economy tips

[RJDubya]

Hey,

Are there any ways on these engines of increasing the economy? I have an interview next week for a job about 50 miles from where I live and would like to make the most of a tank of fuel... Currently I get about 500 miles to a tank, more if I use it for longer trips but the cost is still going to be extortionate! Thanks

[Anton]

Service it? Run Veg? Hdi Box?

[Piggy]

Detune the pump

[RJDubya]

It was serviced around 1000 miles ago, on a Lucas pump which is detuned about as far as I'd go already.

Hdi box sounds interesting though, does it bolt straight on? There any bits that would need changing with it, hdi or 1.9 clutch etc? Does it make a big difference or is it just a longer gear range?

[Tom]

At 70mph you would be about 500rpm lower i think :p

[RJDubya]

Awesome, will start looking for 1. For some reason I can't post anything in the wanted items bit though so will be Ebay I guess...

[Dum-Dum]

A good service always helps (especially fuel and air filters).

The HDi box is a strraight swap but you need to fit the clutch arm and cable bracket off the DT box to use the standard clutch.

A De-Cat will cure alot of the restriction that causes losses and is legal on these as they only get smoke tests.

Try changing the brand of diesel you use, some people claim that diesel from certain places knocks as much as 5mpg off their consumptiopn.

If you have a Bosch fuel pump then you can run on veg oil (cooking oil). This will actually make your fuel economy worse as it has less calories per liter than diesel but at £1 a liter from tesco or less than 90ppl per liter from the cash and carry loosing 2mpg isnt gonna be an issue.



dont worry about de-tuning the pump as you only use more fuel if your going fast.





My car is a 306 SLDT sedan with a 2.1 XUD fitted, a bosch pump and a HDi gear box and on a run from Reading to Weston Super Mare the other day 100 miles motorway at 60mph, 5 miles of traffic leaving reading and a bit of car park showing off gave me 60.3mpg On 90% veg oil and a little diesel

[RJDubya]

So the majority of the fitting is the same its just the clutch fork to swap over really? I've gota decat pipe on the car already along with a free flow rear box, is it worth removing the standard mid box?

Fuel, oil and air filters were changed recently, about 1000 miles ago, might check the run off pipes between the injectors for leakage though and for the cost get them done...

Thanks for your replies

---

Also, will this be the same with the gearbox off any 2l hdi? There's 406, 407, 307 etc on Ebay currently...

[CJ_Derv]

Right foot!!!

Sod de-tuning as Dum said only make it worse higher speeds, IMO ive got better fuel economy with it tuned and using right foot!

[Piggy]

That is the biggest difference you will make...how you drive...

IE coasting bad in neutral bad,as is going down the gears to slow down. Also predicting the road ahead so you do minimal braking and accelerating.

I managed 45mpg average with spirited driving with a stage1 tuned XUDturbo...but if I am careful and focus on a run I can get 60mpg easily.

[Jake]

That is the biggest difference you will make...how you drive...

IE coasting bad in neutral bad,as is going down the gears to slow down. Also predicting the road ahead so you do minimal braking and accelerating.

Going down the gears is better for mpgs, rather than braking to slow down?

Biggest think I have noticed is speed, use so much more fuel going 70 ratherer than 55/60.

[Piggy]

Each time you down a gear, engine revs and fuel is put in...keep in gear and use engine braking/foot brake combo.

Well proven.

[306Puggy]

Yes, with non ECU engines this is correct. Jake was probably thinking of modern ECU controlled engines where the ECU stops the fuelling when the trottle is lifted in gear.

[Kwik]

LDA settings affect mpg alot! Less smoke means lower egt's AND less fuel wasted. Revised my LDA settings putting more tension on the spring by raising the starwheel in quarter turns and i get exactly the same boost but less fuel is wasted on incomplete burning. Don't go to far or the spring becomes coilbound. Also make sure the screw at top is backed all the way out

[Dum-Dum]

TBH if your smoking at cruising speeds then something is up causing an incompleet burn, these go silly lean when cruising (its what makes them so economical) and if your smoking then is be looking at your pump timing..

[Kwik]

i'm talking abut acceleration Dum. i had loads off coal but after adjusting LDA has reduced it so much it's affected my mpg. was down to me being lazy with tune and trying to chuck as much fuel in as possible and not minding to much about smoke lol. Now i smoke alot less and go better as i was able to turn max fuel up!

[Matty]

i'm talking abut acceleration Dum. i had loads off coal but after adjusting LDA has reduced it so much it's affected my mpg. was down to me being lazy with tune and trying to chuck as much fuel in as possible and not minding to much about smoke lol. Now i smoke alot less and go better as i was able to turn max fuel up!

Foot control is just more ftw imo.

[Ruan]

Yes, with non ECU engines this is correct. Jake was probably thinking of modern ECU controlled engines where the ECU stops the fuelling when the trottle is lifted in gear.

