97 Forester Fuel issues

Richie-Rich · Post by **Richie-Rich** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:16 pm

Hi All,

Seems the hot weather has taken its toll on my old girl.

Went up to wedge via the H/way on Sat and got 300k's to my 45L tank. Thats down about 100 from normal city driving and about 150 from normal H-way. Was also down on power slightly.

Not sure where to start with this one, any help would be appreciated.

Rich

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:36 pm

was the car carrying much weight? how many ks are on the clock?

Post by **Alex** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:41 pm

the headwind along the new stretch of road before wedge is a killer.

my 2001 outback also used about 10-20% extra fuel on my recent trip to wedge.

alex

rubisubi · Post by **rubisubi** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 2:54 pm

Was it running bad? Ive known several people who have had bad fuel from a liberty fuel supplier ie as in Liberty fuels not the car

taza · Post by **taza** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 3:25 pm

Its been 44+ up here and my Foresters not so keen on the heat.
I found when coming up from Geraldton my fuel economy was crap but I was going against the wind with a full load and aircon flat out in 45 degree heat

Got 200km from the first half compared to my usual 300-350km from it.

The otherday my Aircon just decided it didn't want to work at all and the car outside temp guard was saying 49!!! But after some drivng it just started working

How was your trip back? Or what about today, is all the power there?

The heat and especially hot wind will make a difference for sure.

Richie-Rich · Post by **Richie-Rich** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:10 pm

Thanks for the replies.

Car was not really loaded. Only change would be finally got a spare wheel that is the correct size and this now has to live on the roof. it is 190k from my dor to wedge, all 100k, and i was less than half a tank remaining. Power seems to have slightly returned.. not that there is much. Tyre pressures are about right for the size tyre.

Taza I have never seen that sort of economy from my foz.

Things I am speculating about;
02 Sensor replacement
Injectors needing a clean

Richie-Rich · Post by **Richie-Rich** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:11 pm

265 on the engine.
Recently did timing belts and pulleys.
Developed a random squeak at idle
but other than that it is very reliable.

taza · Post by **taza** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:24 pm

Try some Subaru upper engine cleaner, Might help slightly

Thats an extra 100,000km than mine on the engine.
Has your O2 sensor ever been replaced? That could be worth doing, you can get a bosch one for around $180 or OEM for around $450-500.

The worst I got was 25l per 100km. Only got 250km from a whole tank, this was however an extra 1tonne added to the car and trailer included going against 70km/hr head winds

Also had 1metre high of stuff on the roof

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:35 pm

i have also never got that sort of economy out of mine usually 260-300 max to half and bout 500-600 out of a tank.
the spare tire on the roof will impact your fuel economy due to catching so much wind

Richie-Rich · Post by **Richie-Rich** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:38 pm

The spare wheel is sitting on a streamlined roof basket, behind a wind breaker.

Thanks Taza, the o2 sensor is i would imagine original.

Richie-Rich · Post by **Richie-Rich** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:39 pm

Thunder, I would love that economy. At present if i see 400 i am over the moon..

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:41 pm

wow that is pretty average.
are you using normal road tires?

Richie-Rich · Post by **Richie-Rich** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:51 pm

Nope.

Got Geo AT/R 215/70. full 2 inch lift. So I understand I'll take a hit, but 300k to a tank is nuts junior!!

taza · Post by **taza** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 7:00 pm

Richie-Rich wrote:Got Geo AT/R 215/70. full 2 inch lift. So I understand I'll take a hit, but 300k to a tank is nuts junior!!

Thats the tyres I run, the spare does fit in the wheel well. Just knock the panels out slightly with a rubber mallet

Before I had my engine issues I would quite easily get 500km+ every tank no matter if it was the highway, around town or beach driving. Now its around 300-450 but I need to get some semi-major mechanical work done. Before the issues too I almost got 800km once on the highway while doing 100km/hr

400, that really does seem quite low. Maybe try some SUEC, a new O2 sensor (usual life of around 150-250k km). What about spark plugs, leads, oil change? Hows all that?

Richie-Rich · Post by **Richie-Rich** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 8:29 pm

I'll chase up the 02 sensor and the engine cleaner.

Oil is only been in for about 5k, spark plug leads etc not to sure on, but i'll check.

Out if interest Taza, what type of pressures you running on the road with the Geo's?

Also thanks for the mallet tip!

taza · Post by **taza** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 8:41 pm

Richie-Rich wrote:I'll chase up the 02 sensor and the engine cleaner.

Oil is only been in for about 5k, spark plug leads etc not to sure on, but i'll check.

Out if interest Taza, what type of pressures you running on the road with the Geo's?

Also thanks for the mallet tip!

You can get the engine cleaner from a Subaru Dealer, should only cost $15 or about that.

I run 31-32psi in my tyres all round. I did have 34 but it wore in the middle abit too much and if I run 29-30 it wears on the outside. 32 is a good inbetween

I did the mallet idea in the engine bay too so I could move the battery to the otherside. Now fitting a supercharger to where the battery originally was for abit more power

It could be worth doing the leads and spark plugs if they haven't been done in a while.

Taza

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 8:42 pm

wow 800ks! thats nuts. my best was 630 with fuel light just coming on

taza · Post by **taza** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:01 pm

thunder039 wrote:wow 800ks! thats nuts. my best was 630 with fuel light just coming on

Yeah, I got 640 with Geraldton driving. So kind city and at that point I went around a corner and she spluttered abit. I worked that out to be something like 7L per 100km around town. or 7.5. Something like that. Plus that was with my bigger tyres, lift kit installed and roof racks on

Thats a cool roof top tent you have on the foz!

Now i seem to get worse economy on the highway than around town. I get about 400km to the tank on the highway now

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:18 pm

taza wrote:
Thats a cool roof top tent you have on the foz!

Now i seem to get worse economy on the highway than around town. I get about 400km to the tank on the highway now

thanks i love the tent!

400km on the highway is pretty crap :P

whats this super charger your putting on?

taza · Post by **taza** » Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:30 pm

thunder039 wrote:thanks i love the tent!

400km on the highway is pretty crap :P

whats this super charger your putting on?

I want a roof mounted tent but since im moving to the city it wouldn't be worth it. Im putting an SC14 toyota Supercharger on and will run about 4.5psi boost. Should give me around 35% more power, so silimar if not slightly more than the 2.5 in the next gen foz. Plus it will give me heaps of torque which is needed as the 2.0l currently just runs out of puff

Ive read of people doing them and driving over 150,000km with them on runing much more boost so the enigne internals will easily handle it. I can also wire it to have a switch so I can turn it on and off when I want just like an aircon compressor.

My engine has to come out this year sometime though as my massive power and economy loss is due to her burning over 1litre of oil ever 1000km. But once thats sorted and with the SC she should be great

The charger should arrive in the mail tomorrow so I can work on puttin it in next week once ive moved to Perth this weekend