Fox T-Bird/Cougar Forums

Technical => Engine Tech => Topic started by: hellsing73 on March 11, 2007, 06:31:36 PM

Title: need help!!!
Post by: hellsing73 on March 11, 2007, 06:31:36 PM
i have a 88 t-bird 5.0L it has bad gasmileg 13mpg on a good day about 260miles on a full tank, how do i get it back up, and when i start the car it has a high reve and some times stalls out, dose any one know what is going on, if any one has qustion u can send me a message on msn or on the form.:birdsmily:
Title: need help!!!
Post by: jncocowboyx on March 11, 2007, 07:38:36 PM
i'd start with looking for vacuum leaks for the high idle.
Title: need help!!!
Post by: Thunder Chicken on March 11, 2007, 08:15:50 PM
Is that city or highway mileage? Are you driving any great distance, or only short hops? 13MPG isn't out of the norm for these cars in the city. I get about 28-29 highway, but only about 13-14 city
Title: need help!!!
Post by: hellsing73 on March 11, 2007, 08:27:12 PM
its city
Title: need help!!!
Post by: dw43935 on March 11, 2007, 08:40:26 PM
Sounds pretty good to me for a 5.0 . I'm not getting much ( if any) better with a 3.8 . I went 270 on a tank full, but I dont fully trust my guage, so I put more in it. Most of mine is stop & go traffic.
Title: need help!!!
Post by: hellsing73 on March 11, 2007, 09:05:50 PM
thats with me leadfooting it some times:birdsmily:
Title: need help!!!
Post by: hellsing73 on March 11, 2007, 09:58:06 PM
also my check engine light it on any tips on that too:birdsmily:
Title: need help!!!
Post by: Masejoer on March 11, 2007, 10:16:57 PM
Pull codes.

Also, From "E" to full, I can get usually 15-16 gallons in the tank. 260/16=16.25mpg. Not bad, but is that city or more of stop/go traffic?

I average 21mpg in "city"(suburbs) if I don't have to sit in stop&go traffic (which drops me to 17-18 in traffic/downtown that averages 15mph). 28-29 mpg highway. Unless I make long trips, I fill up when I pass 300 miles on a tank.

If you're getting the above 16mpg, instead of 13, I'd say you're about where you should be. In my opinion, 13's quite low and a tune up and such may help a lot. When were things last replaced? Oxygen sensors? Spark plugs? Vacuum lines?
Title: need help!!!
Post by: Thunder Chicken on March 11, 2007, 10:17:57 PM
Pull the codes - no way of knowing why that light is on without doing so
Title: need help!!!
Post by: hellsing73 on March 11, 2007, 10:26:45 PM
have not had a tune up sence i got it in like 2000 or 2001, my dad drove it for like 6 mouths and parked it till about 2006 when i got it.
Title: need help!!!
Post by: quicksilver on March 11, 2007, 11:04:46 PM
i get 11.5 mpg!! you guys are all lucky!!