[4th Gen : 01-07]: Improving mileage
Amateur
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 40
Likes: 1
Registered User
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: New York
Replace Injectors & Spark Plugs!
The gas mileage on my 2006 Grand Caravan (with 196k miles) improved tremendously after replacing the Fuel Injectors and Spark Plugs!
Are you sure the spark plugs were replaced with your “tune-up”?
Replacing the Fuel Injectors is NOT typically included in a tune-up.
And Double-check that the Air Filter was replaced.
Good luck!
Are you sure the spark plugs were replaced with your “tune-up”?
Replacing the Fuel Injectors is NOT typically included in a tune-up.
And Double-check that the Air Filter was replaced.
Good luck!
Record Breaker
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,111
Likes: 8
From: poynette WI
I see you missed the "actual" mileage, aka calculated at the pump portion of that....... You also missed this part: Hell, even my 94 with the 3.8 swap mated to the built 4 speed averages 22-24 mpg in mixed use and pulls mid/high 20s cruising highway. - I didn't miss your "actual mileage" calculation ..... but it seems impossible . Dodge gives an 25MPG max on highway - and you are getting 34 ? With all due respect - do you have some special Dodge Grand Caravan that the company that manufactures them doesn't know about ???
Chances are you have things wrong with both your vans, you just don't know it. 130k miles on both, have either had their regular maintenance done? - Yes !!! - I agree - something is wrong with my vans they burn too much.
Plugs, coils, coolant flush, thermostat,,transmission fluid/filter change, EGR change, PCV - ALL CHANGED .( also o2 sesors and cat converter ) - no difference in MPG
What's your driving style? - I think "old lady" is appropriate description
Where are you driving? - driving in new york city
Are you resetting your mileage calculator each fill up as you should? - That gives wrong average if it's done at every fill up. - I only do actual mileage - by gallons purchased at the pump MPG.
I guess i just have bad luck with old cars ;-)
Chances are you have things wrong with both your vans, you just don't know it. 130k miles on both, have either had their regular maintenance done? - Yes !!! - I agree - something is wrong with my vans they burn too much.
Plugs, coils, coolant flush, thermostat,,transmission fluid/filter change, EGR change, PCV - ALL CHANGED .( also o2 sesors and cat converter ) - no difference in MPG
What's your driving style? - I think "old lady" is appropriate description
Where are you driving? - driving in new york city
Are you resetting your mileage calculator each fill up as you should? - That gives wrong average if it's done at every fill up. - I only do actual mileage - by gallons purchased at the pump MPG.
I guess i just have bad luck with old cars ;-)
My 94 is rated at 15city/17mixed/20hwy, yet I average 22-24 mpg in mixed use, 24-26 mpg hwy.
I've found that babying them DOES NOT help economy as the engines make no power at low rpms, so they just sit sucking fuel chugging along. I tend to drive with a quite heavy foot, 3500 rpms is my van's shift point under "normal" driving in the 2018.
Your biggest issue here is likely the NYC driving. That's pure stop light to stop light racing with loads of idle in between, not exactly good for economy on any vehicle, let alone a 4500lb brick with no low end torque.
The mileage calculator needs to be reset each fill up to be accurate for each tank of fuel, not sure where you got the information that it would give the wrong average if done at each fill up, but it's incorrect. I reset mine each fill up when I reset my trip meter. Then I get a "current tank" reading for economy, which I then verify at the pump by taken the miles driven that tank divided by the gallons used.
I didn't know treads " expire" ?! .....not trying to "revive" or " kill" any tread ......saw it while scrolling so I was curious what gas mileage people get. i definately know mine is very poor. yet nothing wrong with the van ....no warning lights , good power and acceleration . just enormous gas guzzzler. :-(
Amateur
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 40
Likes: 1
"Dodge" doesn't give anything, the EPA does and we all know EPA test cycles are a joke when compared with real world mileage. I've never had a vehicle fail to average over EPA ratings. In pure city use my 2018 averages between 18-22 mpg real world, averages 24-26 mpg in mixed use, and pulls 29-34 on the highway. Highway mileage is highly dependent on speed and we still have a lot of 55 mph highways. 58 mph is a sweet spot for mileage, as is 72 mph. Once you break over 75 mph, mileage starts dropping like a rock.
My 94 is rated at 15city/17mixed/20hwy, yet I average 22-24 mpg in mixed use, 24-26 mpg hwy.
I've found that babying them DOES NOT help economy as the engines make no power at low rpms, so they just sit sucking fuel chugging along. I tend to drive with a quite heavy foot, 3500 rpms is my van's shift point under "normal" driving in the 2018.
Your biggest issue here is likely the NYC driving. That's pure stop light to stop light racing with loads of idle in between, not exactly good for economy on any vehicle, let alone a 4500lb brick with no low end torque.
The mileage calculator needs to be reset each fill up to be accurate for each tank of fuel, not sure where you got the information that it would give the wrong average if done at each fill up, but it's incorrect. I reset mine each fill up when I reset my trip meter. Then I get a "current tank" reading for economy, which I then verify at the pump by taken the miles driven that tank divided by the gallons used.
My 94 is rated at 15city/17mixed/20hwy, yet I average 22-24 mpg in mixed use, 24-26 mpg hwy.
I've found that babying them DOES NOT help economy as the engines make no power at low rpms, so they just sit sucking fuel chugging along. I tend to drive with a quite heavy foot, 3500 rpms is my van's shift point under "normal" driving in the 2018.
Your biggest issue here is likely the NYC driving. That's pure stop light to stop light racing with loads of idle in between, not exactly good for economy on any vehicle, let alone a 4500lb brick with no low end torque.
The mileage calculator needs to be reset each fill up to be accurate for each tank of fuel, not sure where you got the information that it would give the wrong average if done at each fill up, but it's incorrect. I reset mine each fill up when I reset my trip meter. Then I get a "current tank" reading for economy, which I then verify at the pump by taken the miles driven that tank divided by the gallons used.
Record Breaker
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,111
Likes: 8
From: poynette WI
I agree ,driving in new york sucks .... :-( 5-6 miles per hour average speed ! You are lucky if you drive 10 miles in an hour and a half ;-) I am not expecting the best city MPG of 17mpg as "advertised" by EPA,Dodge , whoever does this ratings...it's online ....but i wasn't expecting to be that bad
I had the car for a week before we left for NY. Our average in mixed driving was 32 mpg and we averaged 40 mpg the whole trip out there.
Our mileage in NY however was 16 mpg.