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Poor Fuel Economy

9K views 13 replies 10 participants last post by  chartmaker 
#1 ·
Recently purchased my 2000 Mercury Sable GS station wagon with a 3.0L vulcan engine. Have replaced the air filter, DPFE sensor. Tomorrow will replace the plugs and PCV valve. At present am not showing a check engine light and my scanner is showing no codes. Vehicle has 181,000.00 on it but was told mostly hwy. miles. Am trying to figure out why I am presently getting only 19MPG this is really low. Engine seems to be running ok but the low fuel economy bothers me. Any ideas?? Will check this forum in the morning. Bob S.
 
#2 ·
Well, if your driving only around town with the a/c on all the time, then yes, that's normal for these cars. New plugs and wires are a good start, but unless they were really bad, and causing the car to run too rich, they won't make a big improvement. What type of driving did you do when you came up with that number?
 
#3 ·
QUOTE (austex04 @ May 26 2010, 09:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=807130
Well, if your driving only around town with the a/c on all the time, then yes, that's normal for these cars. New plugs and wires are a good start, but unless they were really bad, and causing the car to run too rich, they won't make a big improvement. What type of driving did you do when you came up with that number?[/b]

Presently have mid to high eightys and high humidity so have been running the A/C on high. Hopefully it will be cooler tomorrow. Under what circumstances should I get the advertised 28 mpg? Have been slowly buffing up the vehicle since this is the last year Ford dealers are required to carry all the parts.
I would think rolled up windows, properly inflated tires, not carrying too much unnecessary weight. I usually cruise at 62 miles per hour with the cruise on, the town I usually go to is 16 miles oneway. Have yet to take vehicle on long trip am trying to shake all the bugs out of it first. Bob S.
 
#4 ·
QUOTE (shearerrl @ May 26 2010, 09:54 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=807136
QUOTE (austex04 @ May 26 2010, 09:34 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=807130
Well, if your driving only around town with the a/c on all the time, then yes, that's normal for these cars. New plugs and wires are a good start, but unless they were really bad, and causing the car to run too rich, they won't make a big improvement. What type of driving did you do when you came up with that number?[/b]

Presently have mid to high eightys and high humidity so have been running the A/C on high. Hopefully it will be cooler tomorrow. Under what circumstances should I get the advertised 28 mpg? Have been slowly buffing up the vehicle since this is the last year Ford dealers are required to carry all the parts.
I would think rolled up windows, properly inflated tires, not carrying too much unnecessary weight. I usually cruise at 62 miles per hour with the cruise on, the town I usually go to is 16 miles oneway. Have yet to take vehicle on long trip am trying to shake all the bugs out of it first. Bob S.
[/b][/quote]

That sounds just like the kind of driving I do on my commute to work; 19-20 mpg is a pretty normal range, considering you have the wagon. That car's fuel mileage is going to be lower than a comparable sedan, right off the bat. The EPA rating for 28 MPG is based on an outdated method of testing for 'highway' fuel economy; their current methodology would put that number at about 24 MPG or so. If you have the A/C running at all, it's probably not going to reach that level of fuel economy.
 
#6 ·
I got my 34 driving 80 mph highway autobahn style. In city driving sucked. I managed to make 16 often because I loved going WOT. Keep off the skinny pedal and do all your maintenance and you should break 20 easy.

Also, I dont use my AC. (Its actually recommended by many fuel economists that you DO NOT use your A/C in city.) Its windows down all the time. (even if its cold usually) I find it annoying, a power sap.. and would remove it from <strike>all</strike> Most of my vehicles if I didn't have women to put up with. (I can say it comes in handy to defog my windows.)

Also if you try to turn this on me saying "You don't know what heat is" Try living in the high desert valley of California where temps peak 120 degrees not even trying. (AKA Death Valley) I know heat. ;)
 
#7 ·
QUOTE (Mediarocker @ May 27 2010, 06:07 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=807168
I got my 34 driving 80 mph highway autobahn style. In city driving sucked. I managed to make 16 often because I loved going WOT. Keep off the skinny pedal and do all your maintenance and you should break 20 easy.

