What could have caused a huge MPG drop? No visible problems.
#11
08-11-2011, 08:20 PM
Super Moderator
#12
08-11-2011, 08:30 PM
Winching
#13
08-12-2011, 09:05 AM
Here is a tip from your Uncle Spike, if you never let your gas tank get below 3/4 of a tank it hurts less at the pump, instead of spending $120 you will spend $30.
Your a/c "being over due" for service is BS, the a/c has nothing to do with anything other than keeping you cool and will not cause any engine run issues.
Do NOT have your room mate start your truck once a week and let it idle, you are just wasting gas and rotting out your exhaust as well as fouling your spark plugs and O2 sensors.
When a engine is cold it runs rich, meaning it uses more fuel and all of that extra fuel gets dumped down stream and unless you actually drive the truck it will just sit there and collect in the exhaust.
Also all of the water vapor from the exhaust will just collect in the muffler and rot it out.
Either have him drive it for 20 miles once a week or let it sit.
Then once you get home start it, let it idle for 5 min or so and then drive it for at least 20 miles to get everything all nice and hot.
Park it with a full tank.
I park my truck every winter for the month of December, it sits in the parking lot at work buried in a snow bank.
Fires right up first tap of the key each and everytime.
Your a/c "being over due" for service is BS, the a/c has nothing to do with anything other than keeping you cool and will not cause any engine run issues.
Do NOT have your room mate start your truck once a week and let it idle, you are just wasting gas and rotting out your exhaust as well as fouling your spark plugs and O2 sensors.
When a engine is cold it runs rich, meaning it uses more fuel and all of that extra fuel gets dumped down stream and unless you actually drive the truck it will just sit there and collect in the exhaust.
Also all of the water vapor from the exhaust will just collect in the muffler and rot it out.
Either have him drive it for 20 miles once a week or let it sit.
Then once you get home start it, let it idle for 5 min or so and then drive it for at least 20 miles to get everything all nice and hot.
Park it with a full tank.
I park my truck every winter for the month of December, it sits in the parking lot at work buried in a snow bank.
Fires right up first tap of the key each and everytime.
And yea, Im 99.99% sure it has nothing to do with the a/c just mentioning that in case I may have overlooked something. Guess I'll have to take it in to get my o2s checked.
Given what you just said, my job and some of my trips aren't that far from me. Since I've been back this month in fact, I've only had to drive 20+miles two or three times, the others have Been relatively short trips (<5 minutes). Im wondering if they were possibly already getting older and being inactive for the month and then me not driving too far may have contributed to them working less efficiently. I'll update you all once I hear back hopefully today.
#14
08-12-2011, 10:50 AM
TReK
.Off Topic Devil's Advocate Time : The "hurt" at the pump will be the same (all price fluctuations aside), you'll spend the same amount of money to put the XX gallons into your truck to get your "bizness" done. Spreading it out like that is only going to make you waste MORE of your time at the gas station topping off....it's like pulling a band-aid off slowly.
That being said, don't run your tank below 1/4 so you don't starve and overheat your fuel pump. Hyakku, hope you have good news when you report back!
#15
08-12-2011, 08:05 PM
#17
08-12-2011, 08:16 PM
#19
08-13-2011, 01:03 PM
Winching
#20
08-17-2011, 12:49 PM
Ok update.
Took it to absolute rover for a few things out here in LA (good guys, honest about what needs doing and doesn't, etc.). First off, my brake noise wasn't rotors or brakes[didn't do that before I left for europe], just brake pad quality, something to keep in mind for people with brake noise that are worried about their rotors. That was a waste of a quick $100, even though checking them looked like they were bad, must have just been some crud. With that said I've got a pair of new front rotors for a 97 disco if anyone needs them on the cheap.
Second, A/C is fine, compressor is fine, engine isn't. The engine is running alright now, but he noted that there's a slight coolant leak from the gasket, and he said they might as well do the valve gasket as well since it's also going. The transmission could also be serviced, but it wasn't crucial atm. Don't know if I had detailed the issue of the a/c causing slight surging at higher speeds but that's what we've finally been able to attribute it too.
As for the drop in MPG, believe its related to the engine just starting to run suboptimally from the leaks. There were no codes from the O2 sensors or anywhere else from the engine and when they examined it (got a full diagnostic free).
At this point I don't know what to do. I don't have a garage anymore as I moved from the house I had last year to an apartment where I can't do all this work, and everyone here is living at the university so we can't take it to someone's house nearby to do the work. I can't really afford the cost of everything (~$1700), and I was already planning on selling the disco early next year.
I'm thinking now I may just try to sell it ASAP and let the new owner know about the issues, as I will have the invoice with the three issues that need repairing. I can't really deal with these issues for the next few months and I don't want to just let her fall into disrepair because of my complacency.
Will keep you all posted, but I may be leaving the disco world a bit earlier than anticipated. Heh, great birthday gift from the Rover today -_-, but I still love her.
Took it to absolute rover for a few things out here in LA (good guys, honest about what needs doing and doesn't, etc.). First off, my brake noise wasn't rotors or brakes[didn't do that before I left for europe], just brake pad quality, something to keep in mind for people with brake noise that are worried about their rotors. That was a waste of a quick $100, even though checking them looked like they were bad, must have just been some crud. With that said I've got a pair of new front rotors for a 97 disco if anyone needs them on the cheap.
Second, A/C is fine, compressor is fine, engine isn't. The engine is running alright now, but he noted that there's a slight coolant leak from the gasket, and he said they might as well do the valve gasket as well since it's also going. The transmission could also be serviced, but it wasn't crucial atm. Don't know if I had detailed the issue of the a/c causing slight surging at higher speeds but that's what we've finally been able to attribute it too.
As for the drop in MPG, believe its related to the engine just starting to run suboptimally from the leaks. There were no codes from the O2 sensors or anywhere else from the engine and when they examined it (got a full diagnostic free).
At this point I don't know what to do. I don't have a garage anymore as I moved from the house I had last year to an apartment where I can't do all this work, and everyone here is living at the university so we can't take it to someone's house nearby to do the work. I can't really afford the cost of everything (~$1700), and I was already planning on selling the disco early next year.
I'm thinking now I may just try to sell it ASAP and let the new owner know about the issues, as I will have the invoice with the three issues that need repairing. I can't really deal with these issues for the next few months and I don't want to just let her fall into disrepair because of my complacency.
Will keep you all posted, but I may be leaving the disco world a bit earlier than anticipated. Heh, great birthday gift from the Rover today -_-, but I still love her.