98 Accord LX Fuel Consumption Issue

Last month I replaced

1. Air filter
2. Spark plugs
3. Wires
4. Distributor cap
5. Distributor
6. Both O2 sensors (because check engine light was coming)

Items # 2 to 5 were bought from Honda dealer.

Also, it has new tires (about 8,000 miles), along with items listed
above, I have the tires rotated and air presure checked.

After all these repairs, 98 Accord LX (116,000 miles) is giving me
about 23.3 miles/gallon, up from 21.5 miles/gallon before reapairs.

About 3.5 years (@ 77,000) ago, its transmission broke down and Honda
replaced it for free. I have done most of the service with Honda
dealer.

Is 23.3 miles/gallon OK for my Accord ? I am expecting little more,
about 25.7 miles / gallon. What do you guys say ?

Usman

 

Is it a 4 or a 6?

For a six, it sounds fine. The 4 cyl accord usually does a bit better...

 

Clean the PCV valve next, using carburetor (PCV) cleaner. Or
if it seems very dirty, consider replacing it. It should
cost not more than about $20. I would say it's about due.

Top off the radiator coolant in the reservoir (per the
owner's manual's directions) and watch the level for a few
days until it's steady and per the manual's specification.

At what pressure are your tires maintained?

Possibly consider having the valve timing checked.

fueleconomy.gov can give you an idea if the mileage you're
getting is reasonable. Your numbers certainly seem well in
the ball park. For fun, please state the exact model of
Accord you have: manual or auto transmission and engine size
in liters. Also, what kind of driving do you mostly do, city
or highway or somewhere in-between?

Elle
A 1000 mile road trip in my 1991 Honda Civic LX (manual
transmission, no a/c, 1.5 L) this past week again yielded 45
mpg.

 

| Is 23.3 miles/gallon OK for my Accord ?
city / highway ? # of cc ?
www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/smcar-06.htm
Mpg is difficult to compare, e.g. the more times engine
must heat up ( open loop, high idle rpm when cold ) during
a measurement period, the lower is mpg. [ii] if tyres have
nitrogen, or tyre walls are softer, or toe-in is zero, then
rolling resistance is lower, more mpg [iii] if oil used is
cheap & coarse, then more friction & lower mpg esp on
highway. [iii] 1 driver may accelerate hard & never coast,
another driver accelerates slowly & always coasts. [iv] 1
driver must drive in rush hours, another can avoid rush hours.

 

(I will work on items listed)
My Accord is LX 4 cylinder and automatic transmission. It should be
2.3 litre engine. I think tire presure is 30 PSI. Daily usage is more
city driving.

There is one issue, after transmission change sometime it seems that
all the power of generated by engine is not transmited to wheels [I
could hear engine moving and car not picking up that quickly].

Usman

 

fueleconomy.gov says EPA estimates are about 19 city, 27
highway for your car. But the site also now has individuals'
experience listed, suggesting your mileage could maybe be
higher. Hard to say without more info.

Buy a good tire pressure gage and check the tire pressures
yourself. The "recommended" tire pressure should be printed
inside the glove compartment or on one of the door jambs.
Many of us here keep the tire pressure much higher. E.g. my
91 Civic's "recommended" pressure is 26 psi. I now maintain
it at 32 psi, checking every few weeks, especially after
large, seasonally-driven temperature changes. The higher
pressure gives better mileage but a less comfortable ride.

Do the little stuff listed first, then take an average of
the mpg over say a half-dozen tanks of gas. Report back.

 

I have a '98 Odyssey with the same drive train. It gets 20 - 22 in
fairly hard city driving. Given the greater size and weight of the
Ody, I would think the Accord should do at least a couple mpg better.
How sporty is your driving and how heavy is the traffic where you are?

That sounds like the transmission slipping. First check the fluid. If
it is low, burned or if you aren't sure that it is genuine Honda fluid
less than 40K old: change it by the drain, refill, drive, repeat
method. Do not let anyone "flush" it. If that doesn't fix it, start
saving up for a transmission.