NOVA fuel consumption expert
09-05-2010, 07:33 PM
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NOVA fuel consumption expert
I have a 97 del sol si, about 2 yrs ago i started having problems with the car lagging and then the cel came on. Honda of Tysons Corner found that i need a valve adjustment so i got that as well as new fuel injectors, manifold and 02 sensor. The car worked great after that 0 problems.
A new problem arose though, instead of getting my usualy 350ish miles per tank on 87 gasoline i was now getting 250ish a major drop. I did not find out about this until about 6 mths after i had the work done at Honda because i left for military duty. They could not any obvious reason why a 30% loss of miles happens.
I have been to several shops and still no results. 2 Mths ago i had a full tune up done using synthetic oil which i have been using since i bought the car and i had my fuel filter replaced and a fuel induction done. Major improvement performance wise, i could feel the car moving better. 2 tanks later, still no difference.
Recently went back to stock suspension and had an alignment done as well. I seem to be getting around 270 now so about 20 miles more than my usual 250.
Another thing, my odometer will say i have done around 140 to 190 at the half tank line, so i say to myself cool that means ill get at least 300. Nope on empty at around 250ish.
So after taking the car several places and not getting anywhere i am looking for an expert to help me figure this out. Maintenance wise i try to do everything when its needed as i just got new tires and brakes not too long ago.
How come the gas needle is half way and i have done 150 but gives me a lot less for the 2nd half tank?
Also it doesnt seem to matter how i drive, normal driving or accelerating alot/ highway city doesnt affect anything as i still get around 250ish.
A new problem arose though, instead of getting my usualy 350ish miles per tank on 87 gasoline i was now getting 250ish a major drop. I did not find out about this until about 6 mths after i had the work done at Honda because i left for military duty. They could not any obvious reason why a 30% loss of miles happens.
I have been to several shops and still no results. 2 Mths ago i had a full tune up done using synthetic oil which i have been using since i bought the car and i had my fuel filter replaced and a fuel induction done. Major improvement performance wise, i could feel the car moving better. 2 tanks later, still no difference.
Recently went back to stock suspension and had an alignment done as well. I seem to be getting around 270 now so about 20 miles more than my usual 250.
Another thing, my odometer will say i have done around 140 to 190 at the half tank line, so i say to myself cool that means ill get at least 300. Nope on empty at around 250ish.
So after taking the car several places and not getting anywhere i am looking for an expert to help me figure this out. Maintenance wise i try to do everything when its needed as i just got new tires and brakes not too long ago.
How come the gas needle is half way and i have done 150 but gives me a lot less for the 2nd half tank?
Also it doesnt seem to matter how i drive, normal driving or accelerating alot/ highway city doesnt affect anything as i still get around 250ish.
09-06-2010, 12:26 AM
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Re: NOVA fuel consumption expert
Miles per tank fill means nothing. You need to measure miles per gallon. Fill up at a specific pump (DO NOT TOP OFF!), reset the trip-o, drive till you normally fill, then fill it AT THE SAME EXACT PUMP & NOZZLE & LOCATION (there is a reason for this - different pumps shut off at different points and can cause variance resulting in incorrect calculation, even between the same type of station). Do not top off. Then divide the number of miles on the odo by the number of gallons you put in, and report back. That will give you a proper fuel consumption measurement.
09-09-2010, 09:09 AM
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Re: NOVA fuel consumption expert
Yes i always fill my tank when its empty so around 11 and a 1/2 gallons, and reset the meter each time. MPG is around 22 to 25ish. Ever since i had the car i always keep track of my MPG. When i got the car about 4yrs ago and up until the work done at honda i was getting around 33ish.
The car is manual, i dont think they would put bigger injectors on the car because it was honda that did the work and they would only use stock parts?????
I will admit though, the car did seem to be a bit faster after i had the work done if thats a result of the bigger injectors either that or its my imagination.
I seafomed my car about 8 mths ago, i was planning on doing another pretty soon.
Why do you say not to top off?
The car is manual, i dont think they would put bigger injectors on the car because it was honda that did the work and they would only use stock parts?????
I will admit though, the car did seem to be a bit faster after i had the work done if thats a result of the bigger injectors either that or its my imagination.
I seafomed my car about 8 mths ago, i was planning on doing another pretty soon.
Why do you say not to top off?
