MPG and spark plug wires

[anusemoon83]

Im getting 18mpg city and 23.8 highway! does that sound normal ???? im thinking of replacing the spark plug wires ( plugs have already been replaced ) whats the best brand to buy NGK or AC delco???? or another brand...

[BKVic]

My 97 gets 27-29mpg on the highway depending on if I have the AC on or not. The Northstar engines are very picky when it comes to wires and plugs so I would stay with AC Delco. If the plugs were not replaced with AC plugs I would replace them again when the wires are done.


BKVic

[dsatt12]

I've got a 95 with 183,000 miles on and it just got 24.9 mpg on a 900 mile round trip this week. If I'd done less than 80 at some point I might have gotten a bit higher too. I just couldn't help myself on I-35 in Iowa and southern MN. It's hard to say if plugs and wires would help or not- I've got all Delco parts in mine fyi.

[RobertHammen]

Also bear in mind that your mileage will be worse if you have the Autobahn package (RPO option code QQX). Modifying your airbox can reduce your mileage. So can the type of gas you put in your car (and I don't mean regular vs. premium) - here in the Milwaukee area we have "reformulated" gas which yields a 2 mpg decrease for me (18 city/22 hwy, versus 20+ city/26 hwy with the non-rfg gas on my Autobahn/airbox-modded '98, which I drive pretty aggressively :-)

[madcatter]

Now wait, speeding through Iowa. Does that mean your saying there's nothing to see? If so, I'm offended.

[dsatt12]

There's plenty to see. Lotsa pretty windmills up around Joice these days. It's the trips back and forth from Des Moines all the way up to about 50 miles east of Fargo ND maybe 5 times every summer that kinda wear it out. Top that off with hearing every couple of weeks how the state patrol can't afford to have troopers out anymore, and it just becomes impossible to let off the accelerator. Besides, the annoying shake my Aurora picks up in the 65-75 mph range goes away up in the 80-85 mph range.

[RobertHammen]

I had that same shake (and same excuse if I got pulled over). You really need to get an RFB (road-force balance) done using a Hunter GSP 9700 (http://www.gsp9700.com) - it will fix your problem, unless your tires are totally shot.

--Robert
who used to live in Minnesota and drive all over Iowa/Nebraska (40+k mi/yr) for my job

[dsatt12]

Actually I did recently get it balanced at a Tires Plus that had a hunter gsp9700, but it didn't help really.

I think I've got a lot of accumulated wear. As far as I know all the tie rods, cv joints, bearings and damn near everythign but struts are still oem. 183K is a lot of miles for that stuff. It's just not worth it to me to go tearing all of that out when all it does is vibrate. As long as my cds don't skip and the wheels stay on, eh...

I cetrainly put my share of miles on my cars. I drive about 90 miles round trip every day to work and use the Aurora for all the long trips I make. I've got friends and relatives I visit a few times a year in KC and St. Louis, then there's the lake house in Minnesota. I think I'm closer to 30,000 a year, but either way I defintely preclude ever leasing a new car

[jim56]

My 97 with 123,000 miles on it gets 27-29 HWY depending on speed

[Hesam]

Originally Posted by anusemoon83

Im getting 18mpg city and 23.8 highway! does that sound normal ???? im thinking of replacing the spark plug wires ( plugs have already been replaced ) whats the best brand to buy NGK or AC delco???? or another brand...

read my post on 6-20-04 Advice....