Any advice re: gas consumption?

[Lanss]

Hi guys! Im just new here and found out that your discussions are very informative. Got a problem with my car and hope someone could advise. My car is 1996 Nissan Sentra EX Saloon Series 3, 1400 16 valve fuel injection. My problem is that masyado magastos sa gasoline, about 4.5 to 5 km per liter ang consumption nya. I thought of having Khaos installed but Ive read lots of negative comments in the internet about the device kaya nagdalawang isip ako. I just had my tune up last October pero ganun pa rin consumption. A mechanic advised that clutch components be replaced like clutch disk, clutch bearing at may isa pa nakalimutan ko na tawag. And so pumayag ako and spent 5K. Unfortunately ganun pa rin ang consumption. Me nag advise din sa kin meron daw mga iba pang gadgets na pwedeng iinstall, cyclone daw ata tawag dun, dun sa banawe. Kaso hesitant pa ko. Any advise you can give me para mag improve ang gas consumption ko? Any recommended car repair shops who can do the job?

[squala]

Try to ask yourself these questions:

1. What is my usual driving style? How heavily do I step on the gas pedal? How do I negotiate the clutch and shifting? Do I brake and accelerate abruptly?
2. Do I carry unnecessary objects in my car?
3. Is my tire pressure correct (usual psi range is from 28-32)?
4. Are my wheels aligned (200-400 for the service)?
5. What gas do I top my car up with? What minimum octane does the user manual state?

Answering them can help you improve by 1-2 km/liter, even more sometimes.

The last clutch part you're talking about is the pressure plate. This, along with the clutch disc and release bearing, are changed at the same time once you experience clutch sliding.

Khaos probably won't help you at all, especially since you have a fuel-injected engine. About the cyclone, some Mitsubishi engines have this. I'm just not sure how it works and if it can really help you save fuel.

[niky]

The cyclone is probably a plastic or metal piece with angled vanes (like in an electric fan) that's placed in the air intake tube. It's dyno-proven! Proven to decrease power and fuel-efficiency. Just say no and walk away.

There are a number of other things to consider regarding your consumption.

The Sentra's famous ice-cold aircon.

Turn down your aircon thermostat... Nissan's aircons are very powerful, and having them on full really eats up gas. Just set it at a temperature that's just comfortable enough so that you're not warm.

Engine condition / sensors

A dirty MAF sensor can lead to poor performance and consumption. You can spray this with electrical contact cleaner from any hardware store. Let it dry completely before driving off. Also check your spark plugs and plug wires. Don't use colorful and cheap aftermarket wires, as these crack and crossfire easily. Use original Nissan for this part, at least.

Where do you drive?

Granted, Sentras aren't the most fuel efficient cars in the world, 7-8 km/l should be the lowest you get. Where do you drive and how long does it take you to get there? Very short trips waste gas, as you use a little bit of gas to warm up the car (the car is also less fuel-efficient when its cold) and you use gas every time you start it. For trips of 5 kilometers or less, subtract 1 km/l from your estimated fuel efficiency.

If you're in traffic all the time, subtract another 1 or 2.

But given short trips in traffic, this means your base efficiency is around only 7 km/l... that's still bad.

For more ideas, try nissanbayan.com/forums

[kmo]

speedyfix at shaw blvd is a very good place to have repairs and services look for migs

[dennis powell]

try to do a fuel injector service and clean up the throttle body as clean as possible or carborator,get rid of that gum from a throttle plate,,coz thats the cause of the throttle plate stuck open (lean mixture) and so the sensor sense a bunch of air coming from the intake system and send a signal to the computer and then the computer command by using a gas to compensate the air fuel mixture,.,.,,.for idle only....youk now what theyre ryt,,try to elemenate this,,,under inflate tire pressure,wheel out of balance,overload,not shifting or change gear properly and most of all do the alignment,,dont just jump to the conclussion ryt away,dont do this advice "buy this and buy that"it wont help you out,,the best thing you do is to elemenate the things above one by one and you will feel the diference,.

