12 to 16 MPG, what else to check??

[jackyaudi]

So far I have done the following to increase my MPG from 12 MPG to about 16.2 MPG (and thats while doing 65% city and 35% highway):

- Checked Revo Chip, nothing wrong there
- Checked for codes, nothing much there, will check again.
- Replaced Air filter
- Put new spark plugs
- Adjusted tires pressure
- Replaced Fuel filter
- Cleaned the MAF
- Fuel pump replaced (dealer)

At my current rate, am pretty sure @ 50/50 highway/city I could get 18 to 19 MPG, and 100% highway somewhere around 22 to 25 MPG.

What else should I check for or do in order to improve my city MPG?? I still think its pretty bad (city traffic here is horrible though, there are red lights EVERYWHERE.. I stop at 4 traffic lights in 1 mile!!)

[G-Bus]

What did the dealership say about this?

[A4ringedONE8T]

Less go pedal = better mpg

[B6Lovin]

try removing the lead in your right foot

jk jk jk

really though, short of personal driving habits i really can't think of anything else

[jackyaudi]

What did the dealership say about this?

They changed the Fuel pump, still did not go back yet to tell them about it and to check the loss of oil issue. Got 350 KM to go.

[jackyaudi]

try removing the lead in your right foot

jk jk jk

really though, short of personal driving habits i really can't think of anything else

For sure, but am driving it very conservatively though. The only things left that I can think of are O2 sensor and MAF, but as long as there are no errors for them, am not spending hundreds for nothing. Also, when there will be codes for these, I will get them replaced them under warranty anyhow.

[B6Lovin]

maybe you should see if they're "failing" if you catch my drift... and then if it IS you should take it in with the associated codes...

[My OOOO My]

The only things left that I can think of are O2 sensor and MAF, but as long as there are no errors for them, am not spending hundreds for nothing. Also, when there will be codes for these, I will replaced them under warranty anyhow.

I was having very bad gas mileage too... but not all the time. Sometimes the MPG reading in the info cluster would be normal (avg 20MPG), then other times it would have ridiculous readings like 7MPG or 11MPG.

Problem was a faulty O2 sensor. It was on its way out. I changed both. Everything's great now.

[sambrody44]

I was having very bad gas mileage too... but not all the time. Sometimes the MPG reading in the info cluster would be normal (avg 20MPG), then other times it would have ridiculous readings like 7MPG or 11MPG.

Problem was a faulty O2 sensor. It was on its way out. I changed both. Everything's great now.

Did you get any codes before hand?

[B6480Avant]

thats pretty much what i get and all i have is revo flash 50/50 20mpg average all the time its normal right? i thought . . except when i hear people say they get 400+ mile per tank !!

[Elliott]

thats pretty much what i get and all i have is revo flash 50/50 20mpg average all the time its normal right? i thought . . except when i hear people say they get 400+ mile per tank !!

500+ miles per tank.

[B6480Avant]

500+ miles per tank.

were did you get your 22 gal tank, getting towed doesn't count

[jackyaudi]

thats pretty much what i get and all i have is revo flash 50/50 20mpg average all the time its normal right? i thought . . except when i hear people say they get 400+ mile per tank !!

20 MPG is about approximately 320 miles to the tank, its about what I would get if I would have done 50/50 as well.

It also depends on how we define things. Highway mileage above a certain speed (lets say 70 mph) is pretty much a common ground anywhere. However, "city driving" can be very different for many people and depending on where we are. It could be stretched from going 1 mile with 1 stop light to going 1 mile with 6+ stop lights...Since there is no measurement for counting "idle time", it will be hard to compare "city driving" and MPG on a universal basis. For example, based on a 10 miles trip, if I put 40 minutes on idle time waiting on traffic jams and red lights, I wont have the same MPG as someone else who has 10 minutes idle time for the same 10 miles, yet we both consider it "city driving." Remember, idle time = 0 MPG, so it brings down your mileage a lot when its averaged. You can technically have 0 MPG on a full tank if you leave your car idle for a long time. Funny, sometimes I find what others describe "city driving" for themselves as almost highway driving in my case

[B6480Avant]

20 MPG is about approximately 320 miles to the tank, its about what I would get if I would have done 50/50 as well.

It also depends on how we define things. Highway mileage above a certain speed (lets say 70 mph) is pretty much a common ground anywhere. However, "city driving" can be very different for many people and depending on where we are. It could be stretched from going 1 mile with 1 stop light to going 1 mile with 6+ stop lights...Since there is no measurement for counting "idle time", it will be hard to compare "city driving" and MPG on a universal basis. For example, based on a 10 miles trip, if I put 40 minutes on idle time waiting on traffic jams and red lights, I wont have the same MPG as someone else who has 10 minutes idle time for the same 10 miles, yet we both consider it "city driving." Remember, idle time = 0 MPG, so it brings down your mileage a lot when its averaged. You can technically have 0 MPG on a full tank if you leave your car idle for a long time. Funny, sometimes I find what others describe "city driving" for themselves as almost highway driving in my case

its 105 + degress outside everyday and i sit at idle about 3 times for 2 min each time i shift at 3k allways run 45mph in the city 75mph highway its about a 10 mile drive to work and 10 mile back everyday 91 octaine when i sit at idle it says 7mpg usually anything i missed?

