To all of you crying about the gas prices

[Motorhead350]

If you want better gas mileage get a "Flash" from Dennis. He flashed my car and not only did it take a whole second off my E.T. it got 25mpg on the highway. So if you want better mileage, don't sell your car, get a flash and enjoy it some more. That's all folks.

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Was this an mpg specific, ie 87 octane, tune, or just his regular performance flash tune? His standard flash, which I still run, was a huge improvement in the trans shifting department but my MPG is totally unchanged at 20 mpg highway. This is pretty much normal from what I have gleaned from others.

[BATMANN]

This is my towns gas prices its $5 per super self serve. Amsoil 5 w20 and a hastings filter helps too. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/BATMANN/DSCF1964copy.jpg

[OneBADLsE]

HOLY $$*****TTT!!!!!!!!!!!!! thats OUT OF CONTROL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dreydin]

how much is this? bc im thinking about selling..

[Motorhead350]

Was this an mpg specific, ie 87 octane, tune, or just his regular performance flash tune? His standard flash, which I still run, was a huge improvement in the trans shifting department but my MPG is totally unchanged at 20 mpg highway. This is pretty much normal from what I have gleaned from others.

This was still with 93, but I am unsure of this was a "standard" or what. When he goes around flashing peoples cars at events, that is the one you want. I was getting 25mpg on the highway... actually it was 25.6, but this was before the blower and other do das. All I had done was the flash and a K&N Air Charger and it was going 14.6 in the 1/4 and getting 25mpg.

[Breadfan]

20mpg highway is pretty rough, even with my Trilogy and 4.10's I can get 24mpg highway, like Bob said in another thread gotta stay out of it though, each WOT run brings that average down. :)

An N/A marauder with a tune and even gears should still net good mpg's. I got 26mpg with a Lidio tune and 4.10's about 2 years ago on a highway trip from VA to Columbus Ohio. I'd expect 28mpg possible with stock gears on the highway and a careful right foot!

[SILVERSURFER03]

Thats Just Plain Silly

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

You high claimed mpg guys are something. I can't imagine that there is anything wrong w/ the car that I picked up w/ 23k miles, that it is getting more or less the EPA rated MPG both w/ stock and aftermarket tunes. I don't drive the speed limit but I am not flooring it to pass everyone either. I guess it doesn't really matter even if a few people can somehow make this car get 25+ mpg, it's not gonna happen w/ my MM, or with a lot of other peoples' cars, for that matter. MPG bragging rights is like horsepower bragging rights nowadays...everyone wants to claim a little edge.

[Motorhead350]

Naa not for me anymore. I can get to 21 mpg at the most. Now that I have over 500hp, but hey I like it more this way! ;)

[Breadfan]

Regardless of what sort of mpg bragging is going on a basic Marauder should be getting over 20mpg in highway driving. Assuming your not talking about mixing bowl at rush hour, sustained driving on the highway at reasonable speeds with a careful foot should get you good mpg's out of this car. If not, I don't know what to tell you. Someone saying they get 24-26 is not bragging or claiming anything, it's perfectly reasonable for these cars, and there are plenty who will agree.

There are alot of tips and tricks to eek out mpg's. And like anything, it's the low #'s that kill the average. When you floor just about any car you're getting way less than 10mpg while dumping fuel into the motor. Like I found out early on in my school career, it only takes one ****ty grade to screw up the average, same goes for mpg.

I don't run around trying to beat any mpg but I can tell you I've gotten the mileage I've stated. Who doesn't get a fresh tankful and decide to see what sort of mpg they can squeeze out? Even still in normal highway driving 22-24mpg is perfectly reasonable for a Marauder.

All I'm saying is that if you have an N/A Marauder you can get 22-24mpg highway without too much difficulty, I'm sure there are plenty who will agree.

