The gas mileage puzzle/paradox
#1
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The gas mileage puzzle/paradox
Sigh. I guess there are some things in life that are just plain elusive: The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, the fountain of youth, the meaning of life and getting a good MPG average out of a tank of gas in my 928....
After doing a TB/WP job, new distributor caps and rotors, oil change and Bosch Platinum +4 plugs in the last couple of months, my car is running extremely well. In fact, when driving at 70ish on our flat freeways here in Dallas, the instantaneous MPG is regularly at 21MPG or more. The paradox, my tank average is now gone down below 15MPG.
I just can't figure it ut!
After doing a TB/WP job, new distributor caps and rotors, oil change and Bosch Platinum +4 plugs in the last couple of months, my car is running extremely well. In fact, when driving at 70ish on our flat freeways here in Dallas, the instantaneous MPG is regularly at 21MPG or more. The paradox, my tank average is now gone down below 15MPG.
I just can't figure it ut!
#2
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Ed.......if your like me the more you get the car running better and better the more the gas consumption suffers.
I'd be happy with 15mpg at this time as fuel consumption is infinite for a few more months............-25C still air temp
I'd be happy with 15mpg at this time as fuel consumption is infinite for a few more months............-25C still air temp
#3
I too am lost in the mileage woods. My car too starts and runs great. Up to 90 mph she pulls hard and smooth. My mileage seems to be quite low though. Since I fixed the rich running condition this past summer, as well as TB/WP and tune up, I can find no reason for this.
Maybe I'm not looking in the right place?!?
Maybe I'm not looking in the right place?!?
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When I cam back from SITM (with the blower installed) I got 21MPG. Ever since, I average anywhere between 11-14MPG. Most of my driving is city. Obviously, the more "launches" I do, the worse the MPG - and unfortunately, I like to launch it... a lot!
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#9
Drifting
Ed, on the highway I get a readout of 21-22 mpg at 75-80 mph but at the gas station
about 16 mpg on mainly about town driving. Sounds like you are about correct. Mac
about 16 mpg on mainly about town driving. Sounds like you are about correct. Mac
#10
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Ed,
I'm in the same boat. Unfortunately I'm not going to get a true estimate until spring, since now I warm up my car every morning before heading to the train. I warm it up for longer than I drive it.
The other problem, as stated here is that I can't drive in 'economy' mode for very long without giving in to the temptation to mash it. When the wheels are spinning your gas mileage approaches infinity .
I'm in the same boat. Unfortunately I'm not going to get a true estimate until spring, since now I warm up my car every morning before heading to the train. I warm it up for longer than I drive it.
The other problem, as stated here is that I can't drive in 'economy' mode for very long without giving in to the temptation to mash it. When the wheels are spinning your gas mileage approaches infinity .
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Here's something weird to ponder...Kevin's s/c'd automatic gets MUCH better mileage than does my five speed. Why? I would have thought the opposite.
On another gas note (sorry if this is a bit of highjack, but it's close to topic and I can't figure out what term to search to find answers to this question ), can any of you Euro drivers settle an argument between Kevin and myself regarding that "other" gauge at the bottom of the cluster? The one that gets pinned when I stomp on the gas, and says something like 1/100 KM? Kevin thinks the higher the needle goes, the better the current gas mileage. I say anything that goes up when my foot goes down must read the opposite direction in that equation. We can't seem to find anything to decipher the mystery...how about some of you German speakers?
Thanks in advance!
Leslie
On another gas note (sorry if this is a bit of highjack, but it's close to topic and I can't figure out what term to search to find answers to this question ), can any of you Euro drivers settle an argument between Kevin and myself regarding that "other" gauge at the bottom of the cluster? The one that gets pinned when I stomp on the gas, and says something like 1/100 KM? Kevin thinks the higher the needle goes, the better the current gas mileage. I say anything that goes up when my foot goes down must read the opposite direction in that equation. We can't seem to find anything to decipher the mystery...how about some of you German speakers?
Thanks in advance!
Leslie
#13
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Originally Posted by ImAReal(928)GirlNow
Here's something weird to ponder...Kevin's s/c'd automatic gets MUCH better mileage than does my five speed. Why? I would have thought the opposite.
On another gas note (sorry if this is a bit of highjack, but it's close to topic and I can't figure out what term to search to find answers to this question ), can any of you Euro drivers settle an argument between Kevin and myself regarding that "other" gauge at the bottom of the cluster? The one that gets pinned when I stomp on the gas, and says something like 1/100 KM? Kevin thinks the higher the needle goes, the better the current gas mileage. I say anything that goes up when my foot goes down must read the opposite direction in that equation. We can't seem to find anything to decipher the mystery...how about some of you German speakers?
Thanks in advance!
Leslie
On another gas note (sorry if this is a bit of highjack, but it's close to topic and I can't figure out what term to search to find answers to this question ), can any of you Euro drivers settle an argument between Kevin and myself regarding that "other" gauge at the bottom of the cluster? The one that gets pinned when I stomp on the gas, and says something like 1/100 KM? Kevin thinks the higher the needle goes, the better the current gas mileage. I say anything that goes up when my foot goes down must read the opposite direction in that equation. We can't seem to find anything to decipher the mystery...how about some of you German speakers?
Thanks in advance!
Leslie
The "1"/100km is actually a "l" for litre.
Last edited by the flyin' scotsman; 01-11-2007 at 12:38 PM.
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Originally Posted by the flyin' scotsman
The metric world (aka anywhere beyond the US) measures fuel consumption litres of fuel used per 100km travelled..........the higher the number the worse you are.
The "1"/100km is actually a "l" for litre.
The "1"/100km is actually a "l" for litre.
Thanks so much for the clarification, Malcolm!
Leslie
#15
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Ed - noticed a slight improvement of about 1.5mpg when sticking to "3" around town (AT Sharks), "D" only fwy; wife drives that way too. SATA typically runs 20-21mpg, 50/50 hwy/city and me/wife, although cold weather drops 1mpg; more spirited and I'm at 17.
SATA has a slightly higher EPA of 17/23, but with a 15/20 mpg EPA for your '91, it'd be a good estimate for you to be around 17 with 60/40 hwy/city, mostly normal driving...spirited should drop you 2+, depending on how much.
Routine D to 3 shifting when appropriate may help...if you don't already.
Good luck!!
SATA has a slightly higher EPA of 17/23, but with a 15/20 mpg EPA for your '91, it'd be a good estimate for you to be around 17 with 60/40 hwy/city, mostly normal driving...spirited should drop you 2+, depending on how much.
Routine D to 3 shifting when appropriate may help...if you don't already.
Good luck!!