Gas Mileage Compair

[ProZac]

Hey Guys!

I drive a 1997 es300, I drive to school, work, and around town. I feel like i get POOR gas mileage. I just filled the tank 15.516 Gallons, and my tripometer read 249.2 Miles. SO i Divided the Miles/Gallons and got 16.06 Miles per Gallon. Now this is my first car, so am i doing that wrong???

When i drive to school on the freeway its about a 6 mile stretch then goes about 2~3 miles on surface streets (about 15mile round trip), and to work i drive streets (4 mile round trip) Yeah. i live Pretty close to all the places i drive. On this past tank i tried to drive conservate to see if my gas mileage would improve, not FLOORING it every light, and not passing people up like crazy (my es isn't a sports car but it feels like it sometimes ) on another tank i did the same calucation and got about 13 Miles per Gallon but i was driving like a madman. Is there something wrong with my car??? i have no mods, its all stock. OR is this normal? i did have an oil change about 2 months ago (had the car almost 4 months now), could they have bumped something and made my mileage worse? It did feel as if the car was a little sluggish weeks after the oil change.

Oh, also, what Grade gas do you guys use? i had been using Mid Grade, but since gas prices in CA have gone down i just started to use Premium (if $2.118 is cheap for premium at a MOBIL station) and thats when i got the +3 MPG.

Thanks

ProZac

[SKperformance]

i use premium gas all the time

i tried the ultra one that is 94 octane ( instead of 91) and funny enough i find i am pressing less on the pedal for the same results in speed

but i also just ran a fuel treatment

like i seem to tell everyone get a motorvac

also

clean the throttle plate

when is the last time you changed the plugs

and the air filter which can affect the milage drastically

[amf1932]

Always try to fill your tank at the same pump when doing this test. Fill it up as much as possible. Reset the trip odometer. Drive the car until you have about 1/4 of a tank left. Once again fill the tank the same as before. You than divide how many miles are on the odometer by how many gallons you used. That'll give you a pretty accurate idea of how many Miles per gallon you are getting.

Alan

[steviej]

amf1932 couldn't have said it better.

I am getting 24mpg around town, stop and go, etc.

close to 30 mpg if it is all out highway at 70-75mph with autopilot engaged. The only mod was a K&N air filter, but I ain't restarting that fire.

several factors will effect gas mileage. Most of all you style of driving. It is as simple as how you accelerate. heavy foot on the gas and get moving quickly OR gradual acceleration and go with traffic.

The condition of the air filter, fuel filter, oil and oil filter (but you said you just changed that) will play a major part.

Also the age, condition and gap of the spark plugs will have an effect as well as the efficiency of the fuel injectors. Replacement of plugs is a consideration. A simple trottle body cleaning as well as several gas treatments can be done in the driveway. A professional cleaning goes for about $75-90.

One of the most overlooked item to rob you of gas mileage is the PCV valve. This is also easily replaced DIY if you have the proper tools. It is also a $5.00 item.

start with the cheapest and work your way up. after each thing you do, calculate you mpg over at least 2-3 tankfuls to see if it is steady or climbing.

good luck.

steviej

[ProZac]

Good ideas,

I check the oil change list: Oil Filter changed, motor oil, and drain gasket changed. Air Filter, all fluid levels, belts and hoses, tire pressure checked but not changed. done March 07 2003

The only recomendation they had was brakes soon because i have 25% front 30% back. so like next oil change probably. So, if i put a fule additave treatment thingy-ma-bob (high tech terminology) like STP fule cleaner, that might help? Its worth a try. I have about 70k miles, should i wait for 75k or 80k for them to change spark Plugs, or they probably know? I use to DIY my girlfriends 90' VW Cabriolet, but this 97 Lex is LOT more complicated :P so ill leave it to the professionals.

