P&G not helpful in Saturn SL2

[dosco]

Originally Posted by Project84

Just did oil change last night, car still sounds like a diesel. ho-hum.

What do you mean by this??

[Project84]

you annoy me.

EDIT: Let me go into more detail...

My car isn't a manual trans, so lets compare apples to apples... okay?

Taken straight from wikipedia:
"The Saturn transmissions in the DOHC-equipped vehicles were geared to enhance acceleration, while the SOHC-equpped model's transmissions were geared toward economy."

My car is OBD II, yours was OBD I.

I bought my car from my ex, as a favor to her so she didn't have to deal w/ it's problems anymore, so I have a basket case at best. The valve seals and springs need replaced, that's where the diesel comment comes from because it makes distinct engine noise and smokes on accel.

Even w/ all that aside, if this was in 100% running condition, I still say BULL to anyone claiming 40mpg out of an SL2 w/ auto trans unless you have very extensive mods and live in the midwest where the roads are essentially always flat and straight and you can feather the throttle the entire time.

Stop trying to rain on my parade already!!

...have a nice day.

[dosco]

I'm annoying you? Hahaha. Pretty good for some random anonymous internet person that you don't know, doncha think?

Let's take another look at your original post.

I'll be filling up my gas tank tomorrow afternoon and calculating my MPG as well as resetting my ScanGauge II for it's first break in full tank.

Just wanted to say, for me anyway, P&G (usually done from 55mph to 40mph) has yielded what looks to be ZERO benefit. I'm at 279 miles this tank, generally fill up at 300 miles, I'm bearing down on the "E" mark on the fuel gauge which will put me right at 300 once I hit it.

Looks to be another 30 mpg tank, but I'm thinking P&G did next to nothing for helping the mileage. I also fabbed a HAI halfway through this gas tank and it too appears to not be much help. I guess I need to finish that heat shield and fab that grill block. I'm seeing 150*F IAT at operating temp from the HAI, but I'm still wondering why my new thermostat is opening at 170*F when it was a stock replacement from Napa, supposed to be 192*F.

Just venting I guess, seems I've been trying super hard this tank and its not looking like it will have paid off at all.

So you come to a site like this, learn about P&G, try it for a while, and decide 'it doesn't work' and complain about it. Naturally, the people on this forum - many of whom use P&G as an effective technique for improving gas mileage - offer to help, but I guess that isn't what you're looking for.

Since you're apparently looking to 'share your misery' I'll offer a different kind of help.

Here it goes: I hope you enjoy wasting your hard earned money on gasoline for your ****box Saturn.

Does that help?

[Project84]

Originally Posted by dosco

I'm annoying you? Hahaha. Pretty good for some random anonymous internet person that you don't know, doncha think?

Let's take another look at your original post.



So you come to a site like this, learn about P&G, try it for a while, and decide 'it doesn't work' and complain about it. Naturally, the people on this forum - many of whom use P&G as an effective technique for improving gas mileage - offer to help, but I guess that isn't what you're looking for.

Since you're apparently looking to 'share your misery' I'll offer a different kind of help.

Here it goes: I hope you enjoy wasting your hard earned money on gasoline for your ****box Saturn.

Does that help?

Actually, no, you're wrong in every aspect.

And.... you're still annoying.

haha, I love it.

[R.I.D.E.]

Kind of reminds me of my wife, but I sure wish she could enjoy annoying herself.

regards
gary

[SolidLiquidSnake]

Originally Posted by Project84

I bought my car from my ex, as a favor to her so she didn't have to deal w/ it's problems anymore, so I have a basket case at best. The valve seals and springs need replaced, that's where the diesel comment comes from because it makes distinct engine noise and smokes on accel.

Even w/ all that aside, if this was in 100% running condition, I still say BULL to anyone claiming 40mpg out of an SL2 w/ auto trans unless you have very extensive mods and live in the midwest where the roads are essentially always flat and straight and you can feather the throttle the entire time.

I'm going to rain on your parade... I noticed that my Saturn smokes on accel at times but not always, you're pointing out valve seals and springs would need replaced? I'm going to look into that, anything else that could possibly make the car smoke?


I'm halfway through my tank and my milage so far is over 150 miles so I could possibly get better gas milage then you and I've been P&G a lot and running my car a little crazily(top of hills I shift neutral and accel EXTRA slow, I like to turn off car and coast to a parking space whenever possible, draft car on highway and speed slightly to shift in neutral and coast for a good mile, etc etc.. I wonder if I should turn off my car more often but a restart would only hurt my starter and all this shifting worries my parents with my transmission). I'm going to give you an update on what I get this tank.

My dad has a SL2 MANUAL TRANSMISSION and man, I would almost like to switch him cars because I miss driving manually and I know how to save even more gas with that little car.

[bobc455]

Originally Posted by Project84

I still say BULL to anyone claiming 40mpg out of an SL2 w/ auto trans unless you have very extensive mods and live in the midwest where the roads are essentially always flat and straight and you can feather the throttle the entire time

I got 37 MPG on my last tank ('94 SL2 w/ auto), with no mods. Well I have the tire pressure a few PSI over stock, but nothing outrageous.

-Bob C.

[Project84]

Originally Posted by bobc455

I got 37 MPG on my last tank ('94 SL2 w/ auto), with no mods. Well I have the tire pressure a few PSI over stock, but nothing outrageous.

-Bob C.

Maybe I should've been more specific, your car is a different generation, w/ different computer, weight, and small differences to the engine and transmission. I should've also said, I say bull to anyone getting 40's that is doing at least 50/50 driving or more city than highway. I hit the highways generally about 40-50 miles per tank if I'm lucky.

Snake, as for raining on my parade, the parade is over, I feel like I'm just tryign to validate myself now because people seem to have taken offense to my statement that P&G didn't do much for me. Sheesh... big deal.

I generally hit 150 at the halfway point of the tank, then 300 miles on the E, I've learned that filling up at the E is only 10 gallons though, and these tanks are said to be 12.1 gallons... so I've been stretching mileages into the 315's. Good luck though, I hope you get great mileage!

[bobc455]

That was kinda my (unstated) point. Everything I know about says that the newer cars should get better MPG than the older ones. And believe me- the car is far from pristine, it's about 70k miles overdue for a tuneup and the SES light is on for a few different problems.

I don't do P&G with it either, I find the best approach is just steady speed, and not too fast. Maybe 55-60 MPH.

Actually there is one other thing I do, which is kinda a modified P&G. I pick a speed, maybe 60 MPH, and then do a very very light decel (to about 55), then a very very light accel back to 60. If everything goes well, this cycle will take 3-4 minutes. The speedometer should BARELY be moving, it should just slowly creep up & down. This is the best way I've found of keeping a steady throttle position, which should give you even better results than cruise control. Usually the speed changes coincide with an uphill/downhill change.

Last tank for me was 424.7 miles, just under 12 gallons (mostly, but not all, highway).

-BC

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by bobc455

That was kinda my (unstated) point. Everything I know about says that the newer cars should get better MPG than the older ones.

Be careful with that as a blanket statement. Early to mid 1990s cars are generally the peak of fuel economy. They were light, not very powerful, and aerodynamic drag was more important than style (or was a major part of style). Since then, displacement has gone up a little, power has gone up a LOT, weight has gone up a lot, and styling has become very un-aerodynamic (look at the grilles on a car from 1993 vs. 2008).

Technology has improved, so the loss isn't as bad as it would otherwise have been.