Fuel, Oil, Cleaners & Other Maintenance Extending the life of your Civic requires the proper fuel, oil, and cleaners, along with other regularly scheduled maintenance.

Fuel Economy

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Old Mar 29, 2004
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Fuel Economy

I just checked my 04 civic to see my mpg and it was 20! My tires are at the right pressure I dont drive like and ***, (if anything I granny shift) I have replaced the air filter and still get only about 20. Anyone have any suggestions, or possible explanation why my mpg is so low?
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Old Mar 29, 2004
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How many miles? You're going to need to get a few thousand miles in it before the milage really starts to get up there. Break the car in.
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Old Mar 29, 2004
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The car has 4000 miles. Does it need more breaking in than that?
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Old Mar 29, 2004
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i have a 02 Si-G (usa EX coupe w/ group option package)

the car has 12000km on it and i still have poor gas milage...i average 10L/100km city. the car is rated around 8.6L/100km for city driving.

i dont drive hard or brake hard either.
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Old Mar 29, 2004
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I don't know the answer, but I first got my car I got about 32, now I'm down to about 25 with 12,000 miles... But it's at 25 MPG if I drive hard and 26 if I'm nice. Don't get it?
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Old Mar 29, 2004
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So I guess I am not the only one with this prob.... I never see my self getting no 32 mpg like we are suppose to.
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Old Mar 29, 2004
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I do have an after market intake... but that should really affect a hole lot...
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Old Mar 29, 2004
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I have a 2002 civic sedan and get 22mpg usually. Since I got that hyper voltage system installed, it's up to around 25. For an 04 though everything should still be new as far as air filters and stuff. Make sure the tire pressure is 32psi I think.

It also depends on your driving. A while back I drove all highway miles and got 30mpg, which is still bad. The most mileage you will get is with all highway driving.

I'm gonna assume your civic is stock, as in no upgrades or heavy things in the car like subs. Again the car is new, so that discounts the maintenance related items. Go pick up a bottle of techron fuel system cleaner and try that. Make sure fluids are all full. Other than that, you really need to take it to a dealer and have it checked.

But I know how you feel. I think I could have gotten 20mpg if I drove the car hard, instead of 22. If all else fails, just get a hyper voltage system. It's easy to install--connects to your battery and stabilizes voltage for every system. I'll know for sure if it works pretty soon.
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Old Mar 29, 2004
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What exactly does ht hyper voltage thing do? I know you siad it stablizes the voltage, but how so? I have some knowledge in electrical enineering, but don't claim to be an expert or anything.
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Old Mar 30, 2004
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Are you doing 100% city driving? Or is this combined average? How fast are you driving, and how hard would you say you drive it?
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Old Mar 30, 2004
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Hyper voltage system has multiple capacitors in parallel I believe. It releases stored charge when voltage drops are detected in the system. Thus keeps everything flowing smoothly. I'm pretty sure it increased mpg by 2-3.
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Old Mar 30, 2004
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Ive checked all my fluids, and tire pressure is at 35psi but i have 17's. As for driving when i tested my car to see my average mpg i was granny shifting most of the time. As for high way driving i say it was prob about 1/4 of the tank the rest was city, but 20 is still low. Iam gonna try putting in techron fuel cleaner and see wut happens with that. If nothing then to the dealer it is.
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Old Mar 30, 2004
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ONe mentioned one more thing, you have 17's. That will drop it a couple MPG too. It move the moment of inertia outward thus creating more inertia, more inertia mean you need more power to start rolling and keep rolling. I get alot of skeptaism on this, but I have a drevation I did in physics class to prove it. And if you don't believe me, look around and people will say 17's suck for racing and hurt you off the line, the increased inertia is why. Put your stocks back on and see if they make a difference.

Like I said though, this should only be a few MPG, 3 maybe 4 at most. That only puts you at 24 and that still sucks.
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Old Mar 30, 2004
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It's really strange, but gas mpg depends on a bunch of different factors. Weight in the ride actually doesn't affect it that much. Maybe a couple mpg. Alot of it is also driving habits. Staying in VTEC or higher rpms will also cause lower mileage.
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Old Mar 30, 2004
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For what it's worth..... after a lot of trial and error I have found the following things:

My car gets the worst mileage on Chevron, any grade. So does my truck, btw.

It seems to get the best mileage so far on 76 Super. It runs better too.

I don't know why, or what the difference is, but I have been able to duplicate this every time. So maybe try a different gas, and different grade and see what the car does.
Gas is pretty much the same, but every brand puts different ADDITIVES in it. I think this affects the car more than the actual "GAS".
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Old Mar 30, 2004
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Your right Tinman. Chevron oxidates their fuels. Oxygen in the fuel reduces the amount fuel being put into the cylinder thus less effiecnent.

The additive to be careful of is methanol, it will eat away plascti line like fuel lines.
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Old Mar 30, 2004
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I used to get Chevron alot, but now there's no station. I thought they use techron additives? And also most gas stations oxygenate their fuels during winter to reduce pollution.
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Old Mar 30, 2004
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Actually techron is a independent sub-division of chevron (if that makes any sence). Around here, no one changes there gas to fit the weather that I know of. BP always oxidates and Citgo never does, but that's Ohio.

