From 650+ km/tank to 460km

[caper26]

mileage already started to drop significantly. I never got back to the numbers I got last summer, so I am assuming new plugs make a difference. But I just got 80-something km's and first bar gone already. I don't even have winter tires on yet, nor snow on the ground, but the temps are dipping below 0 C now during the nights.

[caineroad]

does new plugs really help?

[WeeYari]

Changed my plugs at ~160K kms. Didn't change my mileage at all. Was a tad disappointed.

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by WeeYari

Changed my plugs at ~160K kms. Didn't change my mileage at all. Was a tad disappointed.

how were the plugs looking at 160K? What plugs did u replace with?

If TB is clean, MAF is clean and plugs are good... what else could it be causing the poor mileage? I know temperature is a factor but when i bought the new car, it had very impressive mileage, now it's gone downhill.

[caper26]

Originally Posted by caineroad

how were the plugs looking at 160K? What plugs did u replace with?

If TB is clean, MAF is clean and plugs are good... what else could it be causing the poor mileage? I know temperature is a factor but when i bought the new car, it had very impressive mileage, now it's gone downhill.

Exactly. My mileage was WAY better 2 summers ago, and we had a crap summer (low temps, lots of rain). This summer past was constant sun and warm weather and my mileage was always worse than summer before.

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by caper26

Exactly. My mileage was WAY better 2 summers ago, and we had a crap summer (low temps, lots of rain). This summer past was constant sun and warm weather and my mileage was always worse than summer before.

your average from fuelly is 38mpg... and mine is 32mpg.
(US mpg)


you are doing much better than me!

[caper26]

yes, but I am comparing myself to myself. I am only asking for consistency and wondering why it has gone downhill

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by caper26

yes, but I am comparing myself to myself. I am only asking for consistency and wondering why it has gone downhill

can you please talk to toyota and their technicians to see whats going on, and let us know the result.

thanks

[caper26]

they want to take it for a ride with a laptop connected, for a hefty price of course.

[caineroad]

have u also tried sea foam ?

[caper26]

on a car with 20,000 K ? no I havent

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by caper26

on a car with 20,000 K ? no I havent

Oh.. didnt know your car is so new... you barely drive this thing!!

I cleaned my MAF and TB yesterday, the car definitely feels smooth and pick up faster when i floor it. So I would assume the mpg to get better.

I also disconnected the battery for the ECU to reset for the whole night, not sure if that helps but it turned off the engine light(it was on after I cleaned the TB).

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by caper26

But I just got 80-something km's and first bar gone already. I don't even have winter tires on yet, nor snow on the ground, but the temps are dipping below 0 C now during the nights.

i got 64km, first bar gone.... with esso gas

but yes normally it should be over 100, maybe bad gas, try using Shell. I get the best result from them.

But i suggest trying all gas stations including smaller ones around your place, so u know which one gives the best mpg

[jayeh]

Originally Posted by caineroad

i got 64km, first bar gone.... with esso gas

but yes normally it should be over 100, maybe bad gas, try using Shell. I get the best result from them.

But i suggest trying all gas stations including smaller ones around your place, so u know which one gives the best mpg

I have an '08. I usually get about 120-160km on the first bar. 350-450 at 1/2 a tank, then 50-100 km on the bottom half a tank. It's pretty strange.

I get around the same MPG on the tank no matter how fast/slow the gauge drops.

[caineroad]

Originally Posted by jayeh

I have an '08. I usually get about 120-160km on the first bar. 350-450 at 1/2 a tank, then 50-100 km on the bottom half a tank. It's pretty strange.

I get around the same MPG on the tank no matter how fast/slow the gauge drops.

dont lie to yourself

your average from fuelly is 423.6 km per tank.

[jayeh]

Originally Posted by caineroad

dont lie to yourself

your average from fuelly is 423.6 km per tank.

I don't see what that has to do with anything?

I've had 7 tanks where I've gone over 450km.

I'm referring to the strange way the gas gauge reads not implying some strange correlation between bars used and MPG.

[caineroad]

Just changed spark plugs, mpg still the same.

MAF and TB were cleaned, engine felt smoother and car runs faster but mpg still the same.

I think it has to do with the gas, i tend to get better mileage from Shell than Esso, and then the ethanol they put also contribute to lower mpg. A few years back there were no ethanol, and now it's 10% at most gas station. How much effect does 10% ethanol have on fuel economy, is it 10% worse? I don't think so, it could be more or less. That means the 10% ethanol (and other additives to keep them balance) can potentially affect mileage by 20%, which is just a guess. But without some scientific support, I am only guessing here.

Also gas station says up to 10%, the supplier of these fuel do they regulate the 10% enough? Do they do testing regularly to ensure the percentage?

I think it has to do with gas then. Nothing wrong with the car, everyone else is getting good mileage

[WeeYari]

^ there is a recent thread here discussing the age old question of any benefit to using premium. In that thread, another tangent developed which discussed effects of ethanol on mpg.

The forgone conclusion is that ethanol does not have a negative effect. I had the opportunity last summer to run ethanol free gas while on vacation. My own mpg calculations showed zero difference.