I want better mileage!!

[ck8788]

Got some tips on how to improve the mileage on my car?

what i have:
88 honda civic lx
automatic :*(
118k miles
10.x gallon tank
My dad has been using Penzoil on it for about 10 years or more. Oil is changed every 3000-4000 miles
gets 270+ miles on a full tank. Actually theres like 1 gallon left before i get gas. so 270+ miles(all city miles, rarely drive on freeways) and 1 gallon left.
What can i do to get more miles? Gas is expensive 2.99 for unleaded

 

[Mr Nice]

Hello CK,

It wouldn't hurt to install new NGK spark plugs, cap & rotor, air filter, fuel filter and PCV valve. Make sure your tires are properly inflated.

My wife has a 98 Civic EX (11.9 gallon gas tank) and gets about 320 city driving and over 390 highway....not bad for a Civic with 130K miles. Keep using Pennzoil, it is a very good oil.

 

[oilyriser]

When not in a hurry, drive slow. The car was rated at 28/33 mpg, which is what you're getting.
Using 5w30 will help with short trip mileage a tiny bit, if you're using 10w30 now.

 

[dave1251]

Also buy some chevron techron fuel system cleaner and put it in there. I do this 2-3 times a year it will help clean the deposits on your intake valves and clean your injectors.

 

[TheTanSedan]

In any car:

Combine all trips so that average mph is high and total miles per engine start is high. Make a big loop, hit the freeway or other road where non-stop 45-55 mph is easy. Start at point farthest from house and work back.

EPA calculates 24 mph, I average 22-23 mph per tank on elapsed timer.

On city roads time driving so that one is not ever forced to stop at traffic lights; try to time the flow. Around here that tends to be 2-4 mph slower than posted speeds, not the speed of traffic flow.

Highways tend to average 45-50 mph in metro areas.

High average mph per tank, and all stop and go driving after warmup. Not ever high speeds as the acceleration deficit takes forever to work off. Nothing in a metro area is long enough to justify high speeds (relative to posted limit; generally, 5 mph under works best on highways).

Has worked well for me for over thirty years
as it requires practice and occasional re-adjustment to keep the rhythm -- reducing stress on driver & vehicle is the benchmark -- it also makes for light & pleasent problem-solving to take away the cares of the day.

One's ability improves and the impression of being slower is revealed to be false overall. I can often overtake and pass cars at lights because I can make the better choices as to lanes and vehicle type from afar.

 

[H2GURU]

ck,
Try not to take fuel level down so low as you increase sediment into fuel lines and starve fuel pump on turns. With the Honda you are way ahead of most, just use proper weight oil-easy on gas pedal-plan your stops-combine your trips is about all you can do.

 

[Pablo]

Rock hard tires and dead straight proper alignment are HUGE -
IF -
your engine is in tune, you are using 100% synthetics, wheel bearings are perfect and you've got no bad calipers.

 

[Tosh]

If this car is carbureted (?), there is some potential improvement from a carb rebuild at this age. But it sounds like it's getting the expected mileage, so unless it's showing signs of fuel problems, I wouldn't mess with the carburetor. Could be a good opportunity for an exercise on a lost technology...

 

[brianl703]

Oxygen sensors for that car are pretty cheap, about $20, has it ever been replaced?

 

[eljefino]

City driving is all about weight. Those civics are already pretty light but try losing some insulation, the spare tire, keep the windshield squirter bottle near empty. You're already doing the right thing mileage-wise by running each tank near empty. You'd get better mileage if you just bought $10 worth at a time but by not filling it you wouldn't know if that plan was working.

Accellerate gingerly until the trans shifts into its highest gear, even if you have to speed a little (32 in a 25 zone). Know your highly patrolled areas, obviously.

Find out if you're in an area with "boutique" gas; the next town/county over might have better fuel and if you have regular business over there buy your fuel there.

 

[JHZR2]

A light, steady touch to the accelerator and use of cruise control are the main ways that you can improve MPG. State of tune is major, but its safe to assume that likely the car is relatively well tuned-up.

Tire inflation, windows open and closed, AC on and off, etc are all secondary. Ac on takes what? 3 hp to run... acceleration from an unsteady foot, causing your speed to be rising then falling constantly wastes a lot of gas...

I would venture to say that jackrabbit starts take more gas also, as a higher rate of acceleration would need more power, and potentially put your engine in a less economical operating range.

Even if it doesnt improve mileage, it wouldnt hurt to do an AT service and even a coolant and thermostat serivce if it hasnt been done in a while.

JMH

 

[kloppilt]

Don't remove the spare tire from the car. But cleaning all the crap that's not supposed to be in the car will help.

 

[Bamaro]

quote:

---

Originally posted by eljefino:
City driving is all about weight. Those civics are already pretty light but try losing some insulation, the spare tire, keep the windshield squirter bottle near empty. You're already doing the right thing mileage-wise by running each tank near empty. You'd get better mileage if you just bought $10 worth at a time but by not filling it you wouldn't know if that plan was working.

Accellerate gingerly until the trans shifts into its highest gear, even if you have to speed a little (32 in a 25 zone). Know your highly patrolled areas, obviously.

Find out if you're in an area with "boutique" gas; the next town/county over might have better fuel and if you have regular business over there buy your fuel there.

---

Yup, and dont forget about yourself. If you can stand to lose some weight, do it. Thats less dead weight for your car to drag around

 

[Steelhead]

27 mpg plus, that's good for an old civic cat with auto tranny in town driving.
the secret to top max. gas mileage is slow even acceleration and let the automatic shift up as soon as possible into the next higher gear.
anticipate stop signs and traffic lights as far ahead as possible, time lights for less stop and go, let off the gas way before the light/sign and coast up.
using the brakes is like drilling a hole in your gas tank, can never recover that fuel.
it can even be fun driving this technique after a while, form of competion, how far can i stretch that tank of gas.

Not like the old days of $0.19 gal. gas, small block built Chevy V8's that would turn 8 grand and sounded so nice out the back when the pipes racked off thru the glass packs. racing light to light, right foot on the gas and the brake, 3000 rpm, dump the clutch and gas pedal thru the floor boards. rear end goes sideways.
gas mileage? what was that?

 

[stogiedude]

If you're going to keep the car, do what has been suggested above. New platinum plugs, new wires, O2 sensor(s), new air filter and run a tank of gas with a can or two of Seafoam. If you do all of those things you will see a dramatic difference in performance and some improvement in MPG. Also, switch to a 10w-30 synthetic oil and a Purolator Pure One filter to complete the job. Then use Fuel Power regularly in your gas and some Lube Control every 1000 miles in the crankcase. Your car will last a long time, performance will be great, mileage will stay good and you'll have fewer problems overall. Try it, you'll like it.