Fuel economy.

[David Morton]

It's Sunday morning and I've been up since 0400. I have had a bit of time to think (dangerous I hear you say ?) but my task this morning was to back out, manouevre, and face in the right direction a Volvo s80 twin turbo T6 with a very cold engine. During these manouevres the remaining fuel distance to go dropped from 295 to 285. Now, it's not my car and the owner says that cruise control is de rigeur but when I looked at the fuel average it said 22.7 mpg. When I have driven that car in the past I have achieved 33 mpg and I used to leave the display on that page so the other driver could see it.
To no avail.
Its like talking to a deaf and dumb mute some times.

So - the heading of this thread is Fuel Economy and I ask each of you to think how to save fuel on both short and long journeys. If I kick off with these three:

1. Point the car in the right direction for the next journey while the
engine is still warm and don't switch the engine on to warm and demist
and then find other things to do such as drying your hair and having
tea and toast while the engine is still running. It would also save getting
someone out of bed on a Sunday morning at 0400hrs who can do it .
(I'm going to get a T shirt printed "When you can't - I can")
2. Don't make a special trip of four miles with a cold engine to refuel the
car when you will be passing the same petrol station on your way to or
coming back from your next journey. Even if the car is pointing in the
right direction you are probably using about two litres of fuel to go and
refuel on a cold engine.
3. Occasionally take a look at the Instantaneous MPG page and see what
happens when you overtake at 80 mph. I bet you cannot achieve
better than 12 mpg on a 2.8 twin turbo engine. So why bother
overtaking. You all arrive at the same time though granted you are one
car ahead at the red traffic lights at the other end.
Right guys - over to you - see how many fuel saving ideas you can come up with. The cost of 95 leaded is now £6 per gallon. When I started driving in 1964 it was 4 shillings and nine old pence. That is 23.75 new pence. That is an increase of 2526% .
Yes - we know its a conspiracy by the Bushes and the Windsors and the Saudi Royal family but thats what we seem to have to live with.
I'll stop rambling and ranting and await your considered thoughts .........

No doubt no one here will be speaking to me for the next week or so if this ever gets out. I might just print it off and leave it lying around to give me a bit of peace and quiet.

 

[Jon Briggs]

Turn off the air con when you don't need it. Saves a load of fuel.
Also, try to drive at a constant speed. Modern engines will then trim the fuel flow right back, but if you keep accelerating and then slowing it cant trim the fuel.
Don't carry unnecessary weight, do you need to have that tool box in the boot.

 

[David Morton]

Thanks Jon. I think I may compile everyones thoughts and send it to those turkeys on Top Gear. I wonder what their fuel bill comes in at?

 

[Brett James-McCall]

If you don't actually mind your car not handling that well, pump the tyres up as if you had 4 passengers.

Also, the good old chestnut. If you do have to use roof bars, don't forget to take them offafterwards. It contributes to a loss in over 4% RWFE even without anything on them.

If you don't want to listen to the radio, take your roof mounted aerial off and listen to a CD/iPod instead.

If you don't do long miles, consider a car with a lightweight petrol engine and manual gearbox over say a diesel with a new dual clutch. New Focus has a difference of something like 128Kg...

 

[Brett James-McCall]

oh, and by European homologation stamdards that 128Kg is the equivalent of carrying 1.7 passengers...

and toquantify my quote above, it was taken from Autocar's review: "One significant benefit of opting for a petrol motor, is that it saves 88kg over the 2.0-litre diesel. Furthermore, switching from the Powershift dual clutch automatic (optional on the diesel) to the Ecoboost's mandatory six-speed manual saves a further 40kg. From one extreme to the other (an automatic diesel to a manual petrol) that's 128kg fewer kilos over the front axle – and on the road it feels it."

 

[Ian Anderson]

1) Send a letter to your MP In it pick on a local piece of road that has numerous sets of traffic lights. Advise them that if they syncronised the lights they would save on the county's CO2 footprint, (Constant 40 mph is better than zero - 50 - zero - 50 etc)
2) Fit a LPG conversion LPG is about 50% of the petrol cost
3) Smaller car / smaller engine for local trips

Ian

 

[Dave Bilyk]

Dave, would not compute with the top gear turkeys, but might raise a laugh if you did!
Two thoughts, only achievable in a more mature and less competitive mood

Leave your competitive instinct parked at home!
This means that you won't react to things that are happening in front or in your rear view mirror. Such as the guy in front screaming off into the distance only to brake heavily as he reaches the next lights or the queue ahead. Also the guy behind who wants to drive through you. As a result you will use the throttle less, and feel relaxed too!

Use your brakes as little as you can. This has two effects; first it saves brake wear, so it saves money that way. Second it means that driving in traffic, you think ahead, and come off throttle early and slow down without significant use of the brakes. However, I learned by experience that you have to press hard on the brake pedal from time to time (can do when stationary) to stop the rear brakes from siezing up from lack of use as they don't activate under gentle braking!

DaveB

 

[John]

Try not to come to a full stop at lights. Try to time it so that when the light turns green, you're still rolling even if it's just a bit.

