What's your WORST MPG in Winter under normal operation?

It's 0F out tonight, and i just filled out the tank. I drove my 95 LGT AT to work everyday. It's a 70 miles drive back and forth.

 

So 80% is freeway. My first tank i remembered is around 26 MPG. Back then, i was like . But as the winter gets colder and colder. I have jumped down to 22 MPG, then tonight i only got 19 MPG.

 

What's YOURS?

 

 

Notes: My temp gauge inside sometimes is almost 1/2 above the mid point. Is it consider "hot"? That's after driving awhile, and it didn't happen alot...

I didn't experienced a temp spike. However, my previous owner was the 2nd owner, and he has driven the car from 130k to 160k and did not change the HG.. I am not sure if the first owner change it or not...

 

But when i look at my coolant tank, i got this brown looking mixture on the side wall, i am not sure what it is...Maybe it's time for a flash??

Anything above exactly half indicates a problem. Your engine should NOT be running that hot, especially in cold weather like this. In fact, I freak out if my temp gauge even hits the half mark because normally it is just slightly below half.

 

Suuuuure sounds like it could be a head gasket issue, especially if it has never been done. My car had to have them replaced at 180k... I wasn't sure what you meant about the coolant. Are you saying it looks like the coolant has overflowed from the reservoir? If so, then head gaskets are a good bet.

 

Have you noticed that the temperature stays normal on the highway, and only goes up once you get off the highway or drive on slower roads? At highway speeds, even with the head gasket leak pretty much stagnating the coolant in the system, the car still got enough air to keep cool. Once we got off the highway, or whenever we just drove on back roads, that's when it would overheat.

no overflow from the reservoir.

 

Hmm, it's usually below the mid point, but sometimes, it went above, but not alot. But that doesn't happen often though. I was thinking that could it be the temp gauge is not accurate? because my fuel gauge is WAY OFF!

Temp gauge is usually accurate.. Fuel gauges in these cars usually aren't completely accurate.

 

My car would be in the shop if the temp gauge said it was more than half of what the normal temp is..

 

My worst mpg during the winter was 15 a couple years ago but that was in start and stop so the AWD kicked it a lot more. This year the lowest I've seen is 21 mpg.

no overflow from the reservoir.

 

Hmm, it's usually below the mid point, but sometimes, it went above, but not alot. But that doesn't happen often though. I was thinking that could it be the temp gauge is not accurate? because my fuel gauge is WAY OFF!

 

I would get the vehicle looked at. It could still be the headgaskets. When they leak, they allow combustion gasses to force their way into the coolant system. This displaces the coolant and can lead to a spike in temperature. Even if it's something else, it's not good for the car to run hot. I'd figure it out and fix it now. Your car is throwing you warnings and it's best to get it fixed before that day when the temperature doesn't stop climbing and you end up in a pile of steam at the side of the road...

I called Subaru, and talked to the service rep. I told him what happened, he suggest that i check my anti freeze, if it is low, add anti-freeze.

 

See, i don't know what i should bring up when i go into the dealer. If nothing is wrong, i will end up paying $120 for nothing....

 

I might just check my anti-freeze first...

 

but the needle might go above average point once every 1 or 2 weeks. definitely not alot...

Think the worse Ive seen so far is 15.1 MPG... in Sport Mode. All city.

I just checked the coolant. the Radiator side is full, the reverse tank is kinda empty. So i fill that up.

 

however, on the way back home today, when i was cruising on the highway @ 63 MPH, It was normal like the picture shown below.

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/vicdeng/IMAG0008.jpg?t=1292377469

 

Then i hit a traffic jam, and going around 5 MPH for 15 mins, the temp gauge was still the same, however. When i stop at the light, it went up a bit.

 

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/vicdeng/IMAG0005.jpg?t=1292377561

 

After the light was cleared, i have to climb a hill, when i press the pedal to accelerate, it went up

 

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/vicdeng/IMAG0007.jpg?t=1292377637

 

Then during the climb, the temp gauge went back down like the first picture, BELOW mid point.

 

But when i got to my parking lot, it went up again, and this is the highest i have seen.

 

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb14/vicdeng/IMAG0009.jpg?t=1292377715

 

No temp spike at all. I even purposely turn off the heater, so i can feel any if there was one. But nothing happened, i felt pretty cold after awhile.

And no exhaust or oil smell from the coolant.

 

 

But after all this, i have a question, can it be all my gauges were incorrect. My speedo is 7 mph faster than what the actual speed, fuel gauge was way off, it showed as empty when i still have 7 gals left. Could it be my temp gauge is also off?

 

I will eventually take it to my friend (mechanics) and have him look at it. But before i could do that, i just want to sort out the causes the most i can.

Gas gauges are a piece in these cars.

For the temp thing. I had this problem a couple weeks ago. Did this ONCE and has yet to do it again.

 

As an FYI if your car starts over heating turn on the defroster and blast it.

Hmm, i only saw it twice at the highest temp like the last one in the picture.

 

What do you mean blast it?

Turn it on 4. Sorry lol.

^^^ +1000, if your overheating, crank your heat, use the heater core as a secondary radiator basically.

 

I had temp spikes in an Integra I used to have, and it was entirely due to low coolant. However, it would only spike at idle and once you gave it some gas (whether you were driving or just revving at a stop) it would immediatly (and I mean quickly) go back to normal. Basically it didn't have enough to circulate until I revved it some, and then it would be fine.

I have the 2.2l in my car and the only time I've ever noticed the temp gauge go above half is when I'm driving on the interstate at like 65 - 70 MPH. Then it climbs a little bit, but it never goes above the little graphic on the backside of the gauge. When I'm driving in town it never goes above the normal position that it usually sits at... I was thinking it was possibly because of my coolant mixture not being strong enough. And believe me it gets really cold here in ND. But never thought it could be my head gaskets because I thought that was a 2.5 thing ??

I am assuming you mean the front defroster?

Check your thermostat. Buy only a OEM subaru one from the dealer, they are like 20 bucks and you need the gasket too. Sounds like the thermostat is going bad and sticking. Add some new coolant and a lot of people recommend subaru coolant conditioner, I personally have never used it though.

i will do so, the thermostat is not that expensive anyway. Thanks

I learned the hard way! Overheating= blown head gaskets. You can do it but it takes a bit of patience. The driver side is tough. Use only subbie parts. An oem themostat is criticle. I changed everything in the engine front while I was in there. This was done with 187k showing. Most people say to remove the engine. I left it in but it is tight. Runs great now with no overheating issues.