Gas Mileage Thread for Mazdaspeed3

[Garu]

I know most of you didn't buy this car to be fuel efficient. But watching gas price nowadays I can't help to think about the gas mileage.

First two tank during break in I've got about 370km out of full tank. After the break in, the gas mileage increased significantly to about 450km average out of full tank.

I've been using Esso, on the last tank I almost got 500km (9.3L/100km using majic's sheet) on a tank.

I've been noticing very mild pinging when the rpm is decreasing from about 2500 to 1000. I usually notice it at 1500 to 1100. The exhaust produces sort of like double pop. Pinging is the right terminology here right? I decided to use Sunoco 94 octane. I'm just first 1/4 of the tank so I'll see if there is any change. But oh boy, Sunoco's gas does burn lot faster. Perhaps this is not related to gas octane?

BTW, my average consumption on meter says 8.9.

[Wild Weasel]

Note that Esso has been charging 89 octane prices for the 91 lately. I thought it might have been a fluke the first time, but it's been like 4 fill-ups in a row now!

My average consumption as of my last fill-up was 10.01 L/100 km's.

384.831L for 3844.3 km's.

[MPS]

meh i get about 300/350 if luky

[Garu]

meh i get about 300/350 if luky

One of the symptoms of heavy right foot syndrome.

[MPS]

yaa i got that for sure

[Wild Weasel]

Yeah, I think Vlad will make for a good benchmark on what the worst case scenario might be.

[Unoriginalusername]

i get 400-450 something for in town to work and back tanks, and low to mid 500 on a few of the more hwy tanks.

[Skarbro]

Post the figure off the fuel computer. You should post the average speed figure as well. It doesn't make sense without it.

[WhiteSpeed3]

meh i get about 300/350 if luky

i get the same

stupid heavy foot

[Flagrum_3]

I know most of you didn't buy this car to be fuel efficient. But watching gas price nowadays I can't help to think about the gas mileage.

First two tank during break in I've got about 370km out of full tank. After the break in, the gas mileage increased significantly to about 450km average out of full tank.

I've been using Esso, on the last tank I almost got 500km (9.3L/100km using majic's sheet) on a tank.

I've been noticing very mild pinging when the rpm is decreasing from about 2500 to 1000. I usually notice it at 1500 to 1100. The exhaust produces sort of like double pop. Pinging is the right terminology here right? I decided to use Sunoco 94 octane. I'm just first 1/4 of the tank so I'll see if there is any change. But oh boy, Sunoco's gas does burn lot faster. Perhaps this is not related to gas octane?

BTW, my average consumption on meter says 8.9.

I think its pretty awesome if you can get 450-500+ km per tank, considering the power these engines are producing.A question for you though, Why use the 94 Octane? I don't believe it asks for that! ....using a higher octane will most likely not proof beneficial especially gas mileage wise.You should stick to what it calls for nothing more.
Also I believe the popping you are hearing is not 'pinging' it is called 'back-firing'.Pinking is when the engine is under load (increasing revs) and it sounds like marbles floating around in the engine, what you hear most times when revs are dropping is unburned fuel entering the exhaust which then ignites causing the 'pops', ....its normal.


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[Garu]

I think its pretty awesome if you can get 450-500+ km per tank, considering the power these engines are producing.A question for you though, Why use the 94 Octane? I don't believe it asks for that! ....using a higher octane will most likely not proof beneficial especially gas mileage wise.You should stick to what it calls for nothing more.
Also I believe the popping you are hearing is not 'pinging' it is called 'back-firing'.Pinking is when the engine is under load (increasing revs) and it sounds like marbles floating around in the engine, what you hear most times when revs are dropping is unburned fuel entering the exhaust which then ignites causing the 'pops', ....its normal.


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Because I've recently started hear this noise from the exhaust. It used to be very uniform. I was wondering if it was the gas, that's why I've switched to 94 see if it makes a difference.

[Unoriginalusername]

5000kms and i haven't burnt anything other than sunocco 94 yet

[Flagrum_3]

Well going to a higher octane will not cure it! It'll most definitely make it worse as less fuel will be burnt properly.You should stick to the proper grade and try different fuels i.e such as Shell or Petro. IMO Shell is the best quality fuel out there.


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[cereal83]

When I went to 94 octane, I got only 400 km/tank instead of the regular 500 km/tank

the higher octane does nothing except waste money for a normal 3

[Unoriginalusername]

When I went to 94 octane, I got only 400 km/tank instead of the regular 500 km/tank

the higher octane does nothing except waste money for a normal 3

Given this thread is in the mazdaspeed section that is kinda what the conversation is about ... i agree that premium for all cars isn't worth it, but with turbo/super charged cars, higher compression engines you can't go wrong with the higher grade.

