2.5 NA MPG

[STL97outback]

I am trying to figure out if this is normal, below normal, above average....just looking for input.

1997 Outback 5 speed, wagon with 118k miles.

Driving it 30 miles daily.
Cold start in morning, driven 2.5 miles to highway, few lights. Shift between 2-3k.

Get on highway, 13 miles, at 70-80mph. Car sits for about 10 hours sometimes less sometimes more.

Come home, exact same way.

Filled tank last week (first tank by me)
3/4 tank traveled 74 miles
1/2 tank traveled 138 miles
1/4 tank traveled 193 miles

It was above E at 231 and I filled up with 10.7 gallons giving a MPG of about 21.5MPG.

Your thoughts?

[Airgne]

wow thats alittle low. when i do freeway i get 28-30mpg(01 legacy gt).

[slaytalera]

mines right around there, i usually get around 22 on winter blend gas and 25 summer blend

[STL97outback]

I wonder the low MPG is because of this hesitation issue?

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/sho ... adid=17618 (http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17618)

[jey]

wow thats alittle low. when i do freeway i get 28-30mpg(01 legacy gt).

Yeah but he described his commute as 13 miles being the continuous stretch on the freeway out of his 30 mile total commute. It will be hard to see 28 mpg on that sort of commute - I would only see that on a continuous stretch of freeway and that was with the 2.2NA.

That said, on a 12 year old car it wouldn't hurt to change out the fuel filter and check your air filter - keep up on all the maintenance.

[impreza_GC8]

Hey STLOutback, good to see you over on this forum!
Honestly, these cars are not that great at fuel mileage. I think with mixed highway and city I manage to get 24mpg out of my 2.5L Impreza which is lighter, lower and more aerodynamic than your Outback. My Outback doesn't apply in this discussion because of the engine setup it has. On a 2000 mile trip I once got 31mpg out of my Impreza. I'd say keep track of it, check/change your plugs, air filter and fuel filter and see what the summer gas does for you.

[STL97outback]

Thanks James-in pointing me in the right forum. I at least get responses here :grin:

Jay-looking forward to meeting you. The car has inches and inches of maint records. All the filters/plugs/fluids were changed about 35k miles ago.

I am doing it again in 2 weeks.

[rougeben83]

might want to change the plugs. The regular coppers are supposed to be replaced every 15k IIRC (iridiums are 30k)...

At least you're not getting 17mpg like I am... :roll:

[impreza_GC8]

At least you're not getting 17mpg like I am... :roll:

Are you running a hybrid turbo setup as well? I get between 15-18 mpg on my setup. Is this normal for you?

[rougeben83]

At least you're not getting 17mpg like I am... :roll:

Are you running a hybrid turbo setup as well? I get between 15-18 mpg on my setup. Is this normal for you?

Not really a hybrid block/head motor, just running an ej205 w/ pink injectors, fuel pump, and a VF23 on a rich tune will do it. I think the best I got was 25mpg on one long leg of my trip from ECS to Detroit when I picked up the car. But 17mpg has been my average since I got the car back...

[STL97outback]

might want to change the plugs. The regular coppers are supposed to be replaced every 15k IIRC (iridiums are 30k)...

At least you're not getting 17mpg like I am... :roll:
some of my other toys get 9pm-13mpg :D

[heyfrench]

The most I ever got was 25-26 highway on my 97 BD. Usually averaged around 21-23 city.

[impreza_GC8]

I just came back and re-read this. Your problem is you are driving too fast. 75-80 mph is not going to get you very good gas mileage. Granted, when I got 31 mpg in my RS I was going ~80 mph but it was for 2000 miles. If you are just doing a short highway jaunt, I'd be willing to bet money that going the speed limit (or slower) will increase your gas mileage. The sweet spot for my Subarus seems to be around 58-63 mph. With my gearing I am turning just under 3k rpm at that speed.

[ScaryFatKidGT]

yea I get 21-23 but I found I get better gas milage going 75-80 on the highway if you hit 85 gas milage goes WAY down and it doesn't go up much at all unless you drive below 60 I get 26-28 on long trips doing 80mph

[STL97outback]

Thanks guys. Yes driving slowly isn't an option. :grin: :twisted:

[jey]

I just came back and re-read this. Your problem is you are driving too fast. 75-80 mpg is not going to get you very good gas mileage. Granted, when I got 31 mpg in my RS I was going ~80 mph but it was for 2000 miles. If you are just doing a short highway jaunt, I'd be willing to bet money that going the speed limit (or slower) will increase your gas mileage. The sweet spot for my Subarus seems to be around 58-63 mph. With my gearing I am turning just under 3k rpm at that speed.

+1 I think 70 is still ok, 80 you'll start taking a significant hit. Anything above that and you might end up wasting more time getting gas than the time you saved by going faster. I drove alone straight across Kansas once and with our microscopic gas tank I ended up getting overtaken by the same Chevy van who had the cruise control set at 70 mph, every time I pulled over to get gas. Some of those vans have enormous 40-gallon gas tanks that give it quite incredible cruising range...

[sansMYSTi]

mines right around there, i usually get around 22 on winter blend gas and 25 summer blend

That is pretty much what I get too.

[Benfolio]

mines right around there, i usually get around 22 on winter blend gas and 25 summer blend

That is pretty much what I get too.

Same here. I have the same sort of commute and I was getting 26 in the summer, 21-22 now. Saw 28 once last summer, but that tank included a 90 mile trip on the highway where I was drafting a semi the whole way :smt018

[OutbackMat]

mines right around there, i usually get around 22 on winter blend gas and 25 summer blend

That is pretty much what I get too.

Same here. I have the same sort of commute and I was getting 26 in the summer, 21-22 now. Saw 28 once last summer, but that tank included a 90 mile trip on the highway where I was drafting a semi the whole way :smt018

Ditto. I mean, we have an automatic, but the 90/10 split is designed to make up the difference between the transmissions. I think we just got 22MPG on that crappy winter blend, but more often than not in the summer, we're at 25 almost exactly.
Make sure your tires are properly inflated--it can make a big difference in a heavy car.

[nipper]

Blu 1997 Lifted OBW 45,000 miles on new engine. 4EAT

I get in above 30 degrees weather 18-28, ocassionally see 30 mpg.
In winter I can get 14-21 (below 25). Below 20 I dont even bother checking.

The sweet spot in the highway is 70. Stay at 70 I'll hit 27-28 mpg. Go above 70 and its 25-26.

50-55 ill see 30.



nipper

PS anytime you suspect gas mileage issues do a tuneup and if the O2 sensor has over 100K on it, thik about replacing it. Also check tire pressures.