SSDavid

Hi guys I'm new here and just got a 2001 camaro ss m6 with 164k miles. I was expecting to get around the same gas mileage as my previous subaru but im only averaging mid 17mpg with more highway than freeway. Im a fairly conservative driver and don't get on it very much. I've cleaned my maf and throttle body. Tried Lucas top engine lubricant/fuel injector cleaner. Air cleaner looks good. Replaced my gas cap because the seal was all cracked. Best part is the car passed smog cleaner than I could even imagine. HC's were 0 and 1. CO was .00 and .01. Nox was 1 and 2. Literally blew 0's. So I dont get why Im getting such bad gas mileage. My buddies z28 with 3.73 and smashes everywhere is getting 20+ mpg. Any pointers from here would help. Going to do plugs and wires when I do my long tubes. And probably a fuel filter for kicks and gigs. Car ran a 13.7@104 so its pretty solid from what I can tell. Thanks for the input!

M4N14C

iTrader: (3)

I get 17/18 doing mostly city. I always hear about guys getting 25+ and don't see how that's possible. Before I got 14/15, then i changed out fuel filter, air filter, plugs/wires and seafoamed my car and just gained 3mpg. I really wanna just hit 20.

SSDavid

Thats how I am right now. Ive heard of those 25+ people but my buddy who bought his camaro 2 days after me is killing me as far as mpg's go. He even has 10k more miles than me. I just put his longtubes and y pipe on yesterday so I know he's been been screwing around and he got 160 miles on half a tank. I got 110 cruising.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

I'll bet your buddy is siphoning gas out of your tank while you aren't looking... (subtracting from your mileage and adding to his)

You might also try a carbon cleaning, but that comes with some risks on higher mileage engines. Carbon cleaning has gotten me 3mpg in the past.

SSDavid

The funny thing about that is everytime the car sits its seems some gremlins are taking away a little bit of gas at the time. My gauge always goes down when the car sits. I may seafoam it before my next oil change.

sscamaroburn02

iTrader: (14)

My car will get around 27-28 mpgs straight freeway with my 6 speed and that's on a h/c/I/e car. Now in city varies depends on how much I show off lol

SSDavid

I dont even think I get 20mpg hwy. and I have taller tires than stock. At 70mph im at 1500rpm i believe

M4N14C

iTrader: (3)

My gauge does that as well, apparently that's normal

You get your car tuned yet? Even on a stock car a decent tune is supposed to net you at least a couple mpg.

SSDavid

Stock tune. Gonna get it tuned once I do my longtubes.

JDEP162

I pull an average of 22-23 with a mix of highway city and a romp. Can do 25 on a long cruise.

SSDavid

This is the part that irritates me the most. Just drove it 3 whole miles for a doctors appointment. When i left my house it had 1/8th of a tank. Once the appointment was done. Gas light came on needle almost to red. Regardless of the gauge though. Im still only getting mid 17s mixed

RockinWs6

How are you checking the mileage...........

SSDavid

Take my miles and divide by gallons if gas. Im averaging about 220-240 on a tank filling up 13.5-14 gallons.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

There is your problem. You are going too fast. Mileage on our cars starts taking a nosedive after 55 mph and really gets crappy at 70 mph. My best mileage of 29 mpg was at 55 mph and in the same car at 75 mph, I get in the low 20's. This car body was designed before the national speed limit repeal, so that's a contributor to why the sweet spot is in that area: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Maximum_Speed_Law

The gas gauge is non-linear. So the top half of the gauge "tank" goes by really slowly. When you get to 1/4 tank, the speed of the needle picks up greatly. If you cover it up with a post it note, the gauge won't irritate you.

SSDavid

On my last tank
1/4: 52miles
1/2: 110miles
On the red empty: 224miles.

Id say that was pretty linear. I know what you are saying about linear. My buddies truck did that first half took 200 miles last half 50 miles.

SSDavid

The gas guage is just a nuisance. Its not my concern. Its my mileage. It makes no sence that a perfectly health car is getting such bad mileage. Last tank 224 miles i got 16.5mpg.

-blew zeros on the smog
-Ran a 13.7@104 with 165k miles
-my buddies 98 z28 with 3.73s, 176k miles, smashes way more than i do and races. Gets 20mpg.

Decadence75

iTrader: (17)

You have to learn to mostly ignore the fuel gauges in these cars, they are terrible. Every single time I climb into the car the gauge will read from 1/16 - 1/8 lower than it was when I shut it of. I have learned to ignore that though as in the long run it ends up being the same average MPG anyway. With my current mods I average around 17-18 mostly city and 22-23 on the highway. I think my tune is off or I need a rebuild. But I think my fuel level sender is rusted or corroded because my fuel light comes on when I hit about 12 gallons used. Plan on replacing it when I do a racetronix pump in the next year

sscamaroburn02

iTrader: (14)

Are u driving a 6 speed. 55 mph in 6th gear would hurt the engine by to low rpms. I drive 70-75 mph all day on highway and get upper 20s mpgs. So your statement is not true at all. Research some more.

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wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Yes, I have a 6 speed.


This is not correct - but don't believe what you read on the internet. You should go back and read your owners manual. The engineers who designed and built the car/engine recommend shifting in to 6th gear at 50 mph.


So, surely you must know the source of the OP's problem? Can you enlighten us with the secret to miracle mileage? Is 26 mpg, "upper 20's", because I've gotten that at 70 mph on flat roads. But go get 29 mpg, the speed needs to come way down.

sscamaroburn02

iTrader: (14)

27-28 and higher occasionally. That's with 450whp. Driving at 55 is not optimal for this car. And no magic just normal driving.

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