Hey guys I know I don't post on here very often and I apologize for that, my computer at home doesn't work very well. Anyway onto my question. I drive a 2002 3.0 awd 5spd X-type. Ok I was very aware that I wouldn't be getting the best mpg with this car but now it's winter and very cold where I live here in western New York. This car is advertised to get about 19 mpg and in this cold weather it gets about 12 mpg. So what I need to know is this normal to have that big of a decrease in gas mileage? And if its not is there anything I can do to help better it? I am doubtful there's anything I can do. Ill admit I need to check my tire pressure and adjust that but if you guys have any ideas on what I can do it would be hugely appreciated. Thank you for your time.

 

** note that I drive this car with extreme respect, it is unlikely that I bring the car past 3k rpms. Will I see my mpg get better as summer rolls around?

 

Red, I know your area all too well (I spend month periods up in Rochester working at a sister plant).

As for the drop in mileage, seeing it drop is not unheard of. Now, I do have to ask, when you are driving the car, are you doing a lot of say 5 mile and under drives or do you tend to get out on the highway and cruise for 20+ miles. I ask this because the X-Type has a very rich fuel programming when the motor is not up to temp. So, that in itself can cause a significant drop in mileage. I know keeping an eye on my car, when it is winter time, I loose about 3 mpg off of my normal daily drives (13 miles point to point, half city, half highway). I know if you have the motor fairly cold, it is easy to push the mileage down into the 12 range on even moderate accelerations.

I think the true test would be to get the car out on the highway, get it up to say 65 mph, set the cruise, reset the mileage computer and then see where you mileage is after say a 20 mile run with the whole distance with the motor at temp. If your motor is running fine, it should be in the 20-23 mpg range, if not higher.

Also keep in mind that the winter blend of gas (especially for premium) results in lost mileage too due to the addition of various chemicals to the gas.

Lets see what you get after a short run and then we can go from there.

 

Thanks for the advice I will re-post after I try this. And typically I go for 5-10 mile drives usually city driving and few on the highway

 

Red, mines a 2.5 not a 3.0, but over the last 17,000 miles I've averaged 18.5 miles per gallon. My daily drive is 4-5 miles of stop start, then 5 miles of freeway at about 50mph. Then repeated in the afternoon.

Regards

Rob

 

I get between 14 & 15 right now in the winter. My trip to work consists of only 7 miles in stop and go traffic and rarely go over 50 mph.

 

My 2.5 averages 25 mpg. I am 2 miles off the interstate, and 20 miles interstate driving and another 2 miles city everyday. With the issues mine have I think it's really good. But I was driving s Dodge Ram so this sounds great to me.

 

So I made it 215 miles on 12.7 gallons but didn't wait until the gasket came on so I figure I had another 20-30 miles to go. So I averaged right around that 17mpg area, sounds about right to me in this cold

 

^^^ gas light** not gasket lol sorry guys

 

I consistently run 22-23 mpg! I use Premium fuel with no ethanol. I commute 30 miles each way to work. 25 highway miles and 5 city miles. I have a 3.0 with a stick! I also live in Wisconsin.

 

I get about the same...13 mpg on average. I also drive like an old lady and since work and everything is very close to me, I usually drive less than 5 city miles most of the time.

 

Running my 2.5 on super unleaded,not super market fuel as I have noticed the super market fuel gives me 2-3 mpg less.I drive mostly on flat roads here in Belfast,taking it easy in 5 th gear I was getting 22mpg but after fitting up stream oxygen sensor last week I am now getting 28mpg,now thats 5th gear sitting at 45-50 mph.
When I drive her flat out,rev it through every gear.driving hard, I get 18.5 mpg.

 

I drive 3.0 auto 2001and never get less than 22mpg around town and I regularly get 30mpg at 80 mph on the motorway(freeway) and don't drive like aunty mable

 

Oh wow! Belfast where can I find this stream oxygen sensor?! And I have the 3.0 5spd do you think I can achieve the same results?

 

>22mpg around town and I regularly get 30mpg

That's consistent with the 17 and 24 mpg I get with a US gallon of gas. It's been that way over the 40K miles and 4.5 years I owned my X-Type.
================================================
Jaguar: Grace, Pace, and Space - Sir William Lyons

 

Hello Red x-type!
I only changed my sensor as my engine light was on and I was getting fault code p1647.
So getting extra mpg was a bonus,not sure if it will improve your mpg,I am no expert but after doing some research on this site apparently if that upstream sensor goes faulty your engine can run too rich and burn more fuel and even in time damage your cat converter so there is a good chance your mpg will improve.
Tyre pressure,load in car and clean filters etc,stuff like that will also effect mpg,as I said,I am no expert.
I had asked guys on site for help and how to do this under diagnostic plug recently and they did help me,I was going to post pictures which I took for forum but have not figured out how to insert pictures yet....but! basically it is pretty easy.
Remove battery and air box assy,remove bolts on bonnet catch and remove and push air box breather pipes to side,cable tie wiring loom out off way.remove wiring loom metal rail,up stream sensor is visible on exhaust mono fold,its basically under air box,I had to tap heat shield out off way so I was able to get 22mm spanner on sensor .I tested new sensor resistance with multi meter and checked and compared results with one in car before I took it out.There was a noticeable difference so I knew I was good to go.I cut attached wires off to make it easier to remove,when your putting new one in just watch when you are tightening it as the wires turn with sensor ,so every turn feed wires around with sensor to prevent cable twisting.
It is just re connect and rebuild car after that,other people on site said they did job without removing battery but all I can say is they must have very small hands..lol!
Hope this helps,you will probably get pictures on this site if you use the search bar.
Good luck!

 

Short distance trips are the worst for any modern car.

It's NOT because they run rich on start up - they certainly don't (They'll typically run the usual stoichiometric 14.7:1 may be going to 14:1).

What they do do, is they run alot of ignition retard. This is to warm up the catalytic converters- i.e the engine is forced to run inefficiently to keep the cats warm.

You can thank the EPA, the tree huggers and other Eco Mental nuts for this.

 

Thanks Belfast and count for the info. Learning more and more everyday :-)

 

Ever since ethanol was put in our gas here in Florida, my mileage on all of our cars has dropped an average of 10%. I hate the stuff. All we're doing is subsidizing a bogus product in the name of "saving the world". Sorry but at my cranky old age I go on some rants!

 

PFFLYER

Your not cranky your just telling it like it is, somebody is making money at our expense!