Poor Fuel Economy After Dealership Oil Change

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Hi Folks,

This is my first post after lurking here for the past month...

I drive a 2001 Honda Accord 4 cyl 5 spd and I have always done my own maintenance on every vehicle I have owned. Recently circumstances precluded me from doing my own oil change so I had the dealership do it for me. Over the course of 1,000 kilometers driven after the oil change my fuel economy decreased to 29.5 miles per gallon. Well, that was enough to make me drain the oil and refill. Over the next 2,300 kilometers the fuel economy was back up to where it normaly would be, 33.5 miles per gallon.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I find it difficult to believe that there would be 12% drop in fuel economy from one oil to another. This also raises the question as to what "oil" the dealership is using on their customer's vehicles.
 
IMO, don't think that a change of oil could create such a difference in mileage. Even if you had been using a much lighter oil than what the dealership put in.

Can't imagine that even going from an energy conserving 5w20 to an HDEO 15w40 would cost you 4mpg. But whatever. Sounds like you'll be okay since you've changed back.

And BTW,
welcome2.gif


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I used 5W40 Syntec in my wifes Jetta and she was getting 25 mpg even after a full tune up. This last oil change im using 5W30 GTX and auto rx for the clean phase and now shes getting 30 mpg...i dont think rx would work that fast but then again it is a miracle drug.
 
Did you check the oil level from the dealer's change to see if it was terribly overfilled?

And this might sound crazy, but are you really sure they changed the oil? It wouldn't be the first time a shop charged a customer for service not performed.
 
I hate to say it but 29.5 MPG is still pretty good for your Accord. Of course, there could be a few factors for the decreased MPG. All, I can say is, "It is... what it is."

Peace,
Paul
 
Sorry, should have clarified that my numbers are based on imperial gallons as I am in The Great White North. Conversion factor to U.S. gallons is 1.2 so.....

29.5 miles per imperial gallon = 24.58 miles per US gallon

33.5 miles per imperial gallon = 27.91 miles per US gallon
 
What types of oil are we talking about:

A) What did the dealership put in, at least according the paperwork;

B) What did you then change it to?

No oil change would increase your mileage 12%, period!
 
Over 3 MPG [US] is HUGE!
I would say it is impossible to achieve this disparity with engine oil alone. Maybe if they put gear oil in the engine and it was very cold that day.
Other factors are my conclusion.
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
What types of oil are we talking about:

A) What did the dealership put in, at least according the paperwork;

B) What did you then change it to?

No oil change would increase your mileage 12%, period!


Vehicle is spec'd for 5w20.

Paperwork specifies 5w20.

I put in Valvoline Maxlife 5w20.

I have to agree that the 12% difference in fuel consumption is very strange which is why I have been scratching my head for the past few weeks trying to figure it out.

Now, the one thing they also did was spray grease on all hinges and the battery posts. It has been suggested that they may have disconnected the battery to clean the posts and the computer may have had to go thru its learning curve again. Not sure how valid this suggestion is. Seems unlikely that process would take 1000 km. to resolve itself and coincide with my oil change.
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Over 3 MPG [US] is HUGE!
I would say it is impossible to achieve this disparity with engine oil alone. Maybe if they put gear oil in the engine and it was very cold that day.
Other factors are my conclusion.

+1
I am willing to bet tire pressures. More than once I've received a car back from service where the tires were rotated balanced and "adjusted" to 29 psi, even though the placard states 32 psi and I run 36-37 psi.
 
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