Do I have a problem?
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,021
Likes: 4
From: Almost Heaven
Do I have a problem?
Hi again guys.
I'm not sure what's going on here. My truck is running fine; save two things.
A sudden drop in gas mileage. I just changed my fuel filter, air filter, keeping up with my oil and I'm using good gasoline. I was getting about 16MPG in town. Now I'm getting about 8.5. What in the world? I've noticed my truck is idling about 200 rpm higher than normal. I'm thinking this is linked?
I have NO idea what could be wrong. I need some help here.
Also note worthy; my driving habbits have not changed. My commute to work is not nearly as long as it used to be. It's about 3/4 of a mile from my house. Does this have something to do with it? Does engine temp affect gasoline usage??????
Could the flowmaster I just installed do this????????
Where should I look??
I'm not sure what's going on here. My truck is running fine; save two things.
A sudden drop in gas mileage. I just changed my fuel filter, air filter, keeping up with my oil and I'm using good gasoline. I was getting about 16MPG in town. Now I'm getting about 8.5. What in the world? I've noticed my truck is idling about 200 rpm higher than normal. I'm thinking this is linked?
I have NO idea what could be wrong. I need some help here.
Also note worthy; my driving habbits have not changed. My commute to work is not nearly as long as it used to be. It's about 3/4 of a mile from my house. Does this have something to do with it? Does engine temp affect gasoline usage??????
Could the flowmaster I just installed do this????????
Where should I look??
Elder User
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 552
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IIRC, you have an efi truck. id run over to a chain parts store and ahve them scan your ecu. its free. see what codes its pullin.
and yes, when the engine is cold, it will run rich to warm up faster so that the chilly passengers can turn on the heat sooner. 3/4 of a mile is not enough time for the engine to reach operating temp, espcially if its still cold out for ya.
ride a bike?
and yes, when the engine is cold, it will run rich to warm up faster so that the chilly passengers can turn on the heat sooner. 3/4 of a mile is not enough time for the engine to reach operating temp, espcially if its still cold out for ya.
ride a bike?
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,021
Likes: 4
From: Almost Heaven
IIRC, you have an efi truck. id run over to a chain parts store and ahve them scan your ecu. its free. see what codes its pullin.
and yes, when the engine is cold, it will run rich to warm up faster so that the chilly passengers can turn on the heat sooner. 3/4 of a mile is not enough time for the engine to reach operating temp, espcially if its still cold out for ya.
ride a bike?
and yes, when the engine is cold, it will run rich to warm up faster so that the chilly passengers can turn on the heat sooner. 3/4 of a mile is not enough time for the engine to reach operating temp, espcially if its still cold out for ya.
ride a bike?
IIRC? What is this?
I'll look into getting a scan. I just don't like the threat of these guys making up problems. So could part of the problem be my very short commute to work?
Thank you
Moderator
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 7,987
Likes: 104
From: Boise, Idaho
IIRC (If I Recall Correctly)
Most guys at autoparts stores don't get paid commission (just by the hour), so they really could care less about making up stuff to sell more products.
As for a short commute, an engine normally gets about half of its gas mileage until it warms up, so if you don't go very far, 8.5 sounds about right. If you want to be sure, go on some longer trips and check your mileage to really tell if you have a problem.
Most guys at autoparts stores don't get paid commission (just by the hour), so they really could care less about making up stuff to sell more products.
As for a short commute, an engine normally gets about half of its gas mileage until it warms up, so if you don't go very far, 8.5 sounds about right. If you want to be sure, go on some longer trips and check your mileage to really tell if you have a problem.
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,021
Likes: 4
From: Almost Heaven
IIRC (If I Recall Correctly)
Most guys at autoparts stores don't get paid commission (just by the hour), so they really could care less about making up stuff to sell more products.
As for a short commute, an engine normally gets about half of its gas mileage until it warms up, so if you don't go very far, 8.5 sounds about right. If you want to be sure, go on some longer trips and check your mileage to really tell if you have a problem.
Most guys at autoparts stores don't get paid commission (just by the hour), so they really could care less about making up stuff to sell more products.
As for a short commute, an engine normally gets about half of its gas mileage until it warms up, so if you don't go very far, 8.5 sounds about right. If you want to be sure, go on some longer trips and check your mileage to really tell if you have a problem.
Thank you, that is most likely it then. I was hoping maybe that was all. Because other than work, I really don't drive anywhere else much. My longest trip is going to church, which is about 10 miles at around 55 MPH.
Thanks AB and 5.0. I'm out of here for a while!
Postmaster
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3,241
Likes: 3
From: Broken Arrow, OK
For about 2 years I lived less than a mile from work and I never got mileage that bad. Yes, it will run rich at start up, but not rich enough to cause single digit mileage. I think it's fairly unlikely that your short drive is solely responsible for your mileage.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Almost Heaven
Yeah. After thinking about it I kind of agree. Before I had this job I had another that was close - not as close, but still close. I got 15 - 16 mpg then. I'll look into the codes thing. Kind of scared of what I might find. No idea what else could be causging 8.5 mpg?
I hope you're right
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From: The Vieux Ford, Kansas
I have a commute of .8 mi each way and after about 8 months of it I had sucessfully plugged up the cat. this resulted in an idle about 400rpms higher than normal a drop in mileage from 19-20 to about 9. I got rid of the cats and we are back at a solid 18mpg, no codes but it also had some off idle hesitation problems.
-Johnboy
-Johnboy
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Almost Heaven
I have a commute of .8 mi each way and after about 8 months of it I had sucessfully plugged up the cat. this resulted in an idle about 400rpms higher than normal a drop in mileage from 19-20 to about 9. I got rid of the cats and we are back at a solid 18mpg, no codes but it also had some off idle hesitation problems.
-Johnboy
-Johnboy
Sounds like it.
So if I pull codes, will they tell me exactly what the problem is? For example, if it's a plugged cat, will I know? I thought I would lose power with a plugged cat, though. My truck seems to be driving the same.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,021
Likes: 4
From: Almost Heaven
That's the thing, SS. It's running fine just like normal. Starts good, accelerates good, idles good. The only things I've noticed is the obvious loss of mileage and a 200 rpm higher than normal idle - and the higher idle doesn't happen all the time.
I guess I'll just have to bring my truck into a shop to pull some codes. 8.5 mpg just isn't going to cut it.
I guess I'll just have to bring my truck into a shop to pull some codes. 8.5 mpg just isn't going to cut it.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 7,021
Likes: 4
From: Almost Heaven
How would they do that? Computer, obviously??