[Garu]

I'm gonna try Shell when I get my air miles card.

[PlatMS6]

SUN94 always, get about 330-350/60L tank *this is full to gas light ~50L fill

So approx 14L/100km
...not complaining

[Flagrum_3]

Given this thread is in the mazdaspeed section that is kinda what the conversation is about ... i agree that premium for all cars isn't worth it, but with turbo/super charged cars, higher compression engines you can't go wrong with the higher grade.

We are talking specifically here about the MazdaSpeed3, nothing else.Now my point is whatever grade Mazda recommends people use and I'm not sure, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe its 92 octane which is recommended.Therefore no higher should be used has it will show no benefits and could possibly be a detriment in several ways.(Unless of course alterations have been made which would warrant an increase in the octane-count)


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[Garu]

Did average 10.96 on paper.
8.8 on computer. But I've reset it recently when CAI got installed.

[Unoriginalusername]

We are talking specifically here about the MazdaSpeed3, nothing else.Now my point is whatever grade Mazda recommends people use and I'm not sure, so correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe its 92 octane which is recommended.Therefore no higher should be used has it will show no benefits and could possibly be a detriment in several ways.(Unless of course alterations have been made which would warrant an increase in the octane-count)

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Mannual says:

Premium unleaded fuel 91 [ (R+M)/2 method] or above (96 RON or above)
This vehicle is designed for and requires use of premium unleaded fuel. If 91 octane fuel [(R+M)/2 method] (96RON) is not available, gasoline as low as 87 octane [ (R+M)/2 method] (91RON) can be used temporarily for emergency purposes. Use of gasoline lower than 91 octane [ (R+M)/2 method] (96RON) can decrease performance during its use.
Refueling the vehicle with the correct octane fuel a couple of times will restore vehicle performance.

[Wild Weasel]

If I'm not mistaken, I think that if you continue to use 94 over time, this engine will adapt and make use of it.

There was something on the M3F forums about this.

That said, I only use 91. If there's a tad more power with 94, I don't think it's worth the extra money to me or effort to find.

As for posting what the computer says... I've found it to be inaccurate over a few tanks now. On my last tank, the computer said 9.3 but I calculated 10.1. On the tank before that, the computer said 7.3 and I calculated 8.34

Maybe I should stop resetting the computer at each tank and just see where it averages out over time.

[Unoriginalusername]

If I'm not mistaken, I think that if you continue to use 94 over time, this engine will adapt and make use of it.

There was something on the M3F forums about this.

That said, I only use 91. If there's a tad more power with 94, I don't think it's worth the extra money to me or effort to find.

As for posting what the computer says... I've found it to be inaccurate over a few tanks now. On my last tank, the computer said 9.3 but I calculated 10.1. On the tank before that, the computer said 7.3 and I calculated 8.34

Maybe I should stop resetting the computer at each tank and just see where it averages out over time.

well when it says that 91 is the minimum and above is better and i live near a sunoco its an easy call for me until i go on a trip lol

hmmm my computer isn't as far off from my actuals... could be different stations pumps click off sooner or something?

[Wild Weasel]

I suppose I'll find out. Starting with the last tank, I'm now filling up to the first click and then stopping.

Won't affect my average, but it sould change the individual tank readings and make them more consistant.

[3GFX]

So I just got my MS cat-back and my current milage is 197km at half a tank. Lol, just love the sound way to much

[Flagrum_3]

well when it says that 91 is the minimum and above is better and i live near a sunoco its an easy call for me until i go on a trip lol

hmmm my computer isn't as far off from my actuals... could be different stations pumps click off sooner or something?

First of all thanks for posting the info from the manual. ...but I get a different meaning from it than you.I see it has 91 is the grade you specifically should use and above is okay to use also, it is not better, it is just okay to use if 91 is not available.You have to understand that the vehicle is designed to run on 91 (Compression, timing etc and if you use a higher octane fuel regularly you do run the risk of fouling the engine and increasing carbon build-up.On the other hand as the engines get much older and carbon build up has already occurred which will happen normaly a higher octane may be neccessary to eliminate any pinging.Mind you all engines and driving enviroments are not identical, so it is a hit and miss thing where you can experiment to see which fuel does run better in your specific vehicle i.e power vs cleanliness...I am also curious whether Mazda took into account the ethanol contents in fuel as it is different in all brands of fuel and grades.


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