Bad Gas Milage on 97GT????

georgiamiata · 06-28-2002, 06:51 PM

I have a 97 GT with the automatic trans and I can only get 156 miles to a tank in town the car has done this since sortly after we bought the car new has anyone else had this problem is this normal?Thanks the car only has 26,000 miles on it.
Jeff T.

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HIHO · 06-28-2002, 07:03 PM

No it is not normal. I don't know what it could be. Maybe a MAF sensor problem?

dojoromeo · 06-29-2002, 01:52 AM

what is wrong with your car.
mine gets almost 30, i have a stick shift.
but then again, thats when i'm babying it, and not letting it tach over 3 grand.
usually i shift around 3500 or 4000
but when i keep it between 2 and 3 grand, i get near 30.
she's a great lil car. i love her.

jslegacy · 06-29-2002, 08:04 AM

that very interesting.

a few days ago i my honda was gettting really crapy gas milage so i did a tune up on it(its at about 144,000 miles) it was the first tune i have done to it besides changing the oil and i have had it since 90,000.

Well all i really did to it was just change oil, oil filter, air filter, and spark plugs. Since then i have been getting around 25 or so.

You might want to try and change the fuel and air filter. I guess another problem might be your MAF sensor which i am not sure if 97's have them but my 98 does.

Hope any of this might help.
good luck,

jslegacy

HIHO · 06-29-2002, 08:21 AM

The car shouldn't need a tune up at 26,000. All the filters should be fine too. With those miles you need to take it to the dealer.

AGscooby · 06-29-2002, 09:41 AM

That's one heavy foot.

Seriously, if you aren't jamming on the pedal all the time, I would think you'd get far more miles out of one tank. When I'm feeling crazy, I can get the trip down to 190-200 per tank.

That seems like some abnormal running conditions. Wouldn't the ECU show a CE light in this case? If not, what does it take? Just curious since I haven't had a single CE yet. <knock><knock>

AG
May the B4 be with you!

georgiamiata · 06-29-2002, 09:48 PM

I have not had any check engine light at all the car runs great.I run Mobile 1 oil in it and the wife drives it and she is not hard on it at all.I brought it up to the dealership and they did not seem to concerned with it but man I need to buy a Shell gas station to keep it running.I have a pocket logger where I can look at all the sensors fuel trim o2 MAS and such maybe I need to hook it up and see what the heck is going on.I'm hoping someone will have had the same problem if I've learned anything over the years is Sub's don't usually have one car only problems if it happends to one of then it happend to all of them at some time or another.
Jeff T

Subietonic · 06-30-2002, 02:51 AM

1) pull off the spark plug wires from the coil. Check the coil connectors for carbon buildup. Take a Dremel tool brush or a nail file and polish up those connectors. Find a way to clean up the inside of the sparkplug wires on both ends, or better yet replace them if there is a lot of carbon buildup. You can replace them individually at www.Subaruparts.com for about $10-12 each. Don't go to Kragen or one of the other parts stores. If they have them in stock, they'll charge you an arm and a leg for them. I have a 98 GT Auto with 29K and two of the wires (1-3) were seriously carboned up and the gas mileage really sucked. Plus it would always run rough at different points in the power band until I replaced the wires. Now it's smooth again and the mileage is back up in the high 20's, low 30's.

2) check your O2 sensor. If it is failed, then your car will run very rich and really ding your gas mileage. Unless you have an OBDII diagnostic tool this is something best left to your dealer or another I-clubber with the tool.

Br, Dale

georgiamiata · 07-01-2002, 04:11 PM

With the OBD2 I should be throwing codes if I had a bad MAF or o2 sensor.Now I'm talking about in city driving not on the high way.
Jeff T.

Subietonic · 07-01-2002, 04:18 PM

My 02 never popped a code because it was intermittent but when we Ohmmed it out it was bad. You could also have a bad or loose connection at the sensor and that could give be sending an "enrich" signal. Typically, in town, I'm seeing about 23-24 mpg around town if it gets the gentle go pedal application... 20-21 with more spirited driving.

Br, Dale

06-28-2002, 06:51 PM	#1
georgiamiata Scooby Newbie Member#: 8454 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Valdosta Ga. Vehicle: 1997 Legacy Gt Black?	Bad Gas Milage on 97GT???? I have a 97 GT with the automatic trans and I can only get 156 miles to a tank in town the car has done this since sortly after we bought the car new has anyone else had this problem is this normal?Thanks the car only has 26,000 miles on it. Jeff T. * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

06-29-2002, 01:52 AM	#3
dojoromeo Scooby Newbie Member#: 16966 Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Maine Vehicle: 1997 Legacy 2.5GT Silver	oh dear lord what is wrong with your car. mine gets almost 30, i have a stick shift. but then again, thats when i'm babying it, and not letting it tach over 3 grand. usually i shift around 3500 or 4000 but when i keep it between 2 and 3 grand, i get near 30. she's a great lil car. i love her.