[inchcockie]

speedyfix at shaw blvd is a very good place to have repairs and services look for migs

+1. migs is the owner, he'd be happy to help you i'm sure, at a very reasonable price.

there's even a playstation 2 at the lounge

[Lanss]

Dennis powell, do you know any shop who do fuel injector service? Shop near Marikina or near commonwealth.

Kmo, inchcockie, layo kasi shaw blvd. Baka me alam kayo near marikina or commonwealth area?

Niky, What is MAF sensor and where is it located? Do i spray only or should i rub it also? Thermostat - 2nd level to the highest, ok i will lower it. Where do I drive- Just here in our place, everyday to bring my children to my in-laws 600 meters away, and back home in the evening totaling to 1.2km daily. Saturdays, sometimes mall or hospital for the pediatrician, about 6 km away. On sundays, church lang about 700meters away.

[niky]

Dennis powell, do you know any shop who do fuel injector service? Shop near Marikina or near commonwealth.

Kmo, inchcockie, layo kasi shaw blvd. Baka me alam kayo near marikina or commonwealth area?

Niky, What is MAF sensor and where is it located? Do i spray only or should i rub it also? Thermostat - 2nd level to the highest, ok i will lower it. Where do I drive- Just here in our place, everyday to bring my children to my in-laws 600 meters away, and back home in the evening totaling to 1.2km daily. Saturdays, sometimes mall or hospital for the pediatrician, about 6 km away. On sundays, church lang about 700meters away.

The MAF sensor is the plastic tube with a box on it between the rubber air intake tubing and the air filter box. If you're reasonably sure you can take it apart, since puro O-rings lang ang nakahawak, then do so. The sensor itself is a small wire poking into the tube from the electronic box. Spray it with the cleaner and air dry it. Some people rub it with a cotton swab, but you must not do this unless you can be very gentle. The wire is very very thin and is easy to break or bend.

Not sure what the signs of a dirty MAF are on the Sentra (been so long), but if your car runs smoothly, that's probably not your problem.

----

I see your problem now... Your daily route is the reason for your poor consumption. 600 meters? That means the engine isn't even warm yet when you get to your in-laws place! No wonder your consumption is bad.

Your average trip is just 0.6 kilometers. Starting the car and waiting for the kids wastes about 0.05 liters of gas (guesstimate lang). Then you drive with a cold engine, low revs (village lang, right?) only, which don't heat up the engine as quickly... which means your car is probably guzzling gas (minus 1-2 km/l) because it's still cold. Add the fact that this is at low speeds (below 60 km/h, minus 0.5 km/l, maybe)... so, for 0.6 kilometers, you've used 0.05 liter to start the car, and you're driving with a possible economy of 6.5 km/l (down from 8 km/l average of an old EFI 1.4 in city driving) which equals 0.15 liters per kilometer... or 0.1 liters for 600m.

Thus: Add it up, and you've used 0.15 liters of gas for your 0.6 km trip, which equals 4.2 km/l.

Your low economy is perfectly understandable. Sorry, not much you can do about it... I'd suggest getting a scooter and a sidecar ( ), but such short trips are even worse for motorcycles, which take even longer to warm up... it'd still save you gas.

You should take your car out sometimes at night and take a ten kilometer trip or so... siguro, coffee or ice cream with the wife ( ang sweet! ). Rev the car a bit (no need to race, just let it breathe a little) to let it "clear its throat" so to speak. Lots of short trips aren't good for the car, and it's nice for it to run at full temperature sometimes.

[marco624]

Ganun kalapit ang takbo ng sasakyan mo??? Mukang wala ka talaga matitipid sa gas....If i were you, mag commute na lang kayo...makakapag exercise kapa....hehe..suggestion lang po

[valskie01]

lakas talaga mag consume ng gas ang short trips. My daily travel from office to work is 3km lang so daily travel is 6km and my fuel consumption is 6-7km/l. my ride is sentra gsx(1.6 m/t). better mag commute nalang pag going to office.