Gas Mileage and Performance Mods

[j1budo]

Hello and good day all;

Now that I have my electrical issues all straightened out, combing over the van like a roach inspecting every electrical connection possible and still picking grease out of my long hair, I have a question for all of you.

I think in the next year or so, I may have to do a head job; I noticed some coolant in a not so nice place so, good time to repower. Given that I get about 19mpg now and I will be making another "investment" into the van, has anyone done any performance mods to their ride. Has any of these mods helped at all with performance and mileage.

In my other cars that I had in the past, just tweaking the intake and exhaust helped a bunch and swapping out some pulleys and a cam helped as well. Anyone have any experience on the Astro with these mods.

Jeremy
Sarasota, Florida

[old_master]

What year Astro? My 2002 Astro with 260,000 miles, (never had engine work) sees 350 miles a day, 5 days a week and gets 19MPG. Doesn't matter if it's loaded or empty, beat on it or drive it civilized, 19 is it! You mentioned a coolant leak, the 4.3L is known for intake gaskets to leak, not a bad job to do. Where is yours leaking?

[j1budo]

My leak looks like it is coming from the rear cylinder heads. Pooling just a bit and you can see the dried yellow crust from seepage in that area. This weekend I may yank the doghouse off again and get it hot to see if I rev the engine it sprays at all. There is small trace amounts of oil in the radiator, which is a clear sign of a leak somewhere. I may retork the head bolts as a check. That worked on my old dodge neon for a long time.

I get 19 a gallon as well. I know with other vehicles, if I messed with the intake and exhaust I increased the mileage significantly. On my Neon, I was getting 42mpg on the highway on a good day and could achieve speeds of 140mph no problem :-). Don't do that anymore, specially in an astro.

[boatbuster]

I am getting between 16 and 20 miles per gallon on my 2002 Astro AWD with 228,000 km (142,500 miles); according to the read-out on the overhead console. 16 in the city and 20 on the highway. Then again, I am also driving in Canada where 10 below zero is not uncommon in the long winter. I only use Castrol Synthec oil in the engine. If I could get more milage I would like to know how, especially with the price of gas that keeps going up.

[ericn1300]

check out the S-10 performance threads, some ideas there for the 4.3 engine.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...lay.php?f=2071