And Chevron has many other comapnies it owns or sells gas to from their refineries. They're huge.
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Old Mar 31, 2004
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Originally posted by turboslug
i have a 02 Si-G (usa EX coupe w/ group option package)

the car has 12000km on it and i still have poor gas milage...i average 10L/100km city. the car is rated around 8.6L/100km for city driving.

i dont drive hard or brake hard either.
Actually it's more like 7.3 L/100 km (or 32 mpg) for city driving ... use this site to convert metric to imperial units: http://www.tdiclub.com/misc/conversions.html

So yeah, 10 L/100km is pretty bad
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Old Apr 1, 2004
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Originally posted by Ronin
Actually it's more like 7.3 L/100 km (or 32 mpg) for city driving ... use this site to convert metric to imperial units: http://www.tdiclub.com/misc/conversions.html

So yeah, 10 L/100km is pretty bad
hmmm, yea you're right.

i checked the www.honda.ca website and it says the civic Si automatic is supposed to get 7.9L/100km city and 6.0L/100km hwy

http://www.honda.ca/HondaEng/Models/...4/features.asp


damn, my car is bone stock too. i have A/C but never use it. i also dont use my headlights most of the time. in canada, we had day time running lights on the cars. the DRL's cant be using up that much gas, right?

oh, and if you're wondering what my worse numbers are, it's 10.9L/100km if i always rev up to 4000RPM+ everytime i accelerate from a stop.

btw, i use the pump and trip meter to do my calculations. i've been counting my gas milage for 1.5yrs now and it's consistently showing up as 10L/100km.
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Old Apr 1, 2004
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No drl's should not affect mileage at all ... and I doubt if even full headlights would affect it much.

How much city driving do you do? And try shifting at 3000 too, to see what that gives you... and try pumping up your tires to 32-34 psi.
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Old Apr 1, 2004
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04 EX Sedan Auto

Bought my 04 EX Sedan Auto 3/16. My fifth civic sedan. Got 32, 35, 31, 32 MPG on my first 4 fillups about 1000 miles total. Mostly hwy but city at 5:00 AM with no traffic. I kept tire pressures at 32 psi. I also have kept the engine below 4000 rpm.
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Old Apr 1, 2004
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Originally posted by Ronin
No drl's should not affect mileage at all ... and I doubt if even full headlights would affect it much.

How much city driving do you do? And try shifting at 3000 too, to see what that gives you... and try pumping up your tires to 32-34 psi.

my cold tire pressure is 30psi. they usually go up to around 31-33psi when i get home after driving...

btw, i already drive like a granny..i let the automatic tranny shift at around 2500RPM and at 3000RPM if i feel like going faster...


and yes, most of my driving is in the city but not bumper to bumper rush hour traffic. i guess i also do put on maybe 1/4 hwy driving(still not freeway though)

Last edited by turboslug; Apr 1, 2004 at 09:14 PM.
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Old Apr 1, 2004
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delete this

Last edited by turboslug; Apr 1, 2004 at 08:30 PM.
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Old Apr 22, 2004
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yo!

i though it might be useful to post this improvement of my mpg in here..

maybe some of you notice how i biatch up with my mpg..

however....one day i went to wal-mart... i bought one bottle of STP fuel injector cleaner....
it's the one with white bottle colored..

now...my car usually runs 25MPG.....either CITY or MIX CITY HIGHWAY...it's not far from 25MPG...that is, 300+ miles with 12 gallon of gas....

it's usually LOWER if it's CITY ONLY...

FYI, i drive granny like........2500-3000rpm...

NOW....basically....my fuel tank was half filled.....i went to DELTA SONIC gas station.....fill up the STP then full it up again to 12 gallon.....BTW, i filled 6 gallons at that time....meaning that the fuel needle's quite accurate....

so.....now i think there's a slightly great improvement..

USUALLY, 150 miles when the needle point halfway to Empty...

right now, just now....it's 190 miles on the middle (halfway to empty)!!

YAY!
i wonder what's gonna happen to if i change my spark plugs with NGK IRIDIUM IX and change my oil to synthethic.....THEN use the CHEVRON TECHRON to clean my gas sprayer even more...

oh yeah, i think the STP effect's only HALF POWER....cos' i mixed it with the remaining 6 gallons.... I THINK, for best cleaning, u should fill the cleaner solution when your gas tank's empty.

HE HE...HE HE....HE HE...i hope i can get 400 miles!!!

OPINION WANTED!

Last edited by zen_master; Apr 22, 2004 at 09:28 PM.
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Old Apr 23, 2004
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My Honda Civic:
03 Coupe EX - Auto.Trany , bone stock , tires 32 PSI + Sunoco Premium (not Ultra) all around driving I avg. 35 MPG. (dino **** for oil , for now Mobilizing it in near future) 4K miles on car.
Lowest was 32 highest was 38+.
Record (for me) 425 miles before the gas light came on. I always buy the same gas.
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Old Apr 24, 2004
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Hmm.. I feel sometimes Honda and other car manufacturers rate ther MPG too high... especially on autos. All my friends with autos almost never get the MPG stated on the window sticker. I have never had problems with MPG though... worst was 29 MPG and that was the 1st fill... after that, I dont recall going below 30. Winter time 33 average. Summer average:35. Max was 42 all highway. Under city driving, about 1/2 the time I shift at 2000RPM, sometimes below. So I'm super granny shifting!
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Old Apr 24, 2004
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Getting 34.8 from my 01 LX -A

Its 35 miles to work, and all highway, but rush hour highway... The morning commute is not bad, and I actually get to use the cruise.

Afternoon, forget it... takes an hour and 15 mins to drive those 35 miles.
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Old Apr 27, 2004
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will a lot of sulphor in the gass affect gas milage?

i'm in vancouver and we get all the shiet gas with tons of sulphor...
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Old Apr 29, 2004
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thats way too low. I got 37 mpg city and 39 mpg hwy. all original.
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