Also, I dont use my AC. (Its actually recommended by many fuel economists that you DO NOT use your A/C in city.) Its windows down all the time. (even if its cold usually) I find it annoying, a power sap.. and would remove it from <strike>all</strike> Most of my vehicles if I didn't have women to put up with. (I can say it comes in handy to defog my windows.)

Also if you try to turn this on me saying "You don't know what heat is" Try living in the high desert valley of California where temps peak 120 degrees not even trying. (AKA Death Valley) I know heat. ;)[/b]
You don't know what heat is. Back in my day, I had to walk to school uphill both ways in the snow wearing a parka, and it was 121.5 degrees easily. With snow. It's like that deep-fried icecream thing, but less delicious. And my windows were down. :huh:

But seriously, my car runs like a bag, and it's only around 90 outside. How does your car even think about starting at 120? Does lack of humidity help?
 
#8 ·
Hey guys thanks for the information. I would think if the engine was running poorly it would set some codes which it is presently not doing. Since the money is tight I am going to hold off on some repairs until absolutely necessary. Thanks again. Bob S.
 
#9 ·
QUOTE (Palach @ May 27 2010, 06:14 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=807171
QUOTE (Mediarocker @ May 27 2010, 06:07 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=807168
I got my 34 driving 80 mph highway autobahn style. In city driving sucked. I managed to make 16 often because I loved going WOT. Keep off the skinny pedal and do all your maintenance and you should break 20 easy.

Also, I dont use my AC. (Its actually recommended by many fuel economists that you DO NOT use your A/C in city.) Its windows down all the time. (even if its cold usually) I find it annoying, a power sap.. and would remove it from <strike>all</strike> Most of my vehicles if I didn't have women to put up with. (I can say it comes in handy to defog my windows.)

Also if you try to turn this on me saying "You don't know what heat is" Try living in the high desert valley of California where temps peak 120 degrees not even trying. (AKA Death Valley) I know heat. ;)[/b]
You don't know what heat is. Back in my day, I had to walk to school uphill both ways in the snow wearing a parka, and it was 121.5 degrees easily. With snow. It's like that deep-fried icecream thing, but less delicious. And my windows were down. :huh:

But seriously, my car runs like a bag, and it's only around 90 outside. How does your car even think about starting at 120? Does lack of humidity help?
[/b][/quote]

Quite possibly. Never had a problem. Just made sure to run a 30 oil.
 
#11 ·
"Advertised" MPG is just an estimate, the result of doing the EPA emission testing in a laboratory.
 
#12 ·
QUOTE (cflguy2005 @ May 27 2010, 11:10 AM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=807211
I don't really notice a difference with the a/c on or not :dunno:[/b]
A well maintained system barely put a draw, however the hotter it gets, the more draw it puts on the engine decreasing its overall efficiency. Hypermilers learn to do without, or do A/C Cycling to keep MPG's up. In some cases its negligible.
 
#13 · (Edited)
17MPG City, 20MPG Highway. You're lucky!

Bob,
I think you should probably do a little research. I found (researched on internet, mutiple sites) that the 2000 Ford Taurus Wagon 3.0 (essecitally the same vehicle as yours) gets 17mpg city, and 20mpg highway. If you are getiing 19mpg your're lucky.

:angry:I'm not so lucky :angry: I'm in the process of troubleshooting my poor gas malegae issue. Car not coding anything, fuel filter is good, sensors not bad. Hmmm. Going to keep a log, and see if it is realy as bad as I supsspect it is.

Dan
 
#14 · (Edited)
Bob,
I think you should probably do a little research. I found (researched on internet, mutiple sites) that the 2000 Ford Taurus Wagon 3.0 (essecitally the same vehicle as yours) gets 17mpg city, and 20mpg highway. If you are getiing 19mpg your're lucky.

:angry:I'm not so lucky :angry: I'm in the process of troubleshooting my poor gas malegae issue. Car not coding anything, fuel filter is good, sensors not bad. Hmmm. Going to keep a log, and see if it is realy as bad as I supsspect it is.

Dan
See pic for example for '01 Sable Wagon.

One tank had city driving mixed in a great deal. Others interstate, keeping up with traffic. That local driving is shown.

Wagon gets worse mpg than the sedan due to few hundred # and poorer aero. No passengers, only my luggage and me.

-chart-
 
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