Gas mileage, something to check in your air box

**econnelle** · 11-14-2008 07:45 PM

When I did the snub mount on the wife's 3.0 I took the airbox off to get better access to the headlights.

There is a light screen filter over the main airbox entrance. It was covered in leaves and probably only 1/4 of it was clear.

When we first bought the car we were averaging 22mpg. This is mixed city/highway and with my wife driving it three times per week, 44 miles round trip to work and back, and me driving it twice per week, 80 miles round trip. We split time between my A6 and her A4 because she tends to get better mileage so we only fill up each car once per week.

Now I did two other things but I don't believe too much in injector cleaners but we figured with 133K what the hell. I used Techron and ran a big bottle through a tank of gas. I also had the trans flushed and fluid replaced.

Same driving cycle, 25mpg mixed driving. I had a tank in between the flush/Techron that we did 22...and I had 7 tanks at 22. Cleaned the leaves out, 1 tank at 25.

We buy our gas at the same place every time and all other things are consistent.

That includes a lot of diagnosing my shake issue which included a bunch of WOT 0-70 runs.

Thats a big improvement and I could not believe how much crap had built up in that screen shield.

Might be something for everyone to look at. Not sure if the 1.8's have that same setup but if you have a 3.0 its only a few minutes to pop it off and look.

**Turb_Oh_A4** · 11-14-2008 07:48 PM

yea we have it too... one guy found tons and tons of bird seed :P

**jackyaudi** · 11-14-2008 09:23 PM

I always was wondering if those fuel additives help.. I currently have about 60K miles on the car, but I never tried those yet.

**bavaria75** · 11-14-2008 11:02 PM

For your infomration the little air filter/mesh is a thought as a snow mesh.
Believe it or not.

**J-jizzle** · 11-15-2008 01:56 AM

Ripped that damn screen out after the first week after buying my car. It was clean but I was like WTF is this? See Yaaaa.

**jackyaudi** · 11-15-2008 09:24 AM

Originally Posted by J-jizzle

Ripped that damn screen out after the first week after buying my car. It was clean but I was like WTF is this? See Yaaaa.

All the stuff that the screen is supposed to block is now in your airbox. And the only way to clean that is to take the whole airbox apart. Removing the air filter wont do it. I had a thread about this. I actually bought that screener and put it in my car.