The gas milage post (version2.0)

[david gettle]

car information:
2002 ZX2 "Premium" ATX purchased 03/07/2002 2 miles on the odometer before test drive.

3/07/2002-1/26/2003 - stock 27,481 miles 1057 gal. of fuel = 25.99 MPG
01/26/2003-04/14/2008 Keman air box mod+upper air baffle removal 31.01491 MPG average
04/02/2003-04/14/2008 Grill Mesh added to front bumper 31.04922 MPG
09/03/2003-04/14/2008 ATX Shift Kit 31.08277 MPG
08/07/2004-04/14/2008 Trubendz 2.25" Cat-back Exhaust
(magnaflow resonator Aero-Turbine "sport compact"muffler) 31.67456MPG
10/11/2004-04/14/2008 19MM rear sway bar 31.7759MPG
04/22/2005-04/14/2008 Tornadoe Ki70 32.20543 MPG
06/27/2005-04/14/2008 Axiom "Edge" Mirror covers 32.11966 MPG
01/08/2006-04/14/2008 Powder's UDP 31.93595
06/05/2006-04/14/2008 Fuel Atomizer/PCV catch can 31.91654MPG
02/25/2007-06/07/2007 - car in shop for repairs not driven
06/07/2007-04/14/2007 factory wing removed 31.0229 MPG
06/15/2007-04/14/2007 Wings West body kit and JSP "Apachee" spoiler 31.08338 MPG
08/13/2007-04/14/2008 HydranOX5000 hydrogen electrolasys unit 31.25807 MPG
01/10/2008-04/14/2008 Crazy Guy air box mod 30.67341 MPG
02/07/2008-04/14/2008 Gold plated battery cable connectors 30.47623 MPG
03/03/2008-04/14/2008 ZXTuner "Roush" Style intake 30.82706 MPG
03/06/2008-04-14/2008 JBA Short Header 31.13619 MPG
total milage as of 04/14/2008 136,932
gal. of fuel used = 4575.7268
average MPG from purchase date to 04/14/2008 = 29.859
average cost of fuel from date car was purchased (total fuel cost/gallons) $2.217/Gal.
Average fuel cost/mile from 03/07/2002 to 04/14/2008 $0.0571
Data for most recent 3 tanks of fuel:
03/29/2008-04-03-2008 242 miles 7.57 Gal. 31.968 MPG
04/03/2008-04-09-2008 332.7 miles, 11.343 Gal. 29.33 MPG
- note during this tank of fuel the ATX fluid return line from the atf cooler blew off and dumped the transmission fluid
04/09/2008-04/14/2008 332.2 miles 10.23 Gal. 32.4731 MPG $0.1034/mile fuel cost

[FiReTRuCK_ZX2]

When the car was still an Auto, I got 36 mpg on the way to Charlottesville, VA.

best I've gotten so far.

[Exodia]

I get about 28 in the winter, and 35 in the summer.

[Beodude123]

Dang dude, looks like all those little fuel things didn't really help much... LoL

You should get it tuned. That was the biggest difference for my ATX.

[mechtech]

DG - Thank you for the excellent records.
No B.S., no agenda. Like Joe Friday used to say: "Just the facts."

It seems like the factory wing helped a bit.

[david gettle]

You're welcome.

Just to clarify the numbers a little, I drive 17 miles each way in my daily commute (speeds below 45 MPH due to the road conditions) all non-highway, except for the two months prior to installing Powder's UDP those two months I was driving 52 miles each way all highway.

All of the modifications I have done to the car have been paid for by the difference between what I would have spent on fuel and what I did actually spend. So except for the $7,500 I've spent on repairing the car from the accident last Feb. and getting the body kit, I haven't spent anything I would not have had to spend if I had left the car stock.

[david gettle]

Dang dude, looks like all those little fuel things didn't really help much... LoL

You should get it tuned. That was the biggest difference for my ATX.

look closer at the numbers and comments, 26MPG V.S. 32MPG average that's a 23% MPG increase.

[mechtech]

It seems the big one was the plain old Keman mod.
A big jump.

