.:HSTuners::

solanog · 10-23-2006, 11:11 AM

Hi, I bought a 1999 Civic. It is making 26 MPG, I was expecting 28-30MPG. I drive somewhat a combined route, 10 minutes (7mi) Highway and 45min (12mi)city.
I owned a 1990 Accord that was making around 22mpg in the same situation. BTW the Accord felt much more powerful the Civic is not or should I drive it differently from the Accord. The Civic has a sticker that says Powered by Honda, should it read UNDERPowered by Honda? Or is it just me?
What is your advice?

JDMFantasy2k · 10-23-2006, 12:27 PM

time for a tune up, guaranteed

i've gotten 34 mpg in my turbo civic on the highway...

not sure how mechanically inclined you are but here's something that should be done if you love your car...

sparkplugs
wires
inspect cap+roror, replace if bad
Clean fuel injectors
new fuel filter
Seafoam engine
Clean throttle body
valve lash adjustment
change engine coolant
waterpump
timing belt
tensioner

the last 4 items are optional, but if you don't have any maintenance records for the car and it has over 70,000 miles, then it's probably a good idea to change them. Also if you car is an automatic, get your transmission fluid changed, so you know it's fresh, and then change it every 25,000 miles afterward (trust me on this).

solanog · 10-23-2006, 01:58 PM

My car is a 1999 LX with manual transmission, I live in Costa Rica and this one is not an US version, but it comes with the d16y7 engine.
The car is 66500 miles when I bought it around 2000 miles ago I did the timing belt, seals and tensioner, also a tune up was done (plugs, gas filter, air filter, wires, cap and rotor where not changed they are O.K), injectors where cleaned, valves adjusted. So I think I'm missing only the throttle body cleaning, seafoam and water pump.
How should the throttle body be cleaned? The dealer sells a spray can for that, is it just following the instructions on the can (I did that with my 1990 Accord).
What is seafoam?
I use the A/C like 50% of the time I drive.

JDMFantasy2k · 10-23-2006, 06:38 PM

AC is probably killing you. It really hurts our gas mileage because it's such a load on our small engines. Cleaning the throttle body can be done off the car or on the car. That depends on if you want to buy a new gasket so you can put it back on. To clean it on the car just take off the airbox assembly, open the throttle body, and spray carb cleaner all in there, and then wipe with a rag. Or you can take it off the car, and clean it with brake cleaner or soak it in parts cleaner, and it also makes it easier to clean in the intake manifold.

Seafoam is a petroluem based cleaner that you can add to your oil, gas, and intake. You just take off the brake booster hose, and SLOWLY pour liquid in. the liquid will atomize from the intake manifold temperature and you'll see white smoke like crazy. Just keep the holding the throttle cable a little cause the seafoam can bog it out. And DO NOT add too much because some idiots have hydrolocked their motors. But the seafoam will break up carbon deposits on the valves and in the combustion chambers. Pouring it in your gas will clean up your fuel system, and putting it in the oil will help break up deposits in the engine. But don't run it in your oil too long because it hinders the oil's lubrication properties. I'd say 50 miles and change the oil, but that's just me.

solanog · 10-23-2006, 06:54 PM

Where is seafoam available? I might order some on line and use it in the older Accord which has much more miles on it.
I'll go the easy way, I'll get the throttle cleaner from Honda or a carburetor cleaner.
I'll try to use the A/C a little less and see what happens with my mileage.
thanks a lot for your help.
BTW, Oil change is about 250m away, I'm thinking about Total (French made motor oil used by Citroen and Peugeot) 5W40 synthetic oil, would you recommend synthetic for this LX? Currently it's running on Shell's 20w-50. Suposedly 5W40 synthetic will help a little with the mileage.

10-23-2006, 11:11 AM	#1
solanog Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 92	Is it my driving? Hi, I bought a 1999 Civic. It is making 26 MPG, I was expecting 28-30MPG. I drive somewhat a combined route, 10 minutes (7mi) Highway and 45min (12mi)city. I owned a 1990 Accord that was making around 22mpg in the same situation. BTW the Accord felt much more powerful the Civic is not or should I drive it differently from the Accord. The Civic has a sticker that says Powered by Honda, should it read UNDERPowered by Honda? Or is it just me? What is your advice?

10-23-2006, 12:27 PM	#2
JDMFantasy2k Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: northeastern connecticut Age: 37 Posts: 1,765	time for a tune up, guaranteed i've gotten 34 mpg in my turbo civic on the highway... not sure how mechanically inclined you are but here's something that should be done if you love your car... sparkplugs wires inspect cap+roror, replace if bad Clean fuel injectors new fuel filter Seafoam engine Clean throttle body valve lash adjustment change engine coolant waterpump timing belt tensioner the last 4 items are optional, but if you don't have any maintenance records for the car and it has over 70,000 miles, then it's probably a good idea to change them. Also if you car is an automatic, get your transmission fluid changed, so you know it's fresh, and then change it every 25,000 miles afterward (trust me on this). __________________

10-23-2006, 06:38 PM	#4
JDMFantasy2k Registered User Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: northeastern connecticut Age: 37 Posts: 1,765	AC is probably killing you. It really hurts our gas mileage because it's such a load on our small engines. Cleaning the throttle body can be done off the car or on the car. That depends on if you want to buy a new gasket so you can put it back on. To clean it on the car just take off the airbox assembly, open the throttle body, and spray carb cleaner all in there, and then wipe with a rag. Or you can take it off the car, and clean it with brake cleaner or soak it in parts cleaner, and it also makes it easier to clean in the intake manifold. Seafoam is a petroluem based cleaner that you can add to your oil, gas, and intake. You just take off the brake booster hose, and SLOWLY pour liquid in. the liquid will atomize from the intake manifold temperature and you'll see white smoke like crazy. Just keep the holding the throttle cable a little cause the seafoam can bog it out. And DO NOT add too much because some idiots have hydrolocked their motors. But the seafoam will break up carbon deposits on the valves and in the combustion chambers. Pouring it in your gas will clean up your fuel system, and putting it in the oil will help break up deposits in the engine. But don't run it in your oil too long because it hinders the oil's lubrication properties. I'd say 50 miles and change the oil, but that's just me. __________________

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10-23-2006, 01:58 PM	#3
solanog Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 92	My car is a 1999 LX with manual transmission, I live in Costa Rica and this one is not an US version, but it comes with the d16y7 engine. The car is 66500 miles when I bought it around 2000 miles ago I did the timing belt, seals and tensioner, also a tune up was done (plugs, gas filter, air filter, wires, cap and rotor where not changed they are O.K), injectors where cleaned, valves adjusted. So I think I'm missing only the throttle body cleaning, seafoam and water pump. How should the throttle body be cleaned? The dealer sells a spray can for that, is it just following the instructions on the can (I did that with my 1990 Accord). What is seafoam? I use the A/C like 50% of the time I drive.

10-23-2006, 06:54 PM	#5
solanog Registered User Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 92	Where is seafoam available? I might order some on line and use it in the older Accord which has much more miles on it. I'll go the easy way, I'll get the throttle cleaner from Honda or a carburetor cleaner. I'll try to use the A/C a little less and see what happens with my mileage. thanks a lot for your help. BTW, Oil change is about 250m away, I'm thinking about Total (French made motor oil used by Citroen and Peugeot) 5W40 synthetic oil, would you recommend synthetic for this LX? Currently it's running on Shell's 20w-50. Suposedly 5W40 synthetic will help a little with the mileage.