09-09-2010, 10:18 AM
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Re: NOVA fuel consumption expert
I found you some answers . . . from 5 months ago 
https://www.vadriven.com/forums/tech-talk-9/approximately-30-35%25-mpg-loss-341260/
My mpg dropped with the switch to 10% Ethanol. Stupid guvment and corngrowers and treehuggers. With my 96 DX hatch I could get sometimes 40mpg but after the switch, mpg went down to 37-38 but never over 40 even averaging 60-65mph on highways and no AC. Not as bad as yours.
Could it be your sender is just bad and illuminating the fuel light early? Carry a 1 gallon tank in your trunk and let it run dry then perform the calculations again. Average 3 tank with the extra gallon and see if there is a difference.
https://www.vadriven.com/forums/tech-talk-9/approximately-30-35%25-mpg-loss-341260/
My mpg dropped with the switch to 10% Ethanol. Stupid guvment and corngrowers and treehuggers. With my 96 DX hatch I could get sometimes 40mpg but after the switch, mpg went down to 37-38 but never over 40 even averaging 60-65mph on highways and no AC. Not as bad as yours.
Could it be your sender is just bad and illuminating the fuel light early? Carry a 1 gallon tank in your trunk and let it run dry then perform the calculations again. Average 3 tank with the extra gallon and see if there is a difference.
I have a 97 del sol si, about 2 yrs ago i started having problems with the car lagging and then the cel came on. Honda of Tysons Corner found that i need a valve adjustment so i got that as well as new fuel injectors, manifold and 02 sensor. The car worked great after that 0 problems.
A new problem arose though, instead of getting my usualy 350ish miles per tank on 87 gasoline i was now getting 250ish a major drop. I did not find out about this until about 6 mths after i had the work done at Honda because i left for military duty. They could not any obvious reason why a 30% loss of miles happens.
I have been to several shops and still no results. 2 Mths ago i had a full tune up done using synthetic oil which i have been using since i bought the car and i had my fuel filter replaced and a fuel induction done. Major improvement performance wise, i could feel the car moving better. 2 tanks later, still no difference.
Recently went back to stock suspension and had an alignment done as well. I seem to be getting around 270 now so about 20 miles more than my usual 250.
Another thing, my odometer will say i have done around 140 to 190 at the half tank line, so i say to myself cool that means ill get at least 300. Nope on empty at around 250ish.
So after taking the car several places and not getting anywhere i am looking for an expert to help me figure this out. Maintenance wise i try to do everything when its needed as i just got new tires and brakes not too long ago.
How come the gas needle is half way and i have done 150 but gives me a lot less for the 2nd half tank?
Also it doesnt seem to matter how i drive, normal driving or accelerating alot/ highway city doesnt affect anything as i still get around 250ish.
A new problem arose though, instead of getting my usualy 350ish miles per tank on 87 gasoline i was now getting 250ish a major drop. I did not find out about this until about 6 mths after i had the work done at Honda because i left for military duty. They could not any obvious reason why a 30% loss of miles happens.
I have been to several shops and still no results. 2 Mths ago i had a full tune up done using synthetic oil which i have been using since i bought the car and i had my fuel filter replaced and a fuel induction done. Major improvement performance wise, i could feel the car moving better. 2 tanks later, still no difference.
Recently went back to stock suspension and had an alignment done as well. I seem to be getting around 270 now so about 20 miles more than my usual 250.
Another thing, my odometer will say i have done around 140 to 190 at the half tank line, so i say to myself cool that means ill get at least 300. Nope on empty at around 250ish.
So after taking the car several places and not getting anywhere i am looking for an expert to help me figure this out. Maintenance wise i try to do everything when its needed as i just got new tires and brakes not too long ago.
How come the gas needle is half way and i have done 150 but gives me a lot less for the 2nd half tank?
Also it doesnt seem to matter how i drive, normal driving or accelerating alot/ highway city doesnt affect anything as i still get around 250ish.
About 20 or so fillups ago i had my valve adjustment done and at the same time i got new fuel injectors and new manifold. Since then i have noticed about a 100 MPG loss which is about 30 to 35%. I was getting around 330 to 350ish and now im consistently getting 230ish.
I have adjusted my driving habits and that hasnt helped much at all. I have done proper maintenance and used fuel additives as well. I have gotten brand new tires, new brake pads and rotors. Routine oil changed using synthetic. Tune ups, new radiator and brake fluid. Complete timing belt job including all 3 belts tentioner and water pump. Cleaned IACV, fuel filter and fuel induction service, which has improved overall performance and driving it feels as though i have a new car but has not improved MPG which i thought it would. New battery, bigger pos and neg cables.
Nothing else has changed, no additional weight or anything. I have spent around 2k in maintenance and parts in the past 2 yrs or so.
