mustangnovice29

I'm new here so I apologize if this is in the wrong section. Ive owned an 04 for about a year and the gas mileage has steadily decreased since. I keep up on the oil change I have a rechargeable air filter and I check tire pressure once a month. The only other thing Ive done is replace the fuel filter. Current mileage is 44,000. I'm not very car savvy and am not sure what else I can do to increase gas mileage. I'm currently getting about 17-18 mpg. When I first bought it I was getting 22-23 mpg. My driving habits havent changed since then. Engine is V6 3.8L

DreamerGT

Welcome to the forum. Your rechargeable air filter is it a k&n? If so maybe some of the oil on the filter is getting on to your maf sensor and throwing off the readings alittle.

mustangnovice29

No its a S&B came with the car, Ive used K&N on previous vehicles though

aode08

Buy a can of MAF CLEANER.

Spray on the spring(inside air filter), till clean.


After that replace the plugs and wires, gap the plugs properly.




You mileage and year, dont have anything to do with an "Interval", you change "as needed".

wolfwood09

+1 buy a maf cleaner and check wires and plugs and you're all done..

mustangnovice29

okay so i spray this on the inside of the air filter, I have a cone shaped one so it would the inside of that. Can I find this maf cleaner at O'Rielly's? What about coolant or transmission flush havent done those yet. Would that help

zanypunk

Well for any excessive fuel consumption I would check:
Clogged air filter
Inspect the binding brakes
Fuel Leakage (did you have this problem before you installed the fuel filter or after? check your fuel filter if installed backwards)
Clogged fuel injectors or engine control system malfunctioning
Thermostat may be stuck open
last but not least how are you treating your transmission? Believe it or not this problem may be cause by an improperly operating tramsmission.
The first you should check is if the engine light is being shown.
Good luck.

PS: Manufacture recomends to get your car a drain and a flush at 100k miles but you can just drain it yosuelf and install 50/50. The transmission fluid should be check because it starts to break down after 30k

Chopper

No,the MAF element is behind the air filter.It's the plastic cylinder shaped thing between the airbox and the intake tube.The MAF element is inside a plastic "finger" sticking down into the airflow.It looks like a spring or a lightbulb filament and is just as fragile.
Coolant flushes have nothing to do with gas mileage and neither do transmission fluid changes.
BTW get a Haynes shop manual or the equivalent.It'll help a LOT.

mustangnovice29

Ah okay thanks Chopper and everyone else for the tips I'll have the brakes, thermostat, fuel injectors and filter checked.