Poor performance and mileage

[dusterbd13]

So kenmore, the new to me 03 protege5 got 24mpg with me driving for economy. My wife's car, an 02 protege5, gets 27 with me behind the wheel.

Both are stock automatic, the lower mpg car only has a cat back exhaust.

Did the timing belt and a tune up as soon as I bought it. The 03 is noticeably slower than the wife's car as well as the poor fuel economy.

I'm thinking I missed a tooth on the timing belt. No codes or rough idle, but just off idle is very sluggish in gear and the car doesn't wake up until about 2500 rpm. Very different engine response than the wife's.

So, does it sound like I missed a tooth? Any easy way to check without tearing the whole damn thing apart again? Something else I might be missing? Revs clean and strong in neutral.

 

[MrGiggles]

You should be able to verify timing just by pulling the valve cover.

Carbon can build up on the intake valves causing turbulence and loss of performance. Seafoam will take care of that.

Same size tires on both cars? Check for dragging brakes too, they're not as easy to notice on an automatic.

 

[dusterbd13]

So, pull valve cover and check the timing marks on the cams? Can I verify crank timing with it all assembled?

Already seafoamed it after the timing belt job through brake booster line.

Wife's is wearing 205/50/16, mine is on the stock 195/50/15.

Good call on sticking calipers. Hadn't thought of that, though I see no abnormal dusting or feel anything funny. If anything, my car has better brake pedal feel than hers.

 

[Minds_Eye]

I don't know if better feel will tell you anything. I went in for safety inspection once and they said one was rubbing (couldn't tell, honestly didn't believe them until a second shop said the same)- when it got replaced I thought the feel got worse.

 

[MrGiggles]

When my front caliper was dragging, the only time I noticed was when I came to a stop and noticed that the car wouldn't creep backwards like it normally did. You wouldn't notice it in an automatic though.

The wheel and rotor on that side were much hotter as well, but I didn't notice that until after I knew it was dragging.

 

[pcb]

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