March 9, 2010
why doesnt my car get as much gas mileage as its supposed to?
i have a 91 honda accord with 178,000 miles
and its supposed to get 374/476 miles on a whole tank, but i find it really hard to get even 300 on one tank driving in the city
mostly, i don’t accelerate very hard to conserve gas
i know the car is old and that’s why the fuel economy is down, but what parts can i replace to help make it better?
tune up, oil change, air filter, and timing were all done recently
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Filed under Gas Conservation FAQ by on Mar 9th, 2010. Comment. 
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Comments on why doesnt my car get as much gas mileage as its supposed to?
Your piston rings are old and worn,therefor you loose compression and power which equals less fuel mileage.If you have the engine rebuilt it will get proper fuel mileage but the cost of that is much greater than the little bit extra you pay in fuel.Also don’t bother trying additives that promise to restore power and fuel economy.they are useless and can harm your engine.You should always keep your engine tuned up with spark plugs ,wires,and air filter.CHANGE YOUR OIL EVERY 3000 MILES!That’s the most important.Good luck.
tune up
The O2 sensor is failing. The computer used the oxygen sensor to decide how much fuel to inject. As it degrades the resistance changes and the computer sends more fuel because the sensor is going bad.
Rebuild the engine. Gas will escape past the rings on the pistons. City miles are always harder than highway. Change the fuel filter. Good luck
alignment and correct tire inflation can also contribute to gas mileage. could also be time for a fuel cleaning service and a new o2 sensor.
and also make sure your car is running at normal operating temperature. if it isn’t then your computer will keep the fuel system in open loop, which adds more fuel to get the engine temp up after a cold start.
sounds like you have done everything you can do except put more air in your tires, you will just have to live with it as the figures the car companies give you are really never right because they are tested in perfect conditions on rollers with no wind.
Mileage for auto, are derived using standardized test, not real condition.
Consider it a relative value, as opposed to an accurate “rating”.
If it’s an automatic, your consumption – no matter how objectively high – is about what most people get on these cars – in the lower 20′s. Newer cars have almost the same gas mileage auto and stick. Mileage has nothing to do with it. My Civic (with stick and 212,000 mi) still gets about 40 mpg average. If your air filter is clogged, replacing it may help some but don’t expect any miracles.
I have a beautiful 4Runner that I love but as of today, I drive a scooter to work. 115 mpg. Up you know who’s rear end.
You pretty much covered all except for your fuel filter and tires. Fuel filter is a big help with mileage, and harder tires will help too. You can try weight reduction as well, clean out the trunk!
you are on the track to it and as one member said CHANGE your o2 sensor very important ! however to that list dig up a cold air induction ( about 150.00) for a good one and try a lower temp thermostat ( about 10.00) thease will get you possibly 5-7 mpg well worth it in the long run.