I seem to have run into a problem when I Installed a polished aluminium intake tube from LS Koncepts along with the KKM filter. I have a 2001 V8 LS and was getting 21 -24 MPG in city traffic and around 28-30+ on the highway but when I installed these pieces my fuel economy tanked. I now get in the low teens around town and I’m lucky to get mid 20’s on the highway? I would think that if you make it breath better that the fuel economy would go up not down and yes my foot is into it at times but I’m not driving any different with this kit installed if anything I’m trying to drive with a light foot to increase up the numbers. Has anyone else had this experience? Any feed back would be greatly appreciated.
Bad fuel economy
- Thread starter jbarne89
- Start date
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
That logic is flawed. On a gasoline engine, improving airflow only effects full throttle operation. If you do not drive with the gas pedal all the way down, airflow is not really a factor. You already have a big restriction to airflow known as the throttle.
The high figures you quote are difficult to believe for an LS. The current figures you give sound about right, maybe just a little low.
I would guess that you have altered the accuracy of the MAF sensor.
Forgot to ask one more thing. This was happening before the mod’s as well, is oil consumption a usual thing? I put new chrome tips on the magneflows and I,ve noticed a black deposit that keeps coming back and I have to put a litre of oil in the engine every month. Is it a sign of things to come? Comments.
Intakes decrease mpg.
You are unrestricting the airflow into the engine, therefore it can breathe better and consume more fuel, resulting in less mpg but more power.
The AJV8 loves fuel....i would only worry if you dropped below 15mpg.
You are unrestricting the airflow into the engine, therefore it can breathe better and consume more fuel, resulting in less mpg but more power.
The AJV8 loves fuel....i would only worry if you dropped below 15mpg.
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
Both of mine are under 1/2 quart (the amount I would detect) of consumption every 5K miles.
Take the oil fill cap off with the engine running and put your hand over the opening. Do you feel very light and constant suction, or do you feel air pulsing out? If its pulsing out, then that means your rings are worn out.
mlara1129
Dedicated LVC Member
Ummm idk about that. I can't speak from exeperience on the LS, but i installed a CAI on my VW i averaged 2 mpgs more on my commute from NJ to PA, and back. Before the CAI i averaged 30mpgs, and after i consistently averaged 32mpgs
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
I don't believe that change was due to better airflow. It could have been due to a change in air temperature, and/or a change in the accuracy of the MAF reading.
mlara1129
Dedicated LVC Member
Nope,i also kept track of how many miles i was travelling on each full tank, and also consistently higher than without the CAI
joegr
Dedicated LVC Member
Okay, then what was the real purpose of installing a CAI if not to lower the intake air temperature? How can you be sure that the different airflow characteristics in the CAI didn't affect the accuracy of the MAF sensor?
mlara1129
Dedicated LVC Member
My purpose was to get more power, torque, and mpgs, which I did
As far as the MAF's accuracy, I cant speak for that. All im saying is i got better mpgs, and i was able to travel farther on a full tank of gas, because of the CAI. And if my memory serves me right, nothing else was done to the car at the time.Thanks for all the comments, I'll try feeling the air flow after removing the oil cap. I'm sure the MAF is affected. As far as the CAI is concerned, it's hard to get a good dense charge of cold air when the intake snakes around the top of the engine! Bloody engineers..
mlara1129
Dedicated LVC Member
i thought you said intakes decrease mpgs?
If the air is colder.
But in texas it hits 100 degrees out, so you get hot air. more air, but still hot.
scjmc
Dedicated LVC Member
I got a slight increase in mileage with KKM filter element. I am quite anal about fuel consumption monitoring and have a consisent commute. Stock the car got on average 23.5MPG. After I installed the KKM filter element (stock intake tube) it was 24MPG (no noticable differance in power). Torrie tuned it (noticable increase in power) 25.1MPG average for the last 75K miles.
Silver_LS
Dedicated LVC Member
I have never had colder air give better MPG's... infact in the winter I get worse in any vehicle I've ever had.
More power due to the cold / dense air but less MPG. Summer better economy but less power.
As for the LS and the K&N.. My average overall is still 23.
More power due to the cold / dense air but less MPG. Summer better economy but less power.
As for the LS and the K&N.. My average overall is still 23.
owlman
Dedicated LVC Member
Yeah don't hypermilers try to install warm air intakes? less power, more mpg
Silver_LS
Dedicated LVC Member
lol...
pagluy
Dedicated LVC Member
jbarne89, what you were getting origianlly (almost 30mpg hwy) sounds really off. In both my LS' I never got more than 26 at best on the highway. I'd guess that something was off before, and now it's working right...