[Breadfan]

Naa not for me anymore. I can get to 21 mpg at the most. Now that I have over 500hp, but hey I like it more this way! ;)

Is that highway or mixed? That's not too shabby either way! I don't get to do alot of highway driving, so mine is mosty city and mixed, I tend to see about 17mpg I'm sure it doesn't help I have a twitchy right foot most of the time :beer:

[Bluerauder]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v85/BATMANN/DSCF1964copy.jpg
Those prices are SICK. Of course, they do have to ship it all the way to the end of the island. That certainly accounts for the difference. ;)

[Cordoba1]

What happens here is that people often report their "best" run as their mpg. Tailwinds and slow driving, and running an entire tank on the interstate will grab a nice number, but that's how very few of us drive, all of the time. I have little doubt that the average is way lower. When my Dad borrows my car, he reports that "it gets pretty good mileage." I also know that he never exceeds the speed limit.

[Raudermaster]

GUYS HELP ME WITH MY CAR!!! I'm lucky to see 200 on a FULL tank and that's babying the ***** out of it. I've checked everything, changed fuel filter, cleaned air filter/MAF. Did a seafoam treatment, no help. And now with my blower, it will be worse if I don't stay out of it. What should I check? Could it be bad COP's? Bad plug's? They'll be changed out (the plugs) when the blower goes in though. What else am I missing?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Who doesn't get a fresh tankful and decide to see what sort of mpg they can squeeze out?

I'm an engineer. I'm not an idiot (well I guess that part is arguable). My personal best at sustained cruise is in the 21-22 mpg range. But normal sustained very long highway trips, that allow me to run a whole tank of gas through the car, barely net 20 mpg. I am usually rounding up 19.xx and calling it 20. I have access to a Hunter rack and work w/ my friend to align my cars to my specs whever I feel the need. The car is toed to zero to minimize rolling resistance. Tires are stock BFGs all the way around. Tires are aired up properly, clean air filter, no luggage, etc. To top it off, I weigh a whole 140 lbs. That's a pretty valid test.

[Cordoba1]

Yeah -- Me too. Actually.... I'm very surprised at how consistant my Marauder is out on the road... Even with mixed drivng, the low fuel light comes on at about 315 miles. 325 if I'm real lucky.

[Motorhead350]

Is that highway or mixed? That's not too shabby either way! I don't get to do alot of highway driving, so mine is mosty city and mixed, I tend to see about 17mpg I'm sure it doesn't help I have a twitchy right foot most of the time :beer:

This is all on the highway and I can still go about 300 miles on a tank even with the boost. There is a little trick that seems to work, when you go to pass someone do not push the gas down far enough to downshift, it sounds silly, but it'll give you another 40 miles or so! That is if you are going on a 300 mile road trip like I've done many times.

[Marauderjack]

I consistently got 24 MPG (Hwy) without the blower and 20 MPG around home (50/50 Hwy and Town)!!:beer: The ProCharger dropped me to 21-22 MPG (Hwy) and 18-19 MPG around home!!:cool:

I had a 1970 VW that barely got 20 MPG with 45 HP??:confused:

I'm pretty content with a 500 HP 4500# car getting over 20 MPG and not only performing extremely well but also VERY safe!!:bows:

BTW.....she turned 170,000 miles yesterday!!:D

Marauderjack:burnout:

[fastblackmerc]

Maybe it's the "kerosene " tune.














You knew that was coming......

[Leadfoot281]

I got 445 miles on one tank of gas coming back from Kentucky.

I actually filled it in Indiana and made it into Minnesota on the same tank. The car was 100% stock motor, tune, tires, gears, with 58k miles and very little luggage.

Normally the car does around 22 mpg and has never once been below 20 in the four years I've owned it.

[BLACKMARAUDER04]

The best I ever get is 20-22 highway. In the city 14-16, summer 12-13 ( air conditioning on full durring summer). Dennis's tune is 1-2 mpg lower in the city, and 20 mpg highway.

[Raudermaster]

GUYS HELP ME WITH MY CAR!!! I'm lucky to see 200 on a FULL tank and that's babying the ***** out of it. I've checked everything, changed fuel filter, cleaned air filter/MAF. Did a seafoam treatment, no help. And now with my blower, it will be worse if I don't stay out of it. What should I check? Could it be bad COP's? Bad plug's? They'll be changed out (the plugs) when the blower goes in though. What else am I missing?