Thanks m8's

ProZac

[akiraxtc]

Hey ProZac,

I am also having the same fuel consumption problem! I averaged about 16mpg, 285 miles for 15 gallons. I am going to change my Air Filter soon and do my oil change, but seeing how the low mpg persists made me think about PCV Valve. Probably i will try do an injector flush (cleaning), then pcv and if all else fails do the Plugs. I did not know when did the previous owner change the plug so i thought that this must me done.

Would you all think i should go to Toyota/Lexus for spark plug and pcv valve change instead of an independent mechanic?

[steviej]

those are easy fixes. IF you can DIY, then do it.

If you prefer a service center, look into Lexus certified Toyota service centers. They usually are less price, but with this you are only talking maybe $5.00/hour on labor. At any place the plugs are about $3 each x 6 and the PCV is about $5 x 1.

Just make sure the PCV is Toyota OEM and not some Autozone off label brand.

sj

[akiraxtc]

I just brought my car for an oil change in a shell oil change center. I told them to check my fuel filter, pcv valve and stuff that might cause my car to have such low mpg. Since my car engine is basically cleaned until it shines (it was a pretty tough job for me) the mechanic can easily tell that my car is not leaking anything, although he found that my throttle body has carbon buildup and he cleaned it along with the fuel injector flush/cleaning that i asked him to do. PCV valve is checked and fine so no problem there. I have not checked or change the plugs though because i'm not comfortable enough with non Toyota/Lexus technician to touch my lexus engine and start taking things apart :P

I also dropped a new air filter today since it is obviously dirty when i opened it.

So far i only consumed less than 1/4 tank since i last filled it. Will keep you updated on my fuel consumption problem, prozac. If i still have this problem... then most likely spark plug change/tune up would be in order, and i'd hate to think how much toyota will charge for this :(

[meZoom!]

i think the best MPG i ever got was 27 MPG during my 5 hour drive from monterey back down to los angeles. normal city driving yielded me around 21 MPG, and that's w/ moderate traffic, heavy acceleration at least 3x a day, and passing people plenty of times.

[ProZac]

I was doing SOOO well with my gas this week! a little over a quater tank 100+miles!!!! WHOOT!. its because i did more freeway driving this week . i haven't done any fule treatment yet (because i forgot to add it before i refilled my car) but i will try that. The mileage went down tho because i got impatient and did "fun" driving <!--emo&--><!--endemo--> Oh. also i raced my girlfriends stock 2001 civic against my 97 es I won... Oh yea and i DID ask her if she floored it and she said yes! I even asked her if she thought she would beat me and she said "yes" hahaha... well showed her!! B) Do you guys ever peal out on flat good ground, facing stright ahead?

Ok ok ok... i will get back to good driving, honest :) I think the fule treatment will help, but i have about another week to see!

Thanks again guys,

ProZac

[akiraxtc]

LOL Porzac, of course you would smoke a stock civic, try smoking an Eclipse GT :P

Hell, i'm not going to use my Lex to smoke anyone, i just want a calm drive and enjoy myself on crowded city streets .

By the way, i've emptied half tank and see that i have 150 miles so far, don't know if i will reach 20mpg when my tank emptied or not. I rarely floor my car, so i'm not sure what causes this. Contacted my local toyota dealer and they quoted me $140 for Full power tranmission flush (nothing to do with this fuel thing) and $175 for Tune-up. All price already includes materials and labor. Is that a good price for those service?

[NeiLtYmE]

also good to make sure your wheel alighnment is proper. The slightest variations can cause a pretty big difference in gas mileage...Plus it wears out your tires faster.

speaking of tires.... make sure there is proper amount of pressure in your tires. Tires not at the right pressure change gas mileage too....

Neil

[ProZac]

Yah. i think the fronts need a tad more air. but i don't want to over inflate... AND when i used the gasstation pump last time the seal on the pump was messed up so it draind air and not filled.. so ill try another station!

The War on Gas Continues!

