cantgofast

oh man, i have been getting 160-180 miles per tank! Now i am scared. I do not drive too fast, i guess i should change the fuel filter ASAP. However I do wish it had more than 12 gallon tank. Anything else I should check? I am going to check KS and cam sems, is there enything else though? I am using WAY too much fuel!!! Thanks!!!

975spEEd

Check tire pressure and make sure your brakes aren't dragging,
the rear calipers sometimes freeze up.

99maxi

iTrader: (2)

u should also check for gas leaks..

SonicDust187

iTrader: (11)

I get about 300-350mpg on a full tank. I once filled up my tank with 17.9 gallons.

Tuna

iTrader: (6)

goddaym.. how in the hell do yall get over 300.. are those highway mpg's.?? i got a 97 SE automatic and my light comes on at about 235-240 miles, city & short highway trips.. i just had the spark plugs changed to Bosch +4's last summer and i always use the 93 octane.. maybe i should get the fuel filter changed, huh.?? but even if i do i still dont think ill get anywhere near 300..

SonicDust187

iTrader: (11)

Get a new fuel filter and change your plugs to NGK Platinums not Bosch +4 (they suck for our cars). I drive about 300 miles in 2 weeks with 208.8 miles are highway of speeds 65-80 with 1/4 in traffic, rest is NYC driving.

99maxi

iTrader: (2)

i get about the same ~250 and almost all of my driving is city

fearthegecko

the highest i ever got was 300 mpt. And that was running the tank bone dry. All my driving is suburban (light traffic) and highway. On average i get roughly 280 mpt. I have almost 40k mi on my 99 se auto, i also put in an injen CAI after new year's, so i doubt the filter is dirty yet. Think it's time for new fuel filter and plugs?

finny

how many miles you get per tank doesnt really mean anything. some ppl consider a tank to be when ur car is sputtering into the car stations while other will consider a tank filling from a quarter tank or more. ive been gettin bout 16mpg but thats with leavin my car warm up, runnin it short distances when its not warmed up and mainly trips less than 2 or 3 miles. this tank i was out doin highway and im round a quarter tank and at bout 300 miles, i might be able to get 350 to the tank but i wont run til empty. plus my new spark plus arent doin the car any good sittin in the glove box

maximamoose

i am getting about 200-220 per 1/2 tank. you are really getting horrible gas mileage. That is just about as bad as say, a durango.

cantgofast

Actually, i got REALLY lucky in that the lady before me had an $850 brake job done 4 months before I bought my car, replaced all pads, rotors, etc. Not bad considering I paid $2500 for a black 5-speed w/87k!!!

lefty

Over 400 miles per tank?

I am in Canada and lucky if I hit 400 Kms per tank.

I guess the Winter Gas, Snow Tires and my Ski Rack slows me down a bit.

What tire pressure is everyone running?

gtr_rider

iTrader: (50)

Does a tire selection of 225/60/16, a 80/20% city/hwy ratio, with a heavy foot make ~200mpt sound right?

Dave Holmes

My '97 SE auto, 72,500 miles, stock suspension (except fstb & rstb) has all maintenance done, and usually more often than recommended. I have no trouble codes, and car runs extremely well (with exception of minor vibration in steering wheel at idle, but idle in drive is 625-that's specs). I get 20.5 mpg, mostly city, with frequent trips of less than 20 miles round trip. I measure mpg by miles on my trip odometer and how many gallons from same pump at same station to fill up to the first click. I run 225/55R16 on stock rims all at 34 psi cold. I have a K&N panel filter, and have used a new Nissan air filter with same results. My '96 GXE auto, 80,000 miles, was also maintained religiously. It had no trouble codes, and ran very well (same minor vibration in steering wheel as my '97 though, but idle at 625 rpm in drive). It got 24.5 mpg with same exact driving (measured same exact way). Only differences between the 2 cars was base model (SE has spoiler, foglights, sunroof w/deflector removed), and my '96 ran stock 15" rims/tires. I am becoming more convinced that tires have more to do with mileage than I first thought. The 225/55 size causes more aerodynamic drag, more rolling resistance, weighs more, and also throws off odometer very slightly due to fewer revolutions/mile. Does anyone have a chart to check the error (+/- %) between tire sizes so we can figure out any error in the odometer? Could this explain why some of us get less mileage than others?
Anyone have any clue how to get rid of the little vibration in the steering wheel while in gear at idle (I've ruled out all maintenance, changed knock sensor, cleaned throttle body & IACV, checked MAF, coils, and everything else I can use a digital multimeter on)?

Dave

maximumpower96

iTrader: (18)

MY QUESTION TO ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL OF YOU ABOVE. WHO LIVES IN WHAT STATE ? I live in NYC and BELIVE ME a CITY driving in Manhttan will be far MORE Gas guzzling than a CITY driving in FLORIDA or relatively any other city. I just want to know people getting less than 300 which states you are in ? i bet any one above 300 Miles per tank are living NOT living in NYC.(* at least i hope so otherwise i will feel really bad ) i only get 280 at the most.

ramonroad

I was getting about 20 mpg in the city. I bought an EnergyCel. My mpg increased to 22. I now get about 330 - 350 miles to the tank (15 gal). I also have more power, even though I only use low octane fuel, now.

