gas mileage?

('99 LTZ 3.8L) After filling my car up (it costs like $40 now), I set the trip odometer to see what kind of mileage I'm getting. I've noticed that every time this happens: On the first quarter tank I get about 100 miles (I think "oh great, I'm going to get 400 miles on this tank of gas!:grinyes: ") However, the last 3/4 of the tank goes by much quicker and I only get a total of about 250-300 miles out of the tank:rolleyes: . Why is this? I have figured the mileage and I'm getting about 20-22 mpg (both city & highway combined). I guess that's not bad considering it's supposed to get like 19 city, but it seems strange that the first quarter goes by so slowly and the rest drains quickly. Would adding fuel injector cleaner improve my gas mileage? Any thoughts?

The fuel level sensor isn't 100% accurate through it's travel, so what you are experiencing is normal. You are getting better than average mileage, so if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

hadn't thought about that. Thanks!

Man I Am Pissed - Typed A Good Amount Of Stuff And It Is Gone - This Is A Test Before I Spend To Much More Time On This...

OK, BUY LUCAS PRODUCT UPPER CYLINDER LUBRICANT. IT WORKS

I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH IMPROVEMENT TO SAVE ME 40 DOLLARS IN GAS OVER 7 FILL-UPS. MY EPA HAS IMPROVED ALMOST 3.00 MPG AND MY CAR RUNS MUCH BETTER. MY ADVICE IS TO USE IT FOR FOUR CONSECUTIVE FILL-UPS AND THEN GO EVERY OTHER FILL-UP OR EVERY TWO FILL-UPS. THE BOTTLE I BOUGHT WAS GOOD FOR 100 GALLONS OF GAS AND WAS 9 AND CHANGE. MUCH BETTER DEAL THAN THE SMALLER BOTTLES.

SOME TIPS TO CONSIDER -

-WHERE YOU BUY YOUR GAS
-TYPE OF OIL YOU USE
-TIRE PRESSURE
-OBVIUOUS A/C OR NO A/C

I AM BIG ON KNOWING WHO I GET MY GAS FROM. I HAVE A LITTLE STORY FOR THIS ONE - I USED TO BUY MY GAS FROM ONE CHEVRON STORE BECAUSE IT WAS CLOSER - ALL-BE-IT I, OUT OF HAPPENSTANCE, BOUGHT CHEVRON GAS FROM ANOTHER LOCATION NEARBY AND IT MADE MY CAR HAVE BETTER EPA, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. WELL, ALL CHEVRON GAS IS THE SAME YOU SAY? IT IS NOT - I HAVE YET FOUND ANOTHER CHEVRON GAS STATION WHICH HAS IMPROVED MY PERFORMANCE AND EPA AGAIN. I ASKED A CHEVRON OWNER ABOUT THIS DISCREPANCY AND HE TOLD ME THAT WHEN A CHEVRON GAS STATION OPENS AND SIGNS A FRANCHISE WITH CHEVRON THEY GET ALL THE SIGNAGE AND BUY THE BETTER GAS BUT WHEN THE CONTRACT EXPIRES NO ONE FORCES THEM TO RESIGN WITH CHEVRON AND THEY GET TO KEPP ALL THE OLD SIGNS - THEY BUY CHEAP GAS AND SELL IT AT CHEVRON PRICES. ALSO, HE SAID THAT SOME PEOPLE BUY CHEVRON GAS BUT THEY DO NOT KEEP UP ON ALL THE MONITORING DEVICES FOR MOISTURE AND OTHER THINGS. ONE THING i ALWAYS DO NOW WHEN I GO TO A DIFFERENT GAS STATION IS ASK TO SEE THEIR LATEST PURCHASE ORDER SLIP FOR THE GAS. IF IT DOESN'T SAY CEVRON ON THERE SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN THE DELIVER TO SPOT I WOULD BEWARE!

TIRES - IN MY EXPERIENCE A LOW OR IMPROPER TIRE PRESSURE CAN AFFECT YOU EPA SOMEWHERE FROM NEGLIGIBLE TO 2.00 MPG. THIS WAS PROVEN TO ME BY MY IGNORANCE OF A SLOW LEAK IN ONE OF MY REAR TIRES.

A/C - IN THE SUMMER I USED TO GET 19.5 MPG BUT NOW WITH LUCAS PRODUCT I GET 23.5 MPG AND IN THE WINTER I USED TO GET 26.5 - 27.0 MPG. THIS PARTICULAR CAR GETS A HUGFE HIT IN EPA WHEN YOU USE THE A/C. BUT NOW WITH THE LUCAS PRODUCT IN USE I AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT MY NEW WINTER TIME EPA IS.

OIL - I USED TO USE THE CHEAPEST OILS IN MY CAR. I HAVE PROVEN, AGAIN THROUGH PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, THAT OILS MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN BOTH PERFORMANCE AND EPA. I USE VALVOLINE SEMI-SYN 75,000+MILE FORMULA 10W-30. SELLS FOR AROUND 11 DOLLARS (14 THE OTHER DAY THANKS TO THE YOU KNOW WHOS). FILTERS i AM LEARNING MORE ABOUT - WIX IS GOOD AND i AM GOING TO TRY NAPA GOLD MODEL NEXT TIME (5 BUCKS OR SO) BUT ALL TOLD - THE OIL MADE A DIFFERENCE - i WOULDN'T ADVISE USING A FULL-SYN IN YOUR CAR UNLESS IT IS NEW. EVERYONE i HAVE ASKED BECAUSE i WAS WANTING TO USE FULL-SYN SAID i WOULD START LEAKING OIL. THEY WERE TELLING ME THAT OVER TIME SLUDGE GETS BUILT UP IN YOUR ENGINE AND THIS CAUSES THE SEALS TO GET LESS AND LESS LUBRICANT UNTIL THEY DRY UP. WHEN YOU BEGIN TO USE THE FULL SYNTHETIC OIL IN YOUR CAR - THIS PRODUCT (FULL-SYS) ACTUALLY CLEANS THE SLUDG OFF OVER TIME. IN SO DOING THE SEALS ARE EXPOSED ONCE AGAIN BUT THEY ARE DRY AND CONSEQUENTLY THEY DO NOT SEAL PROPERLY. THEREFORE YOU GET LEAKS. STICK WITH THE CHEAPER SEMI-SYN BECAUSE, IN MY OPINION YOU GET MORE BANG FOR YOUR BUCK AND THEY ARE GENTLER ON YOU USED ENGINE.

****STAY AWAY FROM THE PARAFIN BASED OILS - THEY LEAVE A WAX BUILD UP ON EVERYTHING***** HALVOLINE IS ONE OF THEM.

SOME PEOPLE MAY THINK I AM INSANE BUT I LIKE TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CARS AND IT ALL STARTS WITH WHAT YOU PUT IN IT.