How-DOO!!!
Well color me confused. My Neon's gas mileage has suddenly taken a
drastic turn for the worse. Where I used to get about 28-32 mpg with
mixed city/freeway driving (yes, even with _my_ right foot) I now can
barely manage to keep the mileage in the lower 20's. No I don't think
it's due to summer A/C usage, I was also using it a lot when I was
getting the better mileage.
What could be awry with my poor car? I've made no recent changes to the
drivetrain unless y'all think a different front swaybar might affect the
gas mileage. I changed the plugs with fresh Champion RC9YC plugs at
12000 miles and will check them again soon. I cleaned and reoiled my
K&N air filter at the beginning of this month. I have always ONLY used
premium gas from either QuikTrip or Amoco (and Texaco a time or two) and
have run synthetic 5W/30 oil (first Mobil 1 and since about 10000 miles
it's been Pennzoil) in it since about 500 miles appeared on the
odometer.
Also, I burn almost a full quart of oil every 3000 miles with only
20,500 miles on the odometer. I have watched as other people have
started my car and there is a small puff of white smoke when the car is
started up but it never puts out a "cloud" of smoke when I'm driving or
autocrossing it. Well, at least none that I can see or have been told
about. I do autocross it almost every weekend if there's an event. I
can find no oil puddles where I park the car every day so I don't think
it's leaking oil.
S'up wit dat?
See you on course.
Eric Linnhoff in KC
#69DS TLS #13
'98 Neon R/T
<eric10mm@qni.com>
Patrick Henry:
"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone
who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it
but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined."
Benjamin Franklin:
"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary
safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
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