Well after two years things were bound to creep up.

[NebraskaSHO]

Put the SHO on the lift last Monday to just inspect everything...

Suspension all looks good still, and it should, most of it was replaced last March. Tires are wearing nicely, they also were put on March.

I need to clean the underside of the engine as its got P/S fluid still on it from the leaking pump that was replaced in March as well.

Can see my 4 O2 sensors, that will be fun, at least I have the benefit of a lift.

Flex pipe is broke, causes exhaust/cat to hang lower (~ 1-2") than it should. That explains my sagging 3rd cat. Time to buy a new flex and get out the saw and welder!

Still need to replace my alternator. Should replace the serpentine and water pump belts too. And it's been about 25k miles since I last changed the ATF & filter.

I guess after two years of DD use it might be time to put her up on the lift for a few days and do some nice PM's while I have the availability of a lift.

 

[venom]

Put the SHO on the lift last Monday to just inspect everything...

Suspension all looks good still, and it should, most of it was replaced last March. Tires are wearing nicely, they also were put on March.

I need to clean the underside of the engine as its got P/S fluid still on it from the leaking pump that was replaced in March as well.

Can see my 4 O2 sensors, that will be fun, at least I have the benefit of a lift.

Flex pipe is broke, causes exhaust/cat to hang lower (~ 1-2") than it should. That explains my sagging 3rd cat. Time to buy a new flex and get out the saw and welder!

Still need to replace my alternator. Should replace the serpentine and water pump belts too. And it's been about 25k miles since I last changed the ATF & filter.

I guess after two years of DD use it might be time to put her up on the lift for a few days and do some nice PM's while I have the availability of a lift.

The flex pipe is not suppose to support anything. If the third cat is hanging low, then look for it's rubber hangar more rearward. All the flex pipe is supposed to do is flex as the motor (and subsequently the attached Y-pipe) rocks fore and aft underhood.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Well it's not leaking, do you think maybe the rubber hangers are just shot and thats whats wrong? I'm going to replace several hangers as it has some that look about shot from front to back underneath the car.

What about 02 simulators, I thought one could use them somewhere in the Y pipe?

 

[Silvapain]

O2 simulators are if you are removing the two upstream cats and the simulators go in place of the post-cat sensors.

If the rubber hangers look sagged, then replace them.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Thanks Dan.

 

[SHOZ123]

Your rear O2s are shut off with the tune.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

So do I only need the upstream o2's then Paul? Good, that might save me ~ $130.

Car is running good even in this extreme cold with your tune btw.

 

[SHOZ123]

Yes only the upstream. You can data log the voltage of the upstream ones and see if they are still good. I doubt if they need changed. Don't spend money on expensive O2s. I've had good luck with the cheap ones.

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Well can anyone point me in a direction then to cure the **** poor mpg blues? 120 miles at 1/4 tank left.

I'll see if I can get a hold of a laptop this week and do some data logging to check the upstream o2's.

 

[SHOZ123]

Log the MAF too. Otherwise it would maybe some hardware problem. Vacuum leak or fuel problem.

 

[66goat]

so you figure about 12mpg when you fill up? I checked mine last fill up, fuel light had just come on, gauge showing 1/8tank took only 11.4gallons (i think the gauge reads low and the light comes on way early) milage figured to 18mpg. It is cold here too btw maybe not Nebraska cold but 8-10 degrees monday and tuesday AM.

 

[stephen newberg]

Because of the shape of the filler for the larger SHO tank, unless you dribble in the last 5 gallons or so, you are never going to have a full gas tank. With that in mind, rather than using the gage to figure anything, you really need to fill each time to the click on the same pump set, and then work out your consumption. And by the way, I do not think the gas gage is linear, either. Basically the gage is useless for figuring consumption.

pax, smn

 

[66goat]

Because of the shape of the filler for the larger SHO tank, unless you dribble in the last 5 gallons or so, you are never going to have a full gas tank. With that in mind, rather than using the gage to figure anything, you really need to fill each time to the click on the same pump set, and then work out your consumption. And by the way, I do not think the gas gage is linear, either. Basically the gage is useless for figuring consumption.

pax, smn

Thanks, I guess thats kind of what I was getting at. I always Try to use the same pump at the same station to the same auto shut off to calculate milage. It can make a huge difference

 

[SHOZ123]

The SHO does not have the "larger" tank. That was saved for the FFV Taurus in the '96-'99 years and takes a unique emissions vent arrangement on the tank.

The only way to get close to an accurate fuel mileage calculation is to do it over several tanks. I do and always have averaged 20-24 mpg (E10).

 

[66goat]

20-24 is what I normally get, but the colder it gets the longer the warmup.It's worth losing a few mpg to take of in a warm car in the AM

 

[NebraskaSHO]

131 miles

13 gallons

I'll report back when I fill back up at the same exact pump next week and stop after the first click.

 

[SHOZ123]

Definitely something wrong. You have to be running incredibly rich or leaking fuel. If you are running that rich you are washing the oil off the cylinder walls.

 

[66goat]

Yikes!

 

[stephen newberg]

Yes, if that is confirmed from your next fill at the same pump to the same click off, something is without any doubt wrong. Look forward to hearing the next data point.

I am not sure you could bring it that far down even if running really rich. Do you have a lot of blackish smoke, particularly when taking off from a stop?

pax, smn

 

[NebraskaSHO]

Stephen, no black smoke.

Yes, it really makes the car a burden to drive as it is chugging fuel.

I'm going to borrow a lap top and data log this weekend. Will report back ASAP.