Gas Costs!

[17LexusOwner]

What a great topic for this time in the US huh?

I have a '91 LS400 with 210k miles on it. (Bought it with 198k miles)

Well anyways, I've noticed recently that my fuel economy has gone down the drain. Seems like my gas is just spilling right outta the tail pipes. Before I would normally get around 18-19 mpg, which is still pretty harsh, but I would be able to get around 320 miles on a tank of gas. Now though I have only been able to get just shy of 260 miles on a tank... Quite a big drop in fuel economy.

Now me being 17 and all this is a real problem since I can't really afford to pay $50-$60 a week on gas, so any help from you guys would be greatly appreciated.

-Some of the things I've been thinking that might contribute is the weather (now it's winter in MN and around 12-28 degrees most of the time). I don't know how much that would effect fuel econ if at all but it's a thought.

-Another thought is that recently I added a sub system and have added a sub box in my trunk that probably weighs around 70 lbs.

-And lastly I do have a leaky valve gasket on my right valve bank. It leaks oil from there but not much. Could that possibly be causing a loss of fuel econ?

Those are just my thoughts. If anyone has some ideas or tips on how to fix this annoying problem it'd be very helpful.

Thanks.

[scottmcc]

Since when is a 17 year old worried about gas mileage!!! What the f..... You should probably ask your friends for some gas money while you are showing off your LEXUS before you ask us how you can get more MPG from your LS....

Here are some tips... because this is what I did when I was 17. (I am 46 now). Always accellerate slow from stop lights. Keep you tire pressure at recommended values and obey all speed limits.... LOL

What the F......?????

[djspawn00]

I wish i could average 17mpg right now... i dunno if its the cold... or ethanol in the gas... but my mileage has also dropped considerly and I've got two less cylinders than you... but that sub in your trunk could be one culprit... or maybe an 02 sensor is on its way out.

[nc211]

Question: did you mileage drop immediatly after installing your 70 lb sub box "that must be one honker of a sub!"? Logically speaking, if it dropped immediatly after that, then that's probably your culprit. Winter probably has something to do with it too, not so much due to the winter blend that designed to reduce pollutants "although it does impact mpg", but due to the cold air. Do you let your car warm up before driving it? Is it garaged? The colder the engine, the richer it's going to run upon initial start up, to protect the parts until everything is up to temp. I wouldn't think an oil leak would impact the gas comsumption levels, but you do want that fixed. If you have a bad O2' sensor, your engine computer should catch it and throw a code, which would kick on your check-engine-light "CEL". Swing by an autozone and ask if they can hook up thier little code reader to the terminal in the engine bay. Then report back here what codes they find. I think, but not 100% on the generation 1 LS's, but I think the bad O2 code is "420".... and no, i'm not kidding, for all of you pot-heads out there.

Are you a DIY type and not affraid to kick around an engine? If you're comfortable with it, then I would recommend searching on here about cleaning out your throttle body. You'll need a new gasket seal to do it "probably $5", but cleaning the butterfly in the throttle body, and the inside of the body itself, will help quite a bit. The cleaner it is, the more clean air the engine gets, which requires less gas to ignite. You would be stunned by how sensitive these engines are to a dirty air filter. Keep up with that too. Also, search for "seafoam" too, as this stuff is great for cleaning the injectors throught he gas tank, and cleaning the internals of the engine through the brake-booster line. It is also quite good in the oil right before changing it. But, with your leak that you have now, I wouldn't recommend it in the oil, as it can dislodge other crud in other seals that might actually be preventing leaks. But in the intake & gas tank, you should be ok. In my cars in the past, I've actually had very good luck with Dura-Lube's fuel cleaning/conditioning stuff too.

When I bought my 95' back in 2004, with 83k miles on it, I got about 15 city, 20 highway. When I sold it last month with 132k miles on it, I averaged 17 city, and over 25mpg highway! I seafoamed the intake twice, always replaced the air filter every-other oil change "6,000 miles", and thuroughly cleaned the throttle body with a dremel tool and buffer tip. Also changed the plugs. On my newish 05' 4runner that replaced the LS, with 52k miles, it averaged "according to the computer" 16.1 mpg. I've seafoamed the oil twice, ran a can through the gas tank, use mobile 1 synthetic oil "you don't want to this until you know more about your oil leak", changed the air filter, and changed the plugs "even though it's not required until 100k". Now, the computer tells me I'm averaging anywhere between 18.2-19.3 mpg. On a 4.7 liter V8 engine with permanent fulltime 4-wheel-drive, I'd say that's pretty darn good! And it's faster than I care to admit. The punch off the line in that thing is frightening at times. I haven't seafoamed the intake yet "don't know how yet".

[raymsixsix]

Since when is a 17 year old worried about gas mileage!!! What the f..... You should probably ask your friends for some gas money while you are showing off your LEXUS before you ask us how you can get more MPG from your LS....

