[aidan80]

I’ve been clocking my mileage as I drive mainly in and around the city to and from work and if I’ve done this right I’m getting a figure of 22MPG? A typical drive would be about 20 minutes long, first 5 minutes and last 5 minutes are heavily in the city but in-between I’m on the road and can cruise along without really any stops at a constant 40mph – 50mph.

What I did to get that 22mpg was fill up clock my mileage until I hit half a tank, noted those miles filled up again reset the counter. Did this a total of four times so far and I’m getting around 270 - 300 miles per tank of fuel. I should mention this car is stock with an auto transmission, I use standard fuel per the manual, put in a fresh filter at 81k (I’m at 95k now) plugs and wires seem to be ok but I do plan to have them checked out just to be sure, last changed when I bought it at 75k. Transmission fluid is still that pinky color and not brown or black. I don’t drive this car hard at all but I do use the A/C all the time. I’m thinking the A/C is what’s eating up my mpg!

I did have an issue with the engine running rough about a week ago; it seemed to misfire and would run rough when starting up from cold. There was also loss of power when it did this if driving. I believe this has happened a few times while driving. I dumped some STP Fuel Cleaner into the tank last week thinking this probably won’t help but can’t lose much on $2 lol but it’s not been rough since either it’s just chance or it’s actually helped get rid of some water in the fuel or something? I’ll dump in some more this week when I fill up again just to check how things run.

 

[pextor]

i'm not getting the mileage I think I should with my 99 either.

I get closer to 30MPG with mine, but I think I should be at 34-35 or so.

I was told to replace the fuel filter, so it's first on my list. Maybe yours needs replaced as well.

 

[zSpider1984]

I average about 23-24 mpg in my 97 auto. That's with, uh, spirited driving most of the time and performance tires. When I run the a/c mileage is usually around 2 mpg worse. Now, when I had a cv joint going I was really babying it and got 28 mpg.

 

[jcwit]

I just got a month ago a 2001 sedan w/automatic tranny. Average gas milage with both city & highway driving is 37 MPG. My best on the highway at this time is 46 MPG. So far am super happy with the car.

 

[FordMan59]

Are you dividing the number of miles between fill ups by the number of gallons used to figure your fuel mileage? That's the only way to get an accurate number. That number sounds a little low to me. I have an '02 with an automatic transmission that my 18 year old son drives and he usually gets 30-32 MPG in combined city/rurul road driving and most of his trips are 20 miles or less.

 

[FordMan59]

I just got a month ago a 2001 sedan w/automatic tranny. Average gas milage with both city & highway driving is 37 MPG. My best on the highway at this time is 46 MPG. So far am super happy with the car.

That's great mileage for an automatic. How are you managing to get these kind of numbers from that car? I have an '02 with an automatic that my son drives most of the time. We took it on a highway trip a couple years ago and drove 55-65 MPH and only got 40 MPG. Please share your secret. I am a very gas mileage concious person, but can't return numbers that good on an Escort with an automatic. I've gotten that kind of mileage on my '97 wagon with a 5 speed on an interstate trip driving 55 MPH and not using the a/c.

 

[jcwit]

I just got a month ago a 2001 sedan w/automatic tranny. Average gas milage with both city & highway driving is 37 MPG. My best on the highway at this time is 46 MPG. So far am super happy with the car.

That's great mileage for an automatic. How are you managing to get these kind of numbers from that car? I have an '02 with an automatic that my son drives most of the time. We took it on a highway trip a couple years ago and drove 55-65 MPH and only got 40 MPG. Please share your secret. I am a very gas mileage concious person, but can't return numbers that good on an Escort with an automatic. I've gotten that kind of mileage on my '97 wagon with a 5 speed on an interstate trip driving 55 MPH and not using the a/c.

Driving very easy at 50 to 55 mph on the highway. The avg. was from a total of 8 fillups. I always stop filling at the first auto. click off of the pump, I realize I can get more gas into the tank but I've heard it's not good to fill some cars all the way up. Anyway I assume it will all avg. out in the end.

Remember that the 46 MPG was a 1 time thing and may "more than likely" have had to do with the auto click off.

I believe the overall avg. is what counts anyway.

 

[Skeets]

Use mileagetracker.org like I do. I'm averaging 24.5mpg

 

[jcwit]

Use mileagetracker.org like I do. I'm averaging 24.5mpg

Nice looking site, but I'll just keep on using my wirebound note books as I have for the last 50 years. Real old tech but I like it.