The EnergyCel is a no-maintenence, permanent product. I liked it so much, I became a distributor. I went from a skeptic to a believer. I highly recommend one.

Miasma

sounds like an ad to me.

maxima984

I have about 116K on my 97 max and I have never replaced my fuel filter. I still average about 400 to 430 miles per tank. Last week I filled up my tank with 18.2 gallons. It was a close one.

jlsund

FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING THAT IS IS GOOD AND JUST IN THIS WORLD, LET US SOLVE THIS DAMNED PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL! if this isnt the 10th thread ive either started or read (and im a newbie) and im sick of not having an answer. If the car runs fine, and the mechanical components are fine, and the car gets really really bad gas milage, but drives perfectly and doesnt have a check engine code ,and the only work you have done is a pop charger or cai, join the friggen club! im about to reset the whole damned computer, let the car relearn how to mix, with the new filter, and WHEN (not if) its fixed, maxima.org will have alot less new threads.

Geophrum

i noticed that how you drive makes a big difference... for some reason i drive like a always do (with a heavy foot) and i get better gas milage in the car than if my wife (Granny driver) gets... and its very noticable

When i drive after a fill up i can go 90 to 100 miles it a 1/4 of a tank my wife drives the same car after a fill up and will get 70-80 miles on a 1/4 a tank. i even showed this to my friend who has a 99 and we both think its funny but cant explain it.. usually the granny drivers have the better gas mileage

NickStam

iTrader: (3)

Cone or CAI will lower your MPG.

jlsund

yes, cone will lower my mpg,,,,,... to 16 mpg in normal driving?

dpassino

I have a cone...just some generic, sounds great when i get to about 3000 in each gear. I get roughly 20mpg. I do a combonation of hwy and city. I drove 120miles round trip the other night at 75mph all the way and then the rest on city, I got 327.3 miles, and I knew i had at least 1 or 2 more gallons left. You should never let it go below 1/8 of a tank, but i was around the 2.15 gas stations vs. 1.95 down the road a aways! lol

I have not gone on a road trip to use an enitre tank, so I dont know what all hwy is like, but i normally get about 20-22mpg. I did not notice the cone do anything to the mpg.

Dan

irishmoyni

the sensors were around $80 each when i had them replaced. But in my in opinion they are just there to break and be a pain

Jamsan

iTrader: (2)

I had a full tank when leaving Jersey the other day (mmm $1.72/gallon for premium), and it was raining and dark while coming back, so I took it easy....I'm a little over a quarter left, and I'm close to 280 miles...by FAR, the best I have ever done...I supposed it would go almost another 100 miles.

JMAXIMA

for those of you getting bad gas mileage... by chance have you got larger wheels or larger dia tires? i noticed from day one after i got my 225-55-16 kuhmo's, i got a 2-3mpg drop vs. my 215-55's and the 225-50's. i doubt it was the added weight of the 225-55's... i'm almost certain that it is the fact that my car is registering fewer miles. since the tire is larger, it turns fewer revs per mile... therefore i'm registering fewer miles. i guess its good for the odometer... but i still don't like the fact that i used to get 22city and 29hignway... now i'm lucky to get 20/26. just something to think about.

Dave Holmes

I'm running the same size (225/55/16) and have used a tire size calculator to figure out the same question. It came up being 1.7% off (bigger) than stock '97 SE size tires (the 215 whatever they were). So that does mean we're registering fewer miles, but not really enough to justify bad gas mileage. I average 20.4 mpg in my SE with mostly city driving and short trips. My '96 GXE with stock tires got 4 mpg better. I think our tire size/bad gas mileage may be a combination of the 1.7% difference in miles registering, added friction (slightly wider), added weight (a tiny bit), and even possibly added wind resistance from increased width. Or I could be totally off base.

Dave

Maximus_95

iTrader: (8)

Damn, that is pretty damn bad considering how gas prices are these days! well....bad at least here in cali!
2.30 for the 91 oct.

jlsund

I ran some numbers off the difference in diameter of 15" stock rims and 17" aftermarkets (not even accounting for the lesser difference becuase of tire profile) and my numbers say that the drop is about 35 miles for every 300 driven. So while for some people, that 2-3mpg is a significant change, I, and some others, are still regestering 15-16 mpg. what can be done to change the situation, (no check engine, car running fine, only aftermarket part a cone fil)

JMAXIMA

well, like Dave said... there could be some other factors besides just the added diameter... rolling resistance, weight, ... and from what i remember, when i added my cone filter, my mpg dropped 2-3 mpg. i'm not really sure what else to tell you. maybe you could speak to a nissan tech to get some other ideas of what else to check out. until then try getting a TBI.. new fuel filter... check tire pressure... check your brakes...???

