Best Fuel Economy

[DTMAce]

No, its not that far off from where I am.

But I do agree that Jon may have a point (which I will find out this year) that if the fuel pressure is too low, it may cause the engine to be starving for gas. That may extend the mileage, but it probably isn't good for the engine in general, not that I think I have had a problem with it.

The 95 with the same engine and transmission is showing less mpg than the Z, but it also seems to have more balls. Now is that because it has a WAI or because it has better fuel pressure. No I have not taken it upon myself to test, I would rather let someone like Jon do it.. lol But his logic seems plausible. I just know that the car has always been that way since I bought it. His theory is based on a pump going bad and weakening over time, not always being weak or lower pressure to begin with, and that's ok.

Guess we will find out.

Other factors to think about too. How accurate is your speed odometer? My Z is approximately 2-3 mph off when traveling at say 60 on the dash. Reality according to a GPS is about 57. So in that example, for every 60 miles my car thinks it drove, I really only drove 57. The black base here is 5 mph off. I have to drive exactly 60 on the gauge to go 55 on it, according to the GPS. So that makes it seem better than it is too. Maybe you should check your speed odometer, see if its off, but it would have to be like 10 or more to really throw it that high.

[mike56]

wellll id on't know about that---but it's been this way since 94 lololol and no damage yet that i know of--tho if true--i would more than be happy to fix whatever ails it lolol ---but we would have to check that pressure first..about 5 miles off on a one hundred mile ride compared to lumina---don't think that would change the outcome much though--maybe a coupla ticks--i have checked it numerous times on 100 mile runs--as that is how i have proven it to skeptics..has never seemedc to lack power as i would expect with low pressure----but i did not swap the rear plugs at the last change and the wires have to be getting long in the tooth.....but---if you want to test it---come go for a ride when the salt clears from this snowstorm...and tell me what would be acceptable knowing the wire and rear plugs as described that would prove my statement--mind you the car is running fine so i don't think it will suffer much---...i haven't done a fuel mileage test in a while --but i would be willing to bet it is close to what i said even now--and after wires and 6 new plugs -i have little doubt..i haven't done the numbers to determine the differance 5 miles would make ---but it would still be darn good numbers.--actually i would enjoy the ride.--just re-read your post dts----the speedo is anywhere from 3-5 mph off---if the flashing sign in construction areas are correct.---but it would take more than that--and even at that--the mileage would be higher than one would ever believe without prove on a car rated for what the 3100 beretta was rated at.--i know and i agree the car can't do it----but ---it does.
tell ya what i am gonna do when i get home----i am going to go to mapquest---check the mileage from wheeling island wva casino in wheeling from smithfield pa.--with a detour to washington pa's meadows casino in washington on the way home
and see how far it should be--i went there the night i first smelt the heater core seepage--and put 5 gallons in on a very close --laying on e --empty tank and had more gas when i got home than when i had put it in.--i didnt do any fill ups that night tho nor do any check.--i will also have the pressure tested when the salt clears--and you can do that as well.Compensating for a slightly off speedo may be beyond my brainpower while sweating the dentist tomorrow tho lolol.

[3X00-Modified]

The art of measuring Fuel MPG can easily be flawed.

I've heard of a few trying to claim 30+ average mpg with a V6 3100 4t60e combo and all I have to say is unless your traveling at a constant 40mph on a completely flat road with no stops I can't see 40+ mpg being obtainable.

[mike56]

tell ya what--i understand completely--but--i do know how to figure miles travelled with gas used--so like i said--it can't do it--i know that--but the offer holds.had the car too long and done too many tests to think any gas fill issues would be making differances--i can either let it be a till pump clicks off--or till it rim filled --makes no differance how it's tested--if i am off--i promise u--it won't be --by much --oh and usually--especially to tn...45-65 would be my range--i seldom do a steady 40 or any other speed.--in other words--i am ---let me ask-you?confident.lmao
let me ask yinz somethin?what can i do to prove it?--i really can't do a trip at the moment -having been living out of hospital's and the expenses related to that---but tell me what it will take that i could do--or come see me/meet me this spring/summer.
the one thing that has never lied on this thing-to my horror on a couple occassions--is the guage---it says e--be looking --AT a gas station.

[DTMAce]

Well, you know I haven't been lying to you Jon. I can get above 30 while in trip mode, have done it two years in a row while knowing you all, been able to do it for years and it isn't while doing 40 either. Hell driving 40 is NOT going to save you fuel, because you are going too slow for overdrive and lockup to work well under real world application. You want to be rolling at least 50-60 with these 3100/4t60e combos to get good results.


As for Mike, we aren't asking you to prove anything. And obviously you have been down this road before, so for now it matters little whether its made up, accurate or inaccurate. So don't be worried about trying to prove anything or convince anyone. Either people here will agree or not, its the nature of the forum.

I for one will take it that it is what you claim for now. Sure it would be nice to see that for myself, but knowing what I have been able to get, I know its not too terribly far fetched a possibility. But yeah its a bit on the hard to believe side. lol

And if it really is true and does that well, heck yeah I would have held onto it too.

[mike56]

lolol someone has to live reasonably close --but thanks--and--sometime on my trips to coshocton ohio--if u can meet me--you will be welcome.--yeah i know how boards are-and like i say-- i dont blame anyone--hell i look at myself and don't believe it.lmaololololol

[DTMAce]

Hell Mike, why don't you click on the Fuelly links I have in my signature below, start an account and start tracking your fuel usage. That could tell us a lot, as well as yourself.

Be sure to set it up with odometer tracking. All you have to do, is fill it the same way every time and write down the mileage on the receipt when you fill up. Or you can use the fuelly mobile site with your phone and enter the info at the time of fill up. But you have to use full tank to full tank fill ups. Partial tanks will throw your numbers off.

It will take at least 3 fill ups before an average starts to form though.

[mike56]

i will do that-----may have to learn how to use the phone thing--maybe a station attendant where i usually go won't look at me sideways when i ask her to take a pick of odometer and sign the reciept with mileage written on it. lolol---if you don't see me using that site feature in a week or so--well when the weather clears---remind me---my memory sux---and this car don't do snow roads

[3X00-Modified]

So your getting over 650 miles per tank?

A 40mpg average is much easier to obtain on the top 100miles of a fill up if your driving it extremely easy. Thats why I say fuel mileage is very easy to tweak...

For instance my wife was getting 31mpg average on the top half of the tank on my Legacy because she was in a very slow hilly area and coasting a lot... once on the highway it started to drop down to 28mpg on the trip home. I typically average about 24-22 on a regular basis going to work and back with the car. SO if i had filled up after 100 miles on that tank I probably would have been able to say OH I get 33mpg on my turbo'd Legacy... But if I were to use the whole tank with more variations in driving style and road conditions that average would have dropped.

[wi_corsica]

As i just typed after i was logged in and apparenly i got booted: I had a 93 that said on a trip to work it was 30.3 miles and on a 92 it said it was 29.6. So the odometers can be off! Which will throw the mpg around somewhat. Also I notice that the 91+ clusters are always off in the speedometer. You can see a bigger gap between 45 and 50 and above that the needles are about 1 to 2 mph off of what they are below that.

I have a lot more to add about fuel mileage but i'll wait until another time..lol