YES I read the sticky. Still have a few questions though.
I have a 1997 Cavalier, with the 2.2L and 3sp auto. 132,500 miles. With about 80% highway driving, and a pretty light foot around town, I average about 25, 26mpg. On the highway I set the cruise between 70 and 75, no A/C, windows up. This seems pretty low to me. I've run 2 tankfulls with Chevron Techron in the tank to help clean it up. Running PP 5W-30 (thin for a 30w) and a MANN 1006 paper air filter. Since gas up here in upstate new York is currently 2.92 a gallon, I would like to get a little better fuel economy. I can set the cruise at 70, no problem. I heard that removing the bong (?) on the air intake helps with fuel economy. Any truth to this? Where would I sawzall it? Spark plugs are pretty new (6,000 miles on NGK V-Power coppers), air filter is new (2,000 miles). It is being filled up with 87 octane gas. I've heard people getting 30+ MPG with this engine and tranny, so something is up. Also, when do they start using Summer gas in the pumps?
How about you try cruising at a slower speed? My Z24 with the 5 speed Isuzu sees a 10 MPG difference when I go from 60mph to 75 mph. All Highway at 60 mph I can pull off 38.5 MPG. If I cruise at 75 it drops to 28.5 MPG.
60MPH here on the northway would be near suicide, where noone drives slower than 70, and most drive 75, 80. Not to mention 60mph is already excruciatingly slow.
My point is, I've seen plenty of examples of people with this engine and transmission, getting significantly better fuel economy. Also, does the engine computer on the 2.2L shut off the injectors when decelerating?
You have a 3 speed auto. Your options are drive slower, swap in a 4 speed, or swap to a 5 speed manual. Of those options driving slower is the least expensive. On long ass drives I go 60-65. If I am going over the minimum limit and staying in the right lane I am well within the legal limits of the traffic laws. If you are unwilling to drive slower or swap to a different trans (may or may not be an easy job) then dont bitch about fuel economy.
Driving 60 mph added about 2 hours to my drive to DTPs, but saved me 7.1 gallons of fuel. May not seem like a lot of fuel savings but when you have a limited budget for the trip every little bit helps. There and back saved me about a full tank of fuel (15.3 gallon tank). With todays prices in my area that saved me about $41.
I hear that tranny is a dog, might not be much more you can do.
Tried changing the fuel filter?
Not familiar with that brand of air filter in Canada, but you cant go wrong with a high-flow K&N air filter
Removing the bong? It would certainly reduce constriction.
Would it make a noticeable increase in MPG? Im not sure, but I doubt by much...
Im not sure where you were planning to sawzall, but dont...it can be removed without any cutting
MANN is a very high quality filter maker, they are OEM on many, many german and other european brands. I'll probably remove the bong then, maybe it will make a performance difference too. Fuel filter should be fairly new. And the transmission is quite a dog. But worse, it is a dog AND it keeps the engine at 3000-3400RPM at highway speed.
Nick wrote:MANN is a very high quality filter maker, they are OEM on many, many german and other european brands.
I don't doubt they are good filters, they have a very nice site.
Unfortunately, a paper-media disposable filter has nothing on an oiled K&N, flow rates and filtration are proven.
Audi's actually come factory with a K&N... not that the euro's know the best way to do things, they screw up too.
Nick wrote:I'll probably remove the bong then, maybe it will make a performance difference too.
... no one said it was a good idea, but hey go for it if you want, I would just put a new intake on, but that's me.
Nick wrote:Fuel filter should be fairly new.
The fuel filter is a very important part of the fuel system, if its clogged all the wuss driving in the world wont help you.
Nick wrote:And the transmission is quite a dog. But worse, it is a dog AND it keeps the engine at 3000-3400RPM at highway speed.
That is gas guzzingly high, only so much you can do with 3 speeds I guess, at least they are fairly reliable...
Ew. 3 Spd.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Nick wrote:YES I read the sticky. Still have a few questions though.
I have a 1997 Cavalier, with the 2.2L and 3sp auto. 132,500 miles. With about 80% highway driving, and a pretty light foot around town, I average about 25, 26mpg. On the highway I set the cruise between 70 and 75, no A/C, windows up. This seems pretty low to me. I've run 2 tankfulls with Chevron Techron in the tank to help clean it up. Running PP 5W-30 (thin for a 30w) and a MANN 1006 paper air filter. Since gas up here in upstate new York is currently 2.92 a gallon, I would like to get a little better fuel economy. I can set the cruise at 70, no problem. I heard that removing the bong (?) on the air intake helps with fuel economy. Any truth to this? Where would I sawzall it? Spark plugs are pretty new (6,000 miles on NGK V-Power coppers), air filter is new (2,000 miles). It is being filled up with 87 octane gas. I've heard people getting 30+ MPG with this engine and tranny, so something is up. Also, when do they start using Summer gas in the pumps?
For starters, the EPA rates your car 21city 29hwy. So if you are doing an average about 25, 26mpg with 80% HWY going 75 mph. Your car is not doing bad at all. Yes, you're 3 speed is killing you as you really don't have a overdive to relax the engine and run at a lower RPM. If you want to raise a small percentage here and there. Try these:
-Use a fuel injector cleaner every 1000 miles, Use a fuel system cleaner every 3K miles. STP makes some good products, and I use regularly.
-Have you looked into a new primary oxygen sensor (on exhaust manifold)? If it was never changed, go with a new ACDelco or NGK one.
-Tires, inflated them to 34(F)-33(R)psi if you are doing 80% HWY, 32psi all around if you are doing city. Check once a month if you tire has no issues.
-Need new tires? Try Michelin Green X that has low rolling resistant rubber, on the hwy, you'll see the most out of these on the hwy.
-Use a high mileage synthetic oil (5w30) every 3K if mostly city, 5K if mostly hwy.
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Thanks Mr. Goodwrench. I've run 2 tankfulls with Chevron Techron the past month (on the third now) to try to clean it out. Hadn't though about the O2 sensor at all. Tires are inflated to 36 cold, 38 hot. Tires are Goodyear Assurance Tripletred 195/65/15, pretty new, only 12,000 miles on them. I run Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 full syn, and do oil changes every 7,500 miles. I'll look into the O2 sensor though.