 

[Keith]

David, I believe you may be (respectfully) mistaken, as in 1962 when I co-owned an XK120 with an aluminium body (3.8) I distinctly remember having so save up for petrol for a trip to Brighton and back (55 miles one way), even though I earned a really good wage in Fleet Street, at 4s 11d per Imperial gallon (25p) at today's rates, but lest we brag, I think US High Test was at least 10 cents then...:stunned:

You just do not forget things like that. Of course, I was in Sahf Lunden at the time..

Saving fuel?

I have today ordered an off-road capable electric mobility scooter for a lot of money, which will ensure I can reach all the pubs in the Forest and return.. To be honest (and quite sad to admit) I am not really bothered if I never drive a 'conventional' car ever again. I have been there and done it in spades. Sometimes, you just have to know when to quit...

 

[David Morton]

How strange Keith. I was toying with the idea of putting a Hayabusa engine into this:

No gearbox - just a straight forward dog clutch. A sort of E.J. Potter thang with stabilisers and a shopping basket but allowed to drive on the pavement. I could do Waitrose and back before it even opens in the morning. I think it could do with 8inch wide rears though - a sort of class IV kart tyre with cut grooves. And just think - wild and windy as they are helmet free.....
Hugh could install a garrett turbocharger and bring it up to 700hp no problems and 900 on Nitro with Demineralised water in a longer swinging arm.

 

[David Morton]

p.s. - I went to Brighton in 64 as a Mod on a Bonne (a sort of identity crisis) but I keep quiet about it as my middle daughter went to school there as well and I never wanted her to know I wore a parka over my leathers and nearly knee length boots.
Real mods wore hush puppies.

 

[Keith]

Very very true David except... Desert Boots were the dog's plus tabbed collars and skinny ties. Don't forget the back combed hair and a Lambretta TV (with chromed side panels) Fantbloodytastic days.. Having said all that, I traitoriously owned a Gold Star 500 before that, but I always thought that Rockers were, like, single dimensional. Time for a change.


To be quite honest, because I aspire to be different in some way, I have upset a number of people in my locale, to the extent that they have rushed to judgement, queing up at the door of the Constabulary to accuse me of many many things including the disappearance of their daughters, noisy exhaust, large and loud, bolshie, aggressive, all those things, but you know, I don't know how to be anyone else.

What can I do to save fuel?

 

[Mike Huddart]

Ahh, this nostalgia, it isn't what it used to be !
Petrol must have been a lot cheaper Oop North in '64. I worked on the pumps at a local garage and ran a '32 Austin 7, 60 MPH and 60 MPG. I distinctly remember four gallons of Two Star and a pint of Mild ( I was only 17 so new no better ) was a £1.
Mind you '64 was the year I started Stock Car racing and that was even more economical, two laps and straight through the Belle Vue fence, used hardly any petrol !
Mike

 

[Mike]

Here's a thought, especially for the wive's cars. My wife's SUV calls for premium. She never even gets it up 4000RPM. I routinely put in regular for her, with an ocassional tank of high test which I will drive once or twice and rev up a bit more (the car red lines at 6500 which I don't do). My opinion is that unless you "use" it, high test is a total waste of money. If you do "use" it, then you can't do without.

 

[Pete McCluskey.]

Or you could get a lightweight replica Gt40 with a big V8 in the middle putting out 500 rwhp and lay rubber wherever you go. Big grin from ear to ear and thumbs up from little kids.
You blokes are getting old.:shocked:

 

[Jack]

Right on, Pete!

 

[Keith]

Ahh, this nostalgia, it isn't what it used to be !
Petrol must have been a lot cheaper Oop North in '64. I worked on the pumps at a local garage and ran a '32 Austin 7, 60 MPH and 60 MPG. I distinctly remember four gallons of Two Star and a pint of Mild ( I was only 17 so new no better ) was a £1.
Mind you '64 was the year I started Stock Car racing and that was even more economical, two laps and straight through the Belle Vue fence, used hardly any petrol !
Mike

And what happened when you came down to Wimbledon Mike? :cheesy:

 

[John]

Instead of adjusting driving techniques to save fuel, you could just get this:

Volkswagen's $600 car gets 258 mpg - National Trendy Living | Examiner.com

 

[Mike Huddart]

And what happened when you came down to Wimbledon Mike? :cheesy:

Didn't race in London much, never did Wimbledon, demolished half the fence on the back straight at Haringay one night. Did Crayford a couple of times but their meetings were on a Wednesday night which made it a pain to get back to work the next day, in those days the Motorways weren't joined up. Had a '59 F100 pick up as a tow truck, who mentioned economy ! Great days, though.
Mike

 

[Jim Rosenthal]

I drive slower, except when I am driving a car which is fun to go fast in, which isn't most of the time. Most of the time I drive a Toyota Tacoma pickup, which will get 25-27 mpg if I don't dog it. Between the fact that I am now nearly sixty and have nothing to prove anymore (and unable to do it even if I HAD something to prove) and the manic local constabulary, I find it easier to just slowly. I still manage to get to work on time and get home in one piece.

I am with you on the traffic lights. Why in the world aren't traffic lights synched so that if you drive the speed limit, you would get a series of green lights and feel like you just won the lottery? I can't think of a more powerful incentive to drive the speed limit. AND you are totally correct, it would save a hell of a lot of fuel.