24-26 MPG, regardless of type of driving

My 89 FI LXi is a great little car but I have been reading up on others' MPG. I see lots of people getting 32+ on the highway and high 20s and low 30s mixed.

The best I've ever gotten on a tank was highway driving, 65-75 mph. Around town only I get 24 which isn't bad but seems to be on the low side compared to cars here. That is being easy on the gas, hardly ever flooring it, etc. Compared to my Mustang, (11 MPG and 93 octane) this car is awesome, but I'm wondering what can be done to pick up some MPG.

I've got a new fuel filter sitting here, but am not sure if it will do much in the way of fuel economy because what doesn't get used by the injectors just goes back to the tank, not really wasting any fuel.

I've replaced the plugs and wires, air filter, and the leaky injectors with some from the junkyard.

The 02s are who-knows-how-old, the car has 179,000 miles on it. I only paid $50 for the car, yes $50, so I don't like to dump lots of money into it. Between the 02s and the fuel filter, which would I be better off replacing to get some MPG?

Thanks.

Jason

Check tire pressure

Check fluids like oil and coolant

do you have an auto or stick shift?

anyway, gummy valves and throttle bodies hog gas mileage if it gets to bad. try some seafoam.

ever used it? you pour a 1/3 in the oil fill on the valve cover, start the car and pour another 1/3 in the booster hose (enough to make it die, if not turn the car off) and the pour the rest in the fuel tank

also get a spray can of throttle body and clean the thottle body all out.

my toyota truck had shitty gas mileage and that Seafoam gave me like a 7-10 mpg jump.

Its an auto.

Did the Seafoam thing actually a tank or so ago. Tire pressure is good, coolant is good, which would have little to no effect anyway on mileage. Oil was just changed.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by A20A1

Sea foam in the oil? Isn't sea foam a cleaner? Bad Idea IMO

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hey, i thought the same but it works! check with seafoam and they will give you the details. it burns out before it ever mixes with the oil I THINK. they do that so it can get on top of the valves and in the cyl walls. i forget all the info, i was in a seafoam demonstration for training when i worked for O O O, O'REILYyyyYYYSSSS...auto parts. but i like seafoam. it wouldnt be a bad idea to change the oil after doing this i would think though.

"It Rocks", but I will say after putting the header on it boosted my mpg to 365 miles to the tank on the highway 75-80. I run from Groton, CT to Boston, MA twice a week to drop my daughter off for school. Its 224 miles round trip.

When I first bought her in 95 the best I got hwy was 333, so I'm happy :rockon:

But I would change those O2 sensors thats about the time mine started going bad.

I also run Gunk engine cleaner for 5 minutes before every oil change. I've done this for 25 years and never had any problems, but I also put Engine Lube every oil change.

that seafoam thing would be better if you dissconnect a vacuum line, while the engine is running and have it run off the seafoam also, i had an 89 lx-i and a 86 lx the lx would get 220 on a tank and that involved the highway half the time.

so i did a major tune-up , ran the seafoam off into the vac. line, and it want from 220 to 380 on a tank.

first off, what is your tire pressure?
second of all, do yourself a favor and change the O2 sensor. you don't have to buy the one with a plug on it. you can splice the original plug on universal bosch O2 sensor that is available at any autoparts stores.
and third, reset the ECU, disconnect the ground wire for about 15-20 seconds. (do that after you change the O2 sensor).

Tire pressure is 30-32, depending on the weather. I did the Seafoam through the brake booster line, not in the oil.

I'm guessing I need to change both O2s since its a fuel injected car?

on the peice of paper that came on my car(from when the car was brand new) seys 22mpg in town and 28mpg on highway. just so you know

In mi Honda 88 lxi 5 speed I can get with a/c on like 30-31 mpg mostly highway driving and now last couple of gas refills I noticed an improvement driving with no a/c of 32.6 to 33 mpg. I drive around 70 - 75 mph and I replaced the air filter. My car is stock and I have not spent money in tune up yet since I bought it 2 months ago.

the best i have ever got with my carb accord was 410-415 miles on one tank of gas. whats the best some of you guys have got? :rockon:

Check timing!
Also the brakes, sometimes they lockup. After a 5min drive let the car stop by itself (no braking) and check the temp of each wheel hub.
I agree, O2 sensor may mess things up. Are u running rich, foul spark plugs ?

I'm a carb and i get 22..24, only city driving. This car loves highways though!