Had all funny noises checked

[Protege5girl]

I finally had all the funny noises in my car checked.

1. I had a clunking when i went over bumps....I was told its my muffler hitting the bumper. Suspension is fine. Problem fixed.

2. Brakes making funny noises (squeeking, grinding), first thing in the morning.....I was told this was normal due to condensation. And that this is a normal "problem" with the p5s. Rotors, brake pads are A-OK.

3. Told them about my crummy fuel mileage. No leaks, no blockage, air filter was a bit dirty but nothing serious. They thought it was because the oil was so dirty. This concerns me a bit, because I just had the oil changed 4 mths ago, and have only put on about 4000k since.

[Bumble G]

isnt it 4 months or 8000k.

So then you did need the oil change. But I don't see how dirty oil can cause such bad milage.

[CarDemon]

...Just a ghetto thought!
I was wondering if cars in general need a 'blow-out run' once in awhile. Perhaps!, long distance trip of highway driving over an hour maybe to just let it do a long sprint to clear it's lungs.

And to all the smart asses out there, I know a car does not have lungs. http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif

I need a destination, and maybe Detroit(weather permitting) would do? Does anyone share this view? Perhaps its ghetto technical advice! http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blush.gif

[midnightblue97lx]

Letting your car get some "exercise" is always a good idea.
I used to do that every weekend during school last year. During the week I would mostly just drive to school and back which was maybe 10 minutes if I got stuck at every trafficlight between my pad and school.
So every weekend I'd put on psychedelic sunday and go for a drive around the lake. It'd usualy take a couple hours and gave the car a chance to stretch.

[cruisinblackp5]

Giving your car a good run is a good thing it helps reduce the condensation in exhaust parts as well as being the whole reason for owning a fun car. Lets see how your gas mileage comes through after the oil change. I suspect that it will still be in the same ball park as before pehaps slightly better.

[Protege5girl]

I drove the car to Montreal last week and got 350kms on the tank.

[Eds mp5]

That does not sound right for highway driving, see if they can reset your ecu. Try doing it yourself just un plug the battery terminal, i know when i did mine it made a huge difference.

Ed

[CarDemon]

I'm getting really baffled now! That is getting terrible Sondra. I think with the pending war in Iraq, the shieks are putting something in the crude oil to make it less efficient. We will need it more in N.A. and they will provide it more at a higher price.

They will cash in although they depend on our demand. It is a world wide mixed supply/demand vs politics economic curve conspiracy.

Mind you, my mileage has not been great either like high 480's, but I've been testy lately and changed some shift point habits. I have sport mental mode and then economy mental greenhouse mode.

I thought my ghetto winters, defrost thingy, coldram, airpressure and my ghetto box trunk subs were sapping in weight. I just don't know about your case.

How about pulling the battery cable; resetting the ECU?
It's a ghetto thought and solution to reprogram it to driving habits.
http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blush.gif

[ChopstickHero]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Protege5girl @ Jan. 09 2003,4:35)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I drove the car to Montreal last week and got 350kms on the tank.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
this is in your silver p5 right?

damn... they should open up engine to check the internals. there maybe some kind of leak or something.

[DWM-motorsports]

Before checking internal engine stuff,
Is the car automatic.? what speed do you maintain. what was
the outside temp.. Gas milage does down in winter depending on condions.

[Silvermp5]

My Car is an Auto, and in winter I get about 500 KMS, in the summer I get close to 600 KMS. I do about 50/50 hwy/street.

[Protege5girl]

The car is an automatic, I was on cruise at 130 most of the way. a/c and heat were OFF and top vents selected.

[Harrisonn]

I believe using cruise will also cut into the mileage. But, 350/tank seems too low ...

[midnightblue97lx]

Cruise definitely doesn't consume more gas. It keeps the throttle at a more constant speed than your foot can.
I also think that cruise control is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

[CarDemon]

Sondra!
Do you normally drive highways at 130km/hr?
Try dipping to 120km/hr on longer trips.

I personally am not used to this high revving car too much so I'm in fifth gear by 70km/hr in the city when there is a fair stretch of road. On highways I settle for 110-115km/hr personally and 120km/hr occasionally.

I know quite a few of the TPC's members have those dreaded Magnaflow loud ass mufflers droning, so cruising over certain speeds I wonder about their hearing and music listening. But they got killer stereo systems and amps.

I thought my sleeper Vibrant exhaust was a bit droning at 3000rpm at 110km/hr, but that comes with the territory I guess. Just a thought Sondra, from the ghetto files.

[prote_joe5]

Poor mileage is a curse us low km city drivers must burden.  http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif


Joe

[CarDemon]

Yes, yes, yes, my friend.
I was too embarrassed to encourage your next vehicle to be the Toyota Echo or better yet the Prius. http://msg.toprotege.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif