Fuel effeciency and Reliablility

fisdad · 06-22-2012, 08:14 AM

So, as many of you know I've spent a lot of money doing maintenance and replacing nearly all of my components with new stock components to get the car back to what it was when I bought it new. Lately I've spent a lot of money on body work and interior to make the car better looking to suit my taste.

This car has been a daily driver all of its life and I don't anticipate that changing any time soon. I've noticed that I'm getting an average of 26mpg combined and 29.35 highway only.

I'm looking for inexpensive tips to boost fuel mileage without necessarily modding it up. I want to keep the stock reliability since I've not had much trouble with it in this regard.

Some have suggested changing the throttle body, warm air intake and upgrading the ignition. If you could post links to parts that would help, this would help me budget for the replacement costs.

xXManwhoreXx · 06-22-2012, 10:24 AM

Intake headers quiet exhaust

spc2125 · 06-22-2012, 11:27 AM

clean everything. When I was taking apart my head, i cleaned basically my whole engine.

zzyzzx · 06-22-2012, 12:22 PM

Drive with a light foot.

xXManwhoreXx · 06-22-2012, 12:32 PM

new Fuel filter

Shiwnath · 06-22-2012, 02:21 PM

I don't care what anyone says... Replace the pre-cat O2 sensor if you have no preexisting knowledge of when it was replaced before. I saw a 3-4 MPG increase after using the same O2 sensor for about 240,000KM (140K Miles) and it didn't show a code. It was still somewhat functioning, just not to its full potential which is why it didn't show a code. Here's a link for the O2 Sensor specifically for your 2.4L Alero, it's pretty cheap too!
www.amazon.com/ACDelco-213-804-Oxygen-Sensor/dp/B000C9GRDS/ref=au_pf_pfg_s?ie=UTF8&Make=Oldsmobile|51&Model=A lero|566&Year=2001|2001&carId=008&n=15684181&newCa r=1&s=automotive&vehicleType=automotive

Another thing is Plugs, wires, tire pressure, fuel filter and air filter are also things that have an impact on mileage as well. So if any of these are not operating like they should be, it can hurt your mileage.

[ion] C2 · 06-22-2012, 02:43 PM

Get the supercharger kit! I got 31MPG @ 85mph during a trip I made to Indiana.

Also, I'll report on my mileage with my O2 sensor disabled when I take a 400 mile trip tomorrow morning.

Redog · 06-22-2012, 06:52 PM

Redog is my daily, but hopfully only for another year (don't worry, I'm not getting rid of it)

I was getting really shitty MPG then I realized that my EGR was set to 284* and not the factory 32* and I got back 2-3 MPG. I avg about 18 city and just coming back from Michigan I got 31 MPG highway. I used to avg 33-35 on that trip, but I usually only get 29 MPG highway driving to Michigan going thru PA (Damn Appalachian Mountains

)

Intake, full exhaust, good tire pressure, don't carry around too much extra weight, don't warm up the car unless the outside temp is below 20*

Be sure that plugs, wires, coils, O2 sensor (upstream) are all in good working order. Never drive with the windows down. It's rare I do that

Oldsman · 06-23-2012, 12:54 AM

on my car, when the 2.4 was stock I got 28mpg. I did exhaust, intake, underdrive pulley and I got 31mpg. the 2.4 is choked on these things.

Redog · 06-23-2012, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldsman

on my car, when the 2.4 was stock I got 28mpg. I did exhaust, intake, underdrive pulley and I got 31mpg. the 2.4 is choked on these things.

Yeah but that's any car.

Even Headers are listed on Summit's site as "fuel savers"

fisdad · 06-23-2012, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldsman

on my car, when the 2.4 was stock I got 28mpg. I did exhaust, intake, underdrive pulley and I got 31mpg. the 2.4 is choked on these things.

What type of exhaust work? Are we talking about headers and a cat?

Will a warm air intake help?

What's the underdrive pully? Can it be replaced by itself or with another component?

fisdad · 06-23-2012, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redog

Redog is my daily, but hopfully only for another year (don't worry, I'm not getting rid of it)

I was getting really shitty MPG then I realized that my EGR was set to 284* and not the factory 32* and I got back 2-3 MPG. I avg about 18 city and just coming back from Michigan I got 31 MPG highway. I used to avg 33-35 on that trip, but I usually only get 29 MPG highway driving to Michigan going thru PA (Damn Appalachian Mountains

)

Intake, full exhaust, good tire pressure, don't carry around too much extra weight, don't warm up the car unless the outside temp is below 20*

Be sure that plugs, wires, coils, O2 sensor (upstream) are all in good working order. Never drive with the windows down. It's rare I do that

I've got the 2.4 LD9. What's the EGR supposed to be set at for mine? Also, how would I check the settings and change them if needed?