No one?_________

[FastMerc]

No one?_________Is there alot of black smoke coming out of your exhaust?

[KillJoy]

Since I got blown ;) :

As little as 9mpg

As high as 25mpg

It is ALL in the right foot.

:up:

KillJoy

[KillJoy]

No one?_________

O2's?

:dunno:

How is you right foot? Take a tank w/o going over 3k rpm.... EVER. See what happens.

KillJoy

[MM2004]

2006 coming back from Barry's meet...

One wife, one 6 year old daughter, full trunk, myself and several WOT's running anywhere from 30 MPH to 110 MPH.

Got 22.6 MPG.

The only time I ever checked mileage.

I cannot complain.

Mike.

[Marauder386]

I have said this before so I apolgize in advance ....

I do not care about the gas prices as I CHOSE TO DRIVE THESE CARS with the performance add-ons ...


:cool:

[Raudermaster]

Forgot to say I did change my front O2's. Rear's are shut off. I don't stomp on it at all. Shifts normal and I still get that.

[Raudermaster]

I have said this before so I apolgize in advance ....

I do not care about the gas prices as I CHOSE TO DRIVE THESE CARS with the performance add-ons ...


:cool:

Neither do I, but I get frustrated when people with blowers and 4.10's see better mileage than an N/A MM sees. I'd like an explanation.

[MM2004]

Forgot to say I did change my front O2's. Rear's are shut off. I don't stomp on it at all. Shifts normal and I still get that.

I wish I had an answer for you dude.

Have you talked with your tuner about this?

Mike.

[KillJoy]

Forgot to say I did change my front O2's. Rear's are shut off. I don't stomp on it at all. Shifts normal and I still get that.


You got a Tune?

KillJoy

[Raudermaster]

Yea, Lidio's. As it sits now, it has DR's Cobra kit, JLT and Lidio. I put it back to stock though and got the same results.

[RF Overlord]

Is there alot of black smoke coming out of your exhaust?Or, more importantly, what's the inside of your tailpipes look like?

200 miles per tank is dismal...The Blackbird can do 21 on the highway, loaded with luggage, and Phoebe got 25 on the way back from Chicago with luggage and 4 more tires and rims stuffed in the back seat.

[Breadfan]

FWIW, my normal MPG is my driving is about 16-17mpg. I drive 8 miles to work, and sometimes take my MM. Around here I only have to drive a few miles, and there's alot of stoplights. So that's 50% of my driving, short trips with lights. I see a bit of traffic too, and the other 50% is highway or semi-highway driving. (Semi highway like basically 4-lane roads with lights spaced far apart, you hit about 25% of them as red, but they're a mile or so apart so you can cruise a few miles at a time.). I'm usually not a feather foot.

If I can do a long trip, like a drive to a CAM meet, and cruise there, I can get really good mileage, such as quoted above. I'd say if I can do a big highway trip and behave myself I can see 22+mpg. If I don't behave myself, that drops, depending on how bad I am.

Since we're all feeling the gas prices, we all start to wonder what our cars can do. Getting 24mpg or more, on a highway drive, is not quite easy. It requires constant attention to keep out of it. That means reading the road, and traffic around you. There are also some other tricks that can help, but may be difficult to do, such as bilding speed on a downhill and coasting or lightly throttling a hill. That means the folks behind you may hate you, as you speed up going down hill and then slow down going up, kinda like a semi truck. But, this way keeps those throttle body butterflies closed more.

With gas the way it is, some may be adjusting their driving habits to maximize MPG. That may mean tactics that maximize MPG's but can honestly make the drive a tad less fun or even more exhausting.

I too am an engineer. As such I enjoy seeing how far the equipment can go. I don't mind hearing the high mpg's people can get, or have gotten. But at the same time I wouldn't tell the management staff we can do it. :)

I guess this is where the phrase YMMV comes into play. I think these cars are fully capable of the mileage stated, however, there are so many variables - well, YMMV. Not all of us get to do sustained highway driving all the time. Many of us do city driving, stop and go, or heavy traffic highway driving.

