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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
  • Fox 5.0 Mustang Tech

MPG has gone to crap

  • Thread starter Thread starter 7upstang91
  • Start date Start date Jan 22, 2010

7upstang91

10 Year Member
May 30, 2008
936
124
74
Florida
Jan 22, 2010
#1
  • Jan 22, 2010
  • #1
I used to get about 160 miles to the tank to about 170 with the stroker. Now the past two weeks the car has gotten horrible gas mileage. About 130 miles before I fill up. Today at half a tank it was at 60 miles. Sooo crap. Every once in a while I smell raw gas(the past three days). I have looked for gas leaks but haven't found any. So what could be the problem. I did recently find out the guy who tuned it sucks and can't tune worth a flip. Pretty pissed about that, but that shouldn't cause bad gas mileage right? It was tuned two years ago. Any ideas on where to start?
 

90mustangGT

I felt sorry for girls because
Founding Member
Jan 15, 2002
2,773
17
89
Dallas, GA
Jan 22, 2010
#2
  • Jan 22, 2010
  • #2
Did you check it for codes? How is it running otherwise?
 

KamiKaziDK

Member
May 16, 2005
555
0
17
Mesa, Az
Jan 23, 2010
#3
  • Jan 23, 2010
  • #3
Check your fuel rails and injectors while the motor is running, if you can smell gas it's possible they're leaking and you can't see it because the fuel evaporates before making it off the top of your engine. I would get it re-tuned also though....even with the stroker you should be getting better than 11-12 mpg unless you've always got your foot in the pedal.
 

7upstang91

10 Year Member
May 30, 2008
936
124
74
Florida
Jan 23, 2010
#4
  • Jan 23, 2010
  • #4
KamiKaziDK said:
Check your fuel rails and injectors while the motor is running, if you can smell gas it's possible they're leaking and you can't see it because the fuel evaporates before making it off the top of your engine. I would get it re-tuned also though....even with the stroker you should be getting better than 11-12 mpg unless you've always got your foot in the pedal.
Click to expand...

I honestly hardly ever have my foot in it, there is never a need for it. No kidding I found out the other week that the guy who tuned it, can't tune EFI to save his life. PISSED ABOUT THAT. Nothing like $400 for basically a couple dyno pulls, but I was young and stupid and didnt know much about tuning. I did look the other day and couldn't see anything like you said I wouldn't be able too. Would the codes tell me for sure? How am I really going to know if they are leaking from the injectors?
 

90mustangGT

I felt sorry for girls because
Founding Member
Jan 15, 2002
2,773
17
89
Dallas, GA
Jan 23, 2010
#5
  • Jan 23, 2010
  • #5
You are probaly running pig rich. It could be as simple as oxygen sensors/sensor that has gone bad. How was it tuned? Aftermarket ECM???
 

7upstang91

10 Year Member
May 30, 2008
936
124
74
Florida
Jan 23, 2010
#6
  • Jan 23, 2010
  • #6
Since the tune sucks I have never know how the car should really run I guess. But compared to the past it bogs until it warms. Not bad at all, but I notice. Once its warn it drives fines. At idle the RPMs have dropped about 200, now sitting at 800 instead of 1,000. WOT it runs great(but the car has seen that twice in two weeks). My buddy has a code puller so I'll have to get to his shop soon. But the car does randomly SHAKE, even while driving or sitting. It will shake for two or three seconds then stop. Idle is fine and does this under driving and braking conditions.
 

banks

Member
Mar 29, 2009
66
0
6
Jan 26, 2010
#7
  • Jan 26, 2010
  • #7
we'll check everything over next weekend, i should have some time on saturday we can take a good look at everything and try to figure it out. when was the last time you changed the fuel filter?? also i think i have the stuff to look at the comp parameters and we can look at the 02 signals to make sure they are working properly. I can't remember but does that car have the OBDII port in it or is it something different. I can't remember when they started doing the OBDII stuff
 

tannerc91gt

This last 25% is foreign territory at this point
Founding Member
Nov 29, 1999
4,392
2,967
234
Indiana
Jan 26, 2010
#8
  • Jan 26, 2010
  • #8
It's obdI.

Sound to me like you're in serious need of a tune. A bad tune is worse than no tune IMO
 

7upstang91

10 Year Member
May 30, 2008
936
124
74
Florida
Jan 26, 2010
#9
  • Jan 26, 2010
  • #9
Looks like its gunna be parked until I get money for new heads. Crap, seriously if I see the guy who tuned it ever again...I might end up in jail. I know its running rich but didn't think that rich.

But the gas mileage was much better after I let the car sit the whole weekend.
 

banks

Member
Mar 29, 2009
66
0
6
Jan 27, 2010
#10
  • Jan 27, 2010
  • #10
tannerc91gt said:
It's obdI.

Sound to me like you're in serious need of a tune. A bad tune is worse than no tune IMO
Click to expand...

bummer, i don't have the stuff then..
 

7upstang91

10 Year Member
May 30, 2008
936
124
74
Florida
Jan 27, 2010
#11
  • Jan 27, 2010
  • #11
darn. Time to buy an air/fuel gauge. When we take it apart should we have the AFR's ported?
 

7upstang91

10 Year Member
May 30, 2008
936
124
74
Florida
Jan 27, 2010
#12
  • Jan 27, 2010
  • #12
EGR is stuck closed. So needs a new one and still a TUNE!
 

banks

Member
Mar 29, 2009
66
0
6
Jan 28, 2010
#13
  • Jan 28, 2010
  • #13
7upstang91 said:
darn. Time to buy an air/fuel gauge. When we take it apart should we have the AFR's ported?
Click to expand...

depends on how much money you wanna spend there. i would have someone like TEA professionally do it, but that gets pricey.
 
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