Gas pro's help me out!!!

[pluminator]

ugh. my PT 03, 2.4 base non turbo.

Is SUCKING up gas like it never has before.


Friday I filled the tank to the brim with super+ like i usually do, I reset my trip odometer to zero.

I drove from here *saco* to portland and back. *32 mile round trip*

from portland into scarborough 10 miles, and scarborough to saco 5 miles.

I then drove from here, to limerick and back *56 mile trip*.

only about 8 minutes of stop and go in portland. 35-55mph everywhere else.

When I got back to saco after a total of just over 120 miles.........I had under a quarter tank of gas!!!!!


Now i've pulled 285, to 300 out of her before.

She just had an oil change thursday, brand new battery too. Marvels in the oil and gas per usual. 2 month old tires and alignment, new sawaybar, bushings, control arms, whole suspension etc.

For the life i've owned her shes had the CEL on for a evap issue that is a ghost.

but its been off since last week.


and now I estimate shes running about 14mpg!!!!


WHAT could cause this

[Busa_Powered]

Why are you putting super in an na?

[pluminator]

Originally Posted by Busa_Powered

Why are you putting super in an na?

Because its what I've always put in all my cars, engine always seems to run better off it. except now my engine is running away with all my money! lol

[nomad327]

I'm guessing it's way off from how it's been in the past, but movement of the gauge is never as accurate as fill followed by refill, preferably multiple times to determine actual use.
The sort of thing you are actually asking would be bad sensors, wires, plugs, blocked air filter, brakes dragging, low tire inflation?
I would probably replace the front o2 sensor first based on my experience with other cars, but I still have my original at 100,000 miles on my PT. I have never had a big improvement from replacing plugs and wires on a car, but that's a very popular thing to try here.

[Busted_PT]

Map sensors have been known to cause this. This is second hand but even though his showed within normal parameters. Changed his to rid his self of this problem. after trying many other things. No guarantee on this.

[quicksilverdon]

I agree with Busa (that was hard to type ) - you are wasting money putting premium gas in an N/A - but that isn't your problem...

What is your idle at? It's cold up there, right? In the old days, it'd be a stuck choke, but there are enrichment mechanisms for a PT that should drop off when car gets warm....

Cold also directly impacts tire pressure - when is last time you checked your tires?

I also agree with Nomad - gas pump shut-offs vary very widely - try another fill-up and put the hose on a slow fill.

[cruserdad1976]

O2 sensoe is a good place to start so you are about 6 mpg less than normal
tire pressure could help but id say some kind of a sensor issue

[pluminator]

Originally Posted by quicksilverdon

I agree with Busa (that was hard to type ) - you are wasting money putting premium gas in an N/A - but that isn't your problem...

What is your idle at? It's cold up there, right? In the old days, it'd be a stuck choke, but there are enrichment mechanisms for a PT that should drop off when car gets warm....

Cold also directly impacts tire pressure - when is last time you checked your tires?

I also agree with Nomad - gas pump shut-offs vary very widely - try another fill-up and put the hose on a slow fill.

Idle is at about 800, what its always been at

Stock tires are floating at 32psi.

Air filter is clean, plugs are old but I've never seen a drop like this from plugs without a lot of skipping, which mine doesn't have.

Its been fluctuating between 40* and 10* for temps here.

Car hasnt lost any power, doesnt sputter, Sometimes when it idles for a while it starts idling lower aroudn 700rpm maybe? Enough to cause a small vibration. But its always done that. I figured it had to do with the P0440 or 441 codes its had since I got it 3 years ago. that again cant be located.


Just doesnt make sense to me. Ill have to test the sensors and see whats going on on that end. Funny thing is my CEL turned off last week and hasnt come back, right around the same time this started happening.

[bigsquat]

i found this on yahoo answers, i dont know if its applicable:

Mainly for the Evap system & not a drivability issue. It is possible for it to cause a lean issue & may make the ECM to command more fuel but you would notice other problems though like dying, hard start, maybe a running erratic but this would be an extreme case & not very common unless it was leaking for years & you have ignored it for that long but will turn on the Check Engine Light pretty much instantly

[Vlefaive]

If my wife had it at some point she probably drove around all day with the parking brake on