Really bad MPG since winter hit??

[Moezer]

Originally Posted by Clockwork

I've only ever gotten 800-880kms out of a tank when cruising at 100-110 kms/hr MAX from here to Montana. I've never gotten anything near that in the city or even airdrie to calgary highway driving.
I think the X5 4.4 and 3.0 is an OK vehicle on fuel consumption but I have noticed in the last 2 years my consumption dropping a bit too. I use seafoam every 4-10 tank fulls to clean it out.
use it in your oil for 150 kms before an oil change too. does wonders

well u have seen the x5 your self and how clean it was/is im still a few k km from an oil change but will add it when it comes time to

[TerminatorX5]

Winter Weather Cuts MPGs by One Third: Study » AutoGuide.com News


i just did another fill up and filled up my spreadsheet for last few fill ups i had - i noticed that the fuel economy has broken the 16 MPG threshold and is now 15.3 MPGs...

I think I am due for another hot oil change and a Liqui-Moly flush... can use some injector cleanings too - i've heard good things about Jetron by Liqu-Moly...

any other suggestions?

[omodos]

hello, a few months back I was doing predominantly motorway driving after adding redex my mpg went up about 3mpg , not sure they sell it in the u.s, now that I have started town driving - schools runs etc it has dropped by 3mpg....maybe i'll add another dose of the stuff see what happens

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_16 0212_langId_-1_categoryId_255221

[JCL]

It is sold under various names here. Paint thinner, solvent, white gas, camping fuel, parts cleaner, lighter fluid. All are similar. The one you link is described as being most suitable for cleaning carburetors. I last had a vehicle with a carburetor in the early 1980s.

It is generally a much better approach to use good quality fuels that include proper detergents, instead of dodgy fuels that leave deposits, and require these sorts of solvents to shift.

[Diogenes]

Originally Posted by TerminatorX5

Winter Weather Cuts MPGs by One Third: Study » AutoGuide.com News


i just did another fill up and filled up my spreadsheet for last few fill ups i had - i noticed that the fuel economy has broken the 16 MPG threshold and is now 15.3 MPGs...

I think I am due for another hot oil change and a Liqui-Moly flush... can use some injector cleanings too - i've heard good things about Jetron by Liqu-Moly...

any other suggestions?

Marvel Mystery Oil is a great fuel additive also add it to the oil 1000 miles before oil change to flush waste. Used it since the 70s.

[omodos]

Originally Posted by JCL

It is sold under various names here. Paint thinner, solvent, white gas, camping fuel, parts cleaner, lighter fluid. All are similar. The one you link is described as being most suitable for cleaning carburetors. I last had a vehicle with a carburetor in the early 1980s.

It is generally a much better approach to use good quality fuels that include proper detergents, instead of dodgy fuels that leave deposits, and require these sorts of solvents to shift.

Well i fill up at a local esso gas station, no idea how good the fuel is there, sorry for the wrong link, the one i used was the one for complete fuel system clean, injectors etc....

[racingbmwm3]

So, where do I get Top Tier gasoline in the northwest that does NOT have ethanol in it? Considering our X's were never designed to run on oxygenated fuel year round, I disagree with a 'software' fix correcting a physical incompatibility.

[Ricky Bobby]

According to pure-gas.org, many stations in Washington (The State), check it out:

Ethanol-free gas stations in the U.S. and Canada

[racingbmwm3]

Thanks, I've known about that website, haven't checked it out for at least a year...looks like I still have to drive at least 3 hours to find a Chevron with 92. Neither Conoco or 76 (2 hours away) has anything better than 90. Won't work in the 4.6. I could always get a Pacific Pride account and fill up locally and add in a bottle of the 'pure' Techron per tank...
I'll make a determination on what to do when I do my VPG or chain guides this summer. If the injectors look horrid, it may be time to make the change.

@omodos, Esso is on the list of Top Tier retailers.

[JCL]

Osmodos isn't in the US, so won't have access to the Top Tier program.

I don't put too much stock in it, and wouldn't cross the road to get to a Top Tier station myself. It is only focused on one specific issue (valve deposits) and doesn't at all address any other quality issues. I think using a name brand fuel from a station with reasonably high daily volumes is far more important than the Top Tier label.

And since the Top Tier requirements includes a minimum 8% ethanol content, I prefer to use a non Top Tier gasoline without ethanol. Our federal ethanol requirement where I live applies to all fuel suppliers, but it is a percent averaged across all their sales, not a percent on each litre sold. So they can put more in the 87, and offer ethanol free or very low ethanol fuels at the better AKI ratings. I just really dislike ethanol.

My favourite local fuel is Chevron 94, which is advertised as having no ethanol. It is offered at a very small price premium over the 91, small enough that the increased mileage without ethanol pays for it by a simple energy calculation (if the 91 actually has ethanol; it is labelled as may have, but I haven't tested representative samples, and it can vary by tank load to tank load). What is interesting is that Top Tier says all fuels from a Top Tier supplier must meet the requirements for that supplier to participate, and Chevron Canada is listed as a top Tier supplier. So somebody is offside, not sure who.