty I'm scared to drive anymore, and filling it until I see it only gets me 13.5 in the tank...
Posted: Mon Mar 14, 2005 8:18 pm
by Brat4by4
I've got like 15.2 - but that's offtopic.
On topic - Don't forget water ingestion. You have to suck down enough to see smoke and stuff.
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 12:34 am
by isotopeman
If it's about saving money - drive less. I've let mine sit long enough for grass to grow out of the driver's and passenger's door sills. Currently, I fill up every two weeks in Russelville, AR (cheapest gas along I-40 between Oklahoma and W. Memphis) when it's my turn to make the drive between here and my girlfriend's place - 340 miles round trip. That's all the fuel I need, and I like it.
Depending on where you live though, it may not be so easy to do.
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 5:08 pm
by TDGKORN
there a gas station by my house that is messed up, so when its real cold the counter goes real slow but the gas comes out a normal flow. I filled up from empty yesterday for $6.50
Posted: Wed Mar 16, 2005 9:10 pm
by tris91ricer
I'm so jealous.
Posted: Thu Mar 17, 2005 4:26 am
by crappyrice
haha, lucky guy,
i live in canada where its cold as hell half the time, and that never happens