06-30-2002, 02:51 AM	#8
Subietonic Scooby Specialist Member#: 12588 Join Date: Nov 2001 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Low Country, SC Vehicle: Four Count 'em GF5,BDA,BD5, BP5	Two things to check 1) pull off the spark plug wires from the coil. Check the coil connectors for carbon buildup. Take a Dremel tool brush or a nail file and polish up those connectors. Find a way to clean up the inside of the sparkplug wires on both ends, or better yet replace them if there is a lot of carbon buildup. You can replace them individually at www.Subaruparts.com for about $10-12 each. Don't go to Kragen or one of the other parts stores. If they have them in stock, they'll charge you an arm and a leg for them. I have a 98 GT Auto with 29K and two of the wires (1-3) were seriously carboned up and the gas mileage really sucked. Plus it would always run rough at different points in the power band until I replaced the wires. Now it's smooth again and the mileage is back up in the high 20's, low 30's. 2) check your O2 sensor. If it is failed, then your car will run very rich and really ding your gas mileage. Unless you have an OBDII diagnostic tool this is something best left to your dealer or another I-clubber with the tool. Br, Dale

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06-28-2002, 07:03 PM	#2
HIHO Scooby Specialist Member#: 7624 Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Hopefully on a nice single track. Vehicle: BD5; family sedan that just wooped your ass	No it is not normal. I don't know what it could be. Maybe a MAF sensor problem?

06-29-2002, 08:04 AM	#4
jslegacy Scooby Specialist Member#: 17034 Join Date: Mar 2002 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: fair lakes,va Vehicle: 2005 Lotus Elise Mercedes C230 6spd	that very interesting. a few days ago i my honda was gettting really crapy gas milage so i did a tune up on it(its at about 144,000 miles) it was the first tune i have done to it besides changing the oil and i have had it since 90,000. Well all i really did to it was just change oil, oil filter, air filter, and spark plugs. Since then i have been getting around 25 or so. You might want to try and change the fuel and air filter. I guess another problem might be your MAF sensor which i am not sure if 97's have them but my 98 does. Hope any of this might help. good luck, jslegacy

06-29-2002, 08:21 AM	#5
HIHO Scooby Specialist Member#: 7624 Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Hopefully on a nice single track. Vehicle: BD5; family sedan that just wooped your ass	The car shouldn't need a tune up at 26,000. All the filters should be fine too. With those miles you need to take it to the dealer.

06-29-2002, 09:41 AM	#6
AGscooby Scooby Specialist Member#: 4242 Join Date: Feb 2001 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Aurora, IL Vehicle: 1999 BD SUS GRN/GLD gimme Legacy TPH wagon!	That's one heavy foot. Seriously, if you aren't jamming on the pedal all the time, I would think you'd get far more miles out of one tank. When I'm feeling crazy, I can get the trip down to 190-200 per tank. That seems like some abnormal running conditions. Wouldn't the ECU show a CE light in this case? If not, what does it take? Just curious since I haven't had a single CE yet. <knock><knock> AG May the B4 be with you!

06-29-2002, 09:48 PM	#7
georgiamiata Scooby Newbie Member#: 8454 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Valdosta Ga. Vehicle: 1997 Legacy Gt Black?	I have not had any check engine light at all the car runs great.I run Mobile 1 oil in it and the wife drives it and she is not hard on it at all.I brought it up to the dealership and they did not seem to concerned with it but man I need to buy a Shell gas station to keep it running.I have a pocket logger where I can look at all the sensors fuel trim o2 MAS and such maybe I need to hook it up and see what the heck is going on.I'm hoping someone will have had the same problem if I've learned anything over the years is Sub's don't usually have one car only problems if it happends to one of then it happend to all of them at some time or another. Jeff T

07-01-2002, 04:11 PM	#9
georgiamiata Scooby Newbie Member#: 8454 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Valdosta Ga. Vehicle: 1997 Legacy Gt Black?	With the OBD2 I should be throwing codes if I had a bad MAF or o2 sensor.Now I'm talking about in city driving not on the high way. Jeff T.

07-01-2002, 04:18 PM	#10
Subietonic Scooby Specialist Member#: 12588 Join Date: Nov 2001 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: Low Country, SC Vehicle: Four Count 'em GF5,BDA,BD5, BP5	My 02 never popped a code because it was intermittent but when we Ohmmed it out it was bad. You could also have a bad or loose connection at the sensor and that could give be sending an "enrich" signal. Typically, in town, I'm seeing about 23-24 mpg around town if it gets the gentle go pedal application... 20-21 with more spirited driving. Br, Dale