Fuel Economy on EK Civic

Hi Guys,

I have been driving an EK Civic (GLi) for about a year now and i must say i am a little disappointed with it's fuel economy. On average, using normal unleaded fuel, I am able to travel approxmiately 350-380km out of a tank.

It's been about a month since my last service (change of oil, oil filter, auto transmission fluid) and i am now using BP's ulitmate unleaded 98 fuel with little improvement. I will travel just over the 400km mark on the one tank but expected more.

Does anyone else have the same issue?

Any idea what could be causing these average results?

Thanks

yea casue its a civic ur cars a box mate... buy a VE commo thats has good fuel.. they got 80 litre tank and they get 300km out of it thats the best or buy a corolla

Try changing fuel filter and spark plugs.
And use OEM filter, not ryco.. also go for NGK spark plugs.. not bosch not champion..
EK should be getting 500km before fuel lights on.

Mate how do you drive your car? Flooring it at every intersection and doing 120 on the highway at 3rd gear? :D

380km a tank sounds dangerously low for a stock (I assume?) EK.

I do about 520KM on each tank - and that's with some aggressive driving from time to time.

Surprisingly, I keep a very close eye on how i drive the car. It's a pretty relaxed drive 95% of the time. It is the main reason why i am concerned and a little shocked about this poor fuel economy.

I mainly drive across the Hume highway here in Victoria to get to work were the top speed is at 80km/h. Otherwise, I only drive locally.

I have never taken the car to the stage were the fuel light goes on. But the fuel gauge indicates that im in the red, so i fill up. I honestly believe the fuel gauge is playing tricks on me. I got something like 230km out of the first half of the tank and then only 150km from the second half.

I will change the fuel filter and the spark plugs, however, is there a way to get a more accurate reading of the fuel by replacing the components of the sending unit in the tank or maybe the gauge itself?

Considering that you top up before the fuel light comes on, can you tell us how much do you actually top up (in terms of litres) each time you do?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by neo_phase

Considering that you top up before the fuel light comes on, can you tell us how much do you actually top up (in terms of litres) each time you do?

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Roughly 40 litres.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by simon86

I have never taken the car to the stage were the fuel light goes on. But the fuel gauge indicates that im in the red, so i fill up. I honestly believe the fuel gauge is playing tricks on me. I got something like 230km out of the first half of the tank and then only 150km from the second half.

I will change the fuel filter and the spark plugs, however, is there a way to get a more accurate reading of the fuel by replacing the components of the sending unit in the tank or maybe the gauge itself?

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You are right, first half goes down slower than the other half :)

Same here. I'm only getting about the same fuel economy as your car. I have a 98 Auto Gli and after changing Spark plugs, fuel filter, air filter, oil, oil filter. Nothing has changed. The next thing will be Auto trans fluid but I highly doubt that'll change it alot. :(

time for an engine rebuild?

how many k's do you all have on the car?

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Originally Posted by neo_phase

time for an engine rebuild?

how many k's do you all have on the car?

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108,500km

Mine is already 200000+ km... and still around 500km/tank. And try pumping 40 psi to all tires. works for me :thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by twing

Mine is already 200000+ km... and still around 500km/tank. And try pumping 40 psi to all tires. works for me :thumbsup:

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40 psi. That's way too much. I go by the recommendations stated near the bottom of the door. It's 32 psi or something.

79000kms...

Yeah 36 front 34 rear.

I would
- adjust the tappets
- Collaborate the voltage on the tps
- Clean the contact points inside the dizzy cover and rotor
- Check plugs and replace if needed
- Clean the IACV on the Throttle body
- Upper Engine cleaner

If you can work out how to do it or if someone can show you,the above will only cost $15 for the upper engine cleaner.
Then see how that goes.

A faulty 02 sensor could be to blame.
You can get the injector spray pattern and flow rate fixed aswell for $40 an injector.

my car has 160k. manual. i thrash it on 91ron fuel. get 550k's can push to 600k's with fuel light just starting to be constant.

I get around 8L/100km on Premium Unleaded Fuel with a hard drive every now and then.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by simon86

40 psi. That's way too much. I go by the recommendations stated near the bottom of the door. It's 32 psi or something.

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It's not way too much, the maximum psi on my tire is 50 psi.
The number on the door is for comfortable riding, not for maximum economy.

If 40 is too much, try at least 35... and keep increasing it until you find YOUR comfortable limit.

I have been on 40 psi for the past 3 years and the tires is still looks good. I have to becareful when it's wet though. I skids on roundabout couple of time. Maybe it's the tire grip or my bad way of driving.

btw: what's the size of your wheels.. bigger wheels bigger consumption.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by twing

It's not way too much, the maximum psi on my tire is 50 psi.
The number on the door is for comfortable riding, not for maximum economy.

If 40 is too much, try at least 35... and keep increasing it until you find YOUR comfortable limit.

I have been on 40 psi for the past 3 years and the tires is still looks good. I have to becareful when it's wet though. I skids on roundabout couple of time. Maybe it's the tire grip or my bad way of driving.

btw: what's the size of your wheels.. bigger wheels bigger consumption.

