V6 Economy

[89Firebird2.8]

Ugh, I hope they don't go out too soon. I hate changing the ones on the passenger side with all the smog crap in the way.

[miecow]

everything everyone has said is true, but without spending more than basic tune up (i agree with the champion).. try simple pumping gas tricks.. dont pump at full pump.. pump slowest setting possible.. you get less air.. and try colder temps when fueling.. early morning..etc.. gas is denser and you get more for your dollar.. it does work.. i've tried it.. i live in mass and its getting higher every day for gasoline.. i drive truck for work.. desiel is like 420 a gallon..

[89Firebird2.8]

Friday I replaced the air filter with a fram from Parts Plus, and i've spent the last week driving like grandma. I filled up yesterday. 4.778 gallons. $3.27 a gallon(3.42, but i get a $0.15 per gallon discount). 87.3 miles. It came out to 18.27 MPG. That equates to about 18 cents per mile to drive it. Down from the 19 cents per mile last fill up, with 16 MPG, which is down from the 23 cents per mile at 14 mpg. So I am saving 5 cents per mile now, and I drive around 4-500 miles each month. That's almost a $25 savings per month. Not bad. Now I just need to get the new fuel filter i bought for it installed. I think I might just keep this car until it sends a pushrod through the hood.

EDIT: Also, am I the only geek who keeps track of mileage and fuel costs in an Excel spreadsheet?

[89Firebird2.8]

UPDATE: It has gone from 18 mpg to almost 20 mpg. I'm lovin it. This air filter has already paid for itself.

[Donnie3625]

Glad to hear that it's improved. In the last month, I've:

Changed the spark plugs (went to iridiums.... the platinums from before had 94,000 miles on them)
Changed the plug wires (went from stock to some MSD's)
Changed the coil packs (was getting a misfire from the 3rd cylinder because of 1)
Changed the muffler to a high-flow Dynomax
Changed the catalyct converter (old one was fucked up bad)


I was getting 24.5 mpg before I changed all this. Can't wait to see what it is now (I have only gotten to do city driving since then)!

I don't think I have much to say that hasn't already been said, but next time you get an oil filter, I'd recommend something other than FRAM. MOST (not all) of their filters are crap... and as much as I hate to say it, the new AC Delco's are, as well. Turns out, Bosche makes one of the best you can buy.

EDIT: And I don't use Excel, but I do keep up with my mileage, and I can pretty much tell you what everything has cost me in the last month.

[cuda_dude]

Referring to the oil filter topic, here's a link to a site where they test them and rank them

http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfi...html#fram-ph8a

[89Firebird2.8]

Got some more done yesterday. Changed the fuel and oil filters, as well as the oil itself. Put in 5w-30, of the parts plus flavour. The fuel filter was fram, and the oil filter was whatever parts plus gave me. I also got some loctite epoxy putty and sealed up the 3 inch long crack in my exhaust, which seems to have quieted it down a bit. I also learned my friend absolutely hates any sort of humor while working in a garage. He was looking for the right wrench to take a filter off of his car, and i jokingly grabbed a 2 foot long, heavy SOB wrench and gave it to him, and he marched out of the shop and wouldn't speak for 15 minutes.