 

[98_Jim]

I live in the country, so I drive a pretty consistent 90% highway and 10% city...

I always fill my tank when I get gas and I always calculate the mileage... I've kept records for the last 90 fills and I've averaged about 34 MPG..

In the summer I get in the 36 MPG range and in the winter that drops to around 30 MPG . I'm guessing I'd get at least 25 MPG if I did all city driving.

This is with an automatic

 

[quickshot360]

my escort gets about 350 kilometers to the tank in the city, and about 450 on highway, is that right?

 

[aidan80]

Looks like that's what I'm getting then.. around 22mpg. I'm counting the two half tanks as one full tank before getting the numbers as I can't exactly run the tank totally empty! So I add my first two half tanks together I get 270 in total divide by the amount the tank can hold... 12.7 is giving me 21.26. Run again on the second round of two half tanks giving me 300 and I get back 23.63mpg. I'm running it again for a third time this time, I'm going to put every trick i know of to maximize my mileage to see if it has any effect.

I think the fuel filter is a good question, I'm assuming it hasn't been done or if it has it's been a while. I think I may just have it checked out and replaced if needed.

Thanks!

 

[FordMan59]

Don't just use the number that the tank can hold. use the actual number of gallons that the pump says you have pumped divided into the number of miles you have driven for an exact MPG reading. Even though the gauge shows you have used a half a tank it is not going to be 100% accurate.

 

[aidan80]

Don't just use the number that the tank can hold. use the actual number of gallons that the pump says you have pumped divided into the number of miles you have driven for an exact MPG reading. Even though the gauge shows you have used a half a tank it is not going to be 100% accurate.

An excellent idea, why didn't I think of that! lol.. I'll do just that next few times and see what the results are!

 

[aidan80]

The issue with the engine running rough appears to have vanished after I used some STP Fuel Cleaner. It's still not returned, what do they put in that stuff, never really thought that stuff did anything more than separate you from your money lol.

I clocked my miles again as suggested noting the miles I'd covered at 185.3 and fuel used at 7.138 I'm coming away at close to 26mpg which i imagine is about normal.

I still have that whistle sound when I press on the brakes. Car isn't moving I hit the brakes and before I move out of P I get a loud whistle/whine sound? Got the same sound after reversing, and after driving a short distance when slowing down. I've gotten it quite a few times while the car was stopped and not moving or in gear. I always seem to get it when I hit the brakes.

 

[white-lightning]

Possibly could be a leak in the brake bosster, but I would think that you would notice that is is hard to brake or something too.

 

[aidan80]

Possibly could be a leak in the brake bosster, but I would think that you would notice that is is hard to brake or something too.

Not hard to brake at all, brakes work perfect now. However I did after buying the car find an issue with the brakes. There was a loud clump sound when hitting the brakes, turns out there was only one bolt holding the pads on the driver side. It's since been fixed but I suspect the previous owner may have hit a curb with this car on that side as the wheel and tire on that side are different, some scuff marks on the paint, the issue with the brake pad and it there is a squeaky sound/bump sound going over bumps on the road from the driver side. I've been told it's just the ball joints and to replace them.

Don't know if that whine/whistle could be related or not to the other issue but thought I'd put it out there just in case.

 

[FordMan59]

Might want to check the vaccum line going to the brake booster to make sure it isn't leaking vacuum since vacuum leaks usually make a whistling sound and you are only getting the whistling when you hit the brakes.. If all your driving is city driving 26 MPG is probably not too bad.

 

[NOSholley63]

Back to the mileage thing

This may be hard to believe, I thought my gauge was broken, but I drove from North Jersey to Baltimore, MD on only a 1/4 tank of 87!

Believe it or not my gauge works perfectly
Better yet, to keep up with traffic on the turnpike I had to average 75mph!

from my house to baltimore is like 225 mi. So an estimated 4gal. over 225mi. with my engine screaming at me for 3 hours seems like an accomplishment.

 

[aidan80]

I'll have that line checked out, thanks for the responses.

Unfortunately I'm sure my it's the sensor I believe in the tank from what I'd read. I just filled up and when I got in it reads full. Next morning (2 mile drive from gas station) it's gone below the full marker.. then jumps up to show full again next time I park lol. I do don't trust it I pushed it once and for my pushing I got a low fuel light!