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Up until very recently, my car has been getting about 24-26 mpg. However, with the recent hot spell, I've been running the A/C much more, and I have noticed a significant drop in fuel economy and power, down to about 18-20 mpg. It now feels like I have an additional 500 lbs in the back when accelerating, and I can feel a jolt of power in the car when the A/C switches off (it still cycles on and off properly). In addition, the car has been taking a few extra seconds to turn over when cranking. I added Techron to the previous tank of gas, and I didn't notice any problems during that tank. The fuel filter only has about 5k miles on it, and the car has about 47,000. I've run this car previous summers with the A/C, and I have never noticed this much of a power/mileage hit.
Questions
-Could the power drop signal a problem with the compressor bearings or clutch? If my refrigerant is getting low, will this put a bigger load on the engine?
-Did the Techron do something to my injectors/fuel system? I've used it several times before without issues.
-Are my O2 sensors going? No trouble codes yet.
-Do I just attribute it to really bad gas? I put in no-ethanol premium from a station I've used a dozen times before (no previous problems).
This all seems rather strange to me, and I would appreciate any ideas. Thanks!
Questions
-Could the power drop signal a problem with the compressor bearings or clutch? If my refrigerant is getting low, will this put a bigger load on the engine?
-Did the Techron do something to my injectors/fuel system? I've used it several times before without issues.
-Are my O2 sensors going? No trouble codes yet.
-Do I just attribute it to really bad gas? I put in no-ethanol premium from a station I've used a dozen times before (no previous problems).
This all seems rather strange to me, and I would appreciate any ideas. Thanks!