On Thu, 4 Jul 1996, Mike wrote:

>         While returning from my long weekend bush adventure I noticed that
> I was consuming fuel at a very increased rate. Granted I did have one more
> passenger, my girlfreind, but she weighs about the same as the amount of
> water we had consumed from the tank, so I know it wasnt that. I checked for
> leaks underneath, thinking that I may have puntured a fuel line or some
> damned thing, but it offered no greater insight. The hills were bad coming
> home, but again, not a drastic enough change to account for the dimished
> fuel. The trip home to Edmonton was about 300km, and I used almost 2 full
> tanks. SOMETHING IS WRONG!
>         I now turn to you for insight o' wise list members.
> 

- Check your O2 sensor. If it hasn't been replaced in awhile, you
should replace it. ( < $50 I think). A bad O2 sensor will drop your
mileage in half. My '84 Vanagon went from 10mpg to 19pmg when I
replaced the O2 sensor this spring. The 02 sensor is that cylindrical
thing screwed into the exhaust pipe. It should have a wire coming out
of it.

(p.s. the O2 sensor light only does not come on when the O2 goes bad.)

- Booker C. Bense : bbense@networking.stanford.edu