Gas Mileage?

I've been getting only 21 MPG with my 89 Prelude SI, which is also manual. My friends V6 automatic 3 speed near 2 ton skylark is getting 20 mpg.
somethings wrong here..
Im fairly light footed too, im trying to narrow things down to try and figure out my problem..
but do any of you know any other factors besides driver induced, which could affect gas mileage?
or are there any efficient methods to raising it?

slow down... put a CAI on it or a short ram intake. or just buy a regular K&N air filter on it

Would this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38634&item=7958030639&rd=1

be what im looking for?

edit: this ones cheaper, and im cash-strapped

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38634&item=7958519186&rd=1

Would i be able to find something like this at an auto parts store instead, because the shipping is $20 for this

CAI is going to make your gas miliage worse... cold air makes your car burn more gas why do you think it gives you more hp? Check out the specs on your lude, if you look around or have an owners manual it should tell you what your car gets but your right that seems like pretty shitty gas miliage.

get your oil changed every 3000 miles throw a new air filter in. make sure tire preasure is good.

I've been getting only 21 MPG with my 89 Prelude SI, which is also manual. My friends V6 automatic 3 speed near 2 ton skylark is getting 20 mpg.
somethings wrong here..
Im fairly light footed too, im trying to narrow things down to try and figure out my problem..
but do any of you know any other factors besides driver induced, which could affect gas mileage?
or are there any efficient methods to raising it?

hold up. before you guys go telling him to put in cold air intake and stuff on it... why havent we suggested replacing the fuel filter?? i know that was a HUGE factor in dragging my gas milage down in my 91 lude... went from 17 mpg wen i got it as it had never had a new fuel filter replaced ever, to about 25 or 26 mpg and thats still with a very very dirty air filter that i havent had time or money to bother with replacing. also you might as well do some PM (preventative mainanence) on it anyway that also MIGHT increase some mpg... like new spark plugs, wires, etc. just a thought, not trying to rip on anyone here or anything, just extremely surprised that nobody had mentioned such an obvious and simple fix. heh peace

mike

CAI is going to make your gas miliage worse... cold air makes your car burn more gas why do you think it gives you more hp?

Please kill yourself.

Just kidding....but shut up, OK?

Please kill yourself.

Just kidding....but shut up, OK?

hehehe now now children... jk. just had to add my $.02

mike

Excellent info Computerguy, thankyou
But what is the take on air intake??
Id think an efficient one would let the car breathe easier, increasing gas mileage, but also letting the engine get more air to burn more gas when you punch it..?

Well, I went ahead today and removed the old air filter, not before learning just what the heck how it worked, there were so many tubes running off to nowhere, and it was almost impossible to get to the damn filter.. anyways
I get to the darn thing, and it looked old, it was rusted, and dirty.
http://home.nycap.rr.com/praeseodomas/old.jpg

I remembered reading on a webpage someones cheap, effective way to put in a good aftermarket performance air filter.
Basically I removed all the extra tubing, and the box the original air filter was in.
http://home.nycap.rr.com/praeseodomas/Removed.jpg

I managed to put together a good sturdy setup, and it fits nice and snug
http://home.nycap.rr.com/praeseodomas/filter.jpg

and voila
http://home.nycap.rr.com/praeseodomas/final.jpg

Nice and clean looking now, and it has a more healthy breathing sound to it. Took it for a spin and im very pleased.

If this makes my gas mileage worse, ill shoot myself in the foot.
The old filter looked, well, old, very old..and rusty. I figured it probably wasnt helping anything.

Edit: Should I reset my ECU? Do I even have an ECU? I read that it can increase your gas mileage, especially after putting in an intake. But I dunno if 89 ECUs are advanced enough to notice more airflow?

Well, I went ahead today and removed the old air filter, not before learning just what the heck how it worked, there were so many tubes running off to nowhere, and it was almost impossible to get to the damn filter.. anyways
I get to the darn thing, and it looked old, it was rusted, and dirty.
http://home.nycap.rr.com/praeseodomas/old.jpg

I remembered reading on a webpage someones cheap, effective way to put in a good aftermarket performance air filter.
Basically I removed all the extra tubing, and the box the original air filter was in.
http://home.nycap.rr.com/praeseodomas/Removed.jpg

I managed to put together a good sturdy setup, and it fits nice and snug
http://home.nycap.rr.com/praeseodomas/filter.jpg

and voila
http://home.nycap.rr.com/praeseodomas/final.jpg

Nice and clean looking now, and it has a more healthy breathing sound to it. Took it for a spin and im very pleased.