Still, even with mixed everyday driving there are plenty of tips and tricks and discipline that can yield a few more MPG's. In the end, whether or not that is worth it, is in the eye of the beholder, or better put, the foot of the driver.

Maybe my next tank I'll see what I can do in my everyday driving. I will admit for me it's difficult to behave for that many miles, but, maybe when I see those $'s ticking away on the next fill up, that will be the inspiration I need.

But I still say, get these cars on the highway, set the cruise, and watch those MPG's climb.

[KillJoy]

Yea, Lidio's. As it sits now, it has DR's Cobra kit, JLT and Lidio. I put it back to stock though and got the same results.


Unplug the battery for 30 mins.

Return Tune to stock.

Drive for 3 gas tanks.

Report.

:up:

KillJoy

[Breadfan]

GUYS HELP ME WITH MY CAR!!! I'm lucky to see 200 on a FULL tank and that's babying the ***** out of it. I've checked everything, changed fuel filter, cleaned air filter/MAF. Did a seafoam treatment, no help. And now with my blower, it will be worse if I don't stay out of it. What should I check? Could it be bad COP's? Bad plug's? They'll be changed out (the plugs) when the blower goes in though. What else am I missing?

Can you tell anymore?

How many gallons is a "full tank" fill up for you? Basically give us a mileage and gallons on a usual fill up.

What kind of driving do you do? Lots of short trips? Long trips, stop and go, highway, heavy traffic highway, etc.

There are several external factors that can affect mpg.

[Raudermaster]

Basically do all mixed. You know, take it out for a joyride. My longest trip a week is 40 miles both ways and that's to school. Work is 5 miles from my house. Steve, what will 3 tanks do and an unplugging of the battery? Bob, my inside of my tailpipes are black. But I have changed the O2's, as I thought they would be my problem.

[KillJoy]

Basically do all mixed. You know, take it out for a joyride. My longest trip a week is 40 miles both ways and that's to school. Work is 5 miles from my house. Steve, what will 3 tanks do and an unplugging of the battery? Bob, my inside of my tailpipes are black. But I have changed the O2's, as I thought they would be my problem.


Unplugging the Batt will reset the ECU.

3 tanks will give it time to relearn, and give an average.

;)

KillJoy

[1stMerc]

FWIW, my normal MPG is my driving is about 16-17mpg. I drive 8 miles to work, and sometimes take my MM. Around here I only have to drive a few miles, and there's alot of stoplights. So that's 50% of my driving, short trips with lights. I see a bit of traffic too, and the other 50% is highway or semi-highway driving. (Semi highway like basically 4-lane roads with lights spaced far apart, you hit about 25% of them as red, but they're a mile or so apart so you can cruise a few miles at a time.). I'm usually not a feather foot.

If I can do a long trip, like a drive to a CAM meet, and cruise there, I can get really good mileage, such as quoted above. I'd say if I can do a big highway trip and behave myself I can see 22+mpg. If I don't behave myself, that drops, depending on how bad I am.

Since we're all feeling the gas prices, we all start to wonder what our cars can do. Getting 24mpg or more, on a highway drive, is not quite easy. It requires constant attention to keep out of it. That means reading the road, and traffic around you. There are also some other tricks that can help, but may be difficult to do, such as bilding speed on a downhill and coasting or lightly throttling a hill. That means the folks behind you may hate you, as you speed up going down hill and then slow down going up, kinda like a semi truck. But, this way keeps those throttle body butterflies closed more.

With gas the way it is, some may be adjusting their driving habits to maximize MPG. That may mean tactics that maximize MPG's but can honestly make the drive a tad less fun or even more exhausting.

I too am an engineer. As such I enjoy seeing how far the equipment can go. I don't mind hearing the high mpg's people can get, or have gotten. But at the same time I wouldn't tell the management staff we can do it. :)

I guess this is where the phrase YMMV comes into play. I think these cars are fully capable of the mileage stated, however, there are so many variables - well, YMMV. Not all of us get to do sustained highway driving all the time. Many of us do city driving, stop and go, or heavy traffic highway driving.

