Cold making my Audi (95 90q) very fuel thirsty

[Huw Powell]

> Anyone seeing drastic fuel consumption increases 15% in the recent North
> East cold snap?

I've been seeing it for several winters now?

I primarily blame reformulated gasoline, which apparently has less
energy available per gallon, and explains why it was about six years ago
my coupe started getting approximately 15% worse fuel economy in
"winter" - ie about october to april - so it wasn't all about "cold".

There are also factors you can't avoid - longer rich running while
warming up; more fuel perhaps wasted "warming up" the car for comfort;
more fuel wasted "spinning the wheels," whether accidentally or
intentionally (!); longer hours of darkness, higher heater fan speeds
and more defroster usage, entailing higher electrical demand... etc,
etc.

My 90Q got about 26 mpg or so consistently in the 'summer', and
struggles to get 22 in the 'winter'.

I still think RFG is the primary culprit, but that could just be
paranoia...

--
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/

http://www.humanthoughts.org/