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Bad Spark Plugs = Bad Gas Mileage?

N

NokiaDude

Diamond Member
During the last month I've been experiencing really low gas mileage on my 96 chevrolet lumina ls. The spark plugs are originals and the car has 145k miles. My last tank of 14 gallons only drove me 219 miles!!! It should be up in the 350-400 miles per tank zone.
 
Wow, those should have been done a while ago. Change out your plugs, wires, cap, rotor and air filter and see how it goes. Although if you have experiences a sharp drop in mileage without an accompanying sharp increase in loping, I doubt it is your plugs.

But they should be done in any event
 
They're originals, came with the car! The fuel filter I don't know, but two months ago I started the car and it ran out of gas.
 
Originally posted by: NokiaDude
They're originals, came with the car! The fuel filter I don't know, but two months ago I started the car and it ran out of gas.
Click to expand...

Normal (non platinum) plugs usually need replacement after 30k or so. I'd say change them. Bad spark --> car runs like crap.

 
Originally posted by: DuffmanOhYeah
Wow, those should have been done a while ago. Change out your plugs, wires, cap, rotor and air filter and see how it goes. Although if you have experiences a sharp drop in mileage without an accompanying sharp increase in loping, I doubt it is your plugs.

But they should be done in any event
Click to expand...
Is there a difference between the nice 4-electrode BOSCH spark plugs and the NGK high-end ones? I'm figuring about $30 for spark plugs but how much for what you have listed?
 
Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
Originally posted by: NokiaDude
They're originals, came with the car! The fuel filter I don't know, but two months ago I started the car and it ran out of gas.
Click to expand...

Normal (non platinum) plugs usually need replacement after 30k or so. I'd say change them. Bad spark --> car runs like crap.
Click to expand...
Chevy says the spark plugs are platinum. Will I really see a diference between the "high-end" spark plugs? Do they really give a "brighter" spark? I like those Iridium kind.
 
Originally posted by: NokiaDude
Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
Originally posted by: NokiaDude
They're originals, came with the car! The fuel filter I don't know, but two months ago I started the car and it ran out of gas.
Click to expand...

Normal (non platinum) plugs usually need replacement after 30k or so. I'd say change them. Bad spark --> car runs like crap.
Click to expand...
Chevy says the spark plugs are platinum. Will I really see a diference between the "high-end" spark plugs? Do they really give a "brighter" spark? I like those Iridium kind.
Click to expand...

Honestly I don't know. Why waste so much money on a plain jane lumina. Not exactly a high tech high performance engine right. Just go with the factory recommended ones. Oh and BTW platinumns needs to be replaced after 100k or so, so you're still way over due.

 
Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
Originally posted by: NokiaDude
Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
Originally posted by: NokiaDude
They're originals, came with the car! The fuel filter I don't know, but two months ago I started the car and it ran out of gas.
Click to expand...

Normal (non platinum) plugs usually need replacement after 30k or so. I'd say change them. Bad spark --> car runs like crap.
Click to expand...
Chevy says the spark plugs are platinum. Will I really see a diference between the "high-end" spark plugs? Do they really give a "brighter" spark? I like those Iridium kind.
Click to expand...

Honestly I don't know. Why waste so much money on a plain jane lumina. Not exactly a high tech high performance engine right. Just go with the factory recommended ones. Oh and BTW platinumns needs to be replaced after 100k or so, so you're still way over due.
Click to expand...

Plain Jane? PLAIN JANE?!
PLAIN JANe!!!!!!!!!!!


Gay Mike.
 
Originally posted by: Howard
You don't need the fancy ones. Stick with the NGK ones (I'm pretty sure they have a model selector).
Click to expand...

Okay, the NGK ones are $3 a pop. So that'll save me $12 over getting the expensive BOSCH ones. The reason I want to get high-end spark plugs is because I like to drive the car like I STOLE IT! ( But I still get around 350 miles per tank!!) So when the car slows down I'm not as happy.
 
What motor do you have the 3.1L or the DOHC 3.4L

By the sounds of it you probable have the 3.1L as the 3.4L has a timing belt and the engine would have grenaded by now with your lack of maintaince.


If it is a 3.1L as I believe it is.

Spark plugs: Reg. Bosch Plat (replace every 30K)
Plug Wires: Advance = Autolite or at Autozone = Bosch
Replace Fuel Filter and PCV valve
Your car does not have a cap and rotor, so no need to worry.

And lastly is your check engine light on? If not replace the items I said above and report back.
 
Originally posted by: Marlin1975
What motor do you have the 3.1L or the DOHC 3.4L

By the sounds of it you probable have the 3.1L as the 3.4L has a timing belt and the engine would have grenaded by now with your lack of maintaince.


If it is a 3.1L as I believe it is.

Spark plugs: Reg. Bosch Plat (replace every 30K)
Plug Wires: Advance = Autolite or at Autozone = Bosch
Replace Fuel Filter and PCV valve
Your car does not have a cap and rotor, so no need to worry.

And lastly is your check engine light on? If not replace the items I said above and report back.
Click to expand...
Correct, I have the 3.1L engine. I replaced the PCV valve about three months ago becuase it began to leak. I'll have plugs and wires installed by my mechanic. I'll buy the spark plugs themselves because I want to feel like they'll give more of a performance boost than the ones off his shelf.

😀

 
I'm surprised you'd notice a loss of gas mileage from that without an accompanying loss of drive quality. When the plugs were going on my sentra the thing started to drive like a POS (haha anybody saying doesn't it always).
 
Originally posted by: Skoorb
I'm surprised you'd notice a loss of gas mileage from that without an accompanying loss of drive quality. When the plugs were going on my sentra the thing started to drive like a POS (haha anybody saying doesn't it always).
Click to expand...

Maybe the EFI is making up for the bad plugs? I don't really know.
 
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