Gas Millage Drop??

[robroy55]

Hi Folks,
What I have done to my Car so far with my 2002 24v duretic with 38.5K.
New fuel filter, new pcv valve, new ignition coil, new sparkplugs, new air filter, new Mobil 1 *5w 20* and filter, new front rotors and pads.
I am only getting 13.36 miles to the gallon with air around town and I have a soft foot. Can someone give me suggestions on what to check next??
Thanks again for all your help in the past!!
Rob Roy

[shorod]

You didn't happen to recently switch to ethanol fuel, did you? What was your fuel economy before with the A/C on?

You may want to check the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor for contamination and connection, make sure the intake air temperature (IAT) sensor is connected, and check the coolant temperature sensor.

Did you change all those items in an attempt to improve the fuel economy, or did your fuel economy drop after you replaced everything? If the latter, then I'd suspect that you didn't get something connected properly as a result of replacing items, and I'd start with the MAF and IAT. Also make sure that the intake air hose is tight and installed correctly. Although if the hose is not correct, you'd likely have other driveability concerns.

-Rod

[robroy55]

Originally Posted by shorod

You didn't happen to recently switch to ethanol fuel, did you? What was your fuel economy before with the A/C on?

You may want to check the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor for contamination and connection, make sure the intake air temperature (IAT) sensor is connected, and check the coolant temperature sensor.

Did you change all those items in an attempt to improve the fuel economy, or did your fuel economy drop after you replaced everything? If the latter, then I'd suspect that you didn't get something connected properly as a result of replacing items, and I'd start with the MAF and IAT. Also make sure that the intake air hose is tight and installed correctly. Although if the hose is not correct, you'd likely have other driveability concerns.

-Rod

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thanks Rod, here is what has happened over the past 6 mo.
At first I had a miss on cyl #3. I was only getting about 14mpg. While I was tryng to fugure out why it was missing, my fuel millage went UP to 19mpg while it was still missing???? I found that the plug porcyln (sp?) was cracked on #3 so I replaced ALL the plugs with AutoLite double plats. Car ran Great, but was only getting 14mpg. All the other changes were BEFORE the plug change. I thought that some computer must of compensated for the missing cyl and brought my fuel millage up to 19mpg. Now, after I corrected the miss, I thought that this so called computer would bring BACK better millage after a few thanks of gas but has not.
I will check the status of the MAF and IAT connection and coolant connection and get back to you Rod.
Thanks again for your quick responce and all your help in the past.
Rob Roy

[robroy55]

Originally Posted by robroy55

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thanks Rod, here is what has happened over the past 6 mo.
At first I had a miss on cyl #3. I was only getting about 14mpg. While I was tryng to fugure out why it was missing, my fuel millage went UP to 19mpg while it was still missing???? I found that the plug porcyln (sp?) was cracked on #3 so I replaced ALL the plugs with AutoLite double plats. Car ran Great, but was only getting 14mpg. All the other changes were BEFORE the plug change. I thought that some computer must of compensated for the missing cyl and brought my fuel millage up to 19mpg. Now, after I corrected the miss, I thought that this so called computer would bring BACK better millage after a few thanks of gas but has not.
I will check the status of the MAF and IAT connection and coolant connection and get back to you Rod.
Thanks again for your quick responce and all your help in the past.
Rob Roy

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hi Rod,
I just checked the MAF sensor and it looked like New. Not a bit of dirt at all. Where do I find the IAT (Intake Air Temp Sensor) on my 2002 Deratic so I can check the connection and also, where is the coolant sensor for same engine. I checked on my Ford CD and can't find it. Is it called something else on the CD??
Thanks again Rod for all your help!!!!!!!!!!
Rob Roy

[Huney1]

'I just checked the MAF sensor and it looked like New. Not a bit of dirt at all.'
At 42.3K miles mine looked new & shiney, but I sprayed it good with contact cleaner and it immediately ran better. Don't touch the wires or use a Qtip to clean them, just spray the contact cleaner on and you're good to go. Just cleaned it yesterday so don't know yet if it will help mileage because around town I get 20 and haven't had it on a trip yet so don't know about trip mileage.

The senior citizen that owned it before was metilicous about maintenance and had the air filter changed at 30K mi service. I checked it yesterday and with 12K mi on it just a little bit of sand & debris came out. Out of curosity, going to get a new one and put it in and see if it helps mileage and keep the old one.

[robroy55]

Originally Posted by Huney1

'I just checked the MAF sensor and it looked like New. Not a bit of dirt at all.'
At 42.3K miles mine looked new & shiney, but I sprayed it good with contact cleaner and it immediately ran better. Don't touch the wires or use a Qtip to clean them, just spray the contact cleaner on and you're good to go. Just cleaned it yesterday so don't know yet if it will help mileage because around town I get 20 and haven't had it on a trip yet so don't know about trip mileage.

