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My gas mileage is horrible. I fill up once a week now just running around town compared to when I use to go almost 2 weeks. Can it be a dirty filter or something?
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Sounds like moisture got to the injection system. Put some good fuel treatment in along with more gas and it should take care of it. Also, check air filter for restrictions. Sometimes rodents build a nest in the filter box.
Is your check engine light on? Your escort is what is called an "OBD Compatible" vehicle. Any problem that would cause it to use way too much gas SHOULD be setting fault codes in your onboard computer system.
The next question is have you actually checked fuel mileage? If so, how much mileage are you getting?
The reason I ask is because some people do not understand fuel mileage. I had a lady bring her car in just a couple weeks ago saying that her car was getting "horrible fuel mileage". I checked it out and could not find anything wrong. When I questioned her about it, she said "I used to put $9.00 in it and it would last me all week. Now I am having to put $16.00 in it. I still drive the same way to work, and do not use my car for anything else." I had to explain to her that there was nothing I could do to the car that would fix the price at the pump. Fuel mileage is measured in miles per gallon, NOT miles per dollar.
Also, are you sure it is getting bad fuel mileage? Or are you maybe driving more miles than you used to?
If it is in fact getting bad gas mileage and the check engine light is not on, then the question would be: What kind of condition are your tires in? 50% of all the people I have coming into my shop complaining about bad fuel mileage are running around with tires that are badly worn and/or underinflated. In this case, the best money you could spend would be for a tire pressure gauge and maybe one of those portable air compressors that plug into your cigarette lighter. You can usually purchase a decent compressor for under $30. That way you can check your tires and inflate them yourself on the days when you are not working. Your tire pressures should be checked at least every two weeks.
Several things can contribute - dirty air filter, cheap gasoline (summer gasolines are manufactured with an ethanol component that typically reduces mileage as much as 15 %), dirty fuel injectors, etc. Not like bad plugs unless you have unusually high mileage on your vehicle.
First - check the air filter, then add some Gumout Fuel Injector Cleaner, and then switch to Shell or Marathon gasoline. No real good way to get around the ethanol issue.
what about the spark-plugs?
listen carefully.
1. go to a auto parts store and get a bottle of sea foam and empty it in your gas tank and fill it up with gas after wards. you might have water or trash in your tank. put a higher grade of fuel in it that might be the problem.
Sounds like you might have an oxygen sensor problem. Your catalytic converter(s) maybe defective or dirty. That in turn can dirty up the oxygen sensor. A defective oxygen sensor will send faulty info to the computer, interpreting the fumes as cold (even when the engine warms up). That causes the computer to adjust the fuel mixture to very rich, giving you poor gas mileage and the fuel smell. Hope it helps.
These are the most common causes for bad mileage. Tire pressure is a huge factor (Tire should be set at the factory recommendation or 1-2 psi above, but never below - Tire should also be a Low Rolling Resistance Tire) Oil level (you said it's OK, so I assume it's not above the full mark) Running extra accessories (A/C, etc) Dirty Air Filter bad Ignition timing engine running hotter than normal fuel injectors may be stuck partially open bad fuel pressure regulator faulty emission control device (this usually triggers a check engine light)
SOUND LIKE DIRTY FUEL INJECTORS.FILL GAS TANK UP.POUR A BOTTLE INJECTOR CLEANER IN GAS TANK.DRIVE CAR AROUND.SO THE CLEANER CAN CLEAN OUT INJECTORS.ALSO REPLACE FUEL FILTER.HEY YOU CAN GO TO AUTO ZONE OR ADVANCE AUTO THEY WILL SCAN YOUR CAR FOR FREE.
A really dirty air filter will knock down your gas mileage greatly....yes. Also keep in mind that you don't get as good of mileage around town, as you do on the freeway.....35 mpg isn't too shabby....oh and please give me a rating....thank you
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