how do you make your ca18det s13 more fuel economical?

S

shabby.fx

Member
hi everyone, i was just wondering how i can get more miles from my ca18det, im getting about 20 miles per gallon if i granny it, it is a totally standard ca, im triying to get around 30miles per gallon, if this is possible please let me know, i dont mind decrease in performance!
 
lol thats not really the answers i was looking for, i knew i was gonna get grilled for asking this lol, my i love my s13, its my everyday drive, i dont mind my 14 drinking like an alcoholic, coz thats my track car, but i just want afew more miles on this, so any sugestions on how i can go about doing so...
 
20 seems low. Even a CA when driven sensibly should do better than that. Have you checked for air/boost leaks?
 
V12 said:
20mpg is alredy a good consuption.
You have the wrong car.
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More fucking geniuses, I dont know how this site stands up to the amount of incredible advice thats given on here, I really dont :rolleyes:

If you are driving a standard S13 like a granny (i.e. off boost everywhere) you should really see something in excess of 30mpg, Id imagine youve got some kind of fault leading to it - boost leak, hole in the intercooler, broken lambda sensor, could be a number of things.

Id get on SXOC.com/vbb and search on there, its been covered loads of times :)
 
Cracking replies as per.

As Doc says, check boost/air leaks, gasket/manifold leaks. Clean the MAF, new plugs, the usual stuff.
Check brakes aren't binding, tyre pressures are correct etc...
 
As above, I get 25 mpg driving my 300bhp S15 on a long run. There's no reason a standardish S13 shouldn't see 30ish?
 
thanks guys ill check all that again, btw my car doesn't have a lambda sensor nor does it have a cat, it could possibly be the exhaust manifold leaking. anything i can add to the car to make it better? i saw a few things on the net about ho2 kit, it is worth the hassle?
 
Chipping can help fuel economy. First though I would spend some time in finding why you are on 20mpg, all my s13's in various levels of tune, no stage one thru to hdev 3a, got better than 20 when driving like a granny
 
I burnt 80/90 quids worth through my SR in under 2 hours.. but that was because.. well... my gaskets around the cat were.. well.. non existent.
 
20mpg is too low, something ain't right there unless your on boost everywhere?!

Id have it checked.
 
docwra said:
More fucking geniuses, I dont know how this site stands up to the amount of incredible advice thats given on here, I really dont :rolleyes:

If you are driving a standard S13 like a granny (i.e. off boost everywhere) you should really see something in excess of 30mpg, Id imagine youve got some kind of fault leading to it - boost leak, hole in the intercooler, broken lambda sensor, could be a number of things.

Id get on SXOC.com/vbb and search on there, its been covered loads of times :)
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Bang on there. Some properly silly replies.
25mpg should be easy and 30mpg with a chip is also not that hard to do.
What sort of driving do you do?
 
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Try to remove the hot-start solenoid. It gained me a couple miles, and I've heard of it working for others aswell.
 
So let me get this straight you are saying you don't have a Lamda sensor and you are wondering why your fuel economy is shit?

Without an O2 sensor your car is operating in open loop A.K.A. Cold start mode A.K.A. Ecu dumps tons of petrol in. Without the O2 sensor the ECU will not go into closed loop and get the feedback it needs to adjust the A/F based on conditions. Yes check for boost leaks and all that but not running an O2 is dumb, I mean thats what its there for. To improve fuel economy.
 
Early CA's didnt have lambda sensors IIRC? give it a good service as stated check tyre pressures, change plugs, oil, fuel filer, air filter etc.

Common on these is the intercooler failing so check thats okay, theres is a guide on SXOC to check for boost leaks, follow that, also check your cam timing is okay, someone may have got it a tooth out when changing the belt.
 
Piner said:
Without an O2 sensor your car is operating in open loop A.K.A. Cold start mode A.K.A. Ecu dumps tons of petrol in. Without the O2 sensor the ECU will not go into closed loop and get the feedback it needs to adjust the A/F based on conditions. Yes check for boost leaks and all that but not running an O2 is dumb, I mean thats what its there for. To improve fuel economy.
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JESUS ACTUAL CHRIST. I despair. :rolleyes:

As Sturge says, pre 1991 S13's didnt have lambda sensors. Im just off to go and advise the government on reneweable energy Driftworks style, Im ideally suited as I dont have any experience and no idea what Im talking about :thumbs:
 
Lmao.
Even if it did have a lambda sensor it would only loose about 2-3 mpg average with it unplugged.
 
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