# Gas mileage



## 86owner (Apr 7, 2008)

ok. i searched the posts and couldn't find what i'm looking for. I own a 1986 xe z24. I bought it a few months ago and had to replace the intake gasket. Then it goes downhill from there. I was only getting 11-13 mpg. So far I have replaced the plugs, O2 sensor, intake gasket and I've used three bottles of injector cleaner. I'm now getting 210-220 miles on my 14 gal tank. What else could i be missing?  Also, is there anything i could do to get the power back? I can barely climb a hill.


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## rdixiemiller (Mar 6, 2008)

Check your ignition timing. Will the engine rev up when you blip the throttle? Or is it slow to pick up RPM? Sounds to me like your ignition timing is retarded, or your distributor advance is not working. Is the catalytic converter stopped up? Crimp in the exhaust pipe? These will cause poor economy and lousy performance.


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## 86owner (Apr 7, 2008)

Thanks. I was leaning toward the converter. And yes when i hit the gas, it hesitates a second. I also replaced the fuel filter. Before that rpms wouldn't go over 4500. Now i can hit 5500+. Is 3000 rpm in fifth gear okay for 65mph?


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## parttime (Jun 6, 2007)

86, could you have a brake dragging? check for excessive heat at one wheel after a hard pull. good luck


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## 86owner (Apr 7, 2008)

Well, I don't think its a stuck brake. If it were, it would be pulling hard to one side. I'm gonna have the timing tested today and eliminate that option. I'll post the results later, but I'm sure its fine timing wise.


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## cjserio (Mar 18, 2008)

I have a 1994 KA24E but i'm having the same damn problem. I'm getting 13mpg but at 3,000 RPM the engine just looses all of its power and is very difficult to get it to rev above that but if i put it in neutral it seems to rev up fine. Even the sound of the engine changes at 3,000rpm. I get a stronger vibration.

The timing was checked, new fuel filter install, new Catalytic converter and 2 bottles of fuel injector cleaner. Any other ideas?


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## rdixiemiller (Mar 6, 2008)

Do all the basics:
1) Compression check on all 4 cylinders. Lowest to highest should be within 10% max. You may have a head gasket leaking between 2 and 3.
2) Check ignition components, plugs, wires, cap, rotor. Start the engine up, open the hood on a dark night. If you see glowing plug wires, sparks jumping, etc., you have found a problem. Change plugs, cap and rotor just for good measure. They are cheap.
3) Check fuel and air filters. If the truck has been sitting a while, check for mouse or dirt dauber nests in the air intake to the filter. Pesky critters are abundant here in Ga.!
4) Loosen exhaust pipe from manifold and drop pipe down an inch. Drive like that and see if the problem clears up. A plugged converter or collapsed pipe will cause the engine to run out of power under load.

Sounds like you are dropping a cylinder above 3Krpm. That would account for the vibration increasing. If the steps above don't show a problem, you may have injector problems. I believe you can unhook the injector wires one at a time and try to find the one that doesn't seem to change performance. That would either be a bad injector or its wiring.

Hope this gives you some things to check!


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## cjserio (Mar 18, 2008)

rdixiemiller said:


> Do all the basics:
> 1) Compression check on all 4 cylinders. Lowest to highest should be within 10% max. You may have a head gasket leaking between 2 and 3.
> 2) Check ignition components, plugs, wires, cap, rotor. Start the engine up, open the hood on a dark night. If you see glowing plug wires, sparks jumping, etc., you have found a problem. Change plugs, cap and rotor just for good measure. They are cheap.
> 3) Check fuel and air filters. If the truck has been sitting a while, check for mouse or dirt dauber nests in the air intake to the filter. Pesky critters are abundant here in Ga.!
> ...


If i was losing a cylinder, wouldn't that set off some kind of code? My mechanic checked the ECU and didn't find any codes.


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## rdixiemiller (Mar 6, 2008)

cjserio said:


> If i was losing a cylinder, wouldn't that set off some kind of code? My mechanic checked the ECU and didn't find any codes.


 I don't think so in some cases. I think the ECU will throw codes for problems it can see, but is blind to many mechanical issues. I don't think it would see things like a blown head gasket or low compression. I am no expert on ECU's. I made my living as a mechanic in the late seventies through the mid eighties. I am still perfectly at home with the mechanical aspects of any vehicle, but I am not an expert on the engine control systems currently being employed.


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## zanegrey (Dec 5, 2005)

the 87 model and the 97 model are 2 different engine types.

similar in many ways but very much different.

cjserio... read the codes for your self ..the proccedure is on here.

also start looking thru the emissions crap for rust debris and water retinition..


good luck


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## Nissanman5.9 (Dec 18, 2008)

*Same Problem*



86owner said:


> ok. i searched the posts and couldn't find what i'm looking for. I own a 1986 xe z24. I bought it a few months ago and had to replace the intake gasket. Then it goes downhill from there. I was only getting 11-13 mpg. So far I have replaced the plugs, O2 sensor, intake gasket and I've used three bottles of injector cleaner. I'm now getting 210-220 miles on my 14 gal tank. What else could i be missing?  Also, is there anything i could do to get the power back? I can barely climb a hill.



I am having the same problem except for I have the power, just not the fuel mileage. I'm only getting 11 to 12 mpg. I installed a new head gasket and intake gasket. Please let me know what u did to help the milage out. Thanks, Kevin


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## BeachBuggy (Dec 22, 2007)

I had the same problem with my 95 ka24e. Was the truck sitting long before you bought it? Mine was, and after doing all the things you said you did to no avail, I wound up taking it to my mechanic and he cleaned each injector. He said they were horrible. They were sticking open and spewing lots of un-neaded fuel into the cylinders. That explained my bad mileage. Now I get 20, maybe 21 mpg. I think that's about all youre gonna get from these trucks. 

P.S. I noticed after I ran the injector cleaner it actually worsened the problem. I figure maybe it loosened some of the gunk and made it clog even worse.

Sniff around by your tailpipe when your truck is idling and see if it is running rich. The check engine light didn't come on for me, but my ECU codes did indeed say it was running rich.


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## Nissanman5.9 (Dec 18, 2008)

On mine I've got a throttle body. There are two injector type sprayers in there that spray fuel into the intake. I am thinking about taking them out and cleaning them if possible. For my mileage problem that is getting to be about it for checking things.


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## schmauster (May 18, 2010)

One thing i havent seen people checking is their plugs. You can see if you are having over fueling or a missfire on one cylinder. The trick is to cut the igniton when the problem is acting up, because any normal driving or idling will clean the plugs. Dark color is usually running overly rich or oil.. Too white is lean. You want them about the color of a brown paper bag. Theres a LOT more to plug reading, but this is really all you need to know for diagnostic reasons.

I have a wideband and tunability.. I have my fuel trims setup pretty nicely without running excessively rich at low throttle. I get about 27-30 with mostly freeway driving. So theres a lot to be said for these motors if you dial them in correctly.


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## rockcrusher44 (Oct 7, 2006)

winner2010 said:


> Ford ranger 3L gas mileage?
> What kind of gas mileage does a 3L ford ranger get. My girlfriend is looking at a 2001 and I'm helping her shop. I was just wondering if they're worth getting? Tell me the good and bad please
> ______________________________________________________________
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Anywhere from 16 to 20 MPG. I live in the mountians of NC and from time to time drive a 98 ranger 4x4 to work in SC. With a auto transmission don't expect anything great as far as power or gas mileage. As far as dependable I haven't had any problems at 187000 miles and they must be pretty good trucks or you wouldn't see as many as you do on the highway. Wouldn't trade my nissan for it though.


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