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01-06-2009, 01:21 AM | #1 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 71508
Join Date: Sep 2004
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Wilmington, DE
Vehicle:1997 Impretzia Artic Silver Metallic |
outback terrible mpg's !!!!!!!!!!!
okay so i just picked up a 1997 legacy outback limited auto. I have changed all the tranny/diff fluids, oil change, fuel system cleaner, cleaned my battery terminals, and bought a new air filter. The car is completely stock with 148k on it:
1. I am only able to fill up with 12 gallons even though the manual claims I have a 15 gallon tank 2. Even if it is only a 12 gallon tank im getting 200 miles on that and thats only like 16 mpg which is terrible, I could have bought an suv instead I really love this car and intended on keeping it for a very long time especially since the car has the headgaskets changed, new timing belts, valve cover gaskets, water pump, and everything in the car works. I am going to give it a tune up next week (plugs, wires, fuel filter) but I can't imagine a tune up will give me 100 more miles to the tank. I drive alot and this car would really not be functional to keep so I will have to sell it if I cant fix this problem. If this is typical mpg for an outback consider it for sale. so all in all is this typical fuel economy for the outback ? and what else can I try and fix to solve this? (there are no check engine lights)
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01-06-2009, 02:29 AM | #2 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 151079
Join Date: Jun 2007
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: College Park, MD
Vehicle:2005 2.5RS RBP too many friction losses |
What are your driving habits like? And you'd have to be drive for a bit with the fuel low light on to get anywhere near pumping 15 gallons into there. The most I've ever pumped in *may* have been 13 gallons into my 16 gallon tank.
It's possible the tune up may free up a good bit of MPGs if that stuff has not been changed in a while. |
01-06-2009, 08:58 AM | #3 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 134262
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Hoenix
Vehicle:-1 centrifugal bumble-puppy |
yea - there's always a few gals in the tank unless you run it bone dry and never calculate 'by tank'.
Here's what I do: Next time you fill up, zero out your odometer (hopefully you have 2 like newer imprezas - I use one for gas the other for oil changes.) Then the time after that fill it up again and look at your receipt and do the math (e.g. 265 miles on the odo / 12 gals = 22.1 MPG) in my 06 OBS - get between 22-29 MPG, highway miles and driving habits greatly impact my mileage. edit: since you cleaned your terminals, I assume you disconnect the battery. It may take a tank or 2 for the ECU to get back to optimal mode. Also, reset the ECU again when you do the tune up (my not help but won;t hurt) Last edited by Pohenegamook; 01-06-2009 at 09:27 AM. |
01-06-2009, 09:31 AM | #4 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 185213
Join Date: Jul 2008
Chapter/Region:
W. Canada
Vehicle:2007 Impreza 2.5i UGM |
On my Impreza I've noticed that cold starts have greatly reduced my average fuel consumption from 9.8 L/100kms to 12.2 L/100kms. Also, my tire pressure has affected it a bit too, it's been low for a little while (sloshy driving). Those could be contributing factors to your mileage?
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01-06-2009, 12:32 PM | #5 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 71508
Join Date: Sep 2004
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Wilmington, DE
Vehicle:1997 Impretzia Artic Silver Metallic |
well I drive this car like a grandmom and whenever im on the highway im doing 65 in cruise control I have never pushed it past half throttle which is why im concerned about my mpg's. And I reset the trip meter every time I fill up and last time I was on E I filled up with 11.80 gallons and then when I was back on E I had went 205 miles. 205/12 = 17.08. Which is pretty bad I would say since the car is rated at 22 city and 29 highway. I just really hope this isnt normal
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01-06-2009, 01:19 PM | #6 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 141040
Join Date: Feb 2007
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: Designing things
Vehicle:07 2.5i wagon UGM |
Don't use "E". Use the volume of gas metered by the gas pump and your odometer. Ignore the gas guage, they are generally pretty useless beyond "oh, my tank doesn't have a lot of gas in it".
