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  • 1996 - 2004 SN95 Mustang -General/Talk-

poor gas mileage

  • Thread starter Thread starter 74courier
  • Start date Start date Aug 28, 2007
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74courier

New Member
Jun 18, 2005
158
0
0
vancouver wa
Aug 28, 2007
#1
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #1
so my car is getting horrible mileage tires are at recomended psi not junk that isnt needed in the car dont accelerate hard drive at 3-3.5k most of the time and im only getting 180 miles out of a tank is the normal? my 83 rx7 was getting better milage and i rev the piss out of it i drive at 7k plus most of the time in it.
 

mity2

I like Pro3 and all I got was this crappy CT.
Jul 24, 2003
2,872
3
48
StateCollege PA
Aug 28, 2007
#2
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #2
that comes to about 11.5mpg. if its city drive, and your reving it to 3000~3500RPM, i think thats about right - Specially with ethnol added fuel we are getting these days.

When I drive, I hardly ever go past 2500RPM (if im on save gas mood), and i get about 220 out of tank in city drive (Roughly 15mpg)...

but considering that you have 70k on your car, you might need to do some maintnace work - like fluid change, check spark plugs, carbon buildup, bad aligment, worn tire, high rolling resistance on your tire, dirty air filter, fuel filter, dirty O2 senser just to name few

Now gas milege on my RX-8 on the other hand...
 

the98stang

Active Member
Aug 12, 2005
2,408
0
47
Clovis, CA
Aug 28, 2007
#3
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #3
Don't beat on it so much and shift at 2k. Change the fuel filter/spark plugs and other simple maintenance and It'll get better gas mileage.
 
T

thomas91169

I'd donkey punch my sister.
Aug 19, 2005
0
0
0
Modesto, CA
Aug 28, 2007
#4
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #4
1) Seafoam
2) Change Plugs
3) Change Fuel Filter
4) Change Oil / Oil Filter
5) Change Tranny Fluid
6) Change Differential Fluid
7) Change Air Filter or Clean / Re-Oil Filter

shifting at 3k is pretty far into the rpm band, even with stock gears i shifted around 2300 in my GT, filled up once every 2 weeks (i work 5 minutes from home).
 

joshjwc9

Active Member
Jun 12, 2006
1,095
17
39
Palm Harbor, FL
Aug 28, 2007
#5
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #5
So what kinda mpg are you getting? Its simple to figure that out as long as you clear your trip odo and do the math everytime you fill up.

I normally fill my tank at the 1/4 mark every time simply because of the amount of driving I do in it.

On fresh plugs, oil, seafoam and fuel filter I got 19 mpg in the city granny shifting it and some WOT blasts.

Right now Im down to about 17ish, but I just got a Diablo so I will see how much I improved very soon!
 

96GTstang46

New Member
Nov 20, 2006
142
0
0
Seattle, Washington
Aug 28, 2007
#6
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #6
Just do the maintenace like everyone is saying, but i just wanted to see how of a freak car i have then..

I get about 275-300 to a FULL tank... and thats about 20mpg.. and its about 3/4 freeway, 1/4 WOT Blasts (joshjwc9, sorry that just was a funny way of putting that lol )

But i ALWAYS run 92 Chevron (with techron )
 

joshjwc9

Active Member
Jun 12, 2006
1,095
17
39
Palm Harbor, FL
Aug 28, 2007
#7
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #7
I thought it was clever, I've seen people use it, but never used it myself,
 

HoustonGT

Gilded Gelding
Apr 6, 2003
1,418
0
0
Houston
Aug 28, 2007
#8
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #8
Just got about 250 out a tank, which is close to 18.2-18.4mpg and thats with a heavy system in the car and LOTS of WOT blasts and spirited driving. I was shocked because its usually about 230 toa tank since i live in Houston and sit in traffic EVERYWHERE i go. 180 is ridiculous though
 

joshjwc9

Active Member
Jun 12, 2006
1,095
17
39
Palm Harbor, FL
Aug 28, 2007
#9
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #9
Yeah, 180 to a tank on E isnt good, I get that easily in just 3/4's of a tank.

Time for plugs, air filter, fuel filter, some seafoam and maybe an uncatted exhaust?
 

whyask

New Member
Apr 4, 2005
735
1
0
Sacramento
Aug 28, 2007
#10
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #10
see ive done all the said matininece (cant spell) above and im still getting around 150 -180 city drvining and im shifting like a B***H in the city to save gas, I work 20 miles away and the only way to get there is city streets!
 

