LQ1 City Mileage

[oldscsc]

Damn, I'm kinda dissapointed. Just checked my mileage after filling up and it figured up to be 15 miles per gallon. I know the EPA crap for the LQ1 is 16/27. Last time I checked it I did an experiment, I never let it over 2000 RPMs. I got 22.5 MPG. I drive about five miles one way, and three of those are in overdrive. (47 MPH, just enough to get it to kick into OD). I think 15 is pretty pathetic considering over half my commute is done in OD. I changed equation and subtracted a gallon for a pretty big margin of error. I got 17 then. Still not good at all IMO. I just dumped a bottle of fuel system cleaner in there to see if that bumps it up a little. Ideas? I know the mileage issue is getting brought up a lot and it's getting kind of old. Sorry!

[AWeb80]

you need to let the engine get warm

 

it doesn't get up to operating temp in that short of time.

 

you need a good 15 minute drive

 

take it out once a weekend for a nice stroll and work the motor over.....not letting it get warm builds carbon like crazy

[Captain Ficho]

I get 15/25, I've just learned to accept it. My car is 16 years old and has nearly 120,000 miles... I don't expect it to still be at the EPA 17/27 rating and if anything, I'm content it's so damn close.

[oldscsc]

you need to let the engine get warm

 

it doesn't get up to operating temp in that short of time.

 

you need a good 15 minute drive

 

take it out once a weekend for a nice stroll and work the motor over.....not letting it get warm builds carbon like crazy

 

I thought about that. I let it warm up for 30 seconds every time I start it because I know running it under operating tempertaure is hard on it. I take it out most weekends. It usually is just getting to full operating temperature (150) as I'm coming in. I hate to think I'm being hard on it, but what can I do...I try to go WOT once monthly to blow the cob webs out of it. Have been slacking on that in the last couple months because of gas. I guess I better do it this weekend...

[GP1138]

You go WOT once monthly? It's like a daily ritual for me. And you should have seen the 3100 we tore down at 140k... it was spotless.

[spiderw31]

Yeah... go WOT a bit more, and enjoy the revs the LQ1 can give.

 

When it was running, my LQ1 was getting about the same milage you are reporting. When I lost the t-belt a couple months back, my shop told me that I had messed up valves, which really shouldn't happen on a '92. Well, I tore it down and had the heads done, and sure enough, a couple valves were tweaked. The reason was obvious when I had the heads off... carbon buildup FTL . Even the machinist said that the carbon buildup in the heads was excessive, and that was BEFORE I reminded him that this was a 43k mile motor!

 

All that to say that it was pretty obvious that the original owner of the car rarely if ever used the throttle to its fullest, and I was likely paying the price in efficiency as a result. Once I get the thing back together (yes I know, I've been procrastinating on it), I expect to see a bit of an improvement in fuel economy.

[AWeb80]

Spider, Might As Well Do The 6x6 Timing Mod.

[xtremerevolution]

This is why I love seafoam.

 

I've been WOT on my regal for the longest time, and save for having now gone through my 2nd water pump (considering I now have 184k miles), its been pretty reliable. I regularly average 22-24 MPG on my 35-mile commute (Which takes 75-90 minutes, depending on traffic). With an average of 28 miles per hour (what I would classify as mostly city driving), I'd say that's pretty damn good. If I can get that high on a 3.8L, I'm pretty sure you can get 20MPG with a 3.4L.

[spiderw31]

Spider, Might As Well Do The 6x6 Timing Mod.

 

I was thinking about it, although I'm not sure exactly what is needed to do it properly... I'm on a work computer right now, so I dunno if I have links saved at home. How in depth is it to do? I've also never worked with t-belt setups before every engine I've torn down before has been of the OHV variety.

 

Oh and to the OP, sorry about the tangent here.

[oldscsc]

This is why I love seafoam.

 

I've been WOT on my regal for the longest time, and save for having now gone through my 2nd fuel pump (considering I now have 184k miles), its been pretty reliable. I regularly average 22-24 MPG on my 35-mile commute (Which takes 75-90 minutes, depending on traffic). With an average of 28 miles per hour (what I would classify as mostly city driving), I'd say that's pretty damn good. If I can get that high on a 3.8L, I'm pretty sure you can get 20MPG with a 3.4L.

 

Although the 3.8 is bigger, they get better mileage. 35 MPG is pretty common in a series II, an LQ1 will probably never get that unless it's all downhill.

[ManicMechanic]

The 3800 also weighs 150 or so lbs. LESS than the DOHC 3.4. But, I get 32-35 in my Cutlass which weighs 500+ lbs. MORE than my van which gets 30.

[oldscsc]

Well, I took it out for an hour today leisurely driving country roads just for fun, so I'm glad that it got to run for an actual length of time. I also went 15-70 WOT 76 degrees, windows down, just cruising

[ManicMechanic]

Always fun...If it isn't raining Sunday, my friends and I are taking mine to the junkyard and hopefully I can get in some topless action.

[oldscsc]

Always fun...If it isn't raining Sunday, my friends and I are taking mine to the junkyard and hopefully I can get in some topless action.

 

I think I'll make a 0-60 video sometime soon. My fuel gauge (typical GM quirk) stays on full for way too long. It's been pegged since I filled up, 51 miles ago. I'm sure I can go another 10-15 miles without it dropping

 

I've been driving it a little harder this tank, just because it pissed me off with the 15 MPG crap. Ran some fuel system cleaner through it (probably won't do anything though). It's been shifting anywhere from 2750-3250 RPM instead of the normal 2250. I wonder how much worse than 15 I can do. Single digits?

[slick]

A heated o2 sensor may help out just a bit while the engine is still cold, that is, if your's isn't already equipped.

[oldscsc]

A heated o2 sensor may help out just a bit while the engine is still cold, that is, if your's isn't already equipped.

 

Explain further please...

[5speedz34]

'94+ has a heated O2.

[ZoomZoomFan]

Ha. My 3400 gets 21. And that's with about 50/50 city/highway. The best I ever got out of it was 26 (on a 4-hour-highway drive) and the worst was 18 (dead of winter).

 

:-/

 

My friend's '97 Grand Prix with the 3800 gets 16.

[oldscsc]

Ha. My 3400 gets 21. And that's with about 50/50 city/highway. The best I ever got out of it was 26 (on a 4-hour-highway drive) and the worst was 18 (dead of winter).

 

:-/

 

My friend's '97 Grand Prix with the 3800 gets 16.

 

Gosh I could be driving the GMC and getting maybe 10. That sucks

[Night Fury]

The 3100 in my Ciera had a HUGE spread.... My high was 36 I believe... and my low in winter was like low teens I believe...

 

This 3.1 sucks balls though... maybe this new injector will help!

[Regal_GS_1989]

The lowest i've ever gotten with my 2000 Regal is 23.3 MPG (28 MPG imperial, which I always use to calculate my MPG) That was strictly commuting to and from work. Granted, i have not driven it in the winter yet, so i dunno how much that will drop, but i don't think it will be that much.

[dohc v6]

I get around 24 city with the lumina. I guess its all about the tune and driving real slow

 

[oldscsc]

I get around 24 city with the lumina. I guess its all about the tune and driving real slow

 

 

That's what's got me puzzled. I accelerate very slowly, it drives most people crazy. I don't have a tune though...

[ManicMechanic]

Only tune from my car is a Joe Walsh CD...

[Andrew]

i just got 18mpg in my Z, 75% city driving. about what i expected.