My car is rated at 30 mpg with a 16 gallon tank that should get about 400 miles to a tank. According to my math and tripodometer, I am getting 15 mpg and about 270 miles out of my tank. I am on the interstate for about 2 hours a day driving back and forth to work. Can someone let me know how to get better gas mileage other than keeping the tires full of air?
2007-01-02 03:27:08 · 7 answers · asked by mlothian1012 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
If the engine is old and or high mileage the compression per cylinder may have fell off considerably...
This will cause poor power as well as terrible fuel mileage.
The auto computer and electronic sensors may be malfunctioning causing extreme fuel consumption... they are probably programmed at the factory to go into self destruct mode at a certain age or mileage?
If you have an automatic transmission with a lock-up converter.. someone may have disconnected something so the converter will not lock-up causing poor fuel mileage at high speeds [@70mph]...
We could "what if" this scenario to death...
2007-01-02 03:45:29 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, I would recheck your calculations. Unless you are driving a hybrid or very low mileage vehicle, most of the rated or estimated MPGs are usually fairly close to your actual mileage. Proper maintenance and driving techniques are important. Don't carry a lot of extra junk in the trunk. An extra 200 Lbs can really hurt MPG in small cars. Drive at or under the posted speed limit - Yeah right. Try to drive with traffic; without unnecessary braking or acceleration, avoid jack-rabbit starts and unnecessary idling.
If you can drive with an open cup in your car most of the time without spilling the contents in all but panic braking you are probably driving smoothly enough to save fuel. You might also need to have you car checked out if it has been a while. If you are really gung-ho you can switch to synthetic oil in the engine, transmission and drivetrain. Commercial diesel pickups gain 10 HP and improve fuel economy upwards of 10%.
I am getting 16.1 MPG combined in a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 4.0 liter inline 6 with over 115,000 miles on it. No gas saving modifications and All-time 4 wheel drive.
2007-01-02 03:53:56 · answer #2 · answered by Albert F 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Number one how old is the car how many miles and what kind of condition is it in....Get a tune up change the oil,plugs, wires, air filter and fuel filter and run some octane boost in the first tank of gas to clean injectors other than that it could just be the age of the car and miles
2007-01-02 03:36:20 · answer #3 · answered by Lab Runner 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
what kind of car do you have. you may have done theses things maybe not here my suggestion change the oil, the air filter, possibly the fuel filter, spark plugs and distributor, check for vacuum leaks most auto parts stores have diagrams. my best bet is to say you have a vacuum leak somewhere. does the car act diffrently or has it always been like this? It could also be that your cars old and has too many miles the rating on some cars are not always correct.
2007-01-02 03:38:48 · answer #4 · answered by nick 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're a victim of the small print disclaimer. "Your mileage may vary."
The ratings are best taken with a 55 gallon drum of salt. They are real, but under ideal conditions and inflated as a result. Real life readings and estimated are often much different.
Make sure you're well maintained, good plugs, air breather element as needed, regular oil changes, etc. Be gentle on the gas pedal. Don't drive 70. Use cruise control when you can.
2007-01-02 03:34:40 · answer #5 · answered by oklatom 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not sure if this would help but, I actually found a way to get MORE mpg than rated out of my car. Got all the info from cargens.com. It covers things from tires, to weight, to habbits, and some really good advice actually. I'd reccommend giving it a quick read.
2007-01-03 21:26:41 · answer #6 · answered by Bbo F 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For this kind of milage difference it sound like a tune up is a first.Then check all emission control equipment-hoses,gas cap,etc...Then the thing that sticks out in my mind is have the engine timing checked.
Start with the basics first then work up to proper transmission function(slippage),stuck emergency brake,wheel bearings too tight,axle seizing up,fuel leak or splashing out,etc...
Is someone stealing your gas?
Good luck!
2007-01-03 03:21:10 · answer #7 · answered by gittit 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