[siragan]

I´m interested in tuning my 95 Scort LX wagon (1.9L SEFI) for pure efficiency.
Right now, I´m getting over 40mpg highway with 3 adults, 2 dogs, and cargo, which isn´t bad, but I want more.

This is a highway driving, long-trip car, and I want to see if I can break 44mpg with it, while spending as little money as possible.

Advice?

 

[Pimp_scort_89_GT]

So how are you achieving this feat? 40 MPG is pretty sweet. I get 30 last time I checked mine, 40 would be awsome though. What mods have you done to get better gas milage so far.

 

[siragan]

I haven´t done anything to is, but I´m not sure if the guy who had it before me did anything to it.

The engine itself seems to run lean, although I can´t really say for sure because I haven´t driven any other escorts.
The engine knocks a bit in the hills when I´m pushing it, so that´s a sign that it doesn´t have the power to push the piston through the full cycle, so that´s how I arrive at the fact that it runs lean.
The guy who had it before me was a car mechanic (but often took out his anger on the escort

) and it runs pretty nicely. Not a ton of power, though.

Is it easy to play with the camshafts? I was thinking of retarding the cams a little to see if that would improve my top-end torque a little bit and hopefully get a better spark in the cylinder since it would spark when the fuel/air mix is compressed the most.

I just want really really good efficiency out of it, but I´m kinda worried about the knocking. I don´t think it´s detonation either.

 

[PPC-Racing]

sounds like he´s got the lambda at 1.2 or so, one way to increase the efficentcy is to bring the power back into the cylinder try adding an after market ignition system and getting some double or quad tipped plugs, use a racing or higher end coil ( one that gives you 500+ mJ add that to say a Crane hi-6 with multi spark below 3300 and a plug regap of +.005 for the higher current and a timing advance dial and you should gain fuel economy and some of that power back . If you add in a AMP sensor you can use an additional add on device to advance and retard your ign timing I´d leave the cams alnoe as you don´t exactly what the former owner has done to get what he´s got .. but adding in higher energy spark and the ability to adjust it is a nice tool to have.. one way to check the lambda is to test for C02 levels, depending on how high they are you´ll know how much he´s modified the mix.

 

[birddog]

44 may be pushing the limits of the engine. I didn´t even think the 1.9 was efficient enough to get to 40. I have been able to coax 41 out of my 94 gt but that is a 1.8 a K&N air filter can help, but remember this: a K&N washed once flows less air than a new paper filter. make sure your plugs and wires are in good shape. 33-35 psi in the tires amy help a little. Things to remember you are looking for a 4% increase in efficency. at 40 mpg it would take 1000 gallons to go 40,000 miles. at 44 mpg it would take 909.09 gallons make it 909 for math sake. 91 gallons at 1.35 a gallon = $122.85 is your savings over 40,000 miles. that is assuming the mods are free! K&N -$40 total savings now $82.85 once again over the course of 40,000 miles. If you budget is really that tight go ahead but I drive about 35,000 a year and would not waste my time for 82 bucks a year.

 

[siragan]

I will ask the guy who owned the car before me and see if he did anything with the cams or ignition system. How do I physicslly check it myself?

And I am not concerned about the cost of the mods. It´s a hobby to get all the mpg´s out of the engine that I can, and I´m not worried about spending the extra money even if it doesnt come back in gas savings in the long run. I just want to get all the miles out of the engine that I can. It´s at almost 130K miles and it still runs great. I´m hoping to get over 250K. I´m ambitious.

 

[Pimp_scort_89_GT]

Hey birddog, how do you figure that wasing a K&N once makes it flow less than a paper filter??? I´m having a hard time buying that one, unless you somehow are washing it wrong. And as far as checking the cam timing, you should buy a cam degree wheel. Then you can know exactly where the cams are realative to stock, and if you do advance or retard them you will know how far you did. Also the previous owner may not have touched the cam timing, but it may have slipped due to a worn timing belt, or been misadjusted during a timing belt change. By the way, retarding the cam gives more Hp, and advancing it gives more Torque. I do agree that a better ignition system will give you more efficency though. I use an MSD 6AL on mine right now. You should see what the spark from one of those looks like compared to a spark from a stock ignition.

 

[siragan]

well before I make a jump to a new ignition system, how about new spark plugs? Will different spark plugs help at all?

And how much is it for a new ignition system?

Will a new exhaust header help? Will a cat-back exhaust help?

Will a new intake K+N filter help? Will a new intake altogether help?

 

[Ignatz]

Dont touch anything!

 

[PPC-Racing]

a header and exhaust will gain you some power, but becuse your lean your going to have to get a seriously tuned header and exhaust system or you may end up loosing torque. the open air element ( filter) will gain you some needed air anytime you put your foot into it.

My Crane Hi-6 with LX-92 race coil and tach adaptor came to @ $489 Can.

new plugs WILL help of course but split plugs and capacitance wires will be better . ( nology)

 

[siragan]

what are split plugs and capacitance wires?

I am running a bottle of pennzoil fuel injector cleaner through the tank to hopefully clean out the fuel injectors and valves from carbon deposits.
Would running synthetic oil help at all? Winters are cold here, and I´m not sure what oil to use for the next oil change.

