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Poor Gas Mileage

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 2:06 am
by Manarius
I just filled up my tank today...I got 19 MPG! That, to me, is piss poor gas mileage. I don't race it too much and I still get awful mileage.

I recognize I'll lose mileage to my high weight oil and AWD..but I mean...gimme a break. Is there something I can do to fix this?

I've done the typical things..new plugs, filter, diamond coil pack, wires

On another random note...every once and a while...if I'm in a parking lot I stall out as I get to a stop. It only happens within a short time of the car starting up.

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 3:06 am
by BAC5.2
Check the ECU for stored trouble codes.

Also, what type of fuel are you using, and more importantly how thick is the oil you are using?

Why are you running high weight oil?

I'd kill for 19mpg in the Legacy. I routinely see 18mpg on the highway. But I also drove the piss out of it more than a few times per tank of gas.

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 3:13 am
by Manarius
Type of Fuel: 87 Octane with MTBE (Exxon Gas)
Weight Oil: 20-50w Dino Oil (Why? If I use less, it leaks out all over the place due to my old crank seals)

This is an N/A car so.....

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 4:32 am
by dzx
I get around 18-22mpg but i get on the gas a lot so i don't think its too bad.

whats keeping you from replacing the front and rear main seals?

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 7:08 am
by 93forestpearl
I've averaged below 20 plenty of times, even as low as 17, in my 93 L AWD 5mt.

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 9:19 am
by BAC5.2
Replace the seals and run oil instead of molassess.

I bet if you do that, your gas mileage will increase by 25%.

Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 12:43 pm
by Manarius
dzx wrote:whats keeping you from replacing the front and rear main seals?
My lack of money, lift, and desire to remove the engine from the car (for the rear).

The only reason I was a bit peeved was because during the summer, I could push 22-23 mpg...now I am getting around 20 :sad:

keepin' it new

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 6:34 am
by anthonyle2002
so i have a question. what can i do to get more miles per gallon out of my legacy? i've got stock everything and a few things have been replaced like alternator, starter, water pump (i don't think these affect fuel economy). i did get new spark plugs a few months ago and an air filter. what do oxgygen sensors do and do they help fuel economy? how much do they cost and easy to install? same for fuel pumps and filters.

(my legacy has lots of sentimental meaning and so i wanna keep it running well for as long as possible) thanks!!

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 7:04 am
by BAC5.2
Manarius - Try running a lower weight oil in the winter.

The oil you are using is really thick man! You can replace the rear main seal by pulling the transmission.

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 7:45 am
by skurk
Hi, I have the same problem with fuel economy. I got a legacy gt 1994 wagon (2.0 liter) and the 50 liter tank only takes me TOPS 340 km .. by my calculations that is 19 gpm. I have new plugs, new fuel filter, air filter, used bottle of injector cleaner for the injectors, cleaning of MAF sensor .. all without any change .. hehe.. this sucks, I feel quilty driving this car and it seems not to matter to much if I drive economical or aggressive.
Cheers!
Love this site.

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:18 am
by 555BCTurbo
Check your Oxygen sensors!!!! All of you!!

And yes, they are easy to replace...

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:24 am
by azn2nr
no kidding.

me with bad 02 sensor = 13mpg when i baby it.

new o2 sensor = 20 mpg when i stomp on it at 15 psi

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 12:41 pm
by Manarius
555BCTurbo wrote:Check your Oxygen sensors!!!! All of you!!

And yes, they are easy to replace...
They also take a nice chunk of money out of your wallet ;-)

Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 3:07 pm
by sammydafish
Manarius wrote:
555BCTurbo wrote:Check your Oxygen sensors!!!! All of you!!

And yes, they are easy to replace...
They also take a nice chunk of money out of your wallet ;-)

3 wire O2 sensors are like $45 -$50 ... not to bad when you're gaining back some 30% fuel economy at around $3.00/gallon, that's ROI in only a few hundred miles. :)

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 10:09 pm
by anthonyle2002
i get around 19-20 mpg and i drive mainly on mountain roads. is this the norm? how do i know if changing my oxygen sensor will improve gas mileage?

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 2:02 am
by 555BCTurbo
ehh...that sounds a bit low...but not malfunctioning O2 sensor low...

When my 02 went out I was getting 13mpg...

If you do a lot of uphill climbs than that could explain things...

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2005 4:10 am
by Legacy777
I just did my mileage. When I was breaking the engine in, and the first tank of driving like a crazed bastard with boost.....I got 16.52 mpg.

With highway driving, and lead footing it occasionally I got 20.30 mpg.

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:48 am
by skurk
Oh Correction is needed for my previous post. I was using english gallons previously.. I defenitly only get 16.1 or so US mpg while normal driving.. funny thing I almost had accepted that. if someone finds time double checking, i get 6.8 km on one litre.. (6.8/3.785) / (1*1.609) = 25.738 / 1.609 = ~16 mpg.

Furher solution would be to check the o2 as suggested by you guys! Half my airfilter had been sucked in the engine before it was changes so plenty of reasons why things need replacement.

I have not got any error signals though, would'nt faulty o2 sensor trigger that?
Will let you know the result once I get o2 sensor replaced

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2005 8:53 am
by skurk
I really don't like to think that my "normal" driving would equal to what others seem to be "driving like a crazed bastard " ;)

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 10:35 am
by LaureltheQueen
hahahahahaha, suckers.

I have begun getting 13mpg on a fairly regular basis. Given, that's purely stop and go driving....(stoplight to stoplight and stop sign to stop sign, plus having to slow down for and then blow past fucking dumbshit people in camrys) and half of my "commute" is the car warming up(if it's not warming up while I'm driving, I have the remote start going)

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 6:58 pm
by Manarius
LaureltheQueen wrote:hahahahahaha, suckers.

I have begun getting 13mpg on a fairly regular basis. Given, that's purely stop and go driving....(stoplight to stoplight and stop sign to stop sign, plus having to slow down for and then blow past fucking dumbshit people in camrys) and half of my "commute" is the car warming up(if it's not warming up while I'm driving, I have the remote start going)
Maybe if you wouldn't drive like a NASCAR driver between those stoplights, you'd get better mileage. Maybe it'd be better if you didn't have a wagon either :razz:

Posted: Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:08 pm
by wiscon_mark
What does it being a wagon have to do with it? We're not really that much heavier...

Besides wagons are cooler 8)

I get 25 highway, probably 27 tops in the summer, although my last tank was 21 (lots of defroster, stop and go, and idling) in below zero (farenheit) temps.

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:31 am
by badbasser98
I've got a 2002 GT... For mileage, I normally average around 25-27 on daily commuting. Actaully hit 30.1 MPG Highway on a trip to Cape Cod. But now that colder weather is settling in, mileage has dropped to around 22-23, and have had as low as 20 :shock: As for the guys running boost... I have heard of many 05 LGT owner complaining of 13-14 MPG, but I imagine that would fall into the category of "drving like a crazed bastard with boost" ;-)

-BB98

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:32 am
by wiscon_mark
I just got 22 again :-(

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 1:10 am
by Fishy
wiscon_mark wrote:What does it being a wagon have to do with it? We're not really that much heavier...

Besides wagons are cooler 8)
While I agree with you about the weight and the cool factor a station wagon is the aerodynamic equivalent of a parachute.

My legacy gets something like 9gallons to the mile I think :-D
It's automatic, a wagon, awd, and turbo. that's about the worst combo for mileage you could get in a car these days. :sad:

Oh well! when it's snowing it's worth it! 8)