98 Dodge Caravan - Awful Gas mileage

Hi,

I posted a couple months back about my check engine light coming on and poor gas mileage even before the light came on.

I got a new catalytic converter, and a new (rear or lower?) oxygen sensor put in, as both were diagnosed as being bad (code P0138). No Check Engine Light anymore, but I'm still getting only maybe 12 to 15 miles per gallon. Seems like maybe a tad more pep, but still not great when I need the acceleration.

The mechanic is a friend of a friend who is licensed ASE or whatever it is in Ohio, and he said I didn't need a tune-up, everything looks good there. The mileage thing baffles him too, he said he'll also do some research. BTW, the minivan now has about 119K miles, original engine as far as I know, 6 cyl. 3.3, rebuilt (I think) tranny about

2.5 years ago when I bought it at 93K miles.

Any ideas what could be keeping mileage and pep down? Thanks much,

Dan

Reply to
dke3591
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The best way to determine how efficent the vehicle is running is to have a scan tool connected and see what the short term and long term addaptive fuel memory is.

Glenn Beasley Chrysler tech

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Reply to
damnnickname

FWIW I average 17-18 around town in a 97 Caravan with the 3.8 liter. Gets about 22 highway.

Reply to
QX

where are you located? if in somewhre north, it is ok to drop the millage to 15 in winter time.

try to smell the exhaust to smell unburnt gas.

whjat i would check:

brakes, bearings, to see any dragging. engine oil thermostat to see if engine gets hot enough Oxigen sensor, injectors, and fuel pressure regulator (considering you jsut changed catalitic converter, i guess you had a injector problem). Too much fuel (unburnt fuel) melts catalitic converter. check compressions.

i will put my money on unburnt gas smell and problem injector/fuel pressure regulator.

Reply to
uccoskun

Thanks, that gives me a few more things to get checked out. I was getting low gas mileage I'd say from Spring on, I'm in Cleveland, Ohio, and I noticed the floor on the passenger side getting hot, but not anymore after getting the converter replaced. I'll write those things down and give them to my mechanic, if he says those are all OK, I'll go elsewhere to get it looked at.

Dan

Reply to
dke3591

Thanks, that gives me a few more things to get checked out. I was getting low gas mileage I'd say from Spring on, I'm in Cleveland, Ohio, and I noticed the floor on the passenger side getting hot, but not anymore after getting the converter replaced. I'll write those things down and give them to my mechanic, if he says those are all OK, I'll go elsewhere to get it looked at.

Dan

Reply to
dke3591

Thanks, I'll get my mechanic to check that out to along with the other possibilities posted.

Reply to
dke3591

Mine's a 3.3, so I'd think I'd be getting a tad more gas mileage than a 3.8, but presently around maybe 10 - 12 city, and maybe 15 or 16 freeway.

Reply to
dke3591

My 98 Caravan gets about 18.5 in town and close to 22 highway, I thought that was bad. I used to have an Astro with the 4.3 which got close to the same mileage. I think I,m going back to a Chevy.

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Reply to
kpot03

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