If this makes my gas mileage worse, ill shoot myself in the foot.
The old filter looked, well, old, very old..and rusty. I figured it probably wasnt helping anything.

Edit: Should I reset my ECU? Do I even have an ECU? I read that it can increase your gas mileage, especially after putting in an intake. But I dunno if 89 ECUs are advanced enough to notice more airflow?

first of all... i would shoot myself personally for letting my air filter get so shitty, lol, but thats just me. another thing is YES, you definately have an ECU... and its simple to reset. although ive never heard one way or the other about any difference in gas milage or not, so it might be true and it might not be. cant hurt it anyway, just find your fusebox under the hood, and look for the fuse thats for the ECU... pull it out, let it sit for 5 or 10 mins and come back, put it in, and start it up, make sure shes still running right which she should.one thing that i wanna warn u about tho is that u probably will get better gas milage than be4 since that filter was SOOOO bad, but like i think someone else as well as me mentioned be4... you basically just made a sort of Cold air intake, just not a full fledged one, more like a makeshift one without removing filter. however that does sometimes make your car burn more fuel as well as burning it more efficiently, so you probably will still notice better gas milage, but if you want even more milage, try putting at least some of the tubes back on maybe just cutting off a section of it after the filter just enuf to make slightly less air flow than it has now. if that doesnt change it then u can go back to however set up u like. just my .02

mike

Welp, i'm up to 26 MPG's after the new airfilter. Im still not satisfied though, tomorrow I think ill reset my ECU, see how that goes. If nothing good, im checking/replacing my fuel filter, see what that does..
atleast 80% of my mileage is highway, otherwise i'd be happy.. I was hoping for more with the airfilter but ohwell

Welp, i'm up to 26 MPG's after the new airfilter. Im still not satisfied though, tomorrow I think ill reset my ECU, see how that goes. If nothing good, im checking/replacing my fuel filter, see what that does..
atleast 80% of my mileage is highway, otherwise i'd be happy.. I was hoping for more with the airfilter but ohwell


heh.. woot woot... thats lots better tho... id definately replace fuel filter neway lol. peace

mike

gee Im getting about 20mpg with a lot of hiqways too on my 88 si, and i get my arir filter changed on every oil change wich is ussally at about every 2500 miles since something breaks.

Anyways, maybe im a victim of a fuel filter. Is there a way to check it or just get it replaced.

And how much should a shop charge for that?

Please kill yourself.

Just kidding....but shut up, OK?

seriously dude... CAI does not make you burn more fuel. if you burn more fuel, it's b/c you're injecting more fuel into the cylinder... but you're not. since cold air is denser than warm air, there is more oxygen in it causing a bigger combustion. Thus, you’re getting more horsepower with the same or better fuel economy.

gee Im getting about 20mpg with a lot of hiqways too on my 88 si, and i get my arir filter changed on every oil change wich is ussally at about every 2500 miles since something breaks.

Anyways, maybe im a victim of a fuel filter. Is there a way to check it or just get it replaced.

And how much should a shop charge for that?

2 things. first of all, i donno if its any different in ur 88 lude than it is in my 91 si, but in mine the fuel filter is fairly easy to get to. id just do it myself if it was up to me. but id guess that a shop shouldnt charge more than like $40 or $50 im guessing. and 2ndly, there is no way to check it unless you have a fuel pressure tester. then you would test pressure be4 the filter and pressure after the filter, see if its out of specs. you can look up the specs in the service manual. peace!

mike

26 mpg and you're not happy? Maybe you should go hybrid! :grinno:

seriously dude... CAI does not make you burn more fuel. if you burn more fuel, it's b/c you're injecting more fuel into the cylinder... but you're not. since cold air is denser than warm air, there is more oxygen in it causing a bigger combustion. Thus, you’re getting more horsepower with the same or better fuel economy.

Don't tell me, tell the other guy!

Welp, I just found a thread with everybody elses gas mileage, im right there in the middle, if not, upper end. So i'm a little happier..
Well now that this problems solved, on to the million other ones :rolleyes:

Don't tell me, tell the other guy!

oh, i was just agreeing with you.