Time for a fuel system flush?

[fredberg]

I have a 4-cyl Gen 5.5. i drive pretty conservatively, mixed driving (50% freeway/50% city). no jackrabbit starts nor racing on the freeway. but im getting about 21-23 MPG. for a 2006 4-banger, i think thats pathetic.

i have my tires properly inflated. my air filter is kept clean. my car doesnt sputter. is it time to get that pressurized fuel system flush done? how do i know if i really need that? help me before I drop $150 to the toyota dealer...

[ucisilentbob]

How hard do you punch it when you drive? 21-23 MPG for a i4 is pretty sad. According to my spreadsheet, across the life of my car I've gotten a little over 23 MPG on exclusively 91 octane. I change my gas brand every time i change my oil. i.e. Shell for 5000mi; Chevron for 5000mi; 76 for 5000mi; and back again.

Honestly, change your driving habits. Drop in on the Prius forums to read up on tips to save gas. Simple stuff like avoiding accelerating towards a red light really makes a difference.

[woodman411]

Have you been using Top Tier gasoline brands (see toptiergas.com)? If you have, then engine deposits are not causing your low mileage and you do not need to get a fuel system flush. As Pete Misangyi, Fuels and Lubricants Engineering Supervisor for Ford Motor Company, says, "if customers need an additive due to engine deposits, or bring the vehicle in for service due to a performance deficiency, they should probably switch the brand of gasoline they’re using."

Personally, if you haven't been using Top Tier gasoline brands, I would do the fuel system flush and use Top Tier going forward. Engine deposits may not be the sole or major factor to your low mileage, but it is one less thing to worry about.

* WW

[MrSo0h0o]

im in the same boat as you my friend. i have an 05 SE I4 and im lucky to break 20mpg. although, all my driving is nyc driving, so i can account for the poor gas mileage. i do admit that i accelerate a bit harder than i should off of stop signs and red lights(the car usually shifts around 3200-3500 rpms). ive been trying to control that a bit more and ive noticed a few mpg difference.

[TRD VVTi]

It probably has alot more to do with driving habits than anything else.

I doubt that the fuel injection cleaning will make any kind of noticeable difference but certainly wouldn't hurt anything. I've never had to do that to any of my cars because I use detergents/cleaners from time to time. The inside of my fuel rail still was perfectly clean after 240,000 miles.

Checking the Prius forums for fuel mileage tips will NOT help you as stated above. Driving a hybrid is completely different than driving a conventional vehicle. Hybrid driving habits will net you terrible fuel mileage in your car.

Change your driving habits.

[fredberg]

my driving habits...like i said, im pretty conservative. i dont accelerate hard, even from a red light. if no one's behind me, i drive like a grandma, accelerating slowly. i use cruise control on the freeway as much as possible.

so i dont know wut else is going on. how many MPG do the Gen 6's get? this sux.

[gdanaher]

You never said how many miles you have on it. Put a couple cans of gas treatment in and let it run through, and then change the fuel filter. Save your money.

[Rapid Roy]

Originally Posted by fredberg

my driving habits...like i said, im pretty conservative. i dont accelerate hard, even from a red light. if no one's behind me, i drive like a grandma, accelerating slowly. i use cruise control on the freeway as much as possible.

so i dont know wut else is going on. how many MPG do the Gen 6's get? this sux.

Conservative is a pretty subjective description. Like MrSo0h0o posted, how high does the RPM go when the car shifts? This will give you a good measuring stick of exactly how "granny" like you are actually drive. I see that you live in So Cal, so ehat probably explains a lot. The majority of drivers here drive like its the indy 500. If you really drive slow, you will be getting lots of dirty looks all the time.

[TRD VVTi]

Changing the fuel filter will do NOTHING to help.

[kyle56]

i have an 02 I4 camry. I drive about 50/50 city n highway i get 20mpg about 320miles to a tank. not really impressed, but i do hit 5k rpm sometimes just for fun but not usually though, i would expect a 4cylinder to get at least 25mpg, kinda sad, because my friend on his g35 gets same gas mileage as me.

[gdanaher]

Originally Posted by TRD VVTi

Changing the fuel filter will do NOTHING to help.

Have you ever pulled a fuel filter with more than 20k miles that wasn't just full of crap?

[TRD VVTi]

Originally Posted by gdanaher

Have you ever pulled a fuel filter with more than 20k miles that wasn't just full of crap?

Do you really think that the fuel filter is plugged and causing poor fuel mileage?

Come on.

So you're thinking that the car isn't getting enough fuel due to a plugged fuel filter, so that in turn would cause it to use an excess amount of fuel...

Then your logic dictates that will save the OP money.

[marc780]

You dont need to flush the fuel system at this mileage...it wont make any difference because a dirty fuel system is not the problem.

You drive in Long beach, i drive through there every day, the traffic is usually awful even on the freeway - the only kind of driving where you will get maximum gas mileage is while driving steady speed, 65 to 70 mph for hours at a time and you rarely or never come to a stop except to gas up. Remove excess weight from the vehicle, run a synthetic oil, avoid the stop and go and your gas mileage might go up. Otherwise, it might just be the God-awful So. california driving conditions that account for your low mpg.

[y_one2000]

I live in the SF bay area. My 06 I4 gets 28~29 MPG. I drive conservatively too. I can manage to have my car up shift at around 2100 rpm for all gears. I always try to use minimum brake in the traffic and predict traffic light timing. Don't get me wrong. "Use minimum brake", I mean use less gas pedal.

[Super Kaioken]

Check alignment?