SeCsTaC

Hey guys, I'm looking to improve the fuel economy of my car. I have a car thats older than me (1988 4cyl Camry) and I'm pretty sure it's not running at full efficiency. Anyways I was wondering what items I should replace to help improve the fuel economy on my car. The one I always hear is the air filter.

Air filter, if you have a dirty air filter, would it significantly affect mileage, and how often should you change it?

Any other things I should know about?

Lastly is there a great difference in mileage between 65mph, and 80mph? I read the faster you go the more drag you have, reducing the MPG.

F900

Follow all this and you will be getting better MPG...

http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/list/...4/article.html

SeCsTaC

nice... thanks for the link

Btw, what's neutral used for on an automatic transmission?

Python2121

being towed, rolling while using as little gas as possible, lots of stuff.

SeCsTaC

Really... anything useful? To date, I've never seen a person use neutral before.

S A CHO

What neutral is really used for is shifting from drive to neutral at a stop light to make it look like your driving a standard car



Also, what you can try is running a bottle of injector cleaner through the engine... Ive never used these but have heard people say they smooth out an engne a whole lot, while cruising and at idle... You can give it a try I suppose...

dallison

i had an 87 camry, i loved it, what i did was wait til the tank was pretty low and then put in a bottle of injector cleaner.
i am not sure if this was teh correct method, but it seemed to work.


i would also get a can of throttle body cleaner and clean out the throttle body.

all you do is use a phillips head screw driver and take the mass air flow tubing off of the throttle body,(the big tube on the drivers side that goes from your air filter box to the motor)
you spray a good amount of the fluid in there and start the car. it will run like crap so put your foot on the gas and keep the rpms about 2-3k or so, you WILL see white smoke from the tail, but that is normal. do that a few times and use a toothbrush to clean the entrance to the throtle body.




if you keep doing reg maintanance on that car it should last 250-400k
i wouldnt change the timing belt till it breaks, the 3sfe motor is one where it will not damage the motor when it breaks. that isnt great advice but just experience.


change the trans fluid and filter every 25-30k, it is just good maintanance.

if you have an oil leak, the oil will tend to drip on the control arm bushings, i would inspect them for damage every 6 months or so, or every oil change to be safe. the oil will damage the bushings after several years. the control arms can be replaced, it just takes a little time.



oh yeah the squeeking sound you hear when you hit a bump or push down on the front end, is from dried out bushings. there is a lithium grease that you can spray on all of em, i think 3 or 4 on each side, that will quiet them down.


i have done an engine change, fenders, disassembled the interior and know almost everything about that car, so if you have problems let me know. i had the 87 for 5 years and we had an 89 for 2 or 3 so i have experience with em

dallison

oh yeah just keep it in drive with that car, you should get 25-30 mpg no matter what

Infamous425

def. change the trans fluid. my aunt had an 87 camry with only 87k original miles on it before the tranny crapped out couple yrs ago

SodaLuvr

Here's a maintenance checklist for you to ensure that you're car is running as efficiently as possible:

1) Spark Plugs. Replace all four with new plugs. Copper is fine as long as they have the correct gap and heat range...Change them every 30K if you use the Copper plugs, or every 60K if you use the Platinums.

2) Engine Air Filter. Install a new one. Correct part # is CA4778 (FRAM) or equivalent...should cost about $10. A dirty air filter will restrict air flow...and not allow the engine to run efficiently. Replace air filter every 30-50K thereafter to ensure adequate flow...replace sooner if the seal becomes damaged or the dirt buildup is excessive. A little bit of dirt on the filter is needed in order for the filter to filter effectively.

3) Fuel Filter. This is one of the most overlooked and neglected items that'll reduce Fuel Efficiency. The correct part # is G6462 (FRAM), and costs about $15. It is an in-line fuel filter, not in-tank, so its easy to replace. I'd replace it every 30K.

4) Spark Plug Wires. These are also overlooked constantly in regards to their effectiveness. Check to make sure they're within specs.

5) Distributor Cap and Rotor. Also check these to make sure they're within specs.

6) PCV valve...probably won't impact your fuel efficiency...but do check to ensure proper operation. Given the age of your car...it'd be wise to replace it (about $10).

7) EGR valve...remove this when your engine is cold, and ensure that its clean. Clean it if its dirty.

8) Throttle Body. Grab a can of throttle body cleaner and clean the throttle body. It probably won't affect your fuel efficiency though...

9) Thermostat...make sure its not stuck open and is working properly.

10) Add a bottle of Chevron Techron Fuel Injector cleaner, not the progard. Add 1 bottle when the tank is low and refill completely with fuel. Run the tank 'till empty, and repeat the process again. You can buy Techron for about $10 for 2 bottles when onsale. Thereafter, treat every 5000 miles.

Also, in terms of general preventive maintenance...

1) Change the oil and filter using 15W40 and a good filter every 3-5K.

2) Change the front differential fluid. On the early model camrys...they separated the final drive unit from the transmission. The final drive units uses the same fluid as the transmission. Factory fill was most likely Dexron-II...lame stuff compared to ANY fluid today.

I just got back from Walmart earlier...Supertech Dexron-IIIH/Mercon automatic transmission fluid was $5.36 per gallon. Drain and refill the final drive unit with this fluid. It takes somewhere between 1.5-2 qts. You may need a hand pump to pump the fluid in.