[david gettle]

Yep, the good old Kemen mod paid for everything else I've done to the car, best $5.00 investment I've ever made!

Kemen, if you ever read this you deserve a few :beernana:

[Beodude123]

I think Keman is dead...


But I meant the tornado and fuel magnet thing don't work. You got pretty much all of your savings from the exhaust and the intake mod.

[gunman_sr5]

Last week I was getting 32 this week I am getting 37. I have had to slow down about 5 mph everywhere due to a ticket. I also changed to where I was shifting between 2500 and 3k. Mods listed below.

[iceracer]

I thought it interesting that the EPA rates the ZX2 at 30 mpg.

[david gettle]

I thought it interesting that the EPA rates the ZX2 at 30 mpg.

Where did you find that? Everything I've seen rated the ZX2 as 26 city/32 highway

[mellowness65]

I've seen over 40 with the good ole atx :thingnana:

[david gettle]

I think Keman is dead...


But I meant the tornado and fuel magnet thing don't work. You got pretty much all of your savings from the exhaust and the intake mod.

I don't know about Kemen being dead, but last I had heard of him he had sold his ZX2 and just stopped visiting ZX2 forums.

As for the tornadoe fuel saver thing...

From the opening post of this thread...

"10/11/2004-04/14/2008 19MM rear sway bar 31.7759MPG
04/22/2005-04/14/2008 Tornadoe Ki70 32.20543 MPG"

You may want to double check your opinion, It didn't make a huge difference, but it did make a difference.

As for The magnet thing, well I agree with you on that one being a scam. (I had done a test with Rare Earth Magnets no change, good thing I needed them for another project.

[Blue ZX2]

I get a pretty soild average 36 with mine.

Not like my ol neon though.... 46mpg... sad.

[iceracer]

Where did you find that? Everything I've seen rated the ZX2 as 26 city/32 highway

That's the old rating. EPA has changed the way they measure and all cars have lost rated mpg.

[david gettle]

Oh, O.K. so the EPA made changes...

the old rating was fairly accurate for my car at least.

[mechtech]

The old rating died about the same time as Keman.

[2000ZxT]

I have gotten above 40 MPG, this is only when I didn't have a job and had NO money. I wouldn't accelerate over 2k ever.

[tre2000zx2]

ive gotten as low as 22mpg with a bad vac leak aveage now about 33ish mostly city with a lil highway.. best i get is about 42-43 interstate with the bodykit on... was better withough but cant remember it was marginal at best.

[ohstone]

I could squeeze out 33 or so when my car was an automatic, after the swap however i get about 34 or so. YAY 1 more MPG!

[mechtech]

I thought the automatic should get a bit better highway gas mileage. It has a better rear end gear for highway, and a lock up converter for no loss.

[TheGhostInTheMachine]

EPA rates cars at 70mph now instead of 60mph, that's why the rating has dropped. Heck my GTI gets 36mpg at 60mph lol.

[JonsZX2SR]

Real world data for my '97 Escort is given below. Summer/winter variations are seen as well as dips from problems such as misfire, dragging brake caliper, etc.

http://www.teamzx2.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=390&d=1209571279

Considering I drive around 80 mph quite a bit (otherwise you get run over during rush hour on I-84 in CT) plus quite a bit of local driving, driving with a bike on a rack, 27.7 mpg for the past 46K miles i've owned the car hasn't been too bad...

[Buster]

Quick question...can being low on coolant negatively affect the fuel economy?

On the last few tanks, my MPG has been down and I couldn't figure out why. I ran some FI cleaner, made sure tires were inflated to 35 psi and had already cleaned EVERYTHING on the engine earlier in the year (filters, MAF, throttle body, intake, etc.)

This morning when I started it, the "Check Coolant" light came on. I have no leaks, but I just filled it back up. Maybe that caused the dip in MPG? The engine would probably run a little warmer being low on it.

[david gettle]

In a word, Yes.

[zxtuner98]

I really dont see how people get much more than 30 highway. This car has gotten 30-32 max all its life w/ a keman on the highway. It has more mods now, but i still never see 36-40. Maybe i cant keep out of the pedal enough. I rarely go above 3200 though.

