Fuel Economy Low?

Can anybody tell me what the "fuel eco low" light in my mav means i dont think it can calculate my fuel eco w/o having some kind of computer in their?

 

I never saw your light but it's probably just connected to a vacuum switch in the intake manifold. Low vacuum = poor economy.

 

anyone know were its connected to...still can find the vac hose.

 

I have seen several cars with that light, and bmcdaniel is exactly right about it being vacuum operated.

 

probly have a crack in a vacuum line that feeds into it.

 

ill be happy if i get 20 gallons to the mile

 

thats the thing i cant find the line to replace it

 

It connects to a little solenoid type thing that has a round part on it. It's usually on top of the motor somewhere near the distributor or valve covers. Hard to explain. I used to have a few pics of it, but can't seem to find them now.

 

thanks

 

I've seen the light in the cluster, but have never seen it on before. Was it as simple as the light would come on under low vacuum conditions? Does this mean it would come on at WOT?

 

I haven't had first hand knowledge with this particular switch, but yes it should come on during full throttle. Your gas economy is nil when you punch it. I'm just remembering the vacuum gauges that we used to have that read economy (max vacuum usually in green), and power (min vacuum usually in red).

 

I would think so too, if this is how it works. None of my cars ever come on though. Was the fuel economy light only offered in certain areas or was it an option?

 

Yes, the light should come on when you punch it to the floor or are going down the interstate really fast. As far as it being an option, I have no idea. Every '75 and up Maverick I have seen had the light, so I assume all '75 and up Mavericks had it unless someone can prove me wrong with a '75 and up cluster that they can prove hasn't been apart. The light worked in the '76 I parted out.

 

i parted out a '76 that didnt have it and my 77 that i sold didnt have it.... im interested in seeing one of these gauges, prolly wouldnt mind to have one just to have it

 

Someone just posted this picture on another thread, this is what the vacuum hose connects to:



I know your car is a V8, but it shouldn't look any diffrent, just in a diffrent location.

This is not an external gauge, it is one of the idiot lights in the instrument cluster. It lights up amber in color and reads "Lo Fuel Econ" when engine vacuum is low.

edit: Here are a couple of pics of the light in the instrument cluster. The first is of the light off, it appears to be just a blank spot when it is not lit up which may lead some to believe their car doesn't have the light. The second is of it lit up. Please note that despite it's looks, this is an actual '76 instrument cluster that I converted to '73 gauge faces for a friend of mine that used it in his Maverick for a while before getting rid of the car.