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1992 3.1 lumina gas mileage - why so good (relatively)?


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Posted

Mine is old and haven't taken it on anything approaching a long trip in years. But the sticker iirc said 29 highway mpg. I took it on a 900 mile round trip when I first got it, 88k, and I measured around 27.5mpg.

Now some of these smaller cars get 40 or so max, and that's 4 cylinders. Why is the Lumina so relatively efficient? Are later models as good? Is it about aerodynamics, given the large benefit on the highway? I don't remember operating any other car that got so much better mieage on the highway. Best around town w/ this car was about 22.

Posted
the computer controlled engine management

 

So it only or majorly comes down to code? Then you should be able to do this with any car.

Posted

well you got a sniffer telling the computer how much fuel is being wasted, a vacuum canister that is computer controlled to scavenge every drop of gas, it knows the exact engine load and when to start adding fuel depending on your altitude. I am sure I could go on for a while..

Posted

that's nothing, a lot of cars with the 3800, are rated at 30 hwy, higher than a 3.1.

Posted
that's nothing, a lot of cars with the 3800, are rated at 30 hwy, higher than a 3.1.

 

the 3400 W-bodies on the other hand, for example, 00-05 monte carlos... thanks to the stupid-slow gearing on them, they're rated 21/32. the same cars, with the S2 3800s are 19/29 in 00-03, 20/30 in 04-05. throw on the supercharger and you have 19/28.

Posted

And it should be noted that w-bodies regularly exceed their rated MPGs on the highway.

 

My GTP gets 32mpg on a long highway run driving sensibly. And that is with the "less efficient" gearing. Of course, it has other mods and a custom tune, though...

Posted

well, the EPA is a standardized test, therefore, is a good comparison between different vehicles, even if not for exact numbers as to what you'll see in real-world driving.

 

i've seen in the 36-37 range with both the MC and 90GP on long highway trips before.

Posted

On my 91 3.1 Grand Prix i get 20 city 29 or 30 highway, and these are the numbers i have been getting since i have owned the car ( a couple years).

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