[jackyaudi]

its 105 + degress outside everyday and i sit at idle about 3 times for 2 min each time i shift at 3k allways run 45mph in the city 75mph highway its about a 10 mile drive to work and 10 mile back everyday 91 octaine when i sit at idle it says 7mpg usually anything i missed?

Dang...

In my case, its about 68 F, I idle at least 15 to 20 minutes minutes a day, make at least 20 stops, and run an average of 31 mph or lower, for a distance of about 18 to 20 miles. Your 45 mph "city driving" would be very close to my 50-70 mph "highway" driving :) Right now on 94 Octane to flush the system and do some testings on the engine. Heck if I drive 45 mph in city, I could probably go from 16 MPG to 19 MPG easy...

[jackyaudi]

Whats a good MPG average for 50/50 city/highway and 100% highway?

Am still not convinced about the O2 sensor replacement until am sure through codes that it needs to be replaced.. unless I can find someone who has a spare one to try.

[pizdetsauduxa]

check the badging, maybe uve got a b6 s4

[b6onboost]

just sounds like your typical day is horrible for fuel efficiency. all that stop and go means you're likely in the boost a lot which doesn't help either.

I idle at least 15 to 20 minutes minutes a day, make at least 20 stops, and run an average of 31 mph or lower, for a distance of about 18 to 20 miles.

[jackyaudi]

just sounds like your typical day is horrible for fuel efficiency. all that stop and go means you're likely in the boost a lot which doesn't help either.

Am starting to think you are right and the heavy city traffic is my problem.

I took a 2 hours trip on the highway today for the first time since I bought my car a year ago, and to my surprise the car was offering me 325 miles more than the 150 miles already done.. Thats like 26-27 MPG, which is way better than the 16 MPG am getting doing mostly city and little highway. Am sure I will end up getting less than the computer is hoping for, but coming from an average of 14 MPG in the city, thats a huge difference.

[My OOOO My]

Did you get any codes before hand?

No.

BUT.... when I was doing a VAG-COM deep scan for an Airbag light & CEL, I discovered the O2 sensor problem code. Something about BANK 1 (I can't remember the exact wording or code).

[n7plus1]

check the badging, maybe uve got a b6 s4

lol

[jackyaudi]

Update: Last tank I did 50/50 city/highway and that got me 19 MPG, which is a real improvement from 12 MPG :P

I do believe now that the city driving here is terrible for MPG, but the maintenance I did helped a lot.

Next on the list: Auto-rx, I read that it helps in some cases with an increase of 1 to 3 MPG.

[biketsai]

Alignment and tire pressure for sure.

[yung turbo]

city driving for me i average 15mpg but when i got on the L.I.E., i got as high as 32. i was in complete shock. for me i think to get the best out of city driving, i use the tip to shift in the lower RPMs then the regular auto and it seems to work.

[gq9]

Alignment and tire pressure for sure.

Alignment as well ? How so..

[EBG 18T]

city driving will kill fuel economy in these cars. no way around it unfortunatly. With a 60highway:40 town (not really city) i get about 24-25 mpg average over the past 15k miles. If i drive mostly highway it goes up 1-2mpg. If just in town it goes down about 1-2mph. Pretty consistant especially over 15k miles. I also found that my car runs better on certain fuels in the area vs other fuels.

[G Men 08]

coil packs!! when was the last time they were changed

[onceover]

Alignment as well ? How so..

I would also like to know

[jackyaudi]

coil packs!! when was the last time they were changed

One of them busted 2 weeks ago, so I know that one is newer! When I have more $$ at hand, I am going to change the 3 others with Revision R, am still running 3 of them on L.

[jackyaudi]

I would also like to know

Alignment and tire pressure are very important to MPG.

Worst case scenario: Imagine 2 of your tires are flat, but also you are running with them, how is that going to affect your MPG? Very much. So when one tire or more does not have the same tire pressure as the others, the car is not totally "balanced" on the road, and that affects MPG.

For alignment, imagine that the two front tires are very slightly more squeezed toward the engine (or oppositely, toward the street) then the car is working very hard to push the car forward, so its struggling and spending more energy (fuel) to make itself run.. Imagine that you have 2-3 tires misaligned, all this energy to push your car to run could have been going for much more MPG than you think.

I think a lot of places do the alignment when you change your tires to winter tires, and they do check tire pressure as well. It all depends where you take it.

[jonan]

clean your snow filter man, i remember i changed my air filter and was still getting around 18-20 mpg freeway. cleaned the snow filter in the sink and now i get 32-35mpg freeway. if you have a layer of dirt on the snow filter i blocks the air being sucked in by the intake.