3) Do a complete transmission flush and filter change. Toyota transmissions are often neglected in terms of filter servicing. Although the filter may be a metal screen, do drop the pan, clean off the sludge from the pan and shavings from the magnet, and install a new screen at least every 60K. Older Dexron-II fluids may not have kept the transmission very clean, especially if its still on the factory fill.

The correct part # for the Transmission filter and pan gasket kit is the FT1169 (FRAM). I'd first disconnect the return line from the cooler, start the car in park, and at idle, the fluid will be pumped out by the transmission's own internal pump. Allow the transmission to pump out 6 qts. Reinstall the return line.

The capacity of this transmission is 6.3 qts. The 10 oz or so of fluid leftover in the system will keep the pump lubricated and not allow the pump to run "dry." Its really a non-issue to pump all of the fluid out...provided that its done in park and at idle, and the engine is shut-off immediately once its complete (the residual oil film on the parts will keep it lubricated for the short period of time), I personally prefer leaving 1/3 to 1/2 qt within the transmission though to keep things "better" lubricated though.

After pumping out the 6 qts, remove the pan. Having the front two wheels on jackstands would help... Clean off all sludge and metal shavings (on the magnet) in the pan. Change the filter with the correct part #. Give the pan a rinse with non-chlorinated brake cleaner to remove any lint. Put on a new pan gasket. Reinstall the pan.

Then, add 3 qts only to start out with. Again, factory fill was probably Dexron-II (or earlier). Supertech Dexron-IIIH/Mercon at $5.36/gallon would be my choice for fluid. The reason for starting out with 3 qts is that you've nearly emptied the transmission and converter entirely when you pumped out 3 qts. The pan holds 2-3 qts, and if you installed all 6 qts at once...you'll significantly overfill the system and may push fluid out of the seals.

Once the 3 qts have been installed, start the engine and allow it to idle in park for about 1 min. Shut it of and add another 2.5 qts. Restart the engine, and idle it in park for another minute. With the engine running, shift through each gear slowly. With the transmission back in park, allow it to idle for 3 additional minutes, then top-off the fluid so that its between the low and the full marks. Drive the car for 15 or more miles at highway speeds for the transmission to completely warm-up. Then re-check and top-off the fluid with the proper procedure.

Thereafter, repeat the same procedure every 60,000 miles. If the fluid discolors or smells burnt, change the fluid more frequently, but otherwise, every 60,000 miles should be fine for Dexron-IIIH.

4) Flush the power steering system. Remove both hoses and drain the reservoir. With two front tires off the ground, unlock the steering wheel, and turn it from side to side to remove additional fluid. Reconnect both hoses, and refill with new fluid. The power steering takes automatic transmission fluid, so I'd use the same Supertech Dexron-IIIH/Mercon. Repeat the same procedure two additional times, spaced several weeks apart, and you'll have mostly new fluid in the system.

5) Flush the cooling system. Drain the radiator and the engine block. Refill with water. Start the engine and turn the heater to its highest setting. Allow it to idle for 10minutes with the heater on its highest setting. Then, drain both the radiator and the engine block again, refill with water, and add Prestone Super Radiator Cleaner. This stuff works very well in removing stubborn deposits. Drive the car for one week (or 500 miles) with this solution. Use the heater at all times if possible to allow the solution to flow through the heater core. Then, drain both the radiator and the engine block. Refill again with water, and idle for 10 minutes with the heater on its highest setting. Then drain both the block and the radiator again, and refill with an entire gallon of antifreeze (cooling system has a 6.9qt capacity, so one gallon of antifreeze will set you between 55-60% antifreeze), and top-off with enough water.

In regards to the correct antifreeze for this application, I'd use Zerex G-05. The engine probably came with a silicated antifreeze, and OAT type antifreezes such as Dex-Cool or its unlicensed knockoff clones will displace the silicates that are leftover in the system (the small amount that remains after the flush) and may take up to several thousand miles before establishing a layer of full protection again corrosion with the OAT technology. Zerex G-05 has the OAT technology for its long-life protection, but also has a small amount of silicates for instantaneous protection against corrosion. Thus, its formulation is known as a Hybrid Organic Acid Technology (HOAT). You can find it under the "Valvoline" brand name, called Zerex G-05 in the gold jug as Pep Boys or Napa.

6) Flush your brake system. Brake fluid should be flushed every 3 years. Walmart had 1 qt of Prestone Synthetic Brake fluid for $4. A mityvac hand-pump brake bleeder system would be a good investment for about $50.

1killercls

Your best post ever Mike.

SouthernBoy

Hey Mike. You've just done this young poster an invaluable service. You should be well thanked for your time and effort.

SodaLuvr

^^^Thanks.

KaMLuNg

iTrader: (5)

this should be stickied for any car that breaks their 100k miles mark...

Tennisjon2002

thanks mike. I need to flush my power steering sometime, how often should this be done, my accord is 9 years old a 72K

SeCsTaC

I'm at 17x,xxx miles, I need to figure out when the last services of things mentioned above were. I know the oil change is religiously at every 2500 miles, but thats all.

Oh and thats one hell of a post . Thanks for the info