Author Topic: Your mileage? (Read 13314 times)

mmret · « **on:** March 05, 2007, 12:39:37 pm »

I decided to start tracking (in an approximate fashion) the mileage that I'm getting, especially with regular peaking over $1.03 here. The results weren't very good.

Interval 1: 10 litres, 61.5km, 16.3L/100km
Interval 2: 12 litres, 73.8km, 16.3L/100km

The vast majority of it is short hop (under 5km) city driving while the engine is cold which likely doesn't help, but I also took about a 40-50km drive on the highway during the second interval, purposefully granny driving (held it at 2k RPM), and still returned the same mileage.

The real killer is that I drive a 2.4 I4.

initial_D · « **Reply #1 on:** March 05, 2007, 12:42:01 pm »

Engine size only tells a fraction of the story. What type of vehicle is it?

mmret · « **Reply #2 on:** March 05, 2007, 12:43:49 pm »

2001 Grand Am (Auto)

sirAQUAMAN64 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 05, 2007, 12:50:51 pm »

My commute to work is under 5 mins so engine doesn't even reach operating temp most days, but not stuck in traffic during it so mileage is reasonable. Over Winter my fuel economy has been 9.4-9.5L/100K with occassional 20km romps. If I took some longer trips, the average would drop.

I was down to averaging about 9.2L/100K towards the end of fall.

Your mileage is kind of scary for a 4-cyl IMO.

The HEMI-powered Ram Quad 4X4 we have is hovering around 18.5L/100K.

initial_D · « **Reply #4 on:** March 05, 2007, 12:54:56 pm »

The Grand Ams are usually very good with the gas consumption, 16.3L/Km is bad, SUV territory. Are you stuck in traffic for an hour or two?

mmret · « **Reply #5 on:** March 05, 2007, 12:59:21 pm »

Not much traffic. I do have to stop for a few lights sometimes but generally things move very quickly. The 3km-4km drive to school is over in about 5 minutes.

B2 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 05, 2007, 01:02:33 pm »

For the original poster with the 2001 Grand Am: maybe you need a tune-up? When is the last time you changed the spark plugs? Fuel filter? Check for a small leak in your gas tank too. That's terrible fuel economy. What is the vehicle's mileage?

Arthur Dent · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2007, 01:04:35 pm »

check the tire pressure too.

mmret · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2007, 01:06:46 pm »

Tires were recently changed, installed and balanced, etc.

It went in for a tuneup last September. It has 75k on it right now but since I took possession of it from my dad about 18 months ago It has hardly seen much use. I drive maybe 7000km a year right now.

Spark Plugs and Fuel Filter seem like a good place to start though :x

initial_D · « **Reply #9 on:** March 05, 2007, 01:08:51 pm »

How is the air filter?

Leviathan · « **Reply #10 on:** March 05, 2007, 01:19:19 pm »

Not unheard of for a I4 engine. Stuck in city traffic and going short 10Km trips I would only get 330-350Kms per 42L(ish) fill on the 2.5L Sentra. The OP has an automatic which doesn't help.

tortoise · « **Reply #11 on:** March 05, 2007, 01:35:05 pm »

Our 02 P5 always uses less than 10L/100 km, even in the dead of winter with mostly city driving.

The best I've seen is 7L/100 km, but that was driving at 90-100 km/hr for an entire tank of gas.

PJungnitsch · « **Reply #12 on:** March 05, 2007, 01:48:51 pm »

Might want to check if all your engine sensors are working correctly. On my truck if they don't (temp sensor doesn't tell the computer the engine is warmed up, O2 sensor isn't giving the right feedback, etc) the engine defaults to a safe rich fuel mixture, which eats gas. It shows up in black on the sparkplugs and black inside the tailpipe.

initial_D · « **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2007, 02:07:07 pm »

Quote from: PJungnitsch on March 05, 2007, 01:48:51 pm

Might want to check if all your engine sensors are working correctly. On my truck if they don't (temp sensor doesn't tell the computer the engine is warmed up, O2 sensor isn't giving the right feedback, etc) the engine defaults to a safe rich fuel mixture, which eats gas. It shows up in black on the sparkplugs and black inside the tailpipe.

Sure it is not the extra wind resistance that affects the gas mileage in LeftBridge?

PJungnitsch · « **Reply #14 on:** March 05, 2007, 02:28:39 pm »

Quote from: initial_D on March 05, 2007, 02:07:07 pm

Sure it is not the extra wind resistance that affects the gas mileage in LeftBridge?

Oh crap. Driving on a windy Saturday west towards Pincher with the old Mazda I felt like I was driving a fully loaded semi with a 4 speed gearbox. 80 hp just doesn't cut it going into the wind.

That said, it will be plus fifteen degrees for the next few days, and the snow is gone already. HELLO motorcycle, pass at will.

UmroAyyar · « **Reply #15 on:** March 05, 2007, 05:05:58 pm »

My daily commute is 7km, mostly city traffic. My car averages about 11.3L/100 km, lowest being 9.8L/100 with 40% highway driving mixed in and the worse with a lot of idling 14L/100km. Its a 2.4L I4 with Auto.

dr_spock · « **Reply #16 on:** March 05, 2007, 05:45:05 pm »

I'm getting 10L/100km on my automatic Civic and 8.5L/100km on my manual Beetle.

Leviathan · « **Reply #17 on:** March 05, 2007, 11:04:09 pm »

I watched the Scanguage for a bit while on the first part of the drive this morning (ie with a cold engine). Light acceleration from a stop sign and up a slight hill produced >100L/100Kms in first gear, >75L/100Kms in second didn't get to third as traffic & road conditions wouldn't allow it. The OP has an automatic so I'd hazard a guess that consumption will be even worse and possibly throw in A/C compressor and rear defrost and hello 16L/100Km

rrocket · « **Reply #18 on:** March 05, 2007, 11:11:08 pm »

I'm always getting better than 6L/100....it's usually in the 5's......2000 Toyota Echo with 190,000kms...

Winklovic · « **Reply #19 on:** March 05, 2007, 11:36:08 pm »

I'm averaging 10.7L/100 km (26.4 mpg) with my 2002 Sebring (2.4 L/auto).