2.3 gas milage

[spin]

I have a 1995 Mazda B2300 5 speed extended cab with 118,000 miles, and I've averaged right at 18mpg for the last 2500 miles. I've checked the vacuum lines and replaced anything that looked suspect and removed the silencer in the intake tube. I also check my airfilter and found a bunch of bird seed in the box. After I removed the bird seed, I thought my problem was fixed because the next tank I got 22mpgs and half of it was already used before I removed the seed.

Anyway, that was just one tank. All the others have been between 15 and 19mpg. I did pick up a check engine about 100 miles after removing the bird seed, but it is for evap purge p1443. I've replaced all the brakes and none of the wheels drag. The engine runs good with no misses. Down on power, but it's a 2.3. Its really dissapointing the milage I'm getting, because I can get close to that out of my Suburban.

Any Ideas what else to check/replace.

 

[LIMA BEAN]

One thing alot of people dont check is their fan clutch. If its starting to lock up or locked up it will cause what you have going on.

 

[spin]

One thing alot of people dont check is their fan clutch. If its starting to lock up or locked up it will cause what you have going on.

Thats one thing I didn't think about. But now that you say that, I think the fan was locked up on time when it was about 12 degrees outside and I just started the truck. Kind of had that airplane noise to it for a while. I'll make sure to check that this evening.

 

[straycat]

You have a used, older truck...it does not get the gas milage it did when it was new...remember that. Cold weather...hot weather also effects the milage. How you drive effects the milage and what you tow or haul effects the milage.

 

[LearjetMinako]

He is not the only one. My 96' Ranger with the 2.3L has been getting some shitty mileage too. Use to always get 21~23mpg in city driving. Now it has been straight 19 mpg. And this started around Nov. 2010. I filled up today, and got another 19 mpg tank. The only things that have changed were an O2 sensor (upstream of cat.), fuel (no e10 fuel), and weather (been getting cold). Very shortly, I will be replacing the radiator fan and fan clutch. Just because they are old and the fan's plastic is heavily cracked. I may consider getting another O2 sensor since that was about the time when the mileage started sucking.

Before its asked, my Ranger is in tip-top working order. So doing a full tune-up is pointless, because it has already been done less than 10K miles ago.

 

[The83RangerMan]

I have noticed that all my vehicles, have been getting worse millage than about 4-5 months ago, and i do a lot of driving, i do all the maintenance, and keep up on my tune-ups, i have a funny feeling that the oil company's are screwing with the fuel. Dropping additives and the such, while raising prices, this equals bigger wallets for them greedy oil company's, My dd is a 98 dodge neon, I go through a ten gallon tank of gas about every 2-2.5 days, i used to get an average of 23-25 miles per gallon, now its more like 19-20, and i just did a tune up

 

[exbass94]

Winter blend fuel.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Winter blend fuel.

That did cross my mind too. If so, I'm hoping that it will improve towards spring time. And the gas station that I fill up at is always fresh fuel. They got to have a tanker truck every day or two, just to keep customers on the move.

 

[spin]

You have a used, older truck...it does not get the gas milage it did when it was new...remember that. Cold weather...hot weather also effects the milage. How you drive effects the milage and what you tow or haul effects the milage.

I doubt it's my driving. Since I've had the truck I only drive it on the highway, 15 miles to work, 15 miles back, and wasn't going over 60mph. The milage never got better except for the 1 tank. I drove 65-70 this tank and the milage is the same. Remember, I can get 17mpg out of a 1999 4x4 Suburban 5.7L with 150,000 miles on it, when I try. Normally the Suburban is only used for pulling my boat or long trips. Even pulling the boat I can get 13-14mpg with it.

 

[mp3deviant721]

If your living in a colder climate, its going to be the winter blended fuel as mentioned before. It's going to be the most plausible explanation.

 

[The83RangerMan]

after doing a little research i agree the fact of the change in fuels i had never really heard about, but it makes complete sense.

 

[mp3deviant721]

Yep. Once they switch back to the summer blend, you gas mileage should shoot right back up. Man, I can't wait for the warmer weather to come back.

 

[spin]

That's pretty terrible. I'll give it a few more months and see if it is the gas. I checked the fan and its free.

 

[predator]

put on an electric fan and replace the o2 sensor...you can cut the cat out and weld in a piece of straight pipe too for extra credit.


my buddy has an explorer that was getting 8mpg, a chunk inside his cat dislogded and plugged it up, took the cat out he is back up to 16-17...

 

[LearjetMinako]

put on an electric fan and replace the o2 sensor...you can cut the cat out and weld in a piece of straight pipe too for extra credit.

The electric fan also crossed my mind. But no electric fan out there can pull as much air as a belt driven fan can. Plus, it is simplier this way. I need the truck to run in 120*F + degree weather when needed. Most of the time, it my only see the 100's degree.