Horrible Gas Mileage!! Please Help!!!!!!
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Horrible Gas Mileage!! Please Help!!!!!!
I've got a 2002 wrx wagon with 63000 miles. The darn thing only gets about 17-18mpg highway. I recently got the Subaru 60k tune up and it still has bad mileage. This car is in mint condition and has almost no mods at all. The things I've changes is as follows: The tires are changed out to Continental Contiextreme Contact 225/50 16's. K and N drop in air filter. Sti Hoodscoop. That is about it.
What is the problem???
What is the problem???
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 313
From: Atlanta/Cayman Islands
Car Info: 2002 White WRX Wagon (WWW)
Ok I'll share my experiences with gas mileage and my scooby. If you have a boost gauge you can think of it as an "inverse gas mileage" gauge. On your next tank of gas keep the revs below 3500 and the boost below say 5psi max (if you are very careful you can keep it in the negative/at zero almost all the time). The key is keeping the revs down and slow acceleration and slow deceleration. Keep braking to a minimum. That being said, I have never gone a whole tank following these instructions because they can be summarized as "Don't do anything with the car that is remotely entertaining" Seriously though, driving style has ALOT to do with gas mileage. Hope that helps. If you follow those instructions and don't get around 25mpg then maybe something is wrong...
VIP Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 975
From: Fremont
What kind of gas do you use? My friends and I have noticed that with 76, we tend to get about an extra 20 miles to a tank. I shift at 3k and I get 19-20 city and 26 freeway. As cars age, they lose their gas milage. But 18-19 seems a little low for freeway. Also, have you cleaned your K&N airfilter recently?
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iTrader: (12)
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 18,369
From: Reno, NV
Car Info: 1993/2000/2001 GF4 mostly red
The problem with a turbo motor is that the potential mileage will almost always be hire than actual mileage. Wingless Wonder's trip economy to Mt. Hamilton and back last Sunday is a good example. Because he was on grades for a good portion of the trip, the extra engine load caused some boost, which caused some added fuel consumtion. But most of the time, it's just a matter of a few On-ramp Commando runs, or some instant passing, that destroys your gas mileage. It's a lot easier to cut 3-4 mpg off your average than it is to put it back.
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 207
From: Arizona
Car Info: 98/05 RSTi
Make sure your clutch isn't slipping. I used to get just over 20mpg intown untill I started noticing some slip when accelerating hard in first.
Duteau Suby said nothing was wrong with my clutch/flywheel. When we took the clutch out it was burned down to the rivits due to almost constant slipping, also my mpg dropped to about 15.
Now I've gotta 6MT, so actually higher rpms on average, and i'm getting about 19mpg and I don't drive it conservatively.
Good luck, if this doesn't help just keep it out of the boost and cross your fingers
Duteau Suby said nothing was wrong with my clutch/flywheel. When we took the clutch out it was burned down to the rivits due to almost constant slipping, also my mpg dropped to about 15.
Now I've gotta 6MT, so actually higher rpms on average, and i'm getting about 19mpg and I don't drive it conservatively.
Good luck, if this doesn't help just keep it out of the boost and cross your fingers
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 207
From: Arizona
Car Info: 98/05 RSTi
mine started slipping at around 19K, I bought it at 18600 so can't say what was done before then
I noticed that the engine would spin up higher than normal in 1st when accelerating hard, than when going easy
Also, you can smell it if it's been burning/slipping
I noticed that the engine would spin up higher than normal in 1st when accelerating hard, than when going easy
Also, you can smell it if it's been burning/slipping
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 330
From: NJ
Car Info: 2004 Subaru WRX
Originally Posted by rudedogsurfrat
you know my clutch doesn't slip. But it grinds when gearing down into first. What is that all about???
I only do that when I am like between 1 - 5mph and it pops in smoothly.
but when driving, i never ever downshift into first.....
thats the rule with almost all cars...
i might be very ambiguous with this, but others could clear this up.
sorry to get offtopic,
I got a 04 sube with everthign stock. i get about the most 320 mpg on full tank.
that is with spirited driving and ALWAYS in boost in 1st, 2nd 3rd and on highway/freeway, i like the feel of boost in 4th and 5th sometimes...
I am going to try to not go in boost and see how much mpg i can get.
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[QUOTE=AWDrifter21]first off you are not supposed to downshift to 1st gear.
I only do that when I am like between 1 - 5mph and it pops in smoothly.
but when driving, i never ever downshift into first.....
thats the rule with almost all cars...
i might be very ambiguous with this, but others could clear this up.
sorry to get offtopic,
I got a 04 sube with everthign stock. i get about the most 320 mpg on full tank.
that is with spirited driving and ALWAYS in boost in 1st, 2nd 3rd and on highway/freeway, i like the feel of boost in 4th and 5th sometimes...
I am going to try to not go in boost and see how much mpg i can get.[/QUOT
well I didn't really mean I downshift into first.
When I go to a complete stop and put it in first gear to start again it grinds.
I only do that when I am like between 1 - 5mph and it pops in smoothly.
but when driving, i never ever downshift into first.....
thats the rule with almost all cars...
i might be very ambiguous with this, but others could clear this up.
sorry to get offtopic,
I got a 04 sube with everthign stock. i get about the most 320 mpg on full tank.
that is with spirited driving and ALWAYS in boost in 1st, 2nd 3rd and on highway/freeway, i like the feel of boost in 4th and 5th sometimes...
I am going to try to not go in boost and see how much mpg i can get.[/QUOT
well I didn't really mean I downshift into first.
When I go to a complete stop and put it in first gear to start again it grinds.
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 330
From: NJ
Car Info: 2004 Subaru WRX
Originally Posted by rudedogsurfrat
well I didn't really mean I downshift into first.
When I go to a complete stop and put it in first gear to start again it grinds.
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You can have the dealership check your ECU too. I was getting horrible gas mileage so I had my ECU checked and my air/gas mixture was too rich. When we looked the car over we found one air sensor that had somehow become loose and wasn't fit in it's spot properly. After tightening that down and resetting my ECU my gas mileage went from 19mpg to 25mpg.
I probably should have noticed it myself though, I had to pay a fee to hook the computer up to my car. :-(
I probably should have noticed it myself though, I had to pay a fee to hook the computer up to my car. :-(