[mechtech]

Gas is turning to poo.
More alcohol in it means less power and potential fuel economy per gallon.
Our cars can get very good MPGs on the highway. If someone touches 40MPG here and there under certain circumstances, I believe them.

[mechtech]

The old EPA ratings for an MTX ZX2 were 26 to 33. [city and highway]
The new more realistic ratings are retro'd to 23 to 30.

[youlostme21]

The best i got that wasnt pure highway was this week and it was 27mpg. that was right after i did filters and fluid all the way around. doing a 386mile run from SE Pa to western ny i got 28.... only 21 with a cracked pcv elbow... that was rough

[TheGhostInTheMachine]

Sweet, my turbo car gets gas mileage equivalent to that of a 16 second economy car. Wewt.

[Buster]

Gas is turning to poo.


A few days ago, I saw at a pump a sign saying "Contains 10% Ethanol".

I got back into the car and found another station. Ethanol is a very inefficient fuel and if I'm paying a lot for my gas, I want it to last.

[mechtech]

Buster - I had to read your Obumma quote twice before I got it!

[Blue ZX2]

A few days ago, I saw at a pump a sign saying "Contains 10% Ethanol".

I got back into the car and found another station. Ethanol is a very inefficient fuel and if I'm paying a lot for my gas, I want it to last.

10-15% isnt bad, it will actualy give you more HP and clean out your motor. Plus my dads a farmer so I always get 15%. Your supportting our economy and taking dependancy off foreign oils!!! So dont run away from them.

[Buster]

^

Wrong. It's not necessarily good for the economy of our nation OR the world...that's why there's a food shortage in some nations that is being caused in part my ethanol production and research. Also, we're adding it to foreign fuel so it doesn't help that situation. Ethanol as an answer to our fuel problems is a dream that won't come true. It's nothing more than a bandaid right now.

It is less efficient than gas, I don't care about more HP, I want to save money.

[mechtech]

Blue - Alcohol has about 1/2 the BTUs per gallon than gasoline.
You LOSE power. You can't gain any. You must work for the Government.

Alcohol does have a natural higher octane, but that is totally irrelevant, because it is adjusted by using less additives and we still get 87,89, or 92.

[freaktractor]

i filled up last sunday and put right at 13.4 gallons in the tank(at least thats what the pump read...)

think i did a 60/40 split between city/hwy miles and so far have gotten 414 miles out of the tank...

but i think if i push it more than a few miles i willbe totally out so im gonna fill up again

:sigh:
wish our cars had a digital reader that would display correctly the amount left in the tank

[mechtech]

We should hold 12.8 gallons when dry.

[freaktractor]

i know 12.8...

but the pump read 13.4 when i was finished

i dont usually get more than 320-350 out of a tank so i was surprised to see 414

[Blue ZX2]

Blue - Alcohol has about 1/2 the BTUs per gallon than gasoline.
You LOSE power. You can't gain any. You must work for the Government.

I dont work for the Gov. I just spent 4 years of HS helping my good friend on his science fair project testing ethanol in engines and found they all made MORE power with 10-15% ethanol and he went on to international and placed 3rd in the nation.... So unless you have any conclusive data. Im am standing by my findings. Its nothing personal, just what I have seen with my own eyes. I was just tryin to help, like I said its helping my dad out so I support it.

[mechtech]

Blue - This is common knowledge.
Scientific fact.
A minute or two looking up this on the net will prove it.
You've gotta be kidding!
Alcohol is a BIG loser compared to gasoline for power and economy, because it has less energy per gallon.


as an aside, that's why alcohol burning race cars [like ours] need o use bigger jets or increase the fuel flow otherwise.

Your science fair project was wrong and faulty in it's conclusions. I have never heard anybody agree with what you say, and it cannot make sense.

[raider]

24.22 mpg

[Bman02ZX2]

24 - 25mpg with city driving on an atx

[1337]

Off the Topic of gas milage.. How many miles you guys have on your zx2's? I want to see if I'm the only high milage guy around.. (139,00) Can you beat it?

