Horrible gas mileage

[maxxheadroom]

My wife and I bought an 06 PT last year (7 miles on it) for about the first 10 months we were getting right around 19-22 MPG. Over the last month or so our mileage has dropped to 15.0 I checked # 1 and 4 plug (I didn't want to pull the intake at the time) they were a very nice golden brown just as they should be, no fouling or other issues with the plugs. Air cleaner is nice and clean no issues there either. Looking at the intake I can see an extremely small amount of oil on the intake runners (just enough to make them slightly wet) I don't know if this plays into it or not. The car has 18,000 miles on it, we have changed oil/filter every 3000 miles or sooner. I am stumped and I don't want to hear from the dealer well it's just fine we don't know. Does anybody have any thoughts?

[quicksilverdon]

Biggest factor in mileage is tire pressure. I go 3-4 PSI above the door sticker.
If that's okay, then at 18,000 miles, your ignition wires could be going - I think Crane wires ( www.RaceAndStreet.Com ) are the best. Might as well do plugs at same time.
Here's how to do plugs & wires yourself:
Album: CHANGING SPARK PLUGS ON A PT CRUISER - SIMPLIFIED
If your PT is '03 or later, no more EGR so skip that.

[Mean Green]

Like Don said, replace the spark plug wires. That would be the first step. I've seen them go bad a lot sooner than 18k. The OEM wires are junk.

[Hooligan]

Originally Posted by maxxheadroom

My wife and I bought an 06 PT last year (7 miles on it) for about the first 10 months we were getting right around 19-22 MPG. Over the last month or so our mileage has dropped to 15.0 I checked # 1 and 4 plug (I didn't want to pull the intake at the time) they were a very nice golden brown just as they should be, no fouling or other issues with the plugs. Air cleaner is nice and clean no issues there either. Looking at the intake I can see an extremely small amount of oil on the intake runners (just enough to make them slightly wet) I don't know if this plays into it or not. The car has 18,000 miles on it, we have changed oil/filter every 3000 miles or sooner. I am stumped and I don't want to hear from the dealer well it's just fine we don't know. Does anybody have any thoughts?

WE are now on a trip from Florida to Oklahoma. Parts of our trip we got as much as 29.3 mpg, lowest was 24.2. Of course this was mostly all interstate driving with a little city mixed in. We have 25,K + on our '06 at this time. Will try to figure the total round trip when we return.