Not necessarily true... Carburated engines, yes, but VE pumps as soon as you lift the throttle at over around 1300rpm, the governor goes back to way below idle fuel, the quantity injected is miniscule... I.e. nothing, youre better leaving it in gear braking frankly...

[Piggy]

Exactly

[Ruan]

So when you change down a gear, no fuel is put in.. Only.if your foot is on the throttle or the engine speed is below 1300rpm will fuel be injected...

Makes no difference, you could change down every gear and save you using the brakes, wouldn't use any fuel...

[KrisB]

Save weight, save fuel. Empty the crap out of your car, keep less in the tank. Check tyre pressures and try increasing 1 or 2psi. Go on a diet.

[Piggy]

So when you change down a gear, no fuel is put in.. Only.if your foot is on the throttle or the engine speed is below 1300rpm will fuel be injected...

Makes no difference, you could change down every gear and save you using the brakes, wouldn't use any fuel...

and have accidents all day when people hit you from behind becoz you aint showing brake lights.

gentle braking and keeping in one gear for longer is the proven...and taught nationally...method to save fuel and drive safe

[Kwik]

and have accidents all day when people hit you from behind becoz you aint showing brake lights.

gentle braking and keeping in one gear for longer is the proven...and taught nationally...method to save fuel and drive safe

If you got common sense while driving you can tell when a car is slowing down....

The best way to drive safe is expect the unexpected and anticipate the road and observe whats going on around you. People rely on lights without using their common sense or awareness. If you go into the back of someone regardless of if they used their brake lights or not it is your fault as your not observing whats going on. Sorry for ranting but gets my goat when people say engine braking causes accidents is people not taking due care and attention that causes them type of accidents......

[RJDubya]

IMO a lot of people rely on lights too much, causes complacency and does cause crashes... Its other peoples driving you have to worry about!

[Kwik]

I'm a biker aswell as most know and i been to a couple of funerals where life's have ended cause car drivers have rear ended a bike. If they paid attention to the road rather then play with this or that my mates would still be here. Anyway sorry to rant on thread i'm normally chilled lol

As Kris said empty car of all crap and even look into lighter wheels as unsprung weight does affect mpg too

[Tom]

I for one even when im slowing down dropping gears tend to have my foot gently over the brake to put the lights on so people know im slowing down. Even if im not using the brakes. Just annoying doing that and rev matching. Heel toe is a bitch.

[Piggy]

lets avoid using indicators and reversing lights then shall we...because really we should all be observant enough to notice...

automatic cars are half as likely to be rear ended than a manual...reason? brakelights showing

lets say we all are very observant and can tell at 30mph when the person in front is slowing without using brakelights...fine, great.

lets say the person behind isnt perfect...and hits you.

you maybe able to sue his backside off bla bla...but coming from someone who was in a car accident at 13 and has never recovered...its not worth it.

I suggest it to save you, your passengers and our cars.

I was trained this way, I have trained this way. Keep the roads safe boys...use the safety warnings we have to keep us safe.

PS Im a biker too...I know how that feels mate Kwik

[Dan!]

automatic cars are half as likely to be rear ended than a manual...reason? brakelights showing

Ahaha, good one. Tell us another story, please!

[Toms306]

You really don't need to be braking.or slowing unless there's a hazard ahead. You should be looking further than the car ahead for hazards and anticipate slowing.

I never brake for about 10 miles on my daily drive to town, there's no need, the only 'hazards' are corners which you can slow for without brakes, a corner is quite obvious to see, or bellends that can't read give way lines, I certainly don't brake for these cocks, infact if I end up tailgating the lady gardens maybe they'll try using thier eyes next time!

I suppose piggy is one of these people who seems to be jumping on the brakes on the motorway too? Only reason for braking there is people/lorries cutting you up. Otherwise it causes a huge knockon effect behind you. If you've left the correct distance and traffic slows you can slow enough without brakes anyway.


I always engine brake where possible, its how I was taught to drive, its how my mum drives (she done 90k on one set of brakes and they were still fine) and it saves quite a bit of fuel if you anticipate hazards and slow gently rather than jumping on the brakes all the time.

[Piggy]

I assumed we were only speaking of braking to a stop or up to roundabouts???

as can be seen in my previous post, minimal braking is basically the best way to increase mpg...so you are dead right about corners etc all you do when braking is turn your fuel into heat inside your wheels!

I dont like how you have judged me but hey ho, its a forum. I agree with you 100% about Mways...braking should never be needed...in an ideal world. I hate it too. It causes the traffic we all hate! however I also hate the lane swappers who jump across without warning causing someone to brake....then the domino effect begins...

the automatic thing is a proven fact...doing a bit of research and you will find the same conclusion.

I am coming only from keeping ya'll safe...passing on the advanced tuition I gratefully took in my car and on my bike and from which I taught others.