2006 Sonata GLS v6 Initial Quality Feedback

Matt Whiting wrote in news:04WQf.7166$lb.629344 @news1.epix.net:

Mine's an '88 305 V8 with a 3sp AT. I'm lucky if I get 11 MPG. I don't drive it much anymore. No more than about 3,000 miles a year. It has just under 180,000 miles on it. No cap either.

Eric

You knew I meant fuel-air mixture. :)

Well now. That depends on [how hot].

I think that's an overworked statement. If you start your engine dead cold and rev it like an angry Klingon , you're asking for trouble. A good engine will endure normal cold starts for 500,000 miles without measurable harm.

The higher the average engine temperature, the faster oils, greases, coolant, rubber, valve faces and seats, exhaust system, etc. break down.

As long as the oil comes up to operating temperature every start, moisture and acids will not accumulate. Ideally, the engine would reach ~220 for 5 minutes then cool down to ~150. But we all know that's not very practical. For 1 thing, hotter running engines get better gas mileage. :)

You better get it fixed as you'd have to work really hard to get 11 MPG from a properly tuned 305 - unless your 3,000 miles are spent plowing snow or pulling stumps! :-)

Matt

Running at 150 would be very bad for an engine.

Matt

Matt Whiting wrote in news:y0_Qf.7171$ snipped-for-privacy@news1.epix.net:

I don't know what else to fix! The engine is tuned like a champ. The tranny and rest of the drivetrain are all in great shape. I have some of the normal rust on the bottom of the doors. Maybe the extra drag is killing me? :-)

Any ideas?

Eric

These are all fuel injected motors - no carb. The Buicks all got over

200,000 on them before being donated and the Malibu is currently at 125,000. No shortened engine life here.

I'll second that Eric. I've never been a fan of the 305, but it sure should get better than that. 11 is a real ouch.

Not if it were [made] for it.

I don't know how I got into this conversation, and I want out! :-\

All I ever wanted to say is that heat is the enemy of everything except gas mileage. Engines are a compromise betwixt economy and durability. Everything else I said was meant to show that, and I guess I botched it. :-)

Man, it's 86 degrees out and just beautiful. My wife drove the new Sonata to a doggone hen party when we could be out driving it.

What sort of driving do you do? The only time my truck dropped to 11 MPG was when the temperature sensor failed and the ECM was running open loop all of the time. The truck had great power, but it coated the inside of the exhaust pipe with a thick layer of carbon so I know something was up. Another common mileage killer as a bad oxygen sensor. If you haven't replaced either of these, I'd suggest a visit to your local dealer and have them check things with their scan tool. My temperature sensor failure didn't illuminate the MIL light, but it was detected immediately with their scan tool.

Matt

Matt Whiting wrote in news:511Rf.7185$ snipped-for-privacy@news1.epix.net:

Pretty much all city driving, and I am always hauling something. Whether moving relatives, carrying home a load of mulch or stone, or transporting an ATV, I almost always have at least a few hundred pounds back there.

I just replaced the coolant and temperature sensors about 2000 miles ago. And I had the truck on the scanner at the local Chevy delaer then. All checked out fine except for the coolant sensor.

From what I have read, this mileage is not that uncommon for an '88 305. It was the first year they switched from a real carb, to some pseudo- fuel injection system. In fact, 13-14 is very common, and considering I haul a lot, that may account for the difference. I also have very old gas in there, but I do use fuel stabilizer which helps I guess.

I probably need to take her out on the highway for a while and should do that one of these days.

Eric

Even a moderate load of 600-800 pounds can really kill your mileage. Especially in town!