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Car Forum / Volvo Cars / October 2005

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poor mileage 86 740 gle

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pepe256 - 29 Sep 2005 21:18 GMT
no vacuum leaks and ive used someconcentrated fuel injector cleaner still
no improvement its not running rich or theres not any smoke comeing out of
tailpipe really anyother things that could be wrong?
jg - 29 Sep 2005 22:26 GMT
> no vacuum leaks and ive used someconcentrated fuel injector cleaner still
> no improvement its not running rich or theres not any smoke comeing out of
> tailpipe really anyother things that could be wrong?

Plenty, blocked or leaking exhaust or ignition timing are possible
preliminary suspects. It has been suggested (though I haven't noticed
myself) that with current high petrol prices and supply problems, there
might be some adulteration. On that subject, has anyone heard of using small
amounts of acetone to improve engine performance?
James Sweet - 30 Sep 2005 00:32 GMT
> Plenty, blocked or leaking exhaust or ignition timing are possible
> preliminary suspects. It has been suggested (though I haven't noticed
> myself) that with current high petrol prices and supply problems, there
> might be some adulteration. On that subject, has anyone heard of using small
> amounts of acetone to improve engine performance?

I've heard of people doing this, apparently it boosts the octane, but it can
also break down the gasoline, as well as it's an excellent solvent and will
quickly rot out rubber and plastic components in the fuel system. I'm
sticking to plain old ordinary gasoline in my cars.
Randy G. - 30 Sep 2005 01:23 GMT
>> Plenty, blocked or leaking exhaust or ignition timing are possible
>> preliminary suspects. It has been suggested (though I haven't noticed
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>quickly rot out rubber and plastic components in the fuel system. I'm
>sticking to plain old ordinary gasoline in my cars.

Risking burning a $4000 car to the ground against an octane point or
two is just bad math.

Speaking of cars and math, Redd Foxx said, "I ain't gonna crash my car
dodging no damn cat. The way I see it, a $28,000 Cadillac goes over a
28 cent cat once with nothing left over."

            __  __
    Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
             \__/olvos
'90 245 Estate  -  '93 965 Estate
  "Shelby"     &      "Kate"
jg - 30 Sep 2005 05:18 GMT
> >> Plenty, blocked or leaking exhaust or ignition timing are possible
> >> preliminary suspects. It has been suggested (though I haven't noticed
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Risking burning a $4000 car to the ground against an octane point or
> two is just bad math.

Of course. I haven't tried it but wondered if anyone had without any
problems so I don't take any risks. If one could bank on nothing more than
saving fuel then it would be worth it, but not without a lot of positive
comments I'm not about to. Thanks for replies.
Randy G. - 30 Sep 2005 01:32 GMT
>> Plenty, blocked or leaking exhaust or ignition timing are possible
>> preliminary suspects. It has been suggested (though I haven't noticed
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>quickly rot out rubber and plastic components in the fuel system. I'm
>sticking to plain old ordinary gasoline in my cars.

Risking burning a $4000 car to the ground against an octane point or
two is just bad math.

Speaking of cars and math, Redd Foxx said, "I ain't gonna crash my car
dodging no damn cat. The way I see it, a $28,000 Cadillac goes over a
28 cent cat once with nothing left over."

            __  __
    Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
             \__/olvos
'90 245 Estate  -  '93 965 Estate
  "Shelby"     &      "Kate"
Randy G. - 29 Sep 2005 22:27 GMT
>no vacuum leaks and ive used someconcentrated fuel injector cleaner still
>no improvement its not running rich or theres not any smoke comeing out of
>tailpipe really anyother things that could be wrong?

Have you checked the thermostat in the air cleaner to make sure that
the hot air from the heat riser is shut off during normal operating
temperatures?

Could a stuck-open cooling system themostat cause the motor to run too
cold, fooling the computer into thinking it needs a richer mixture?

Have you changed the air filter lately?

Have you checked the brakes? Could be a stuck caliper or dragging
e-brake shoe. Maybe a rusty e-brake cable

How poor is the mileage?

            __  __
    Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
             \__/olvos
'90 245 Estate  -  '93 965 Estate
  "Shelby"     &      "Kate"
badboywithbadtoyz - 01 Oct 2005 06:18 GMT
check catylatic converter to see if it clogged could be part of problem
Michael Pardee - 01 Oct 2005 12:42 GMT
> check catylatic converter to see if it clogged could be part of problem

I've had a couple of plugged cats - the most obvious symptom is that the
accelerator operates normally up to maybe half throttle, then nothing
happens when the accelerator is pushed more.

Mike
pepe256 - 01 Oct 2005 23:25 GMT
i had the air filter changed abut a minth ago and the brkes also im getting
maybe 14 mpg but its not running rich hardly anysmoke form tailpipe
James Sweet - 01 Oct 2005 23:53 GMT
> i had the air filter changed abut a minth ago and the brkes also im getting
> maybe 14 mpg but its not running rich hardly anysmoke form tailpipe

Either it's running rich, something is causing a LOT of drag, or it's
leaking fuel. Half your gas is going somewhere and it's not simply vanishing
into an alternate universe. There could be a bunch of unburned fuel dumping
into the exhaust and burning up in the cat but you should be getting at
least 24 mpg, probably higher.
pepe256 - 02 Oct 2005 00:38 GMT
if it was running rich wouldt i be getting alot of smoke and i havent seen
any puddles under my car could a clogged converter be causing this + i
just had the muffler replaced cause it blew up
James Sweet - 02 Oct 2005 04:21 GMT
> if it was running rich wouldt i be getting alot of smoke and i havent seen
> any puddles under my car could a clogged converter be causing this + i
> just had the muffler replaced cause it blew up

Running rich won't necessarily make it smoke, the cat will burn up the
excess fuel, often it will even get red hot. If the converter is clogged
it's usually the result of running rich and melting down.
Randy G. - 02 Oct 2005 01:10 GMT
>> i had the air filter changed abut a minth ago and the brkes also im
>getting
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>into the exhaust and burning up in the cat but you should be getting at
>least 24 mpg, probably higher.

Here's another data set from the other side of the box:
-Odometer reading is incorrect
-Bad math
-Some else is resetting the trip odometer mid-tank
-Someone is stealing gas from it

            __  __
    Randy & \ \/ /alerie's
             \__/olvos
'90 245 Estate  -  '93 965 Estate
  "Shelby"     &      "Kate"
pepe256 - 02 Oct 2005 18:37 GMT
the odometer is broke but i have drove to school usually in a diff car and
it is 18 mile 1 trip and i am getting maybe 10 trips to a tank
James Sweet - 02 Oct 2005 20:20 GMT
> the odometer is broke but i have drove to school usually in a diff car and
> it is 18 mile 1 trip and i am getting maybe 10 trips to a tank

Fixing the odometer would be a good place to start, but yeah I would expect
15-20 trips depending on whether it's highway or around town. If I do
entirely around town I get about 18 mpg, 25 on the highway, I've gotten a
bit higher in the past but I'm overdue for a tuneup.
pepe256 - 02 Oct 2005 21:37 GMT
i just took it for a spin and looked at the cat converter and it wasnt red
 
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