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The standard 175/65 R14

Dont forget with an auto we wont be getting as much k's as the manual's as auto transmission uses more fuel on avg and we have heavier cars than our manual counterparts. And if u have a sedan even heavier again lol, and 40PSI!?!? waayy to high lol. I get about 500km, just. Did 550 once n fuel light still hadn't come on but was mainly highway driving

my auto civic 96 sedan did about 440 before fuel light come on and 11km/L usually
32psi both front and rear
mainly drive in city
is that quite poor?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raztaz

Dont forget with an auto we wont be getting as much k's as the manual's as auto transmission uses more fuel on avg and we have heavier cars than our manual counterparts. And if u have a sedan even heavier again lol, and 40PSI!?!? waayy to high lol. I get about 500km, just. Did 550 once n fuel light still hadn't come on but was mainly highway driving

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That was what suggested when I took murcott's defensive driving course.
The first time I heard, I was shocked as well :eek:

When the fuel light comes on, how much km's (approxmaitely) is left in the tank on average?

Is it 40km?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by simon86

When the fuel light comes on, how much km's (approxmaitely) is left in the tank on average?

Is it 40km?

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i think u can drive for an hour when the fuel light is on

Yes an hour.440km/tank sounds good to me!!

i get 400kms, 450 if i mayb push it too scared to try ccause i dont think my light turns on lol :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by simon86

When the fuel light comes on, how much km's (approxmaitely) is left in the tank on average?

Is it 40km?

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well.. distance is relative to your car fuel's economy. I would say around 7 lt is left in the tank. But REFILL IMMEDIATELY!!! Otherwise your fuel line may be clogged with debris from the bottom of the fuel tank.

Ok great. looks like ill reach the 440km mark with my current tank so maybe not too bad overall.

I might investigate the recommendations put forward of changing the spark plugs, air filter, possibly fuel filter etc.

So far im looking at buying NGK spark plugs, K&N air filter (any other recommendations??) and the OEM fuel filter.

For the next oil change, try OEM oil as well.
Otherwise grab other oil with 10W-30 (OEM spec) or 5W-30.... it's the viscosity that matters more than the brand. Search for oil recommendation thread.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by simon86

Ok great. looks like ill reach the 440km mark with my current tank so maybe not too bad overall.

I might investigate the recommendations put forward of changing the spark plugs, air filter, possibly fuel filter etc.

So far im looking at buying NGK spark plugs, K&N air filter (any other recommendations??) and the OEM fuel filter.

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u sed u have done 108K km's, has ur car had its major service, like timing belt, water pump etc?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Raztaz

u sed u have done 108K km's, has ur car had its major service, like timing belt, water pump etc?

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Yep. Did all that when i bought the car. It had 97,000km at the time.

according to the manual its approx. 6.5L left when the fuel light comes on

you should be able to get about 50kms out of the tank when the light is on, that's if you don't drive aggressively.

EKs have a 42 litre tank and I think the most I've filled into my tank is about 41.3 litres LOL

Quote:

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Originally Posted by neo_phase

EKs have a 42 litre tank and I think the most I've filled into my tank is about 41.3 litres LOL

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it's 45 litre.

I get about 600km per tank. 2000 EK1, stock bar catback exhaust and K&N airbox filter. User manual states 6.5L left after fuel light comes on. Although mine never stays on, comes on then fades away, comes on and fades away again. Most I've filled up is 41L, I got 620km out of that tank. Oops, sorry about resurecting the old post, saw it and didnt realise i was still in the search results.

Yeah but that's great 600km/tank!

you guys must drive like grandmas! i fill up about 34L from doing around 420km and it'll be at the very low end of the fuel tank.

hehe,nah I don't and it costs ya!!

I do 500km/week of driving in a 100-110km/h zone and I tells ya,the difference between 95-100km/h @ 2,700rpm and 110-115km/h @ 3,300 rpm is BOREDOM!!!! It feels slow as!

Such a trap!!!!!

2 Vito Vans in 2 weeks = 6 points - half my licience and $400!!

FAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNN NNNNN CUUUUUUUNNNNTTTTSSSSSS!!!!!!!!


I GOT A BIG SIGN IN MY CAR NOW THAT SAYS:


"LOOK FOR VITO VANS!!"

hhrrmm my friend had the same prob with his EG the fuel meter was just off in his case :S
in my em1 I can get 500km till i get a solid fuel light.

But how do u drive your Em1? At wot rpm do u shift? How often do u wind it out?

Well been driving my stock 98 ek1, and i can get around 10L/100kms constantly for city driving. With highway driving I think it hits about 8L/100kms, not too sure about that though. But ek's have 45L tanks, and with my 140k km mileage, i think thats about right.

Though, i'm still trying to master being able to engage gear 1 w/o crossing the 1.5k rpm mark.. Finding that a bit difficult, tend to normally over rev to 3-4k rpms, and i guess my clutch is taking a toil.. :( Any tips?

If your car is well taken care of (tyre pressure/air-fuel filter/tappet adjustment blah blah blah) you should get an overall of <8 litres/100ks in an EK even if u like to thrash it every once in a while.