The senior citizen that owned it before was metilicous about maintenance and had the air filter changed at 30K mi service. I checked it yesterday and with 12K mi on it just a little bit of sand & debris came out. Out of curosity, going to get a new one and put it in and see if it helps mileage and keep the old one.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thanks for the TIP ! What type of contact cleaner did you use. I don't want to screw it up using the wrong cleaner.
Rob Roy

[Huney1]

Got it at AutoZone. CRC Lectra-Motive Electric Parts Cleaner, Non-Flammable, Degreases Fast, Removes Oil & Dirt, Non-Staining, Leaves No Residue, Non-Conductive. Also cures moles, warts, ring worm and stinky feet. Just kidding. Like $2.99 for 19 Ozs. By the way, AZ had a reman OEM MAF for $103. and core charge $87. so ends up costing $16. for a remanufactured with one year warranty. 03 Vulcan.

FYI: Look at the heads on the screws that hold the MAF on and they are wierd, you'll need a special head on the removal tool. Looks like a star but has a hole in the middle. Mines an 03 so I took the two hose clamps off and got to the MAF wires/elements that way.

OKey dokey then, old Dude here and have to go to see my Saw Bones to keep the old ticker ticking and my rock a' rollin'.

Late the same afternoon: Delighted to learn all my blood work was good, PSA 0.4 near perfect, cholesterol 119, BP 117/73 and I'm ready to Boogie Down!

[TaurusKing]

Those star screws are some kind of so-called tamper-free screw,, I think Ford also might use them around the steering column and dash for certain items,, you can buy a kit with different sizes, in fact Autozone and PartsAmerica both should have it, i think I paid around 8 bucks a while ago..

[Millermagic]

They do use the special screws, but I'd take a dremel or something and make it flathead.

[Huney1]

"I'd take a dremel or something and make it flathead." 'Prolly be less time consuming to get a couple of real world people screws from the hardware store. I wonder why they use left handed trippy headed screws anyway? My neighbor and I had an in-dept discussion about it and all we could come up with is maybe it keeps them from being so easy to steal. But heck, alls ya' got'ta did is take a common driver to loosen the hose clamps then take the hose and the MAF and haul tail. If I ever took them out I'd find some similar screws with a common or Phillips head and use them instead of those wierd screws.

While I got ya' on the horn; regarding the electric flat connector plug that goes to the MAF; How do you get that Turkey loose? Sort'a kind'a looks like a thin blade common driver should go down it and pry and it should pop loose, but we couldn't get it loose and scared we'd apply to much pressure and break it. Hook me up here, how do I get it loose? (Curiosity klilled the Cat.)

[way2old]

squeeze the outside of the connector. There should be a lock tab inside a little inset. Squeezing down will release the lock. Uh, I think???

[shorod]

Originally Posted by Huney1

By the way, AZ had a reman OEM MAF for $103. and core charge $87. so ends up costing $16. for a remanufactured with one year warranty. 03 Vulcan.

That's not typically how core charges work. Usually, you will pay $190 (cost of part plus core charge). When you return your old MAF, they will reimburse you for the core charge, so you'll end up paying the $103, plus tax.

As for unplugging the MAF, way2old has it correct, squeeze the tab from the top to bottom and pull the plug loose from the MAF sensor. It should not require any tools other than your hands.

-Rod

[zombie13]

Originally Posted by Huney1

'Prolly be less time consuming to get a couple of real world people screws from the hardware store. I wonder why they use left handed trippy headed screws anyway?

My guess was always to keep people from taking it apart. Either because "there are no user serviceable parts inside" or because then people will go to a stealership to get it serviced. Either way, I know you can buy a bit set for a magnetic screwdriver for like $10 that has every possible bit you could ever need, all you need to do is look around for it. The one I saw was at PepBoys.

Z.

[robroy55]

Originally Posted by zombie13

My guess was always to keep people from taking it apart. Either because "there are no user serviceable parts inside" or because then people will go to a stealership to get it serviced. Either way, I know you can buy a bit set for a magnetic screwdriver for like $10 that has every possible bit you could ever need, all you need to do is look around for it. The one I saw was at PepBoys.

Z.

Thanks to Rod and others, my gas millage is back to normal. I sprayed the mas air flow sensor with CRC Lectra-Motive electric parts cleaner and even though it looked shiny and new, by spraning it, I am now a happy camper with around 20mpg around town with air on.
Thanks again for all you guy's being there when I need you!!!!!!
Rob Roy