[yournamehere]

Ok, I removed my intake silencer the same day I did a plug/wire swap.
Ever since my gas mileage has been just about HALF of what I was originally getting.
I'm lucky to get 240 miles to a tank before I need to fill up (about 9.5 gallons)

Is it the intake silencer? I wouldn't think so, but who knows.
Forget what I gapped the plugs to. What IS the proper gap?
Also, how does everyone else remove/install the plug/wire that is located directly behind the alternator? I swear that wire may be a little loose. My idle is still a little rough.

 

[escortrestorer]

removing the intake silencer will not hurt your gas mileage.

You have your plugs gapped incorrectly. Remove them and check them. I dont remember what plug gap should be on a 1.9. Maybe someone else will say, or you can check there should be a sticker under your hood with the right information.

.050", does that sound right? Anyways, pull your plugs and check them. Make sure your plug wires are in the right order. You can ask the guys at the parts store and they can tell you the plug gap too. Some parts stores, if you are having trouble with it, you can take them in and ask one of the guys there to gap them for you.

plug wire directly behind the alternator? the only plug wires you should have are the 4 going from your coil to each of your plugs.

 

[Dave94LX]

on all of the 2nd gen LXs I have owned, I have always pulled the intake silencer off, and have never noticed a decrease in fuel economy.

 

[yournamehere]

plug wire directly behind the alternator? the only plug wires you should have are the 4 going from your coil to each of your plugs.

Yes, the plugs are gapped correctly. .054
yes, the wires are in the correct order.
dude, I'm not some moron. I know what a plug wire is. On a 1.9, there is a plug/wire directly behind the alternator.

I used autolite copper plugs and Belken wires.
What do you guys use for plugs?

I got 42mpg with the original plugs ( they were VERY worn). Now I get about 25mpg.
Can't understand it at all.

 

[FordMan59]

I use platinum plugs in all my Escorts. It really shouldn't matter as long as the plugs are gapped properly, but I like the 100-125K miles change interval. Sometimes you'll get a bad plug/wire even in a new set. Might also want to look around to make sure you didn't knock a vacuum line off or accidentally unplug a sensor while working under the hood.

 

[zzyzzx]

I use Autolite APP5144's which are double platinum, and it's what I recommend for this car. I can't imagine why copper plugs would make a difference except that the copper ones wouldn't last as long.

 

[zzyzzx]

Removing the intake silencer does not cause your gas mileage to go down. It might cause it ti go up, slightly if anything.

 

[EscorGo]

Bad wires? Plugs? How does it run in general? The number 1 plug is a PITA to seat properly. You might try some dielectric grease on the plug first.
You get 42MPG how?

 

[escortrestorer]

My LX averaged 38-42 mpg depending on my driving. 42 was easy if it was all highway driving on regular unleaded gas.

plug wire directly behind the alternator? the only plug wires you should have are the 4 going from your coil to each of your plugs.

Yes, the plugs are gapped correctly. .054
yes, the wires are in the correct order.
dude, I'm not some moron. I know what a plug wire is. On a 1.9, there is a plug/wire directly behind the alternator.

I used autolite copper plugs and Belken wires.
What do you guys use for plugs?

I got 42mpg with the original plugs ( they were VERY worn). Now I get about 25mpg.
Can't understand it at all.

sorry, I misunderstood what you were saying. I thought you meant one going to the back of the alternator. It is kinda a knuckle scraper to get at it, probably a little easier to pop the alternator out when you do it.

So you took out all the plugs and they were all gapped at .054? Check the resistance on the plug wires with an Ohm Meter.

Copper core plugs are just fine, they dont last as long as platinum plugs, but that wont cause you any problems. Belkin wires are perfectly fine for OE style replacements. I have used them before, and I have autolite copper plugs in my GT right now from the previous owner. Mainly it is a difference in replacing the plugs in 40,000 miles or replacing them in 80k-100k with platinum plugs.

 

[the1nicko]

I was gonna ask if you gapped the plugs. If you got the firing order off or you didnt tighten down the spark plug all the way you would notice it in the way the car drives and idles not just bad gas mileage, if the spark plug isnt seated correctly you wouldnt have any compression in that cylinder. Maybe try doing a fuel filter, pcv, and air filter to finish the tune up. I would also try to actually calculate your gas mileage rather than just going by how many miles you get on a tank. Fill her up, reset trip, next time you get gas fill it up and subtract the amount of gallons the tank holds by how much you actually put in to see how much you really used, the meter may say E but you still have gas in there.

Alot of things can effect gas mileage you, a/c, highway/city driving, maybe you had a little more road rage on this tank and passed more people haha.

 

[yournamehere]

I DID calculate the mileage 42 on the tank BEFORE swapping out the old ass plugs.
I've done 3 full tanks since, and I'm getting about 30mpg average with those last 3 tanks.

My next thing will be a new pcv and fuel filter.
Though I cleaned the pcv and it seems pretty much brand new. The air filter is pretty new as well. I'm going to hold off until I can score a cheap used k&N drop-in filter. Anyone have 1 for sale cheap?

 

[yournamehere]

oops