97 Honda Del Sol Si 1.6 Sohc Vtec
149k Miles
I have adjusted my driving habits and that hasnt helped much at all. I have done proper maintenance and used fuel additives as well. I have gotten brand new tires, new brake pads and rotors. Routine oil changed using synthetic. Tune ups, new radiator and brake fluid. Complete timing belt job including all 3 belts tentioner and water pump. Cleaned IACV, fuel filter and fuel induction service, which has improved overall performance and driving it feels as though i have a new car but has not improved MPG which i thought it would. New battery, bigger pos and neg cables.
Nothing else has changed, no additional weight or anything. I have spent around 2k in maintenance and parts in the past 2 yrs or so.
97 Honda Del Sol Si 1.6 Sohc Vtec
149k Miles
09-09-2010, 11:12 AM
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Re: NOVA fuel consumption expert
Yes i always fill my tank when its empty so around 11 and a 1/2 gallons, and reset the meter each time. MPG is around 22 to 25ish. Ever since i had the car i always keep track of my MPG. When i got the car about 4yrs ago and up until the work done at honda i was getting around 33ish.
The car is manual, i dont think they would put bigger injectors on the car because it was honda that did the work and they would only use stock parts?????
I will admit though, the car did seem to be a bit faster after i had the work done if thats a result of the bigger injectors either that or its my imagination.
I seafomed my car about 8 mths ago, i was planning on doing another pretty soon.
Why do you say not to top off?
The car is manual, i dont think they would put bigger injectors on the car because it was honda that did the work and they would only use stock parts?????
I will admit though, the car did seem to be a bit faster after i had the work done if thats a result of the bigger injectors either that or its my imagination.
I seafomed my car about 8 mths ago, i was planning on doing another pretty soon.
Why do you say not to top off?
09-09-2010, 11:22 AM
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Re: NOVA fuel consumption expert
Yes i always fill my tank when its empty so around 11 and a 1/2 gallons, and reset the meter each time. MPG is around 22 to 25ish. Ever since i had the car i always keep track of my MPG. When i got the car about 4yrs ago and up until the work done at honda i was getting around 33ish.
The car is manual, i dont think they would put bigger injectors on the car because it was honda that did the work and they would only use stock parts?????
I will admit though, the car did seem to be a bit faster after i had the work done if thats a result of the bigger injectors either that or its my imagination.
I seafomed my car about 8 mths ago, i was planning on doing another pretty soon.
Why do you say not to top off?
The car is manual, i dont think they would put bigger injectors on the car because it was honda that did the work and they would only use stock parts?????
I will admit though, the car did seem to be a bit faster after i had the work done if thats a result of the bigger injectors either that or its my imagination.
I seafomed my car about 8 mths ago, i was planning on doing another pretty soon.
Why do you say not to top off?
I found you some answers . . . from 5 months ago
https://www.vadriven.com/forums/showthread.php?t=341260
My mpg dropped with the switch to 10% Ethanol. Stupid guvment and corngrowers and treehuggers. With my 96 DX hatch I could get sometimes 40mpg but after the switch, mpg went down to 37-38 but never over 40 even averaging 60-65mph on highways and no AC. Not as bad as yours.
Could it be your sender is just bad and illuminating the fuel light early? Carry a 1 gallon tank in your trunk and let it run dry then perform the calculations again. Average 3 tank with the extra gallon and see if there is a difference.
https://www.vadriven.com/forums/showthread.php?t=341260
My mpg dropped with the switch to 10% Ethanol. Stupid guvment and corngrowers and treehuggers. With my 96 DX hatch I could get sometimes 40mpg but after the switch, mpg went down to 37-38 but never over 40 even averaging 60-65mph on highways and no AC. Not as bad as yours.
Could it be your sender is just bad and illuminating the fuel light early? Carry a 1 gallon tank in your trunk and let it run dry then perform the calculations again. Average 3 tank with the extra gallon and see if there is a difference.
09-10-2010, 01:15 PM
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Re: NOVA fuel consumption expert
The averages I gave were for 6+yrs ago when I still had the CX. I was religious in recording my mpgs because towards the end of my ownership of that car, gas was averaging $4/gallon. I remember when Virginia switched to 10% back in 2006
I lost 3-6 mpg avg. After tune-ups and new air filter, less AC use, lower average highway speeds I never averaged anything over 38mpg. Please don't tell me differently. Believe everything you read?
I lost 3-6 mpg avg. After tune-ups and new air filter, less AC use, lower average highway speeds I never averaged anything over 38mpg. Please don't tell me differently. Believe everything you read?
