Bad gas mileage ?

[taydui]

I just bought a 97 Camry LE (gold package) with 95K miles , I filled up the gas tank ( ~ 15 gal ) and this lasts only 298 miles which averages out about 20 miles/gal , is this bad or normal ? What can I do to improve the MPG ? Also I just did a drain/refill on the transmission fluid , the old fluid was black with burnt smell , good thing I did it in time otherwise it'll cost me more for a new tranny.

[95WhiteCamry]

it would help to know what kind of engine you got in there...

[Corollacrazy42]

well in either case that doesnt sound good

[taydui]

Originally Posted by 95WhiteCamry

it would help to know what kind of engine you got in there...

Sorry , it's a '97 Camry LE 4 cylinder 5S-FE engine

[95WhiteCamry]

for an aging car, it seems to be just a bit under of what you should be getting. I know there will be people flaming me saying their gen 4 gets in the high 20s but every case is different.

In either case, look into getting a tune-up done to the vehicle. Main things should include spark plugs, pvc valve, air filter, and oil. Other things may be needed but these are the main ones at this point. Save up for a timing belt job for later. What is really important though to improving gas efficiency will be a fuel filter change. Get it changed but not at the dealership, it'll run about 250 there. A private mechanic can do it for 100 parts/labor.

With my 11 yr old 5S-FE i get about 23 mpg mixed city highway here in los angeles where traffic sucks. But for you, let's have 23 mpg be your first goal and then we can set the bar higher.

p.s. fuel injector fluids like STP and Lucas are good. They won't help significantly (there will be some who said they noticed it but w/e ) but it's not something that will harm the engine. Just think of it as like a small supplement.

[tacojet]

Replace your Oxygen sensor, the one on the exhaust manifold.

[taydui]

Appreciated the advises , will start out with new spark plugs + wires and the oxigen sensor.

[Tom 2000]

I get 27 MPG on my '00 LE 4-cyl mixed city/hwy driving.

Make sure your tires are properly inflated and your alignment is good.

Watch your driving habits, use A/C only as needed (that might be all the time there in AZ). Make sure you use good quality engine oil and filter.

[tarbasd]

Your mileage can depend on a lot of factors. There were times when I got around 20 MPG in the winter all city driving (Gen3 4 cyl), but last week on interstate I measured 32 MPG with the A/C on for most of the time.

[toyomoho]

Same here on MPG, it varies greatly with type of driving. Constant hwy at "legal" speeds it gets over 30 MPG. All city results in low 20's. My current combo hwy and city results in 26-27 MPG. It also varies with type of smog fuel available, as in ethanol blended.

I suggest you get a basic manual on your car and read about engine and car up keep. If the car has never been serviced in who knows how many miles, basic maintaince might help. Have you checked the air filter?

[a94autoCamry]

when you replace your oxygen sensor on the exhaust manifold, please let us know if your mileage went up

good luck

[taydui]

I replaced the spark plugs , ignition wires & the PCV valve this weekend , will see about the MPG