Bad Gas Mileage = Running Rich ?

HHHthegame

Registered User
I just pulled the car outta storage yesterday and i got 17.7 mpg on the first tank. I got bad mileage last year too before it got parked (app. 18). If you get bad mileage does it mean your are more than likely running rich? Also, how hard is it to hook up a(n) A/F ratio guage? I'm concerned that my A/F ratio may be off, and can't get it dyno tuned til beginning of next month :( Thanks guys for the help ! ! ~Austin~
 
Ok, aside from that the car seems like it really wants to fight stopping. It idles at about 900 RPM at stoplights, etc:. It also drives along @ 32 mph w/o you foot on the gas or brake, even goin uphill ? ? Any Ideas, maybe the TB plate is stuck open somehow? Any ideas guys on the gas mileage either?? Thanks much ! Austin
 
HHHthegame said:
Ok, aside from that the car seems like it really wants to fight stopping. It idles at about 900 RPM at stoplights, etc:. It also drives along @ 32 mph w/o you foot on the gas or brake, even goin uphill ? ? Any Ideas, maybe the TB plate is stuck open somehow? Any ideas guys on the gas mileage either?? Thanks much ! Austin

Could be your IAC do you here a "fog horn" noise when you turn tie car off ?
ECT Engine temp sensor will cause the high idel and bad milage as well. if its non functional the computer thinks the car is cold all the time and richens the mixture as well as bumping the idel. Go to an Auto Zone and have them pull the codes for you its free. If it turnes out to be your IAC dont buy one afretmarket they wont work on the SC get one from Ford or a junk jard.
 
Well now that you say that, the car never comes off "C" really on the temp guage. It goes to just above the white line in the "NORM" bar (next to the "C" on my drawn guage)


C \ NORM / H
 
HHHthegame said:
Well now that you say that, the car never comes off "C" really on the temp guage. It goes to just above the white line in the "NORM" bar (next to the "C" on my drawn guage)


C \ NORM / H


There are two Engine Coolant Sensors (ECT) The one near the thermostat is for the guage on the dash. The one to the passenger side front of the intake manifold is for the EEC. That is the sensor you may want to change since it sounds like there is a chance that your engine is never getting out of the cold start strategy. Basically you are running around with the "electronic" choke on all the time. Then again you might want to change both of them given you don't have normal temperture indications on the guage either. Check engine coolant level too since if you are low both sensor readings can be affected.
 
Ok, I went WOT last night for the first time for a quick run cause I had to see if my 40" belt slipped. The car still seems laggy when you watch the speedo move (my mods are in my sig). And I have a CEL on? It's been on since I got the car outta storage thursday afternoon. Im going to Autozone tommorrow afternoon to have them pull the codes for me and we'll see what we get but what are the chances that it's the O2 sensor(s)? The car gets HORRIBLE gas mileage (17 on a good day), and if that means possibly running rich wouldn't it foul out the O2 sensor(s)? Can bad O2 sensor(s) cause poor performance? What do you guys think?
 
HHHthegame said:
Ok, I went WOT last night for the first time for a quick run cause I had to see if my 40" belt slipped. The car still seems laggy when you watch the speedo move (my mods are in my sig). And I have a CEL on? It's been on since I got the car outta storage thursday afternoon. Im going to Autozone tommorrow afternoon to have them pull the codes for me and we'll see what we get but what are the chances that it's the O2 sensor(s)? The car gets HORRIBLE gas mileage (17 on a good day), and if that means possibly running rich wouldn't it foul out the O2 sensor(s)? Can bad O2 sensor(s) cause poor performance? What do you guys think?

it's going to be the ect sensor on the passenger side that will fix your problems with the cel and help your rich condition.
 
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