 

[Pimp_scort_89_GT]

Synthetic oil should give a little gain in MPG. If you look at the "star seal" on the back, make sure the words Energy Conserving are written in the star. If it says Energy Conserving I or II that is even better. I think I have only seen Energy Conserving I oil once and I can´t remember what brand it was, but it was synthetic, and I´ve only read that there is an II rating, but I don´t know if there is an oil that meets it or not. Also 5w-20 will help a bit to since it stays thinner, especially in the cold winters.

 

[siragan]

How much is a K&N filter? My filter is clean, and it´s a pretty garden variety motocraft filter. Will a K&N make any difference?
And what about different spark plugs and capicitance wires?

 

[Ignatz]

If your using 5-30 petroleum oil now I doubt if you can document an honest mpg gain switching to syntethic. Switching to the newer 0-20 weight range might not be the best thing when your loading up the car to capacity on a 95 deg. day and trying to keep up with traffic on the interstates. Your engine does need some protection. Now to go to the next level in gas mileage you need to improve the efficiency in the way your engine combusts fuel. The best way to do this is by raising the compression ratio. Thats right folks, new pistons with aprox. 1.0 increase would in theroy make the biggest improvement . Bolting on stuff is a shot in the dark and probably a waste of money. Remember if you have two identical engines ,but one has slightly higher compression ratio ,that engine needs less fuel for equal bhp outputs on the dyno. Why? Because it burns fuel more efficient. Of corse now you need higher octane fuel . I posted a couple back and said dont change anything. I now have a sugestion. Install smaller diameter tires. They might spin the odometer faster ang you will think your getting better gas mileage.

 

[birddog]

The material of a K&N filter will compress slightly every time it is washed and this increases it´s resistance to air flow. the test they use on tv that allows the ball to float is actually not that big a deal. Yes a K&N flow more when new. However this is most noticed at high rpm when the increased flow is needed. If you looking for fuel economy high rpm is not where you want to be. It´s nice to think that you are saving money by making the car more fuel effiecent, but why spend money on a new ignition system that will take two years to pay for itself. best suggestion is just to do proper maintainence on the car. regular oil changes, tire rotations alignments filter changes. things like that make a difference. By the way I am NOT saying don´t buy a K&N just don´t do it for the supposed saving in fuel.

 

[Skuce]

Where would I be able to pick up one of the Ignition controllers.
I always thought you couldn´t control the firing time without a) adding a chip b) mucking with the computers programming

So a manual controller for the EDIS would be sweet!

 

[siragan]

Okay, well how would I go about improving compression ratio? I was thinking I could take off the valve header and then machine the top of the engine down, but that´s just rediculous.
I will think of investing in a K&N filter. I was just out doing some driving around and I managed to do some really quick shifting and I was getting some good power.

Can I do anything with the EDIS?
Will LARGER DIAMETER tires help mileage at all? I figure I will get less torque, but I will also roll farther for each complete roataion.

I am about to buy a new set of tires for my scort, and I´m planning on getting a set of winter/spring tires, but would it be better to get a set of used winter tires and a set of new spring tires?

I have 14 inch wheels (yeah baybee!)... any suggestions?

 

[PPC-Racing]

The first thing you better do is figure out if the upgrades YOUR going to HAVE to make are justifiable. AN after market ignition system is at least $480 Can plus install if you can´t do it yourself, new slugs to increase compression ( this is really a HP thing, the TQ gains would be almost nothing unless you went out and changed your rods as well, making the pin center 1/4" longer and changing the pin location on your new 10:1 pistons will help with TDC delay thereby giving you more torque. however that´s a nice $1700++ Can easy.

the only thing left to do that will assure you of a REAL mpg gain is to change out your final drive gear. getting a taller gearing will increase your top speed and lower your crusing RPM but slow down your acceleration and reduce your torque even more..

THe cheap way to gain more MPG is to reduce the weight of the vehicle, take out the back seats and spare tire. change out your seats for fixed race seats, ( 16lbs for corbeau forza´s ) rip out all the sound deadening material change steel parts to aluminum or titanum change your hood to fiber glass or better still carbon fiber, reduce the weight of your rollers, they make ligh weight wheels and tyres. ( 15" jax with kumho 712´s will weigh in at the same as your 14" wheels .. without rubber. Change out your rear windo for a shaped plexi or lexan window, save 60lbs easy right there.

OR you could be happy with your 40 and let it be.

 

[siragan]

I doubt I´ll play around with the engine any more.. I´ll just take care of it, etc.

But as for weight... I CAN do something about that.

Will larger diameter wheels get me better mpg? Where can I buy some of these wheels? Recommendations?

And seats. I´d like a new set of front seats. More comfy, leather wouldn´t hurt.

How do I take out the back seats? Is there a how-to? What bolts do I need to take out?

 

[PPC-Racing]

larger wheels will give you better milage however they will have the same effect as going to a taller final drive gear.. but now you have the problem of having a drastically out of tune speedo.

go to tirerackcom they have the Jax and KHumo. since I have no clue where you are in the world I am going to assume the states.

leather will ADD weight to the car. so whatever you save at the wheels will most likely be added back with leather.. which is kind of dopey in a car that your going to rip the rear out of ??

go buy a hayes car manual or go to ford and order the mechanics set it´s usually a three book series that goes into detail , way more then the hayes.. but the hayes is like $25 at pep boys or the like.