Here are some tips... because this is what I did when I was 17. (I am 46 now). Always accellerate slow from stop lights. Keep you tire pressure at recommended values and obey all speed limits.... LOL

What the F......?????

What a rude answer, I guess tact and good manners don't necessarily come with age.

[johnhoward]

Lexus17 -

The guy that got called "rude" made a few good points - You might have a tire that's very low, or a few tires that are very low, or improperly inflated... My wife drove around on a flat tire for a few weeks and didn't even know it... She complained at getting horrible milage in the car... So, I checked it out, and found the front right to be totally flat... Duhh!! She's got 18's on her GS300 and she couldn't really tell that she had even a low tire...

**Never - drink and drive** - number one best advice for any young man, or woman in high school, or college and throughout life.... There are about 2, or 3 other things that I could throw at, or near the top of this list... (for another forum)

Saftey and Joy to all this Holiday Season - JH

[scottmcc]

Sorry, was not trying to be rude....I meant it in a fun way that I was shocked to hear that a New and Young driver was actually worried about gas mileage.

After re-reading my post I can see how it could have been percieved that way... Again I appologize to 17Lexusowner and to you all...

Are previous maintenance records available? When was its last tuned up (plugs & oil change)? A 3-4 MPG is a considerable drop in mileage.

[92silverls400]

even with bad gas mileage, we all should be happy with the price of gas here in the U.S.A, I was talking with a German tourtist in Honolulu, Hawaii at a Costco warehouse, he mention that gas in Germany was $9.00 a gallon, and we shouldn't be complainting at all. He also mention that it would be cheaper to buy a BMW here in Hawaii and shipped it back to Germany. and his last statement " your crazy president ". sorry not about Lexus. Also San Francisco has the highest gas price in the nation, $3.45 for regular unleaded gas!!!!!!!!!!! :chairshot:

[Lexls]

I was actually thinking about this question a few days ago: why does my mileage drop during winter?

I live in MN too and every year I notice my MPG go down considerably during the winter. So a few days ago I googled that and found this: http://www.startribune.com/cars/11354696.html. Basically, cold weather does contribute to lower fuel economy.

17Lexus, check out my LS site for tons of maintenance tutorials. The suggestions the others have made are good.

[Rillo]

Congratulations on having a great car at your age. Only advice I can give is this :

Here in the UK gas is about $10 a gallon so stop worrying!!!!!

[17LexusOwner]

Thank you all for your replies. They were quite helpful. I read that startribune.com article that you mentioned Lexls and I can't believe I didn't think about that earlier about letting my car warm up completely (common sense).

And scottmcc, I know the others thought your post was rude, but I laughed pretty hard when I read that. And about accelerating slowly from red lights....it's just so damn hard when you have a V8 that pushes you back in your seat when you stomp it!!

Sadly I have been thinking about finding a replacement car to my Lexus (tear). Since it gobbles gas so much. My sister would be happy to take it off my hands. But I'll make sure to do all those tips and hopefully it'll boost my mpg so I won't have to fill up every week anymore.

[SW03ES]

In all honesty...I'd sell the car and get something more economical.

Seriously, its a lot of fun to have a great car like that but these are expensive cars to own and fuel. $60 a week on gas, and gas isn't getting cheaper, plus the potential costs for repairs and parts can bankrupt someone such as yourself real quick. Believe it or not when you get to college you'll have LESS money than you have now. You should be having fun, not worrying about how to fill up the V8 Lexus or how you're going to come up with $1500 for an alternator or a starter for the thing.

Plenty of time left in your life to own a Lexus. JMHO.

[aarman4]

$3.45 a gallon????

I always feel so sorry for my wonderful friends south of the border when they don't like there gas prices..... Now I know the dollars are close right now, and I also feel that it will be temporary, but COME ON PEOPLE!!!! US has the lowest fuel prices of Europe and North America BY FAR....

Sorry, just my daily grumpy remark, please continue.....

(BTW, $1.09 CDN per litre here right now...)

[GKLCPA]

In all honesty...I'd sell the car and get something more economical.

Seriously, its a lot of fun to have a great car like that but these are expensive cars to own and fuel. $60 a week on gas, and gas isn't getting cheaper, plus the potential costs for repairs and parts can bankrupt someone such as yourself real quick. Believe it or not when you get to college you'll have LESS money than you have now. You should be having fun, not worrying about how to fill up the V8 Lexus or how you're going to come up with $1500 for an alternator or a starter for the thing.

Plenty of time left in your life to own a Lexus. JMHO.

Sage advice here.

[OmarG]

dude I'm in school full time, and have 2 jobs (ebay business with brother and stupid restaurant with dad, both very high stress) and i commute a ton! I drive about 2500(at least) miles a month which averages to about 20 mpg and $3 pg for premium. that comes out to almost $400 a month on gas. I don't pay for all my gas but i still feel the pain after i look at the amex bill.