Still, even with mixed everyday driving there are plenty of tips and tricks and discipline that can yield a few more MPG's. In the end, whether or not that is worth it, is in the eye of the beholder, or better put, the foot of the driver.

Maybe my next tank I'll see what I can do in my everyday driving. I will admit for me it's difficult to behave for that many miles, but, maybe when I see those $'s ticking away on the next fill up, that will be the inspiration I need.

But I still say, get these cars on the highway, set the cruise, and watch those MPG's climb.


This sums up my daily driving. 8 miles one way all city. There is a chance for a brief jump on the highway, but since it takes me a bit out of the way i choose not to use it. For the most part follow the speed limit when it's mostly me on the road but otherwise go with flo of traffic. Have no idea what my mpg is since outside of long trips, i fill up at around a half a tank.
Truth be told i knew what i was getting into the first year i bought it and gas immediately started going up 3 months later. Going with the trend i probably would have gotten rid of it then. A big 4200 lb car that's just to much fun to drive, so much so i,ve put about 150 miles on my 4 banger 87 oct truck in the past three years.
May sound cras and not pc, but i didn't buy this car for gas mileage. It looks good going from point A to point B and not seen around every corner or every 10 minutes.

My buck ninty eight opinion.


Raudmaster i feel for ya not making it to 200 per tank, don't remember if you said or not but have you checked your alignment or made sure your brakes are not dragging or any other such rolling resistance.

[Local Boy]

Trying to think Raudermaster...

Leaky injectors??? Does it smoke upon start up???

Black tail pipes are indicative of a rich condition...

ALOHA

[Raudermaster]

My alignment is good, hmm, will have to check the brakes, they suck as it is, might as well change the pads. Randy, the only smoke I see is the usual blue smoke once in a great while. And that's why I changed my O2's is because I thought that would fix the rich condition.
Jarod

[Breadfan]

The 5 min trips are getting you. The car isn't getting a proper warmup. I have the same problem with an 8 mile commute, especially in winter. Car runs richer until it reaches operating temperature. It may just be a case of the very short trips.

[Motorhead350]

FastBlackMer you are right because the tune was done after the 5 gallon flush of Kerosene! I really don't take any offence to it and actually it was quite funny, reminds me of who's been here since the begining or near the begining ya know. No offence to anyone who's new or anything, but so many are selling their Marauders these day's it's sad, which is why I started this thread so you guys actually keep your cars!


I don't care about the price of gas either. If some people would look at how bad Europe has had it for years, than you would realize we've had it good for a while, long while and still do! Look up Germany, I heard it's been $8.00 a gallon for the past 20 years and this was years ago!

[sailsmen]

Yea, Lidio's. As it sits now, it has DR's Cobra kit, JLT and Lidio. I put it back to stock though and got the same results.

Could be that crap for gas they are selling you.

I met a friend who was visiting from Brazil. The crap for gas needs to be less than 80% of the cost to equal the elixir of V8s!

[quota]

Dennis made an XCAL2 tune for my MGM LSE.
We decided that I would stay with 87 oct. Tune resulted in better/faster shifting, no speed limit (car makes +130 mph), some additional HP and actually, a better mpg. The MGM makes now 25-26 mpg on highway against 23-24 before the tuning.

Concerning the XCAL2 tune on my MM (made by Lidio), I do not know whether it comes or not with a better mpg. When driving that one, I do not make that measuring.

JP

[Raudermaster]

IDK it's weird, I always usually use BJ's 93 or Shell V-Power 93 and have had similar results. The car has never had anything less than 93.

[ChiTownMaraud3r]

Raudermaster, does your car shift correctly into all gears including od?

[Raudermaster]

Yup, had the tranny serviced about 2k miles ago. Squeaky clean.

[mrjones]

No one?_________


Are you checking the mileage by dividing miles driven by gallons purchased, or just looking at the miles per tank?

These cars had a TSB on the fuel tank sending unit at some point. On some cars, the fuel gage drops very rapidly and is not entirely accurate.

[Motorhead350]

On some cars, the fuel gage drops very rapidly and is not entirely accurate.

Yup mine does that pretty quickly for the first half.