Fuel efficiency sucks

"buford-t-justice" (buford-t-justice)
03/27/2014 at 13:47 • Filed to: None

My 04' Zx5 is sucking back the fuel, I get around 12L/100km with 165000 km on the odo. What could be causing this? I have replaced the spark plugs and wire anything else I should look for. I also still have the winters on.

I am buying a new car in the fall so I don't want to put too much into it

Lousy Smarch weather!

DISCUSSION (19)

multiple wheels for each day of the week > buford-t-justice
03/27/2014 at 13:47

02 sensor

buford-t-justice > multiple wheels for each day of the week
03/27/2014 at 13:55

My CEL is not on though

crowmolly > buford-t-justice
03/27/2014 at 14:11

Air filter

deekster_caddy > buford-t-justice
03/27/2014 at 14:26

winter tires, winter gas, winter air. How bad is bad? (what's it usually get?) Check the air pressure in your tires?

buford-t-justice > deekster_caddy
03/27/2014 at 14:30

I usually get around 9L/100km, air pressure gets checked every fill up. My thinking is she knows I am buying a new car, so its time to start acting up.

multiple wheels for each day of the week > buford-t-justice
03/27/2014 at 14:33

it does not have to be on ... and check your MASS Air sensor

deekster_caddy > buford-t-justice
03/27/2014 at 14:36

Had to put it through the l/km - mpg converter so I have valid references. 12 isn't unreasonable for cold weather stop and go start and stop kind of driving. Have your driving habits changed? More cold starts than normal? Do you have a remote starter?

buford-t-justice > deekster_caddy
03/27/2014 at 14:43

driving habbits are the same, maybe some hooning in a parking lot, but not hasnt been enough snow, no remote starter.

buford-t-justice > multiple wheels for each day of the week
03/27/2014 at 14:45

O, well then guess I have a weekend project, The air sensor would I be checking if it is dirty, and give it a cleaning?

deekster_caddy > buford-t-justice
03/27/2014 at 14:49

Change in refueling stations? Higher ethanol blend?

Trade-in time! (If you are planning to keep it, there is a lot of various troubleshooting you can do from injector cleaners on up)

multiple wheels for each day of the week > buford-t-justice
03/27/2014 at 15:10

they make a spray for it . just read the directions

QCGoose > deekster_caddy
03/27/2014 at 19:49

12, as in 12 MPG??? I didn't do the l/km-mpg conversion, but if his numbers equate to 12 MPG, that's absolutey horrendous for a Focus. Shitty ethanol fuel mixed with winter blend with all-city driving for a whole tank shouldn't even produce less than 22 MPG.

QCGoose > buford-t-justice
03/27/2014 at 19:53

Other things to check/clean/replace: Air filter, fuel filter, MAF sensor, PCV valve, thermostat, tire pressure, alignment, run a fuel system cleaner (like Sea Foam) through a tank or two of gas, etc.

QCGoose > QCGoose
03/27/2014 at 19:54

Also, any brakes hanging up while driving? The added drag would certainly hurt fuel mileage considerably.

buford-t-justice > QCGoose
03/28/2014 at 07:29

Thanks for the advice. I attempted to clean the MAF last night those bastards put a security torx on! Evrything other than the PCV/MAF valve is new

buford-t-justice > multiple wheels for each day of the week
03/28/2014 at 07:30

Cheers, thanks for the advice. Bastards at ford decided to put security torx head on.

buford-t-justice > deekster_caddy
03/28/2014 at 07:31

Thanks for the advice. I have been using one station, not my regular one though. Ill have to go back to shell. But so far the plugs seem to have done the trick.

deekster_caddy > QCGoose
03/28/2014 at 07:57

12L/km is about 19 mpg, 9 is in the mid 20s. Backwards - the lower the number the better you are doing.

deekster_caddy > buford-t-justice
03/28/2014 at 07:58

Good luck. It's a very hard thing to track down because there are just so many variables.