Jared611

Maximas are infamous for o2 sensors dying anywhere between 40-60K miles. Check those. Could be the MAF too. THats an expensive fix. Has to go to the dealer for programming cuz Nissan doenst release those codes unitl the car is 5 years old. I would check the O2 sensors first. Good luck
-Jared

Jared611

Maximas are infamous for o2 sensors dying anywhere between 40-60K miles. Check those. Could be the MAF too. THats an expensive fix. Has to go to the dealer for programming cuz Nissan doenst release those codes unitl the car is 5 years old. I would check the O2 sensors first. Good luck
-Jared

bb0ys

i get 27mpg and i just put a popcharger in the car. I noticed the mpg go up by about .5 when i put new wheels on (215/45/17).

Ninos_Maxima

iTrader: (5)

LOL, I get like 220 to a tank also, I have an Auto 99, Ive tried driving like a granny, same outcome, Best ive gotten though is 29mpg, All city, I gotta do a major frekin tune up like asap, IM gonna change my oil, sparkplugs, fuel filter, and a bunch of other things

95GreekMaxSE

GO AWAY YOU FUKCIN SPAMMER

arlan

iTrader: (1)

very short yet powerful response

jlsund

Alright. So after extensive research and monitoring driving habits, i believe that the problem (for most people getting 15-16 mpg)is simply driving conditions. After 2 tanks of driving 50/50. I believe that the main guzzler of gas, is the infamous stop and go driving. Living in gainesville, I rarely go a quarter of a mile before stopping and starting again. Upon arriving back home to orlando and driving under normal city conditions, my last tank recorded 21 mpg, not counting the approximatly 30 miles in extra (due to wheel diameter). So there you have it. My two cents. Hope it helps. Oh, and if you cannot aviod this horrible type of driving, dont worry, the war is over and super cost $1.54 today!yay

code_slinger

Just curious, how hard would it be to tear the old filter apart to see how dirty it was/wasn't?

[/B][/QUOTE]

It is a metal canister. You could probably cut it in half with a hacksaw.
Use common sense, the damn thing is bound to have some gasoline /or fumes left in it.

(Do not cut it with a power grinder. In any case, if you heat it up enough,
it may catch on fire, or worse, blow up)

You have been warned!

/sG

bng4bk

HERE! HERE! I whole-heartedly agree! Sorry to dig up this old bone everybody, but my second Max gets crap mileage, too without throwing any codes! And I've tried everything under the sun, even to the point that I'm replacing parts unnecessarily.

I, too, am tired of reading threads of people getting 4000 miles per tankful. OK, we got it! Many of you can get 22+ mpg all the time. Please stop suggesting that the tint in my rear window may be causing too much drag. It's not the wheel diameter, tire pressure, driving style, or rotation of the earth. Some of us have been cursed with thirsty pigs and would otherwise love our cars......OK, I'm done venting....sorry.

To those who would like to help us, let's keep on tack with the symptoms of:
NO codes, running just fine, not stumbling at idle, but sucks gas.

So far I've systematically:
Replaced air filter
Replaced plugs
Replaced front O2 sensors
Replaced fuel filter
Cleaned TB/MAF
Ran Techron through to clean system
Ohmed KS, I'm currently tsting with a 490Kohm resistor (no apparent change)
Installed CAI (with resonator retained)
Installed MaxTuning stage 2 VB/ cooler
Installed Budget Y pipe


Other cars I had gained mpg with breathing improvement mods

YES, I checked the tire inflation
Sorry for the apparent frustration, but my stupid car thinks its running fine! I WISH I had a code, no I WISH I HAD MY 5spd BACK!

formz

The reason changing a dirty fuel filter out for a fresh one and getting better gas mileage is as follows:

When your filter gets dirty, fuel has a harder time flowing by it, thus creating a bottle neck. Basically this has the same effect as raising your fuel pressure via an adjustable fuel pressure regulator. The fuel pressure in the lines increases, thus spraying more fuel everytime the injector opens.

For intance (these are arbitrary numbers I just made up):
Lets say at 40psi of rail pressure each injector squirts 50cc of fuel per pulse. With a clogged fuel filter, the rail pressure could increase to 50psi, making your injectors squirt 60cc of fuel per pulse.

It's really a very simple concept.

EDIT: Things like tire pressure and size also effect MPG even if some of you are against thinking so. Think about this, the less pressure you tire has in it, the wider the contact patch with the road. The wider the contact patch, the more friction you create, thus taking more power to go the same speed. I suggest doing an experiment, run around on 30psi on your tires then jack it up to 47ish... I GARUNTEE better gas mileage.

Also, with changing tires sizes: I saw some one mention earlier about going from 225/50/16's to 225/55/16's and getting worse gas mileage. Well you're right and wrong at the same time. You're not ACTUALLY getting worse gas mileage, but it does look like you are. The reason is you're changing the circumfrence of your tires.

225/50:
Sidewall: 4.4in
Radius: 12.4in
Diameter: 24.9in
Circumfrence: 78.1in
Revs/mile: 811.0

225/55
Sidewall: 4.9in
Radius: 12.9in
Diameter: 25.7in
Circumfrence: 80.9in
Revs/mile: 783.0

The tire size is 3.6% larger. Which means when your speedo reads 60mph, you're actually going 62.1mph. Your mileage will also be affected. For every hour at 60mph you're actually putting 62.1 miles on your car, but it only SAYS 60 miles put on. So this will effect your PERCIEVED mpg.