Lower than average fuel economy (98 Civic LX CDN)

Hi there,

My Car:
1998 Civic LX (canadian)
185000km (115000mi)

mileage: 400-450km/tank (250-300mi) city

That brings to to about 9km/L (or 22MPG US, BRUTAL!).

Just wondering, other than the bitter cold, what could be contributing to the brutal gas mileage I have been getting of late (its been warmer and it still hasn't gotten any better)?

One weird thing... its got way more get up and go than I remember it having for quite a while.... Do I need to reset my ECU??

t

 

One strong possibility:

When was the last time you changed the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV)
valve?

Honda manuals typically say they should be inspected at 60k miles. Many people
just replace them, as they're cheap.

I replaced my original PCV valve last spring at 140k miles, and my fuel mileage
shot up 20% or so.

brutal gas mileage I have been getting of late (its been warmer and it still
hasn't gotten any better)?

for quite a while.... Do I need to reset my ECU??

 

You know, I don't think I've ever done the PCV Valve. If it was really plugged, would it make a whistling noise at idle if it was plugged?

I tried to locate it, even with the diagram, I can't find the bloody thing... any hints on how to get at the PCV?

t

 

Have you tried the diagram at the following link?

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&cat
cgry1=Civic&catcgry2=1998&catcgry3=4DR+LX&catcgry4=KA4AT&catcgry5=BREATHER+CHAMB
ER+%281%29

If the link above doesn't work, go to
http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/catdisplay.jsp , put in all
your relevant car info, and select "breather chamber."

On your car look especially for the big air intake manifold (on the left in the
drawing; it's hard to miss on one's car). Then look for the black rubber tube
(item 4 in the drawing) that attaches to the PCV valve.

It helps to have the new valve in hand to match up parts...

Another guy with a 98 Civic wrote his PCV valve was a pain to get at, but it can
be done. I think the guy said he had to get at it from underneath and it cost
him and his mechanic(!) some scraped knuckles. See the discussion at
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&threadm=7FWLb.2986%2
4zj7.1955%40newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net&rnum=6&prev=/groups%3Fas_q%3Dpcv%25
20valve%26safe%3Dimages%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3DUTF-8%26as_uauthors%3Dcaroline%26lr%
3D%26hl%3Den

Info for a 1995 Civic PCV valve appears at
http://www.honda.co.uk/owner/CivicManual/pdf/11-109.pdf . The drawing may not be
accurate for your car, but the little test to check the PCV valve operation is
pretty universal.

Alternatively, just about every public library I've seen has Chilton or Haynes
manuals for many years of Honda Civics. They're pretty good manuals and may have
a photo and some step-by-step instructions.

About the whistling: I'm not thee most experienced on this. I haven't heard of
this symptom but it seems to me blockage (in the PVC valve tube or in the valve
itself) could cause whistling.

Hope it works out for you. Updates are welcome.

plugged, would it make a whistling noise at idle if it was plugged?

any hints on how to get at the PCV?