GAS MILEAGE

Can somebody tell me why i get only 23 mpg city on my '97 auto. sl2?
I've had a '95 and 6 auto. and both got 28+29 mpg. TIA

 

tune-up??? dirty air filter?? cold weather??? underiflated tires??too
wide a tire???put on weight from Christmas overeating?? bad struts???
dirty injectors???wrong oil???

 

Gee all that can affect gas mileage? I took another reading today, 25
mpg....2 more than precious and I've done nothing to the car.

 

If the car is properly tuned, filters replaced, and the tires are inflated -
this is usually the thing that affects mileage the most (my tires state a
maximum of 44 PSI, I inflate them to 35 despite manufacturer door stating 26
PSI is recommendation).

Bob

 

In additiona to the other comments you've received, winterized fuel should
reduce mpg's, so does extended idling (gridlock traffic or letting the car
warm up in the driveway before venturing out), and or a tired engine (high
mileage, oil usage, etc).

 

What IS winterized fuel??

 

Thanks for all your help. It's not a high mileage car,it's only got
78,000 but I do mostly stop and go traffic. I live in Miami now but I do
remember having to "winterize" the gas by putting in some kind of gas
antifreeze. My next oil change will replace all filters and I'll inflate
my tires to 35. Don't have to warmup the car anymore. I love my
Saturn

 

What IS winterized fuel??
The volatility is altered through chemical composition to make it burn more
easily in the cold, winter air. That change or reformulation has less
energy content and you have to burn more of it. So usually winterized fuel
will result in lower mpg's... Do a Google search on 'gasoline
formulations' and you'll find probably more than you ever wanted to know...

 

If you are comparing single tank averages, your numbers are almost
meaningless. Even if you are very careful (same pump, same car position,
etc.), it is very easy to vary the amount of gas you put in your tank by +/-
one gallon. A one gallon error on a 14 gallon tank can make a huge
difference, especially if you are figuring the economy on a partial tank
run. You need to record your fuel purchases for several weeks and calculate
the average over three or four tank fulls of gas.

With modern OBD-II engine controls, you don't need to worry too much about
traditional tunes-up items. OBD-II systems are very good at detecting miss
firing cylinders and usually keep the fuel air ratio controlled close to the
ideal.

Factors that are likely to affect you fuel economy:

Gas formulation - winter/summer formulations differ and formulations differ
by location. Some areas (Minnesota and others) blend ethanol with the gas
and this can decrease fuel economy by 3% to 5%.

Under inflated tires - be sure to make your tires are inflated per the
manufacturer's recommendations (assuming you are still using the OE size and
type)

Tire type - P series tires provide better fuel economy than similar non-P
series tires. If you have changed tire sizes, the odometer may be incorrect
and this will affect your fuel economy calculations.

Dragging brakes - improperly adjusted drum brakes and/or disc breaks with
dragging calipers can adversely affect your fuel economy.

Additional weight - Are you carrying around items you don't need? More
weight = decreased fuel economy.

Driving style - have you changed where you drive, or how you drive? Maybe
the '97 encourages more spirited driving. I keep a book on my Vue. It is
shared by three drivers. I average around 21 mpg. My SO average close to 25
mpg. My 16 year old son averages less than 18. Same car, same tires, same
gas, different drivers - greater than 20% variation in fuel economy.

Increased accessory load - does the '97 have more features that might
increase the load on the engine? Anything that consumes more electricity
will decrease fuel economy since the engine driven alternator has to supply
the energy.

Engine oil - are you using the correct viscosity Energy Conserving oil?

Ed

 

Um, if I remember correctly, does not Jonnie Santos live in San Diego? Do
they sell winterized fuel there when the temperature falls below 70?

(Temp here is Boston is in the 20's)

-David

 

....it's in the upper 50's tonight because of the rain - it's been in the low
50's when skies are clear in my area (we're about 4 miles to the ocean which
keeps us from getting too cold). If you drive about a half hour east of
here the temps will go into the low 30's, and if you feel like driving into
the mountains, you may see some snow around 6,000 foot. Nothing to compare
to the East as far as temps go - I don't know how people deal with it. I'm
thinking Hawaii might be a nice place to retire to, at least it's warmer
than here... (smile)

I always suspected we got winterized fuel, either on purpose or because it
was surplus - I don't know how gasoline is managed and they don't announce
what flavor of the week they're pumping. I think there's a disclaimer on
the pumps that say the gasoline 'may' contain ethanol. What a racket.

 

....

We use something called "clothes" and somehow stay warm.

Back to the original topic, gas mileage goes up with higher
temps and down with lower temps. YMMV.

 

I never was good in arithmetic, latest reading I'm getting almost 37
mpg, mostly city. Does that sound right?

 

On what type of car? Pretty good if it is real...
I don't trust the gas guage, I usually keep tabs of how much fuel I add to
the tank when filling up. Over a few tankfuls this averages out. Miles
travelled since last fill / Gallons added at fill-up = MPG

My mileage had fallen off lately. I took the lw300 in for state inspection
and they said I need 4 tires (ouch!). They did a 4 wheel alignment since the
tire wear was due to something out of whack. I also had the auto
transmission serviced (fluid + filter). Driving is WAY better today (if only
that my wallet is now much lighter) and I expect that the MPG should improve
significantly.

Oppie

btw, how's the cat?

 

I sent you an email but it came back "bad address". My Saturn is a '97
SL2 automatic. Which cat? I have 5 and you?