OK Need opinions/comments/help??
Just back from a 2350 mile trip up and down I-95. Most driving on interstate at speeds of 70+. Overall average speed was 60- mph. Noticed black deposits on exhaust tips as I unloaded car at home.
Too rich or normal? Thought they should have been cleaned out with the speeds/time/heat on the trip.
Vehicle is a 2013 Escape Titanium with 2.0 ECB, no mods maybe that is the problem). Use nothing but 93-Sunoco or Shell (preferred). Vehicle has 8300 miles only.
Also noticed mpg was less than stellar-compared with same trip in September-23 mpg vs 26 mpg previous. I attributed it to a bike on the back this time and a fierce head-cross wind on one leg.
Had it to dealer prior to start of trip for normal first maintenance.
Should I be concerned? Trip back to dealer in order? Thoughts from the expertise on this forum appreciated.
Boosted engines run slightly richer than NA motors. I've been messing with boost for several years now... They all do it. Clean the tips with a damp paper towel and they will be good as new :)
Sooty exhaust tips are normal on GDI/EB vehicles, unless you are running methanol. I would make sure to change the oil regularly, and get a fuel injection/intake cleaning done every 25K-30K miles if you want to be thorough.
Do they have normal/winter gas changeover in DE? Sounds like the real culprit for your mpg drop if so. If you had quite a bit of stop and go, that could also hurt your mpg.
double:
i've got a 2013 escape sel w/2.0 ecb. has 4500 miles. i've noticed that for what ever reason, the tips on the escape seem to get darker faster than the tips on the sho. maybe i just don't want to clean the escape as much as i want to clean my sho, who knows. have not taken on a long trip only around town, so don't know about mileage on the road. mileage around town is around 19.5, nothing great there but my wife refuses to use any thing besides 87. most got her to do was to but synthetic oil instead of regular.
mikev
Quote from: crashnburn on March 27, 2014, 04:14:30 PM
Boosted engines run slightly richer than NA motors. I've been messing with boost for several years now... They all do it. Clean the tips with a damp paper towel and they will be good as new :)
Yep, you want to see it. The Direct Injection contributes also. My old SRT4 had a black 1.5 foot cone on the garage floor from where I would start it up. lol