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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: mntracker on November 05, 2006, 07:39:14 PM

Title: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: mntracker on November 05, 2006, 07:39:14 PM
My Tracker is a 92 convertible, the fuel mileage seems to be slipping a little, any ideas? Air filter, fuel filter, PCV Valve? It runs great other than the mileage issue
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: 4njeep on November 05, 2006, 10:06:23 PM
i find that mine gets worse gas mileage when it gets colder out, some of the reason i believe are that it takes longer to warm up, so using more gas, and also using the heater,and defroster more, so there is more load on the alternator, therefor putting more load on the motor.

just some thoughts i had.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: reb on November 06, 2006, 06:53:32 PM
It is getting to that time when the fuel formulations are changed for winter, at least in some parts of the country.  I have found the winter formula to drop my mileage as much as 10%.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: flea on November 07, 2006, 08:54:48 AM
gas thieves.....
 ;D
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: Amilla on November 07, 2006, 10:04:57 AM
the november issue of O.R.A. has a pretty good article on getting your truck ready for winter. they say that your only supposed to warm your car up for 2 min, just to get the oil a little bit more liquid, then you are just supposed to drive it easy for a could of min then your good.
its said to be a waste of gas to just let it sit ther and idle for long periods of time.
If you havent see the mag, of if you dont get it. its a free mag that you just have to go to there site and get. its a pretty good mag.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: reb on November 07, 2006, 10:22:26 AM
gas thieves.....
 ;D

Several years ago some coworkers told of a joke they pulled on the owner of a new VW.  The guy was constantly bragging on his gas mileage, so on their daily noon walk they added a quart or so of gas to his tank.  This went on for a couple of weeks and the stories of great gas mileage grew.  Then they started taking a quart or so out every day.  I don't know if he ever figured it out.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: Jookycola on November 07, 2006, 06:44:33 PM
the november issue of O.R.A. has a pretty good article on getting your truck ready for winter. they say that your only supposed to warm your car up for 2 min, just to get the oil a little bit more liquid, then you are just supposed to drive it easy for a could of min then your good.
its said to be a waste of gas to just let it sit ther and idle for long periods of time.
If you havent see the mag, of if you dont get it. its a free mag that you just have to go to there site and get. its a pretty good mag.

Good article.  But the Suzuki and Geo owners manual both suggest that you should never rev higher that 3000rpm and or go over 50mph till the tempature needle actually rises into a warmer level.  usually the first 4 or 5 minutes of driving.  Not just winter all the time.  I've done this with every suzuki i've owned and it never fails me.  you should always let them warm up.

