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ZUKIWORLD Discussion Forum => Suzuki 4x4 Forum => Topic started by: MEDEL514 on September 14, 2003, 09:50:18 AM

Title: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: MEDEL514 on September 14, 2003, 09:50:18 AM
The rebuilt motor is 1 yr./10k miles old, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and mics parts were replaced as well.  For the last couple months I've been getting less than average gas mileage.  I've been using the same gas from the same station
I recently changed the oil, cleaned teh K&N air filter, and replaced the spark plugs with NGK's becasue the old ones kept getting rather dirty.  
Reading throught the Chiltons, I suspect the next thing to look into would be the MAP sensor.  It takes intake pressure readings and regulates the fuel pressure.  
How can I test to see if the MAP sensor is still working properly?
What else should I look into that would cause bad gas mileage?

Thanks
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: mahimahimo on September 14, 2003, 11:57:03 AM
yea i have the same problem....i just reneclty had plugs,wire, coil, sum wiring, and the ecu replaced and im getten #$|removethispart|@#$ gas milage, its been especually bad wit the muggy weather recently ...any one have any ideas
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: DSHornet on September 14, 2003, 03:28:52 PM
Firstly, check fault codes. Secondly, adjust the valves. Thirdly, consider that the catalytic converter may be plugging up.

My gas mileage went up when I changed the stock coil to a hotter one from Accel. I'm talking about 3 MPG, maybe more.

Don, y'all
.
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: wildgoody on September 14, 2003, 05:19:34 PM
Replace the Oxygen sensor, I replaced mine
a year ago and the new one went bad in about
1 years time, and it was a Bosch!! so check it,
I have a mixture meter, which didn't want to
change it's lean reading so I changed the O2
Sensor and now it works fine.

I doubt the MAP is the problem, but it could be
tested for proper values if you want.

Darrin
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: MEDEL514 on September 16, 2003, 02:54:50 PM
Well, the O2 sensor in my Tracker is about 3 months old.  I was thinking about running a hotter coil, but I don't just want to 'cover up' the problem, I'd like to fix it first.  

What do you mean when you say adjust the valves?  Are you talking about the gap between the rocker arms?  I'd say they should be good, rebuilt about a year ago, and there isn't much ticking noise comming from the valve cover.  

Also, I do not have a CAT in the exhaust system.  Calmini header, 2" piping and muffler running it for about 2.5 years.  I was still getting good milage, if not betterwith this set-up.  it wasn't until recently that the mileage started going downhill.  
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: wildgoody on September 17, 2003, 04:24:32 AM
I hear ya, I thought my O2 should be fine too, but with
some of the junk parts hitting the stores these days
it might not be a bad idea to check it.

Zuke valves seem to tighten as they wear, I dunno
why, I burned a valve cause of this, and the not
much to no ticking is a bad thing, should be some
little sewing machine sounds going on there.

Q:adjust the valves? gap between the rocker arms?

well sort of, more the tip of the adjuster and the valve stem,
the space between the cam lobe and the rocker arm might be
hard to reach. It's not hard to adjust valves, get the right feeler
gauges or a set of em and have a go at it.

I'm thinking about getting a set of "Elephant Feet" for
mine, an old VW part, if it will fit. It is a set of valve
stem adjusters that maintain flat contact with the valve
stem, helping to eliminate the little flat spots that
develop when the stock adjusters wear in one spot.

I need to adjust my valves and I only got 11K miles
since my rebuild.

Have fun,
Darrin

Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: DSHornet on September 17, 2003, 02:08:18 PM
Quote
... I was thinking about running a hotter coil, but I don't just want to 'cover up' the problem, I'd like to fix it first.  

If the stock coil is going bad (and they do), replace it with one that will give more fire than the standard Suzuki coil. Any ignition coil that requires the plugs to be gapped at less than 0.030 inch is NOT a strong coil.

Don, y'all
.
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: MEDEL514 on September 22, 2003, 02:45:39 PM
I went to a few local places and asked if they had any better coils that I could replace my stock one with. Most of them didn't know what would be compatable, so they were trying to get me to buy a OEM coil.  

If I'm gonna spend the money, I'd like to get a better coil that would last longer, and could stand up to the heat of the Arizona summers.

Does anyone know of an online sorce for a good aftermarket coil for my Tracker?  Please chime in with a web address!

Also, what do you suggest for wires?  I have some off the shelf 7.5mm wires, but I don't think they're great quality.....