fisdad · 06-23-2012, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shiwnath

I don't care what anyone says... Replace the pre-cat O2 sensor if you have no preexisting knowledge of when it was replaced before. I saw a 3-4 MPG increase after using the same O2 sensor for about 240,000KM (140K Miles) and it didn't show a code. It was still somewhat functioning, just not to its full potential which is why it didn't show a code. Here's a link for the O2 Sensor specifically for your 2.4L Alero, it's pretty cheap too!
www.amazon.com/ACDelco-213-804-Oxygen-Sensor/dp/B000C9GRDS/ref=au_pf_pfg_s?ie=UTF8&Make=Oldsmobile|51&Model=A lero|566&Year=2001|2001&carId=008&n=15684181&newCa r=1&s=automotive&vehicleType=automotive

Another thing is Plugs, wires, tire pressure, fuel filter and air filter are also things that have an impact on mileage as well. So if any of these are not operating like they should be, it can hurt your mileage.

Does my car have 1 or 2 O2 sensors? I know the V6 models have 2. If I have 2 I want to be sure to replace both of them.

Redog · 06-23-2012, 03:30 PM

IDK if the 2.4 has an EGR. I know they did not in 1999, and yes, the 2.4 has 2 O2 sensors, one before and one after the cat.

As for the underdrive pulley, I had one on mine, it broke, replaced it with a stock one, meh, feels the same. Might be different with the 2.4 though.

Exhaust, the more exhaust you do, the better it will be. A cat-back will help, but headers will help more

spc2125 · 06-23-2012, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xXManwhoreXx

Intake headers quiet exhaust

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redog

Yeah but that's any car.

Even Headers are listed on Summit's site as "fuel savers"

Quote:

Originally Posted by fisdad

What type of exhaust work? Are we talking about headers and a cat?

Will a warm air intake help?

I remember when everyone used to flame every single person who said "CIA" instead of "CAI".

Well IIRC the proper name is "Header" not "Headers"

fisdad · 06-23-2012, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redog

IDK if the 2.4 has an EGR. I know they did not in 1999, and yes, the 2.4 has 2 O2 sensors, one before and one after the cat.

As for the underdrive pulley, I had one on mine, it broke, replaced it with a stock one, meh, feels the same. Might be different with the 2.4 though.

Exhaust, the more exhaust you do, the better it will be. A cat-back will help, but headers will help more

Good info. Are the O2 sensors the same part or different? All of the online stores seem to have position 1 or universal fitment.

I NEED A TUNE!! Damn if my rotors weren't warped I would have had the cash at ASS!

jawa · 06-23-2012, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fisdad

Good info. Are the O2 sensors the same part or different? All of the online stores seem to have position 1 or universal fitment.

I NEED A TUNE!! Damn if my rotors weren't warped I would have had the cash at ASS!

i didn't have cash. still got A tune

jawa · 06-23-2012, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spc2125

I remember when everyone used to flame every single person who said "CIA" instead of "CAI".

Well IIRC the proper name is "Header" not "Headers"

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redog

Redog is my daily, but hopfully only for another year (don't worry, I'm not getting rid of it)

I was getting really shitty MPG then I realized that my EGR was set to 284* and not the factory 32* and I got back 2-3 MPG. I avg about 18 city and just coming back from Michigan I got 31 MPG highway. I used to avg 33-35 on that trip, but I usually only get 29 MPG highway driving to Michigan going thru PA (Damn Appalachian Mountains

)

Intake, full exhaust, good tire pressure, don't carry around too much extra weight, don't warm up the car unless the outside temp is below 20*

Be sure that plugs, wires, coils, O2 sensor (upstream) are all in good working order. Never drive with the windows down. It's rare I do that

so how do i check my egr *

fisdad · 06-23-2012, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jawa

i didn't have cash. still got A tune

Well I didn't have an iPad to trade and you didn't trade yours for 2 tunes! rooster move!!

Redog · 06-23-2012, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spc2125

Well IIRC the proper name is "Header" not "Headers"

Yeah, I have a V6 and a V8 in my fleet, so I'm used to saying "headers"

Quote:

Originally Posted by fisdad

Good info. Are the O2 sensors the same part or different? All of the online stores seem to have position 1 or universal fitment.

I NEED A TUNE!! Damn if my rotors weren't warped I would have had the cash at ASS!

99 2.4 has a 1 wire for upstream. 2000 and up is the 4 wire.

Don't know about downstream. Link onto RockAuto to find out that info. I would think that a 4 wire O2 can be used in the up or down stream postion because the PCM is telling it what to do. Don't quote me on that. I can't be 100% certain that when I replaced my upstream, if it was for upstream only, but I don't think it was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jawa

so how do i check my egr *

I did mine thru HPTuners, that's the only way I knew it was wrong. It's all in programing, unless it's stuck