California spec car vs the world

Darth

Registered User
Does anyone know what mods were made on 1992 SC cars that were delivered in California? I am looking for anything that might affect fuel economy.

I almost never get more than 20-21 mpg (300 miles, takes 15 gallons) although the last tank, I made sure that I filled up with 91 Octane, 0% Ethanol, I reset the EEC, and after 303 miles (mostly highway, 75mph) I could force no more than 12.074 gallons into the tank, 25mpg.
 
Does anyone know what mods were made on 1992 SC cars that were delivered in California? I am looking for anything that might affect fuel economy.

I almost never get more than 20-21 mpg (300 miles, takes 15 gallons) although the last tank, I made sure that I filled up with 91 Octane, 0% Ethanol, I reset the EEC, and after 303 miles (mostly highway, 75mph) I could force no more than 12.074 gallons into the tank, 25mpg.

Yeah, slow down to 60mph, your mileage will show.
 
Doesn't anyone know the answer to this?

BTW, on my return trip, I has to fill up with E10 in Missouri, and my mileage (same kind of driving) was 19.5 mpg!:mad:
 
The only other advice that I can give you is to drive easier when its safe to do so.

Make sure that you keep it tuned up and stay on top of your oil changes. You could run synthetic gear oil in the rear.

Theres really not much you can do with these cars to get better fuel economy:mad:, but a heck of alot you can do to drop it.:D

Also, anywhere you can find to help reduce drag without ruining the aerodynamic function of the car may help too. If you have a rear wing, ditch it. It provides enough drag to drop a few mpg. Make sure that the plastic brackets are still present and connected to the lower portion of the rear bumper cover. They like to come loose and the valance on the bumper will flap in the wind which could provide drag at higher speeds.

But thats all that I can think of for you. Good luck.
 
What kind of driving do you do? Around town, I can't get better than about 16mpg with my XR7, however on the highway running 80mph I get 29mpg, and running 85-90 I get 25.
 
It is my understanding in the later years of the EEC-IV Ford opted to make things simpler and set the calibrations the same across the board instead of creating a crap load of calibrations for each state. This created "tunes" that where calibrated for the "worse" case scenario, which led to the discovery that there wasn't a huge difference between the CA setup compared to everyone else for optimal efficiency and environmental concerns.

The whole thing is a hoax really. ALL US and Canadian cars have closed loop functionality, so once the car reaches a certain state, it goes closed loop.... and no matter where you go, a narrowband O2 sensor is a narrowband O2 sensor is a narrowband O2 sensor. The target AFR is approximately 14.67 for idle and cruise conditions.... period, thats all she wrote etc etc. If the car is running good with everything in place emmisions are a none issue :rolleyes:. Heck, I can take my car down to CA and I bet I pass emmisions (once I get my cats replaced LOL).

Where the difference comes in is when you put the hammer down.... and I have to ask the CA folks, do they test your car at WOT for emmisions? Heck, they may have the calibration go richer, but that makes worse emmisions as far as I see it.

Just my take on it from looking at the code in the computers.

Frit
 
>Does anyone know what mods were made on 1992 SC cars that were delivered in California? I am looking for anything that might affect fuel economy.

Keep in mind that CA cars were typically configured to run with CA spec fuel(s) in use at that time. The CA oxygenated fuel was a PITA, contributing to lower mileage, among other maladies.

Is OK using oxygenated fuel today? If not, the question may be mute since the hardware is no longer expected to be paired with a specific fuel.
 
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Very strange! I got the car from my son in Oklahoma (before we moved there). He bought it used, but it was originally sold in California. When I went to register it in California, they told me that it would have cost me extra if it wasn't already a California spec car.

BTW, most of the major gas stations in Oklahoma have gone to E10 (they get a $0.55 per gallon tax rebate), but there is a backlash because of all the problems and many gas stations have signs up stating "no ethanol" and "100% gasoline". They typically charge about $0.10 per gallon more, but it is worth it (20% better fuel economy for me). So, yes we do have oxygenated fuel, but we can get it without for now.
 
Its not all encompassing, but phillips 66 stations in the OKC area are generally pure gas. Everything else is crap. Even QT is running E-10

If youre trying to improve your fuel economy, you might try knocking the cats off, and run a better exhaust system. It raised my fuel mileage some. Downside is then the car runs better and youll find your foot further in it, which doesnt help your fuel mileage.....................
 
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Its not all encompassing, but phillips 66 stations in the OKC area are generally pure gas. Everything else is crap. Even QT is running E-10

If youre trying to improve your fuel economy, you might try knocking the cats off, and run a better exhaust system. It raised my fuel mileage some. Downside is then the car runs better and youll find your foot further in it, which doesnt help your fuel mileage.....................

Yeah, QT anounced they were 100% E-10 and so did Kum and Go.

I've been thinking about the exhaust. I hate that 2 into 1 and then back to 2. Local muffler shops don't quote too much, but they want to use a knock-off Flowmaster muffler (dual in and dual out). I have a real one on my van and it makes some resonance inside. Maybe with the stock resonators, it would be OK.
 
i have an 89 sc that is a cali car. i live here in south carolina. i have dual 2.25 in exhaust with catco high flo racing cats and a 50 series flowmaster that is dual inlet/dual outlet and no resonators. it sounds really good to me. deep exhaust note with drone. as soon as i can get it on a lift to get pictures of the exhaust i will post them.
 
i have an 89 sc that is a cali car. i live here in south carolina. i have dual 2.25 in exhaust with catco high flo racing cats and a 50 series flowmaster that is dual inlet/dual outlet and no resonators. it sounds really good to me. deep exhaust note with drone. as soon as i can get it on a lift to get pictures of the exhaust i will post them.

Great! I would love to see the pictures when you can get them. Getting 2.25 pipes thru some of the tight spots must have been a chore. I'll probably get rid of the cats.
 
not sure whats up with your sc, mine gets an average of 26mpg at 70mph. as far as getting rid of your cats, well most all states will be atleast visual inspections soon so might i suggest punching the cats, almost same effect with still having the (haha i got my cats u commy dmv terds) look to it.
 
wow my 92 5 spd got 28 mpg and went 13;22 ET when not racing it .

with 42 lbs inj and 327s i got 25 mpg .
 
wow my 92 5 spd got 28 mpg and went 13;22 ET when not racing it .

with 42 lbs inj and 327s i got 25 mpg .

You probably have a tune to with your setup. If these cars are designed to run a bit rich as a safety margin, then with a tune you should be able to get better mileage. At least I would think.
 
no tune I made a adjustable sample tube on my stock 92 maf with post cut out and fuel pressure adjustment .

at track i ran 50 lbs fuel pressure and around town I ran 40 lbs
I ran blower 15% ove driven and made a boost limiter at bypass I have a clip that mounts to bypass lever that lets it leak some boost back and i remove clip at track to get full boost. welded D ported heads and ported cast exh manifolds high flow cats moved back 6 inches and baffles removed from stock resonator.
 
I ran blower 15% ove driven and made a boost limiter at bypass I have a clip that mounts to bypass lever that lets it leak some boost back and i remove clip at track to get full boost.

Have anyone done real boost limiter to our cars? That could offer maximum lower end (fast boost rising using lot of overdrive and then when engine VE starts to go down, boost would be limited to predefined (and adjustable) value?
 
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