Vastly improved MPG on Acura??

[BAJA_05]

When I bought my Acura TL in February this year -- my first tank full with premium octane was 21 mpg overall. Immediately I did 2 back to back Chevron Techron Concentrate Fuel System Cleaner to fuel system. After that I changed the oil and went with Pennzoil Ultra 5-20 with a Fram Ultra and changed the air filter. Thats the only thing I have done differently and my mpg now every tankfull since is 26-27 consistently. How can just those couple maintenance items improve my gas mileage so positively? Not that im complaining -- but if I would not see it with my own eyes -- I would have a real hard time believing it?? P.S. I have been using the same Sunoco 91 grade fuel the whole time from the same gas station.

 

[horse123]

Called breaking in. Happens on most cars. Oil change might have given you at most 1 m pg, air filter would have done nothing but decrease MPG if anything, because of increased air flow.

Also, it's temperature difference. I wouldn't believe it if my imp got above 22 on a tank in the winter, and in the summer I would have to drive like I'm insane to get below 32.

 

[Vikas]

winter to summer causes the most percentage change in the gas mileage. I have four cars doing various kind of drivings and without fail, I notice up to 25% difference between the seasons.

 

[dernp]

Summer gas might have something to do with better mpg.

 

[fdcg27]

See how things look a year from now.
This does seem like a large improvement.
Are you calculating this mileage from a series of careful fills, or are you relying on the car's computer, which are generically known as lie-o-meters?
The air filter wouldn't have mattered, nor would the oil, unless it had 20W-50 in it when you bought it, while the injector cleaner might have helped.

 

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: dernp
Summer gas might have something to do with better mpg.


Summer weather too. 10F startups is in rich mode a lot longer.

 

[hattaresguy]

Summer happened, that's why.

 

[philipp10]

Summer gas. I was getting great mpg last summer with my 4 cyl Accord then in winter it went down about 15%. All I could figure was the winter gas.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: horse123
Called breaking in. Happens on most cars.


Since his Acura in his signature is a 2008, and since he said he bought it in February of this year, we can probably safely assume it was fully broken in when he purchased it.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: dernp
Summer gas might have something to do with better mpg.
Yes !!!

 

[stockrex]

air in tires heated up and you have more psi,
1 psi per 7F in temp.

 

[sicko]

It's not uncommon for a new car to have their MPG go up over the first few hundred (or few thousand) miles.

Plus the switch to summer gas and warmer starting weather probably helped some too.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: horse123
Called breaking in. Happens on most cars. Oil change might have given you at most 1 m pg, air filter would have done nothing but decrease MPG if anything, because of increased air flow.

Also, it's temperature difference. I wouldn't believe it if my imp got above 22 on a tank in the winter, and in the summer I would have to drive like I'm insane to get below 32.
The TL is, according to the signature,is an 08. I reckon it's broken in by now.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: sicko
It's not uncommon for a new car to have their MPG go up over the first few hundred (or few thousand) miles.

Plus the switch to summer gas and warmer starting weather probably helped some too.
It's an 08. This is 2015.

 

[HerrStig]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: horse123
Called breaking in. Happens on most cars.


Since his Acura in his signature is a 2008, and since he said he bought it in February of this year, we can probably safely assume it was fully broken in when he purchased it.
+1. Attention to detail not a strong suit.

 

[suspiciousmind]

I track the mpg in my miata closely. The hotter the outside temp, the better the mpg. At least up to 105°F.

Over ten mpg difference between January and July.

 

[ThirdeYe]

It's probably the summer fuel. I bought my Scion in January and I was getting around 22-24mpg. Now I'm getting 25-30mpg depending on how much highway I drive and how much I put my foot into it. Same oil, same gas stations.

 

[HTSS_TR]

You guys get better gas mileage with summer gas(and with warmer weather) but we get nothing here in So Cal, actually we get lower mileage in summer because we need to use A/C. Our gas is so lousy all year, summer and winter, there is nothing to gain from winter to summer formula.

 

[Vikas]

You guys have no winter! And please, don't rub it in!!

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: dernp
Summer gas might have something to do with better mpg.
Yes !!!


I would say no, at least from my experience.

I track every single gas tank for mileage and during winter months I can see quite big jumps in gas mileage depending on the outside temperature.