ProZac

[lexo]

Thank God I live in Utah.....94 oct is about 1.68 a gal. With turbo, I tend to burn it up good.....Got to spank the red necks out here in the ol pick ups that race me ( well try anywho ) B)

[NeiLtYmE]

yeah ... gas... :(

i get screwed on that ... eh ... bout once a week....

a true bummer..

[ProZac]

lexo, You run turbo on an es 300???? how good is it for ya???? I toy'd with the idea of it, but well how ya like it???

ProZac

[steviej]

sometimes I hate living in New England.

I'm paying $1.85/gallon of 93 octane.

crap

sj

[zeta]

no, lexo drives a GS300T. an ES300T would be crazy.

[ProZac]

LOL... i was gonna say... TURRRRBOOO!!!!... Well... didn't mcelligott put NOS in his es 300??? thats kinda cool too. and i actively thought about a Camery super chrger for my es.. but its TOO much Mula... And i have no $... maybe in 5 years ill have a good career and more $$$ then buy a GS 400 and L-TUNE the Heck outta it!!!! (I would do BAD things to have that car :whistles: )

ProZac

[akiraxtc]

ProZac,

I went to a Toyota Dealer this weekend and have a Tune-Up done, including replacement of the plugs which they say are oem platinum plugs.

Anyways, it cost me $175 including parts, labor and tax. I noticed a difference in my gas milage. Well i noticed the highway milage for that matter. I took my car with me this weekend on a trip, fill it to full tank and got about 249miles when the fuel needle reaches 1/2 tank. I haven't really used my car fully in the city since i did that tune up so i will keep you updated later on how a full tank fares in a city-only driving. So far, fuel consumption on highway seems to be right, i'll just cross my fingers and hope my city fuel consumption improved :)

[ProZac]

akiraxtc,

OMG THAT IS SWEET MILEAGE!!!! i got 249 miles last week when the fule light turnd on!!! lol This week was pretty good though, i got to 100mpg just past the 3/4 tank mark, then it went kind of down hill from there But i almost got a mile more per gallon this week (i didn't wait till light turnd on, i filled it at a little under a quarter tank left). Also, i just added some Valvoline Fuel System Treatment $9.69 usd. Suppose to clean the injectors and valves and junk. The box says i should follow up every 3k miles with their regular injector cleaner too. SOOoo we'll have to see what the future weeks hold ahead.

akiraxtc, I will keep in mind those prices, i haven't done a tune-up yet or an injector flush, so i don't know how much my machanic will charge, but i will let you know when/if i do :)

Gas in my city in southern california was $2.079/g for 91 oct at an Exxon/Mobile station

(i wish i could try 93 oct like steviej :D )

The Battle moves ahead,

ProZac

[LexuSY]

I get 250 miles when the needle reaches half a tank too! I recently got a used 98 es300 and i guess they tuned it up for me at the lexus dealer.

I drive mostly on the freeway, but in California, there's lots of traffic, so i'm also stuck in stop and go traffic and still get that kind of mileage.

Just wanted to back up akiraxtc's mpg!

Anyone out there that gets bad mpg, should definately get a tune up.. it's worth it!

[akiraxtc]

Whoa LexusY, you're getting 250mpg half tank amidst all the stop and go traffic? i got that milage if i go on highways. I don't ask for much, just the spec'd 19/20mpg city driving :)

By the way, ProZac, it's $1.519 for 93 octane chevron gas here in atlanta i believe.

[LexuSY]

I use 91 octane... but the stop and go is not constant. during the "go", i go about 70-75 mph for about 30 miles. Other than that, it's local streets, you know.. stop signs, traffic lights, or just other cars. i hope my mileage lasts! hehe.

[akiraxtc]

Well in that case LexusY, no wonder you're getting good milage :)

I'm driving like the 1st 2miles are small backroads with stop signs, then next 8miles highway, and the next 4 miles another backroad all the way to my office so it's pretty much all stop and go.