Posted on 04/04/2014 4:14:34 AM PDT by Haiku Guy
The milage in both of my cars had dropped off in the last couple of months. Instead of getting 280 miles per tank, I am now getting 260 miles per tank, or even worse.
I keep a close eye on the milage as a general indication of how my cars are running, but I can't see why this has happened. I have no leaks, no lights, no rough running. I Checked the Engine, and it is still there. The plugs look good.
I think it might be the fuel blend. If that is the case, a lot of people should be seeing the same thing. Before I start tearing things apart, I thought I would ask my friends at FR what they are experiencing.
So how about it? How's the milage on your vehicle these days?
Check your alignment and tire pressure.
LOL. I can’t even find the damned spark plugs! I do see the battery and radiator, though...
My cousin’s local Mercedes/BMW shop, where I get my work done, has to take half the damned front end apart to change lightbulbs, and had to take the entire front interior dash apart to change AC evaporator and heater core.
(((sigh)))
Gimme a ‘65 GTO...
(smacks forehead) Why didn't I think of that!
Did your on-board diagnostics catch that? So far I haven't gotten a Check Engine light.
Try a different gas station. You might be getter an alcohol heavy blend. I’ve experienced this and changed stations.
I too have the same problem. I gave up too and no longer do much maintenance to my vehicle. Once it was fairly simple to go under the hood and find the problem. Nowadays, going under the hood is like being in a box with all the tightly packed parts and no room to move. My mechanic also becomes confused at times. We we're once tracing down an electrical problem and after two attempts with no success at determining the actual cause of the problem my mechanic looked at me and said, 'my computer thingy is all confused'. We did eventually find the problem and the problem was corrected but with all the sensors and computer programs currently installed by being mandated by the feds one finds their vehicle to be as confused as the feds. I just wish the feds would leave my vehicle alone. After I shot my vehicle it came to its senses and became a Conservative, or at least a better Conservative. My ET has diminished somewhat though. I'm going to have to patch that hole so my ET will improve. Next time, I'm going to shoot the computer onboard my vehicle. I think that is where the liberal in my vehicle is coming from.
Check to see if they changed the ethanol blend, or to it. if so, that would be what you are seeing.
I’m learning something new here.
I live in CO and we have dozens of different blends and grades in the state depending on altitude etc.
Are you guys saying that, theoretically, all these different gasoline blends could come from one tank farm, and use one basic gasoline ingredient?
I too think that is the main problem. With my vehicle drinking more than I do ... I'm sometimes jealous.
The difference in Vapor Pressure for gasoline is often modified by the inclusion or exclusion of amounts of butane.
Different areas of the state likely have their own tank farms where the local recipe is blended. That is common elsewhere, but I have not designed/built gasoline/diesel tank farms & loading terminals in the Rocky Mountains where altitude changes rapidly with distance. I have in more flat land and that is common. What I have seen is the only different in most locations is the brand name additive.
However, I did that work when we mostly used MTBE and not so much since the ethanol push. I expect but do not know, that the ethanol is already blended into the large gasoline tank(s). To blend the ethanol per truck would require additional tanks(s) and pumps per facility from the previous designs.
I’m just trying to figure out what is going on.
The government does so many stupid things with the fuel blends and mandated computerized controls, these days, that it is difficult to determine if a change of a variable like milage is the result of a mechanical problem or some unintended consequence of a government policy.
You can’t look in the newspaper to tell you what is going on. The fuel companies will never tell you when the energy content of their fuels changes. The Octane Rating, which people have always used as a proxy for BTUs is useless.
So I turn to my friends at FR to see what is going on. It is a sad commentary on society that FR is the only place to go to get useful information (after a little filtering, of course...)
I agree with you as the cars being to complicated ...I found a nice 1971 International 1210 3/4 ton pick-up...no bells or whistles just a tractor with a cab and a bed.. I may not be fastest but the simplicity and logical design along with steel from an American foundry outweighs any of the 30-50 thousand dollar rolling computers they call trucks. The thing I love most about this old truck is the metal compounds International used in making the blocks (high nickel content) seems to heal the cylinder walls somewhat if scarred . As far as mileage I have a place up here in Maine that sells leaded fuel, quite exspensive but I get more miles per tankful with it..the nice thing is it only has 93k ...
I have noticed exactly the same thing (DC area). I have a standard commute and know exactly how many trips I should get to work on a full tank.
I used to get 4 round trips to work, (80 mile RT commute), now I only get about 3.5. I’ve been looking for a fuel leek but can’t find anything.
I had a brother-in-law that converted his vehicle to natural gas. He claimed natural gas worked great. He said he did have some internal problems though eating on the beans he had to eat to keep his tank full on his vehicle. After three years he took his vehicle off of natural gas though. His vehicle had to have gastro bypass surgery.
Thanks.
In regard to ethanol content, I’m not positive, but I think the percentage of ethanol is consistent throughout the state, and everyone changes the percentage at the same time.
Note the price of gasoline is skyrocketing.
Libs like that you know.
Part of their plan
Yes, FR is a good place to be.
Gasoline = Mobility = Freedom
Can’t have that!
I've noticed that too. This is no joke. The state, in which I live, wants to tax everyone on the mileage they drive. I'm looking at rolling back the odometer when I declare for the year. If I turn in less miles than the odometer reading I want a refund.
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