2001 Explorer 4.0 SOHC. Have been using M1 5-30 T&SUV for 3 years. MPG went from 19 to under 17. Vehicle driven basically the same. This is my 3rd tank with M1 0-30 'advanced fuel econ' in the crankcase and all three I am under 17 MPG. The temperature has dropped a bit since I switched though. I check MPG every fill up. Only use Chevron gas. The only difference is outside temperature, but in the past it didn't affect MPG like now. Tire pressure is good. Sort of a head scratcher. The lowest MPG until now in 3 years was 17.5 and that was a lot of city driving in snow and a lot of idling. Anyone else experience this w/ M1 AFE?
2 + MPG drop after switch to M1 0-30
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Winter gas, perhaps??
Originally Posted By: Ramblin Fever
Winter gas, perhaps??
Yeah, coincidental higher ethanol content?
Winter gas, perhaps??
Yeah, coincidental higher ethanol content?
I saw exactly the opposite when I used the M1 0w-30 in the Escort GT, hmm.
I have used all sorts of oils and really have never notices a noticeable MPG difference in like viscositiy oils syn or dino .The difference woild be tenths of a MPG if any.
Thats a 10% difference. more data needed. Change gas stations for a couple of fill ups? Go back to 5W30 next change.
It probably has to do with the gas and ambient temps, it does have a pretty profound effect on gas mileage. I know in winter time I tend to get about 4mpg less than I usually get, because of my shorter trip driving, it's in the warm-up loop for most if not all of the trip.
Mileage in all of our cars has taken a 2mpg hit in the last two weeks or so, I am blaming it on winter gas.
Originally Posted By: Rob_Roy
Mileage in all of our cars has taken a 2mpg hit in the last two weeks or so, I am blaming it on winter gas.
I have been seeing a about 1.5-2mpg hit lately in my Saturn.
Mileage in all of our cars has taken a 2mpg hit in the last two weeks or so, I am blaming it on winter gas.
I have been seeing a about 1.5-2mpg hit lately in my Saturn.
Originally Posted By: rg200amp
0w30 would gain MPG on 5w30. Either way a 2mpg loss is not the result of the oil change.
I'd bet that you won't see ANY difference in MPG if you put 0w30, 5w30, or 10w30 in that thing.
I was running 10w30 mobil5000 in my saturn for about 5500 miles this past spring/summer because I bought the wrong weight by accident.
It produced some of the best mileage I have seen in this car to date.
Now I'm back to 5w30 pennzoil and its doing a little worse on fuel economy.
Its all how you drive the car, unless you take the exact same route, with the same conditions, you aren't going to get the same gas mileage.
Throw winter gas into the mix, and you will really confuse yourself even more.
My saturn dropped about 3mpg going from 10w30 this summer to 5w30 and crummy winter gas..
0w30 would gain MPG on 5w30. Either way a 2mpg loss is not the result of the oil change.
I'd bet that you won't see ANY difference in MPG if you put 0w30, 5w30, or 10w30 in that thing.
I was running 10w30 mobil5000 in my saturn for about 5500 miles this past spring/summer because I bought the wrong weight by accident.
It produced some of the best mileage I have seen in this car to date.
Now I'm back to 5w30 pennzoil and its doing a little worse on fuel economy.
Its all how you drive the car, unless you take the exact same route, with the same conditions, you aren't going to get the same gas mileage.
Throw winter gas into the mix, and you will really confuse yourself even more.
My saturn dropped about 3mpg going from 10w30 this summer to 5w30 and crummy winter gas..
Winter gas. NO doubt about it. OK maybe a little doubt, such as something else changed.
What is it about winter gas that causes MPG drops?
One thing is the 'Reid Vapor Pressure'. They seasonally adjust gasoline so that it will evaporate differently. Gas will turn to vapor with less pressure in winter fuels, and needs higher pressure to evaporate with summer gas. This was a great help with carburetors [ vapor lock, cold starts, carb boil over when sitting], and still useful for cold starts with fuel injection engines.
Alcohol content is tough to determine. 'Up to 10%' is what's marked on the pump. I think winter gets more alcohol - up to the max, or even more!
Alcohol content is tough to determine. 'Up to 10%' is what's marked on the pump. I think winter gets more alcohol - up to the max, or even more!
Yea i used it in my Tacoma once during the summer. No increase or decrease.
I usually go from 30.5 in Summer to 26.5 in Winter -year after year 05 Accord 4cyl
Going back thru my records, I see that my MPG was around 18 last winter, give or take. I am chalking it up to winter gas. Maybe a PCV valve is going bad as well. I'm going to replace it just for fun. I'm not up for emissions test until January, but maybe something will show up on the test then that would explain things. Maybe a bad gas pump too. Lots of explanations now that I think about it. The type of M1 oil couldn't have much to do with MPG. Thanks for the input.
could it be something such as a coolant temp sensor or a thermostat that is getting weak and slower to open?
keeping the computer in a open loop longer?
just guesses on my part
keeping the computer in a open loop longer?
just guesses on my part
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