82.6L/100k

[Miss Wendy]

Hi all, My Lancer, when cold, is using 82.6litres per 100K for approx. 1/4 hour when its cold when first started each morning (NO ...THATS NOT A MISPRINT....ITS 82.6 LITRES PER 100K's as per computer). I have taken photos of the instrument panel and shown the MItsubishi dealer and I have been told this is normal. The Lancer is using heaps of fuel. I'm running 98 fuel in it. I'm getting heaps of exhaust smell in the cabin (which cant be smelt by repairers?? ). Other than get rid of the lancer....any suggestions.

[Lancer1993]

First I don't think it's really using that much fuel. Mine only takes a few minutes to get down to around 15lt then lower depending on how long the trip is and how I'm driving. It really shouldn't take that long to get to a more normal reading, depending on how cold it is. When was the last service and how old is it.

As for the exhaust smell, maybe there is a leak or something. I'd get it checked out by a mechanic, with the fuel issue it might require leaving the car overnight so they can do a cold start test.

[Mystique]

Have you actually tried to see how many k's you get to a tank?

You can easily fix the exhaust if there is an exhaust leak.

[CJsportback]

Mine always reads high for a few minutes when cold, between 60-90L/100km is normal for me..but after 10 minutes or so it averages back out.. Mitsubishi isn't telling fibs it is normal..if you were truly using 82L/100km you'd be getting about 50km to a tank. Take the dash readout with a grain of salt.

Is the exhaust smell there all the time? Or just when the vehicle is cold? As Mystique said, if there's an exhaust leak it should be easily detectable and also very easily fixed.

[Skrallex]

Yeah, I mean I don't normally see mine hit over 50L, but it depends how far you get down the road before you have to stop. If you're doing 20km/h for the first couple of streets, its gonna read really high. If you're truly worried about it and the mechanics can't help you out, try getting and OBD2 to bluetooth adapted and running an app like Torque, it can give you some useful fuel usage. I don't really use the dash readout at all anymore.

[VRX_08]

It is normal, takes around 15 mins for it to register properly! Both CJ Lancers I have owned have done the same thing, it is perfectly normal from a cold start when the car hasn't been switched on!

So don't stress all seems normal!

[Lancer1993]

Need to set up the fuel usage software with my OBD2.

Yes I'd be more worried about the exhaust smell if it's there all the time.

[Miss Wendy]

Exhaust smell is there all the time. I've had the exhaust checked by 2 different mechanics and its definitely not leaking. I'm currently seeing how many K's I get from a tank of juice. Its had the cold start test done by the dealer yesterday. We went for a drive this afternoon and had to keep the windows all slightly down because of the fumes were building up in the cabin. The Lancer is still in warranty. I dont know what to do next.

[Lancer1993]

Fumes in the cabin like that can be very serious, the dealer should be able to help if it's under warranty.

Only time I smell the exhaust is if I have to move the car on a cold start when its in the garage and they have no place to go. I'm thinking the fuel thing and this could be connected. Either way I'd check the dealer and get a second opinion if they don't seem helpful.

[burfadel]

That does sounds a bit high, even for startup. The car will purposefully run rich for a start before leaning out once the engine is warmed a little and the cat is at the operating temperature. What further makes the guage misleading is that it starts from zero when left for a while. Not sure how long though. I know if I drive somewhere and start the car again after say, 7 hours it still reads the final figure it gave in the morning. The result of this starting from zero is that I believe the fuel economy takes into account your average speed, with time also being a factor. When you first drive off, the car shows you what fuel economy you would get per 100 km based on the current information. The time is factored into that as well, since if you average speed is 20 km/hr, your engine has 5 hours of run time to get to 100 km. The other point of information is that when starting off you accelerate, so the car shows you how much fuel you would use if you were using the amount of fuel that you are when accelerating, and seeing as your average speed is low (say, 33 km/hr), it would be like you are accelerating and using that amount of fuel for 3 hours.

I believe that's pretty much what it shows, and why the values can seem so skewed. The indicator is more of an economy readout than fuel use readout. A way to see if something is wrong is get onto a straight flat stretch as soon as possible, get to the speed limit, then reset the indicator holding the info button when on the readout screen. It will then start the readout as if you were starting out. Seeing as you are just maintaining speed, having a decent average speed (say, 60 km/hr), the readout should be reasonably respectable.

Try that and report back on what the readout shows. Considering your issue is from when the engine is cold, try to get onto the flat, straight stretch and up to speed as soon as possible after starting in the morning. I know what mine shows because I've tried it myself, it should be quite respectable. I won't say to skew the results, but I've never seen the reading that high in the morning. I suspect on this little test your reading may still be higher than one would expect.

Smelling exhaust in the cabin is very bad, even worse if your car is running rich for extended periods due to carbon monoxide. If you want to see if there is an issue with CO, you could get one of these:
https://www.bunnings.com.au/quell-worry ... m_p4210994
or
https://www.bunnings.com.au/first-alert ... m_p4210885

They are CO and smoke detectors in one, and last 10 years without replacing the battery. Basically put it in your car to see if it goes off, and you can make use of it in the house afterwards.

I can assure you, if it goes off you have an immediate case for repair by Mitsubishi. Although the suggestion is a valid one it is overkill, I'd actually be very worried if it did go off.

[CJsportback]

Couldn't agree more, constant exhaust smell is worrying especially if you've got to wind the windows down to drive comfortably, something is amiss and Mitsubishi really shouldn't be letting you leave in the vehicle. Being under warranty they should be able to help you out.

[Mooman]

Do you have tar based sound damping in the car?

As an alternate theory to exhaust gas smell if you have a tar based sound damper it could be out gassing causing fumes (hot exhaust heating up floor).

[burfadel]

Have you found time to do the quick cold economy test I mentioend above? The reading will likely a be a little high as the engine is warming up, but that's the whole point.

If you run rich for extended periods you could possibly burn out the cat.

[Miss Wendy]

Sorry I havent replied. I've had family in hospital. I will try the cold economy test very soon and thankyou everyone for your thoughts. I do appreciate it.

[Lancer1993]

Sorry to hear that, I know what it's like. Hope they get well soon.