[1337]

Oh, and I use Plus gasoline. What about you guys?

[TheGhostInTheMachine]

Premium.

And I'm currently getting 31-33mpg commuting to and from work.


ZX2's suck, lollerz.

[zetecbeatsvtec8]

35mpg premium

[1337]

Off the Topic of gas milage.. How many miles you guys have on your zx2's? I want to see if I'm the only high milage guy around.. (139,00) Can you beat it?


eh? eh??

[TheGhostInTheMachine]

I had 146k on my ZX2... two years ago before I stopped driving it.

[Tygen1]

Off the Topic of gas milage.. How many miles you guys have on your zx2's? I want to see if I'm the only high milage guy around.. (139,00) Can you beat it?

226,300 today, still on original auto trans :)

Average 29-30 mpg on 50/50 city/highway driving.

[david gettle]

I have been running my car on regular (87 octaine, 10% ethanol) since I baught it. It currently has 137,943 miles on it at last fill up, average MPG over last 6 years; 29.872 MPG.

[havocsmaster]

31.625 MPG averaged over last 12 fillups( had to dig receipts out of floorboard) best i ever got got was running 80 mph between Abilene and Pecos, Texas....42.1 MPG. By the way...146723.4 on car MTX

[david gettle]

31.625 MPG averaged over last 12 fillups( had to dig receipts out of floorboard) best i ever got got was running 80 mph between Abilene and Pecos, Texas....42.1 MPG. By the way...146723.4 on car MTX

Ah Ha! I'm not the only one that got peak MPG at 80 MPH The peak MPG for my car over the last 6 years was 50 MPG@80 MPH

[freaktractor]

hmmmm...only got 115,000 so far on my 03 atx

[1337]

damn.. I though I had high mileage. I feel better now.

[mechtech]

My brother's turbo Volvo can do 151 mph [stock].
It also gets better fuel mileage at around 80-85 than lower speeds. Sounds odd, but it's true.

[gunman_sr5]

179K getting 35 to 37 mostly rural and highway driving between 65 to 80 mph. I drive 600 miles a week for work. So those numbers are from the last 4 tanks over the last 2 weeks. I am about to try the resistor and 2 cycle oil Mechtech talked about in another thread. Also may be getting a Fidanza flywheel put in my car soon. While I am also looking for an escort sedan MTX to get 5th gear out of.

[mellowness65]

some of that could be attributed to filler neck volume for the 13.4 total

[oxfordwtZX2]

I drove mine from Seattle WA to CT, going down through San Fran, Arizona, NM, TX, and on to GA, then up the coast. 5298 miles from driveway to driveway. I averaged 36 mpg's on that trip. MTX all stock, but it ran great, and I had ZERO problems. I added rims and now I'm getting 35 mpg's on my 116 mile round trip. Adding my intake on Monday, so we'll see what I get out of that....

[iceracer]

Man, what a bunch of crazy statements. 50mpg at 80mph. Better mileage a higher speed. Lets get down to earth and be real.

[mechtech]

With my brother's Volvo, it is a gearing and tuning issue.
Volvo has goofy gearing to produce a 150 mph+ car. This has the engine a bit too low at 60 mph for best engine efficiency, and maybe it's too rich at that point because of a turbo anomaly. In any case, it IS odd. He'll get the same or better at 80 than 65-70.

[oxfordwtZX2]

I got 36 out of my last tank of gas. Ran back and forth to work a few times, only burn 3/4 of a tank, but I got 35.99 mpg's. I don't have A/C by the way, nor power anything, if that makes a difference. Just a CAI, and rims.

[iceracer]

On Oct 5, The Adirondack Motor Enthusuasts Club,Inc. will be holding an economy run through the lower Adirondacks. We have all kinds of vehicles entered. I'll be running my SR. We had one in Aug. and I ran just like I was out for a lisurely ride and got 41.3.
Hills and torrential rain,plus running the AC to demist the windshield didn't help.
There are still some openings. www.icerace.com

[iceracer]

The run will be in the morning. In the afternoon some will be gokart racing. I'm entered.