Thanks!
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: trialspro on September 22, 2003, 03:29:50 PM
i dont know too much about this stuff, but u might want to check the timing with an actual timing light.  i just bought my sidekick and checked and it was 8degrees out, that seemed to help with mileage a bit, and its definetly more responsive when u snap the throttle, but mileage is still nowhere near good (i started a thread a few weeks ago on this problem)
but since u said its a low mileage rebuilt then i doubt that would be the problem

Andrew
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: DSHornet on September 23, 2003, 11:35:07 AM
I bought a cylindrical universal coil made by Accel at a local speed shop.

You will need a new bracket and two crimp terminals, and the ignitor transistor will need to be relocated to the firewall. Be sure to match the primary winding resistance to the resistance if the primary in your stock coil. It will be either 0.7-0.9 ohms or 1.1-1.3 ohms. Pay attention to polarity: Blk/wht is battery (+12V), brn/wht (switched ground) to the ignitor which is controlled by the computer.

Put the yellow Accel sticker on the back bumper to strike fear into the hearts of Corvette drivers stopped behind you (yeah, right).

Don, y'all
.
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: Evolvocane on September 23, 2003, 12:13:59 PM
the valves get adjusted for .006 and .007
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: NY_SIDEKICKER on September 23, 2003, 03:08:32 PM
Quote
I went to a few local places and asked if they had any better coils that I could replace my stock one with. Most of them didn't know what would be compatable, so they were trying to get me to buy a OEM coil.  

If I'm gonna spend the money, I'd like to get a better coil that would last longer, and could stand up to the heat of the Arizona summers.

Does anyone know of an online sorce for a good aftermarket coil for my Tracker?  Please chime in with a web address!

Also, what do you suggest for wires?  I have some off the shelf 7.5mm wires, but I don't think they're great quality.....

Thanks!
TRY  http://www.rocky-road.com/index2.html LOOK IN ENGINE SECTION UNDER MSD IGNITIONS  ;)
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: Z3bra on September 23, 2003, 05:58:00 PM
Or just get an MSD Blaster 2 coil from a local speed shop for 30 bucks and be done with it.  Don't need the whole ignition for that coil to work though it probably won't hurt.  

The main reservation I'd have with ordering an MSD system from Rocky Road other than price is that when I called them to ask about possibly adapting an MSD 6 I already have if I'd need to use the Tach adapter with it they pretty much said they didn't know squat about using an MSD on a kick/tracker.  I don't mind paying extra if they had some specialized knowledge on the subject but when I can order it from Summit Racing pretty cheap and get the same lack of know-how what's the incentive to buy from somewhere like Rocky Road exactly?
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: wildgoody on September 26, 2003, 02:59:23 PM
If the motor don't ping, better grade fuel
does not usually help mileage, some
engines have electronic controles that can
take atvantage of better fuel with timing
and fuel changes, but the Zuke ain't
equiped like that.
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: wildgoody on September 26, 2003, 03:05:19 PM
OK is this some BS thing to see if
somebody will ask if you put on
32" tires or something ??

Just wondering
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: NY_SIDEKICKER on September 28, 2003, 12:48:23 AM
Quote
OK is this some BS thing to see if
somebody will ask if you put on
32" tires or something ??

Just wondering
I WAS GONNA REPLY TO THIS AS HUH :-/??? BUT THEN I FIGURED IT OUT  ::)
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: MEDEL514 on September 28, 2003, 06:21:39 AM
Well I found a MSD Blaster 2 coil last night and bought it for $35.  When I had it in, everything idled fine and sounded pretty much the same.  When I got it on the road, it seemed to have a better throddle response, but nothing to get exited over.  I took it to work today (9 miles each way) and didn't really notice any difference in the gas mileage.  I even filled up with mid-grade last night.  Maybe I should try a run with premium, but then I'd be making up for it by higher gas prices.

Problem still unresolved............
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: MEDEL514 on October 02, 2003, 01:06:55 PM
Nobody has any other ideas?!?!?!?!
Title: Re: Poor Gas Mileage in my 1.6L8v Tracker
Post by: Mikerpm4x4 on October 02, 2003, 02:21:03 PM
Quote
Nobody has any other ideas?!?!?!?!



Buy a new one!  :P

Have you taken it to a reputable shop for diagnosis?

We had a tracker with over 10 codes and poooor gas milage that nobody could figure out that we ended up taking to Suzuki. They had a notice that was only sent to dealers that said to replace a vacum line at the Map sensor because they would get a tiny crack that wouldnt be visible. It fixed it. This has nothing to do with yours because yours is a 8 valve but my point is in a situation like this the dealer might have an answer that most wont find. You can have then diagnos it and go home and fix it yourself if you want,

Mike