How to improve MPG???
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: Alameda CA
How to improve MPG???
I was reading the best corvette mpg thread and realized that I get horrible mileage, how can I imrpoce my gas mileage. I have a stock 04 auto with 2.73 gears??? 70% driving in the city, geting bout 13.5 mpg
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A little more info would be helpful - how many miles on car, ever had plugs changed, how much stop and go driving, do you go easy on the gas pedal, etc. If you have a lot of stop and go traffic, then 13 mpg may be a somewhat realistic figure for mostly city driving.
Race Director
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From: Quincy IL
check your air filter, air the tires a couple lbs over normal pressure. use good fuel. I use 93 shell v-power, mainly cuz I have a 5% off shell card. the station I go to has a lot of business so I know the gas is not old.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2008
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From: Dallas, TX
If the car is running the way it should, your mileage is really a factor of your driving habits. I have a stock 03 Vert A4 with the 2.73s and I normally get about 17.5 - 19 around town. If I get on it all the time it goes way down. Stop and go driving will kill it too, I only have 3 stops on the way to work.
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The fact that our cars have great mileage for being what they are is a bonus. Lets face it, these things aren't economy cars. As far as you getting better gas mileage, I think your calculations are wrong. How did you even get that figure? The best way to do it is to take an average over a period of time of how many miles you get to a full tank of gas. I bet if you do this you find out that your mileage is right on the money, assuming of course that you treat the vette with respect.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Oak Hill Virginia
But seriously...
If you're getting 13 MPG then something is WRONG. I have a lead foot and tall gears and I still get between 18 - 19 around town. How did you get that number?
Last edited by cdkcorvette7; Mar 15, 2010 at 01:26 PM.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Wallingford Ct
Mileage
Why dont you take it to Chuck Cow or if its to much of a haul for you I would suggest his mail order tune. For an auto the performance increase will be awesome and the mileage will improve. I had Chuck install 3:42's, AR Headers, VaraRam, and a few other goodies and I'm getting 27/28 on the highway. I also have an auto and the original gears were 2:73. Car rus phenominal! Cow will do you right! Its the best bucks I have ever spent on my vette!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
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From: Alameda CA
Yeah a whole lost of stop and go driving, my town is filled with traffic lights, car is a 04 and just got 16k miles on it. I am getting the 13.5 MPG avg from the DIC, I use 93 gas.
Can a new Air filter and CAI help my MPG??
Can a new Air filter and CAI help my MPG??
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 898
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From: Dallas, TX
Not enough to pay the bill for the parts...
A tune might help, you'd have to ask Chuck if helpp by adjusting the shift points at the lower speeds. Not sure about that.
I got a tune by Chuck and it made it a much better car to drive, more fun and the SOTP dyno says
Your not enjoying the throttle too much between stoplights? Stop and go really kills the MPG, even if your easy on the go pedal.
A tune might help, you'd have to ask Chuck if helpp by adjusting the shift points at the lower speeds. Not sure about that.
I got a tune by Chuck and it made it a much better car to drive, more fun and the SOTP dyno says
Your not enjoying the throttle too much between stoplights? Stop and go really kills the MPG, even if your easy on the go pedal.
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admittedly a 6 speed would help you a lot. i have an 04 vert 6 speed and average just under 20 city and just under 30 on longer trips on the highway, cruise set just under 80, trip durations of 2-4 hours or so. no special set ups, no major mods to the car with the exception of a CAI. the ability to gear select is a big factor for certain around the city, and on the highway, the car is turning very low RPMs even cruising at just about 80 in 6th gear.
if you get on it at all, you can almost watch the gas gauge go straight downward, lol. seriously, it really does affect fuel mileage in a big way.
if you get on it at all, you can almost watch the gas gauge go straight downward, lol. seriously, it really does affect fuel mileage in a big way.
Racer
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From: South Carolina
If the car is running the way it should, your mileage is really a factor of your driving habits. I have a stock 03 Vert A4 with the 2.73s and I normally get about 17.5 - 19 around town. If I get on it all the time it goes way down. Stop and go driving will kill it too, I only have 3 stops on the way to work.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2005
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You don't use the DIC if you want to accurately establish fuel consumption.
Having said that, 13.5 in heavy stop & go is about right.
Best I've ever done is 27 on the Interstate with no wrecks or congestion. I usually get 14.5 in the city. If you are in an area that requires oxygenated gas, mpg is less, if you are in an area that requires or allows corn fuel, mpg goes down.
Having said that, 13.5 in heavy stop & go is about right.
Best I've ever done is 27 on the Interstate with no wrecks or congestion. I usually get 14.5 in the city. If you are in an area that requires oxygenated gas, mpg is less, if you are in an area that requires or allows corn fuel, mpg goes down.
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From: Douglas MA
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From: Waldorf MD
With 70% city driving, 13.5 mpg may not be bad.
Time sitting at lights hurts mileage, but your starter is not robust enough to turn off the car at lights.
My 1998 C5 is a 6 speed, I get:
-up to 33.6 mpg on a trip (flat land)
-22.5 mpg driving to work (20 miles one way, mostly highway driving with about 5 lights)
-16.5 mpg driving around town (many lights and mostly 45-55 mpg speed limits)
SO, I don't think 13.5 mpg is too bad for CITY DRIVING.
Time sitting at lights hurts mileage, but your starter is not robust enough to turn off the car at lights.
My 1998 C5 is a 6 speed, I get:
-up to 33.6 mpg on a trip (flat land)
-22.5 mpg driving to work (20 miles one way, mostly highway driving with about 5 lights)
-16.5 mpg driving around town (many lights and mostly 45-55 mpg speed limits)
SO, I don't think 13.5 mpg is too bad for CITY DRIVING.
Last edited by Oldvetter; Mar 15, 2010 at 05:11 PM.