Which is why I'm gonna retire my LS to spare car/cruiser. I put too many miles on it. Also my LS needs alot of work. My rear suspension is bad. I need new springs and struts and every single bushing imaginable. Actually i think i need to replace all the suspension. So I think i'm just gonna replace the bushings. and slowly restore this car's suspension.

My replacement vehicle is gonna be a little 96 honda civic LX 4dr manual trans. It needs a clutch job but otherwise is is really good cond. I think i'll cut my gas spending in half or almost half. And I'll have a little more fun doing it too. I love stick shift!

[OmarG]

$3.45 a gallon????

I always feel so sorry for my wonderful friends south of the border when they don't like there gas prices..... Now I know the dollars are close right now, and I also feel that it will be temporary, but COME ON PEOPLE!!!! US has the lowest fuel prices of Europe and North America BY FAR....

Sorry, just my daily grumpy remark, please continue.....

(BTW, $1.09 CDN per litre here right now...)

Yea they are lowest in NA but still considering the avg person doesnt make much more money than they did 5 or 10 years ago and the cost of gas has tripled since then it has raised the cost of living for everyone. So the people working to make ends meet are hit the hardest. Why do 3 medium tomatoes cost 2.25? Why is mayfield milk 6 dollars a gallon?

This was no gradual increase in prices either. Everything is much more expensive almost over night.. You name it. insurance,gas,groceries, lexus struts (double in price!), electricity.

sorry about the terrible grammar i just dont feel like editing everything.

[aarman4]

Like I said, it was just my daily grumpy writing, but maybe in the states it is different... Here in Canada, (with exception to the big city I used to live in), I have found the cost of living to be at an alltime low for me with exception to fuel and food of course.

When I bought my 91 LS, I drove it while my wife drove our 04 Toyota Echo from Vancouver to Brandon Manitoba (Just shy of 2000km's). The price of fuel for the 4.0L V8 was consistenly about double what it cost for the 1.5L inline 4 of the Echo. Spending more money in many of these situations is a choice we can all make, and although I am sure many here would agree that going to a very nice, reliable car like the LS and taking a hit on fuel milage is a worthy payoff for us... However, there are alot of people who emotionally love gas-guzzling cars that have terrible reliability and devaluation, and though they are not bad or dumb people by any stretch, it is those types of decisions that will take a families finances straight to the graveyard.....

BTW, my family also has the time to make their own bread to combat the price of "non-fresh" bread at the supermarket, but that is more of luxury for us... Now I am ranting, let's just all be happy we do not pay the same as the Europeans do right now..

Merry xmas regardless!

[OmarG]

i'm not directing it to you, just my family has been hit hard by this bad economy. My parents make much less than they did 2-3 years ago and the cost of everything has gone up. So imagine if you had half the money you do now due to the salary cut and inflation/rising living costs being avg'ed in.

whatev's tho, we'll make it. What dont kill me only makes me stronger.

[17LexusOwner]

In all honesty...I'd sell the car and get something more economical.

Seriously, its a lot of fun to have a great car like that but these are expensive cars to own and fuel. $60 a week on gas, and gas isn't getting cheaper, plus the potential costs for repairs and parts can bankrupt someone such as yourself real quick. Believe it or not when you get to college you'll have LESS money than you have now. You should be having fun, not worrying about how to fill up the V8 Lexus or how you're going to come up with $1500 for an alternator or a starter for the thing.

Plenty of time left in your life to own a Lexus. JMHO.

Yea that's exactly what I have been thinking. I am REALLY into cars and so it is extremely hard for me to let this beautiful car outta my sights and settle for a econ box car. I'm all about the exotics. But it's what I need to do in order to be able to afford other things and actually start saving money for when I got off to college (Sacramento).

Hopefully I'll be able to find a rare car that gets a lot better gas mileage. On that topic. do any of you have some ideas about cars that are good and also look/perform nice for around 4 grand?

[VBdenny]

My 90 consistantly gets around 18 in city and 25 on highway and I don't poke along. On my last trip two weeks ago I averaged 25.4mpg and I was doing 80-85 much of the time. There are a few things you can do to improve your fuel economy. As mentioned previosuly, keep your tires inflated. I use 34lbs. Other things I do include using a K&N air filter, synthetic fuel and occasionaly a bottle of Valvoline complet fuel system cleaner. If your economy has dropped off that much you may have some other issue which should be investigated. Finally, one big reason gas milage has dropped across the board is the use of alcohol in our fuel. Alcohol does not give nearly as much energy as gasoline. The other reason is the use of oxygenated fuels in many urban and northern areas which further reduces economy. The government got us, then got us again. I filled up the other day at Texaco and Premium was $2.99 per gallon.