Alright.. So I've had this '84 GS in nearly perfect condition for about a year now, and it's been driving fine. A week ago I made a trip into Poway, about a 30 mintue drive. I'm going happily along at 60mph, when I look at my tach. It's at 4,000.
usually it's at 2,500-3000 at those speeds. So that had me concerned.

I started that 1-hour round trip with a full tank of Gas.
When i got back, to my amazement, IT WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY! Now, it may be that my gauge is broken, but my mileage since then is still really, really low.
I'm stumped.
I've been hearing some (loud) squeaking noises coming from the back right tire, possibly shocks, or brakes. Only sounds when you push on the fender (acceleration, physically pushing on it, etc..). I don't know if this has anything to do with the problem stated above, but the first time I ever heard the sound was the day I drove to Poway.

I have no clue what happened...

 

if your breaks are draging (or somewhat locked) then it will take a lot more from the engine to run .. but you should also be smelling the breaks.

i would imagine that you would need a hell of a lot of drag from the fendre (rubing against the wheels) to make that amount of difference..

good luck

 

Is the tranny/rear end slipping?

Are the brakes locking up?

 

Hmmm, your brakes could be dragging but that doesn't explain the fact that your tach's showing more rpms for a given speed. Maybe your clutch is slipping.

 

correct me if i am wrong, but if the breaks are dragging, then the engine would have to work harder to drive a given speed, and thus would explain the rpm increase, and fuel consumption increase.

(try driving with your e-break on, and i would imagine that that is what you would see happen)

 

Yes, your engine will have to work harder and take longer to accelerate but a given rpm in a certain gear will allways give the same road speed unless there's slipage in the drive train. I don't see what else could slip except the clutch. And as for the e-brake analogy. It just means you'll have to give it more gas to maintain the same speed/rpm but it won't change the relationship between the two

 

Yes, and the brakes would even explain the squeaking..

I drove it around abit, then got out and smelled. Did not smell anything, but that rim was quite warm compared to the other three...

The brakes on my other car jammed, and you can sure smell them. Not on my RX thought, so it may not be brakes? But it would sure explain a lot.

Im taking them to Midas tomorrow, I'll see what's up.

 

okay.. thanks for the clearification revhead

 

Compare the brake rotor (or drum) to the one on the opposite side, same axle... Ditto on the pads.

If the brakes are dragging, the locked brakes will be considerably thinner, and the rotor (or drum) will be bluish.

With the car in the air, the front wheels should turn fairly freely. Spin one and it should spin for a few turns on it's own momentum. The rears will have a little bit of resistance on account of the drivetrain, but they should be turnable too. Rotate a full turn or more, the resistance should be the same throughout the turn. If it's easy one point, and harder at another, the rotor (or drum) may be warped or out of round.