First question..what kind of gas mileage do you guys get around the city? I tend to be a bit leadfooted sometimes but it feels like I'm getting about 18... I say this because my dad's Cavalier gets around 25 in the city, and I fill up my tank twice as much as he does! Haven't had enough money to fill it completely up and check.

Second question...exhaust smells. I noticed a funny smell in my exhaust the other day...more on a cold engine but still a tad when it's warm. I can't identify it...but it smells sweet. Actually makes the exhaust smell not so bad! Can't be good though..I was thinking antifreeze.....any ideas? It doesn't smoke at all and the last I checked, my radiator was filled to the top.

Thanks!

 

Yep, I tend to get about 18 MPG in town. I usually average about 25 MPG to a tank full, but I live 8 miles out of town, too. I would say that your mileage is about right. You didn't say what year cavalier it is. If it is one of the newer ones, then it is no wonder. They have much more technologically advanced engines, in addition to the 600 or 700 pounds less weight to lug around.

The sweet smell is definitely antifreeze. You might have a bad or slightly leaking head gasket. Are you sure that the sweet smell is coming through the exhaust? Do you see any white smoke, when there shouldn't be any coming out of the exhaust? It could be a leak that is puddling coolant on the top of your engine, and burning off as the engine warms up. That has happened to me several times. Hey, at least it isn't the overstuffed bean burrito fart smell of a bad catalytic converter!

 

two random questions

two random answers:

1)yes
and
2)36

Just kidding

I got around the same MPG as you, as I rarely did any highway driving, most of it being stop light to stop light, then get on a main road, go 50mph for 1/2 mile, stop at a light, go stop etc etc.

 

My mileage is bunk. I get around 15 mpg city and average 22-24 highway (although I did get 28mpg going 80+ mph to Vegas).

My fuel trim is constantly at around 108 and I can't find ANYTHING wrong with the car......so I gave up and accepted the crap-*** milage until i get the 3.4 built.

 

The Cavalier is a 98. Tad over 100 hp...105 I think he said. When he's been driving it, 0-60 of about 11.5. When I've been driving it for at least a week, 10.5. He drive so slow that he clogs his fuel injectors up. It's only got like 30,000 miles too...

And the only smoke I see is just the normal white-ish/transparent-ish vapor when it's cold out. Although ONCE I was surrounded in greyish-whitish smoke when I pulled up to a stop sign..the engine was started only like 45 seconds before that and it scared the living **** out of me. Never happened since then though. So, head gasket? F*ck. Well, could be worse. Speaking of..I saw a car pull out of an auto service shop yesterday..one in this complex of speed shops, best place in town to go for ***** equipment and stuff autozone and discount don't carry..it was some old person's car. The mechanic started it up..BLOOM, it coughed white smoke out..more than you'd believe. Every single exhaust plume, from every single cylinder, poured out STRAIGHT PURE WHITE THICK SMOKE...I couldn't believe it..I've never seen anything so horrible in my life. Warped heads? No heads? I mean daaaamn..

 

yep, 18 sounds about right, i dont have my v6 anymore, damn soccer moms cutting people off and causing accidents...anyway, yeah, the sweet smell could be something to watch out for, it would be easier to tell in the summer cause you dont get as much steam from your exhaust, but try and see if it looks a bit whiter than usual, it could be antifreeze, which could point to an impending head gasket problem....if it gets worse or you notice extra white smoke, definatly look into it...also, check your thermostat, it could be opening at too low a temperature for the cold weather, and it might get stuck which isnt good either, that could cause some leakage into the motor and white or sweet smelling smoke....

 

Speaking of sweet smell...anyone ever put that scented stuff in your gas tank that smells like fruits and ****?

Your dads Cavy is a 98? So is mine but its a Z24 5spd. I went out of town several times during T'sgiving break and averaged about 36 on the interstate. It's funny how is 0-60 is so high, mine is in the low 7's. Thats what .2 liters will do

 

I get around 23 mpg in the city. I have a feather foot and the hills down here in Southern Illinois allow me to use gravity and momentum to coast a lot without touching the gas pedal. I don't see any reason to have lead foot in city with traffic lights, especially when the lights are non sequential - I hate those kind becauase I have to stop at each light.

 

I've averaged about 18 MPG city. But I'm kinda lead footed from time to time, but I try to keep it in OD as much as I can, but there are some hills on my way to and from school.

 

On a trip from Florida to Georgia, the Cavalier got like 44 miles to the gallon on I-95! The 0-60 is sooo horrific partially because Chevy's retarded. They geared 2nd on that car so terrible. The car runs up to past 5 grand, maybe 5500, and then it shifts into 2nd, and 2nd falls to like..if I remember right, low 3's. As soon as it shifts the motor is all bogged down and it has to wind up all over again. It doesn't breathe until around 4 grand. It's so bad it's disgusting..I've never seen a car geared worse than that. So..how do you check the thermostat? And where is it, exactly? And I NEVER run my car in Overdrive, except when I'm either on the interstate, or I'm doing 45 and up and I'm low on gas. Normally I keep it in Drive until around 60 or so, then I kick it into OD. Running 45, 50, 55...rpms are still decent with the T.C. locked.. And a lot of the traffic around here, even though the speed limit may be 45, I get people going between 40 and 45. Just too low of a speed for Overdrive. It's a good speed for the TCC lock, OR for Overdrive..not for both! My car kicks both in at about 42-ish and up. Sounds like a 4 speed when you put it into 4th at like 30 mph.

 

I get about 20-22 mpg in the city, and 30-32 mpg on the highway with no A/C now when i turn the A/C on minus 3mpg on each in the summer.