i have a 2000 grand am wit bad front wheel bearings. My gas drains like crazy. Had oil change and doesnt need tuneup. Any ideas?
2007-01-30 23:54:07 · 13 answers · asked by DeAnthony T 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Having a bad wheel bearing i rather doubt is gonna decrease that much gas mileage.If a bearing were to decrease gas mileage,you wouldnt even be able to drive the car normally.The bearing would be so worn out that the car would make alot of noise and probably start clanging around like is its gonna fall apart and make the car clunk around.Figure it this way,when you put a passenger in your car,the car is pulling more weight but you are not gonna see it on the fuel mileage part.A bad bearing would just be harder to push.If it were so bad that it would decrease gas mileage,i dont think the car would be able to move period.Check the Oxygen sensor,it is the biggest reason why a vehicle starts to get bad gas mileage.Good luck.
2007-01-31 00:06:49 · answer #1 · answered by lift&shift 101 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
"Bad" front-wheel bearings usually signifies that they are loose. Were they somehow too 'tight,' they would have overheated and seized many miles previous. It's certainly something that should be investigated (and it's a rather rare phenomenon) but it's not affecting your gas mileage. Neither will poor wheel alignment, which will wear out your tires if it's bad enough. Go have a look at the tread on the front tires: if the wear is even--that is, both edges of the tire are worn about the same amount--then your alignment is okay.
No, your poor fuel mileage is due to a difference in how and where you are driving, or because someone else is driving the car, or because something may be leaking, or because there is a problem with the engine. Have someone check the accumulated codes in the engine's computer--they're in there even if the 'check engine' light isn't lit--and find out what's going on. My guess is that someone has been telling you falsehoods.
2007-01-31 00:10:20 · answer #2 · answered by 2n2222 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, depending on the vehicle, you can gain a bit with it off. Better yet to drive between 55 and 59 MPH. This is the range most vehicles get their best mileage. Anything over that and mileage decreases exponentially lower than speed gained. Tire inflation is very important. I had my exhaust system totally redone. This time using the same diameter pipe from the manifold throughout to the tail pipe end. This kicked me up over 3 miles a gallon. Manufacturers reduce the pipes diameter for cost savings on trucks which is what I have. New plugs and plug wires also helped. My truck went from 10.5 MPG to between 15.5 to 16 MPG with the simple changes made. Also, a K&N air filter increased mileage almost .5 MPG.
2016-03-28 22:07:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes . If the wheels are not aligned properly, the tires will wear down faster, thus giving less traction on the road. Because the grip is reduced, the wheels have to be driven faster to maintain speed. It is not very noticeable as the tires wear down over a long period, but the result is that more power is needed to drive the wheels than would be neccessary should they be fully threaded.
2007-01-30 23:59:53 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I would say yes, having bad wheel-bearing's would decrease gas mileage since the wheel-bearings that are bad would cause greater friction thus taking more energy to spin them and then to spin the tire etc...
Eventually if you let them get too bad they will seize up.
2014-10-31 17:28:49 · answer #5 · answered by Kelley 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi the bad front wheel bearings will soon bring your car to a screeching holt . I would have that problem fixed right away .
Gas mileage has to do with engine efficiency / proper tun-ups, driving habits ,and tire size... good luck
2007-01-31 00:17:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Change the whell bearings ASAP. You damage a spindle & you better get your checkbook out or be ready to walk. The repair cost will set you back about $1000 if you ruin the spindles. Thats if you don't ruin anything else. (Rotors, Brake pads etc..) New bearings will cost about $200 to have them replaced. A dealership will not take it on trade with them bad & if they do. They will get a cost of what it is going to cost them & deduct it from the value of your trade.
2007-01-31 00:09:40 · answer #7 · answered by oilfieldinsultant 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes and is risky as wheel can fall off from the bearings being bad
2007-01-30 23:57:29 · answer #8 · answered by furmanator1957 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Only if the bearing is about to lock up. If the wheel still spins freely, I doubt it will make that much difference.
2007-01-30 23:57:50 · answer #9 · answered by shawdog 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
ya if your bearings are dragging bad enough it will kill your mileage, but dont worry if they are that bad theyll probally freeze up on your axle stub before to long and youll have to get the whole assembly replaced.
2007-01-31 00:26:15 · answer #10 · answered by nathan h 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