rrodgers

Hey everyone,
New to forum... i have a 01 civic ex with 124k...been getting really awful mpg. around 30.... anyone have ideas on ways to improve? I generally run fuel treatment cleaner every other oil change and just did plugs and wires.. thanks!

laack

well, there isnt alot of information to work with in your post. did it suddenly drop from upper 30s mpg? whats your driving style? manual or auto transmission...etc. our civics really like ngk or denso plugs if it happened after your change. check gaps if you got copper plugs...


your driving style will have a lot to do with your fuel economy. that could be a normal number if you are accelerating hard, driving fast eg: racing from red light to the next-hurry up and wait. vtec kicks in somewhere around 4400 rpm. if you are up there a lot your mpg is going to suck and its not the cars fault.

if you are accelerating slow and maintaining around 65 on the highway and your mpg is still low, you might have a mechanical issue. start with the basics, new air filter and monitor your driving style/ how much city and highway you are doing. Your original post isnt very revealing to your style or driving conditions. winter weather will also reduce mpg because of denser air requiring more fuel to maintain proper ratios.

give us a little more information and you will get a better response.

my 01 civic ex sold at 148000 was still getting 38/43 city/hwy with slow accelerations, 65-70mph on cruise.

rrodgers

Hey laack
Auto trans, Pregapped copper. Not driving hard at all. I'll check the air filter but it was somewhat recently replaced....i'd say in the last 6 months been noticing the drop. Live in northeast so it's been a rough winter... Please let me know if you need any more info-Thanks

laack

Its tough to say. start with the basics that dont cost a dime. is your check engine light on?
In this order i would check: tire pressure, air filter (may not b enecessary if you just replaced it, but worth a look) spark plug gap (.40-.44) and plug condition. are you letting the car idle and warm up prior to driving? What fuel grade are you using? 87..89, etc. have your roads been constantly covered in snow? it can have a small effect on mpg if your tires are fighting the increased friction of snow.

if you start to replace things, do 1 at a time and recalculate mpg to look for the improvement so you know what was the culprit.

lowlife9

also cold weather will reduce your miles per gallon.

rrodgers

Thanks guys,
I usually am running a little bit late for work and don't have enough time to let idle when warming up.. been a lot of snow here..just weird it just suddenly dropped out to terrible mpg within the last few months...been having alternator issues on unrelated matter.. overcharging the battery.. not that it should have any bearing i'll see after i replace if it will make any difference. thanks again