as for bad mileage....on a full tank on flat land at constaint highway speeds the 2-door only get's like 280 miles per tank.  just for contrast...the Chevy Cavalier (pretty common car) gets 501 miles per tank. 
The Zuks just have a very small tank and god awful aerodynamics.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: Amilla on November 07, 2006, 06:59:27 PM
and a small tank size, my 4 banger S-10 has a 20 gal and gets 450 to a tank. more if its all freeway driving, it will almost go 500 on soild freeway driving!! its amazing.
but  the S10 must go.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: mntracker on November 08, 2006, 05:57:39 PM
The gas thieves theory reminds me of my favorite epsiode of My Name Is Earl. Earl and his brother kept swiping gas from a guy in their trailer park at night. Thing is, guy was suicidal and kept trying to kill himself by hanging a hose in his window of his car. But, since his gas was disappearing everynight, he kept running out of gas but couldn't figure out why.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: mntracker on February 16, 2007, 12:33:53 PM
Well,  posted this question late last year, and finally got sick of getting gas all the time. I installed new plugs. I have had my Tracker now over 2 and a half years and had yet to change them. 3 of the 4 came out easy, one needed a breaker bar and a socket instead of the plug socket. 2 of the first 3 were gapped at about .045 and the 3rd was gapped at about .050, as most of you probably know the Trackers gaps supposed to be .032. These 3 plugs were Autolite brand. Now, onto the 4th one. My dad came over and I shined the light on the plug and noticed the ceramic was broken off on one side, but no ceramic was at the bottom, so I told him that it looked like someone had changed plugs before I bought it, broke that one, then gave up. Of course, he said I probably broke it. Well, after getting the breaker bar on it, and finally working it out, I pointed out to him it was a Bosch brand and that I was probably right. That puppy was gapped to .065, twice the recommended gap. The bottom 1/4 threads were completely stripped. The new plug went in nice and easy, and after starting it up, no miss to the engine. Hopefully this fixes my MPG problem.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: Rhinoman on February 16, 2007, 01:16:26 PM
Well,  posted this question late last year, and finally got sick of getting gas all the time. I installed new plugs. I have had my Tracker now over 2 and a half years and had yet to change them. 3 of the 4 came out easy, one needed a breaker bar and a socket instead of the plug socket. 2 of the first 3 were gapped at about .045 and the 3rd was gapped at about .050, as most of you probably know the Trackers gaps supposed to be .032. These 3 plugs were Autolite brand. Now, onto the 4th one. My dad came over and I shined the light on the plug and noticed the ceramic was broken off on one side, but no ceramic was at the bottom, so I told him that it looked like someone had changed plugs before I bought it, broke that one, then gave up. Of course, he said I probably broke it. Well, after getting the breaker bar on it, and finally working it out, I pointed out to him it was a Bosch brand and that I was probably right. That puppy was gapped to .065, twice the recommended gap. The bottom 1/4 threads were completely stripped. The new plug went in nice and easy, and after starting it up, no miss to the engine. Hopefully this fixes my MPG problem.

I'd be surprised if it didn't make some difference.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: Carnage on February 16, 2007, 01:42:01 PM
Well, posted this question late last year, and finally got sick of getting gas all the time. I installed new plugs. I have had my Tracker now over 2 and a half years and had yet to change them. 3 of the 4 came out easy, one needed a breaker bar and a socket instead of the plug socket. 2 of the first 3 were gapped at about .045 and the 3rd was gapped at about .050, as most of you probably know the Trackers gaps supposed to be .032. These 3 plugs were Autolite brand. Now, onto the 4th one. My dad came over and I shined the light on the plug and noticed the ceramic was broken off on one side, but no ceramic was at the bottom, so I told him that it looked like someone had changed plugs before I bought it, broke that one, then gave up. Of course, he said I probably broke it. Well, after getting the breaker bar on it, and finally working it out, I pointed out to him it was a Bosch brand and that I was probably right. That puppy was gapped to .065, twice the recommended gap. The bottom 1/4 threads were completely stripped. The new plug went in nice and easy, and after starting it up, no miss to the engine. Hopefully this fixes my MPG problem.

pls keep us updated
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: mntracker on February 16, 2007, 02:53:23 PM
Here are a couple pics of the really bad plug:
(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/zamboni007/icefishII032.jpg)
(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/zamboni007/icefishII033.jpg)
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: PHX96TRACK on February 16, 2007, 09:25:15 PM
When mileage goes bad, always do the full tune up before trying anything else. Oil, plugs, air filter, PCV, check dist- and wires, etc..
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: spazzz on February 18, 2007, 03:30:46 AM
Here are a couple pics of the really bad plug:
([url]http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/zamboni007/icefishII032.jpg[/url])
([url]http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/zamboni007/icefishII033.jpg[/url])



Funny thing is that the plug actually looks like a clean burn.. no foulling..
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: mntracker on February 19, 2007, 04:08:21 PM
Filled up today- 21.56 MPG!! I can live with that compared to the 12-14 I was getting.
Title: Re: Poor Fuel Mileage
Post by: takai on February 19, 2007, 04:41:13 PM
Filled up today- 21.56 MPG!! I can live with that compared to the 12-14 I was getting.

Now that sounds more like it.