MissyAF

I just got my 99 Camaro shipped up to Washington from Florida. Its a V6 3.8L. I used to get 25 miles to the gallon and run it over 50 mph out on the highway everyday. Now Im up at base and the thing barely gets 12 mpg. I also dont drive it for long distances anymore and barely over 30. The car runs great, theres no shaking, no check engine light, and Ive done a whole bunch of fluid changes on the car already. Can anyone help?

Melissa

Ell Ess Won

There's really no way for any of us to know for sure. First I would maker sure the car is A-ok in maintainance. Make sure the air filter is clean, make sure the plugs arent shoddy, etc. If you went from decent mileage to 12mpg, either you let the car idle for fun or theres something wrong with it.

tx3

iTrader: (1)

like ell ess won said or check for clogged cats if the car runs like crap?

not7fifteen

iTrader: (8)

What he said ^
Plus if you aren't driving long distances in it its going to do a lot worse on miles per tank starting it up all the time and going shorter distances in traffic than it would at 50mph+ for longer periods of time. Also the longer you let it warm up and idle the more it kills your miles per tank... Probably nothing wrong, just the driving habits changed and it changed your avg mileage. The altitude may play a role in this too...

MissyAF

I'll try changing out the air filter. Another one of my friends said to do the same. I know for sure I dont have a dead cat up in there clogging things up, so yeah. lol I have been letting it idle though because its been so cold. It was in the 20's and 30's not too long ago so I would warm up the car. Its good to warm it up before you drive the car right? Some people I know up here just drive their vehicles cold. The spark plugs and wires are good on the car...I had those changed out not too long ago.

ghardester

I infer that you are in the USAF, probably at McCord. (Thank you!) If that is the case, there is likely nothing wrong with your car. It's the notoriously bad Seattle area traffic. Welcome to the NW.

Rede

iTrader: (2)

You might want to change your fuel filter too.

I had a '02 GMC shortbox pickup with 30,000km on it.
One day I get a check engine light come up.
Turns out that the Fas Gas gas station that I fuel up at all the time, had shitty gas.
The mechanic brings me my filter and said "try and blow through that..."
No damn way I could get anything through.
I was shocked.

Try burning non-ethanol fuel in your car as well.
Ethanol is great for the environment but it doesn't burn as hot as regular gasoline so your vehical will get worse milage than say plain old 87 octane.

Take that baby out on the hi-way and give it a good run. Burn that carbon out of there!

Seafoam sure wouldn't hurt either...

NoGamesLS1

iTrader: (16)

if none of the above helps check out you o2 sensors

09CPTN

iTrader: (5)

Where can you buy non-ethanol fuel these days?

vipert/a

whoa wait a minute, i know this isn't subject related, but did you say you drive 50mph with a camaro on the highway? you should try 80mph or over. its fun. or at least the speed limit which im assuming is 65 for u right?

ws6on19s

iTrader: (4)

o2 sensors...they dont always set a light but can be cooked and will cut mileage in half, pull out the pre cat sensors first

09CPTN

iTrader: (5)

Anyone know if it still possible to get fuel without the 10% ethanol added?

MissyAF

Well at home on the highway the speed limit was 55, so I would actually go 60. Ive only gotten it up to 80 maybe 4 times the 2 years Ive had the car. I got 2 tickets in my Neon when I had it and miraculously none in this car. Seattle does suck for traffic, but believe me Tampa gets its share too. How would I be able to tell if the o2 sensor is done for in the car? How would I be able to tell if the gas station Im at has a non ethonal fuel they are selling?

09CPTN

iTrader: (5)

I'm wondering the same thing. I'm pretty sure it's no longer possible to get gas without ethanol in it. Correct me if i'm wrong, but I think the government outlawd the use of MTBE for gas, in favor of ethanol.

MissyAF

I dont know...maybe I can look it up somewhere...Google it or something

TheLS1Kid

iTrader: (12)

put some fuel injector cleaner in with a full tank of gas.

MissyAF

Will do...thank you very much! Its nice to talk to someone else from Florida lol

KENS_SS_4

Florida is very flat. Washington is very hilly. Mileage is always going to follow the laws of physics. Try pushing the car on a level parking lot say 100 feet. Then try pushing the car up a very shallow grade 100 feet (say about two or three degrees). You won't even make it twenty feet before you have a heart attack.
If good mileage is what your after adjust your driving habits. If your just worried that something is wrong with the car, it is probably fine and just ganging of all the changes in the negative direction (fuel, terrain, stop & go, density air, shorter trips).
IMHO
Enjoy the Northwest!

SladeX

first off you've gone from florida to washington.

I'd say elevation change and fuel type (washington would be using a winter formula for their gas right now which knocks down mileage a bit). Also cold air = denser air = more fuel used per rpm.

If you aren't throwing codes, I wouldn't worry too much unless you had a severe drop like 30mpg to 15mpg. Depending on my mood during driving my combined will bounce around 12mpg to 22mpg.

ChocoTaco369

umm, 25 mpg to 12 mpg? the only thing i can even think of that could possibly do this is bad O2 sensors. are you throwing any codes? have you gotten the thing scanned? you should know that your car CAN be throwing codes without the SES light popping on. you're not going to lose 50% of your fuel economy from a bad fuel filter or air filter, but you will from a bad oxygen sensor. bad cats are also a possibility, but you'd notice that as your power would decrease exponentially and you'd likely hear rattling coming from your exhaust.

also, note that some states switch over to a winter blend of gasoline in these cold months. my car gets 21 mpg in the summer. now, it's getting 16 mpg because of this damn winter blend and increased warm-up times. it sucks.