74courier

New Member
Jun 18, 2005
158
0
0
vancouver wa
Aug 28, 2007
#11
  • Aug 28, 2007
  • #11
i shift at 2k most of the time i changed most of my fluids and filters less then a month ago. ill look at my plugs today they were changed about 5kmiles ago
 
S

stdwdh16

New Member
Mar 26, 2006
3
0
0
Sep 3, 2007
#12
  • Sep 3, 2007
  • #12
I was wondering this same thing. I have seen people post here that they get anywhere from 24-27 MPG highway. I just got back from a weekend trip to San Antonio (from Houston) and only got about 21.75 MPG with all highway driving. My car is all stock except for a K&N drop in. Does this sound unusual to anyone else? The car only has 33K miles and is maintained well. The tire pressures are correct, new fuel filter. I don't get it. Maybe its all this car will get. One last thing I forgot to mention, the car is a 5spd.
 

DBMSTNG

I fantasize about it being BIG!
Founding Member
Apr 23, 2002
2,120
0
56
not quite here
Sep 3, 2007
#13
  • Sep 3, 2007
  • #13
find someone with a SCT Xcal or Livewire or Diablo Predator. datalog the fuel trims and make sure the car is running 14.7:1 a/f ratio at idle and part throttle driving.
 

StangYellow

Founding Member
Sep 11, 2002
1,052
1
39
Sep 4, 2007
#14
  • Sep 4, 2007
  • #14
thomas91169 said:
1) Seafoam
2) Change Plugs
3) Change Fuel Filter
4) Change Oil / Oil Filter
5) Change Tranny Fluid
6) Change Differential Fluid
7) Change Air Filter or Clean / Re-Oil Filter
Click to expand...

Also replace your fuel filter.
 
S

stdwdh16

New Member
Mar 26, 2006
3
0
0
Sep 4, 2007
#15
  • Sep 4, 2007
  • #15
StangYellow said:
Also replace your fuel filter.
Click to expand...

See #3 on the above list.
 
A

AntiRice98

Member
Dec 6, 2005
158
0
16
Sep 6, 2007
#16
  • Sep 6, 2007
  • #16
My car was getting 180 miles a tank ( about 11.5mpg) then i did the PI swap, now i have 320 rwhp and 19.6 mpg, while being pretty rough with it.
 
0

03gtdrkpny

New Member
Apr 4, 2004
79
0
0
IL
Sep 6, 2007
#17
  • Sep 6, 2007
  • #17
get rid of the dead asian hookers in your trunk....gas mileage improved
 

blurred10

New Member
Jun 16, 2007
12
0
0
Spring, Tx
Sep 6, 2007
#18
  • Sep 6, 2007
  • #18
All you guys that are getting 20+mpg just aren't driving your mustang right!
 

scupking

Active Member
Sep 18, 2005
1,186
1
36
Enfield, CT
Sep 6, 2007
#19
  • Sep 6, 2007
  • #19
blurred10 said:
All you guys that are getting 20+mpg just aren't driving your mustang right!
Click to expand...

I agree. I get about 220. The most I have ever gotten was 260. I have about 60k on mine. The spark plugs are still original; I haven’t cleaned my K&N since I put it in 2 years ago. I have changed the fuel filter and I change the oil ever 3-5k miles. My mileage has stayed the same since I bought the car. I driver her hard doing lots of wot runs a day, shifts around 3k+. I have had know major problems as of yet, just a lot of fun. Sometimes I will turn over drive off on the highway and listen to her scream at 4k+ and watch everyone roll up there windows. What I'm getting at is you can drive these cars hard and still get decent mpg. In your case 180mpg isn't right just like I can't see 300+mpg as being right.
 

LaserSVT

Got FB banned again for saying nards
Founding Member
Nov 29, 1999
9,390
3,536
233
Sep 6, 2007
#20
  • Sep 6, 2007
  • #20
I get 230-240 when I hit the quarter tank mark and that is with me always speeding and mostley city driving. I usually shift at 3k unless I am on it then its almost 7K. When I brought the car home from Houston I averaged 24.5 MPG with the cruise set at 90 the whole way. My car must be a freak? 11 MPG is a joke, I hope you get it figured out, my 89 GT got that when I lived in Maui and we had chit gas out there and the car was heavily modded.
 
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