poor town gas milage

[laserfrog]

okey, Here it is, I own a 1992 plymouth laser 1.8 liter.
for the last 3 months I have been driving around town, but have only gotten just under 20 miles per gallon. well I decided to take it out on a road trip for 3 hours. At first it scared me, because it has never been faster than 55 since i owned it. So i got on the highway and the car did great, even better at 80, but i did notice my gas milage on the highway was outstanding, in the 30s. I think I am running really rich around town.

any suggestions on what i can check that might take care of this problem, I know the milage should be worse around town, but not that bad.


THanks for any help

 

[eclipsemustang]

how often do u drive WOT, have you checked compression?

 

[laserfrog]

I think WOT means with out turbo, but thats all the time, because I do not have turbo. and i did check compression, and the cylinders ranged from 195 to 202 psi

 

[pballer]

WOT = wide open throttle

 

[twocanewayne]

I think Wot is wide open throttle, But my car is the same way.Do you have a cel? I have a fuel trim malfunction, but I gota fix that.

 

[xveganxcowboyx]

Yup, WOT is an abreviation for sucking gas.

Any time mileage sucks my first guess (other than driving habbits) is the O2 sensor. Test it with a digital volt meter to see if it's functioning as it should be.

Also, when was your last tune up?

 

[twocanewayne]

check our top o2. boost leak check, inj. vacuum leak check every where . Maybe we can help each other. ahh

 

[twocanewayne]

yhea it will fluxuate but be around .5 volts constanty.If its like a 2g. the o2 that is

 

[twocanewayne]

Well skip the boost leak. but check the rest. But find out what your o2 should read though it might be different.

 

[laserfrog]

okay, i don't drive wot very often. I have replaced plugs wires, oil and all that a few months ago. The O2 sensor checks out, the book said to test it make sure it was between .6 and 1 volt, during operation, and it was working fine. as far as a vacuum leak, i don't know for sure, i know I am missing a intake manifold bolt, but i sprayed some carb cleaner down there while it was running, and didn't appear to take it in.

I know when I drive it around, shut it off and go into a store, come back out to turn it on again, it acts like it is flooded, because it starts hard and I can smell a whiff of gas.

Well thanks for your help trying to figure this out.
TTFN
KRis