So, reset the odometer when you fill up. Drive a bunch, fill up again, note how much gas you put in and your odometer reading. Use those numbers to calculate fuel economy. If it's still less than 20, something's wrong somewhere, either with the car or with your driving habits. EDIT: by the way, cruise control is generally quite inefficient. If you want to get good efficiency, learn to train your right foot to stay in one spot, roll fast down hills and creep up them. Going up mountainous regions is just going to be very inefficient (dunno if you have mountains where you're at). |
01-06-2009, 01:40 PM | #7 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 94299
Join Date: Aug 2005
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Vehicle:2000 2.5 RS Sedan SRP |
My 07 2.5i wagon, I get really sucky gas mileage but honestly, I drive it a little hard, I like to listen to my exhaust
For subies, driving habbits really make a huge difference in gas mileage! |
01-06-2009, 01:41 PM | #8 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 168862
Join Date: Jan 2008
Chapter/Region:
NESIC
Location: Portland Maine
Vehicle:2007 ej253n/a 5speed Red Sox Nation Lifer |
hell yea closed loop
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01-06-2009, 02:06 PM | #9 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 47632
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Vehicle:2013 WRX 4dr Dark Grey |
Front O2 sensor maybe? There doesn't have to be a CEL for it to be bad.
-S |
01-06-2009, 03:54 PM | #10 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 80465
Join Date: Jan 2005
Chapter/Region:
RMIC
Location: Denver
Vehicle:2001 2.5RS Black Diamond Pearl |
if the temp sensor is going out, it may keep the ECU in startup mode, which is really rich. but the front O2 sensor can also be a culprit. try changing brands of gas. or octanes.
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01-06-2009, 03:58 PM | #11 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 144605
Join Date: Mar 2007
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Vehicle:2007 2.5i Wagon Satin White Pearl |
I would definitly change the spark plugs, fuel filter and the o2 sensor(s). Should see mileage go up at least a little bit.
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01-06-2009, 07:23 PM | #12 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 181314
Join Date: May 2008
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: SW Washington
Vehicle:2005 Impreza OBS SRR 05 Legacy GT RBP |
Another thing to consider is a roof rack and/or attachments. I have a MY05 OBS with a Yakima rack and a snowboard attachment. With just the rack, I see my mileage decrease from 28 mpg avg. to 24 mpg avg. (a lot of highway miles). With the rack and snowboard attachment, I see my mileage decrease from 28 mpg avg. all the way down to about 20 mpg avg. My point is this: if you have a rack, and the car needs a tune-up, I could easily see only 17 mpg.
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01-06-2009, 08:05 PM | #13 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 832
Join Date: Jan 2000
Chapter/Region:
RMIC
Location: Teh Ghetto Garage, CO
Vehicle:99 2.5RS, '85 911 '73 914 and 2012 BRZ |
What octane fuel are you using? Yes, it's a loaded question...
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01-06-2009, 11:27 PM | #14 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 71508
Join Date: Sep 2004
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Wilmington, DE
Vehicle:1997 Impretzia Artic Silver Metallic |
no racks, no attachments just standard cross bars, I use 87 octane. should I be using something higher?
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01-07-2009, 12:55 AM | #15 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 181743
Join Date: Jun 2008
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: NJ
Vehicle:2008 Impreza 2.5i dark M. Gray |
Try doing a full tune up (wires, plugs, distributor cap, belts), fill the tank with high octane for one go, and throw in some injector cleaner. See if it helps.
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01-07-2009, 01:23 PM | #16 | |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 832
Join Date: Jan 2000
Chapter/Region:
RMIC
Location: Teh Ghetto Garage, CO
Vehicle:99 2.5RS, '85 911 '73 914 and 2012 BRZ |
Quote:
If your plugs are fresh, I would suspect the front O2 sensor or a cat. that's on it's way out. However, really your mileage isn't that far off where it should be. You are maybe 2-3mpg off what I would expect out of that car. |
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01-07-2009, 01:24 PM | #17 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 832
Join Date: Jan 2000
Chapter/Region:
RMIC
Location: Teh Ghetto Garage, CO
Vehicle:99 2.5RS, '85 911 '73 914 and 2012 BRZ |
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01-07-2009, 01:48 PM | #18 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 181743
Join Date: Jun 2008
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: NJ
Vehicle:2008 Impreza 2.5i dark M. Gray |
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