OBD1...is the ignition timing set correctly?

Never had it happen to me - and I'm skeptical that a timing belt can jump a tooth or two - but you may want to check the mechanical timing too.

Compression OK?

 

So odd thing happened - the previous owner drove my car to get to work yesterday, and upon getting it back, I noticed a few things:

1) The fuel gauge went down by less than one bar after 70mi, which means the fuel economy is back to normal (tank was full when I handed him the keys)

2) A scrapping sound that used to be audible from the front passenger tire is no longer there (separate thread here)

3) Acceleration from stop doesn't seem sluggish anymore and car runs quieter in general


Just one note on the fuel gauge, it seems that everytime I fully fill up, the needle points above the highest bar. Then, it takes about 100mi to get to the second bar, and from there, fewer and fewer miles to drop to subsequent bars. Overall, I usually get around 400-ish miles on a full tank.

Any thoughts?


Thanks again!!

 

Your fuel gauge indications; above full on full tank and 100 miles to 3/4 position are similar to my 94Ex.

Sometimes problems resolve themselves or the problem is intermittent and will return again later. Wait and see!

good luck

 

That, and calibrate your measurements. Butt dyno's are notoriously inaccurate, to the point that "the car feels a lot faster after it's been waxed." Now that the car is running better, measure 0 - 60 mph with a stop watch. Say you get 10 seconds. The next time you think the car is acting up, measure 0 - 60 again and under similar conditions (car warmed up, tires inflated correctly) and compare it to the "good running" 10 second measurement.

Ditto for gas mileage. "Miles per tank" isn't accurate unless you put exactly "N" gallons in whenever you fill up. Better is to just calculate gallons / miles.

 

Thanks for the info everyone! Quick question: Would frequent use of the e-brake cause the symptoms in this problem? I ask because one of the distinct differences in driving style between the previous owner and me is that I always use the e-brake when stopped at a traffic light, moving from stop on a steep incline etc, whereas the previous owner only uses it when the car is parked.

Any thoughts?

 

You may want to try and find some BG44k fuel system cleaner. Run the fuel level down near empty, add the BG44k, put about 1/4 of a tank of fuel in it and run car back down to near empty, then fill car as normal. This is an incredibly good fuel system cleaner as compared to the ones you will find at a parts store. You might have to call various dealers to find it i.e. Hyundai, Subaru, Ford, Honda etc. as someone should have it, also ask them if they carry BG products as someone should be able to get you some. If not contact BG products and ask for the phone number. of a sales rep in your area and you can get it from them. If the car starts to perform better but not absolute then you may need to retreat it. Don't rule out a dirty fuel system.

 

Your use of the handbrake "SHOULDN'T" matter, except for a couple specific situations.

1. You are a bit sloppy releasing it, so the rear brakes are dragging during the first few feet of motion when starting up. Of course, if you stop very rarely (like a long trip on the interstate) then this item won't matter.

2. Your handbrake cables are corroding & have extra friction. So the rear brakes are dragging. Or maybe something inside the brake drums causing them to drag? For some reason when you release the handbrake lever, the brakes are still dragging a bit.

Especially for #2, you will probably notice the rear brakes being HOT after driving.

Front brakes dragging? Not related to handbrake use, but just age & corrosion in general.