I bought a 2003 90 HDI Estate about 2 months ago and am generally very pleased with it. However I have a query about the fuel consumption. So far I have only achieved around 40 mpg (measured) on mixed local and long distance driving (the digital monitor indicates 35 mpg average). The owners book suggests I should be getting more like 50 mixed driving and up tp 60 mpg on long trips. i recently spoke to another owner with the 130 BHP model and he gets consistantly 45 - 50 mpg. I drive quite frugally normally - so m y question is: have I got a problem and what could the reason be if I have.
well i have a 110 BHP estate and get 53 + on a run and local at least 45...
dont know if you got a prob but there will be guy's on here later who will
be able to advise you ...
Firstly make sure it is a fuel consumption problem not the fuel computer playing tricks. Brim the tank, reset the trip and then work it out the old fashioned way. If it is still runing in the 30mpg region then give it a good service using genuine filters. Air filter, fuel filter and oil and oil filter. Check the brakes arent binding, quickest way is after a drive put your hand on each wheel, if one is hotter then chances are that brake is binding.
Thanks, I will try that but the mpg I have measured were by calculation using a full tank. Also I have checked the air filter (new) - but will check for brake binding. Thanks for your advice
i normally get around 50 to 55 out of my 110, however on a recent trip into london i reset the trip counter and said that my trips around london it was only doing 27mpg (or half what it normally does)!
Might just be the type of driving and your driving style or something else.
I'd run some good injector cleaner through it and make sure the fuel filter is replaced. May also be worth disconnecting the battery for while to make the ecu relearn it settings.
It that doesn't work I would be looking to plug it into a computer and check for a fault codes.
Make sure you change the fuel filter, use decent (Shell, Esso, BP) diesel, oil and filter change, and tyres are correctly inflated. My average reads 47.1 mpg (over 6,000 miles average) in my 90 (remapped to 125) and I really cane it all the time. I found the remap improved fuel consumption by around 6-9% and drivability by 100%.
Thanks for all your advice. I've had a couple of indications that the brand of fuel is important. I have so far used Tesco citydiesel (its c heap).
Does the brand REALLY make any difference?? I'm new to diesel motoring. I've never found the brand made one jot of difference on a petrol engine. I've recently got interested in Bio-diesel and intend to do some experiments in the near future.
Also a couple of people have mentioned the fuel filter. I will change this and see what happens. Can anyone tell me were its located? Is it underneath near the tank.
I was tempted at the weekend to get the local Autotune around - but at £75 for the visit, and after questioning the operator he seemed to have little knowledge about diesels and didn't inspire confidence; I cancelled the appointment.
Keep the discussion going! This is interesting. After all its why we buy diesels n'es pas.
Fuel filter is on the engine, at the front right in the middle you can't miss it!
If its a bosh system (most of the earlier cars i think, your maybe a seimens thou) you have two choices:
1) just change the element (~£10)
2) Change the element and housing (~£50)
Changing the element is a bit of a pig because of the amount of pressure required to open and close the housing. I've done before, but its not a nice job to do as you feel like to are going to snap something. Can also be tricky to put the lid back on in the correct position so it all lines once closed.
The second time I changed mine i just got the complete assembly. this means i have a spare housing so my plan is to open the housing in vice, change the filter, then close the housings. This means i can just swap housing with the one on the car and repeat when its due changing.
If you do open the housing make sure you check for any little bits of metal in the bottom. If they are its a sign your low pressure pump is on its way and you need to get it changed ASAP.
I always use "good" diesel, the HDI is quite fuel sensitive and cheap fuel with its added dirt isn't good for the low pressure pump. To be honest if you know where to go you can get good fuel for the same prices as supermarket stuff.
nosnibor wrote:Thanks for all your advice. I've had a couple of indications that the brand of fuel is important. I have so far used Tesco citydiesel (its c heap).
Does the brand REALLY make any difference?? I'm new to diesel motoring. I've never found the brand made one jot of difference on a petrol engine.
My petrol 406 gets around 35mpg on Adsa premium unleaded and a regular 42mpg on BP standard stuff. Brand makes a LOT of difference!
If experimenting, you'll want to spend some time on each fuel as I'm pretty sure you can't just run the tank dry on diesels due to the way the pumps work and need priming etc, so you'll have to put up with a certain amount of contamination
<steve_earwig> I think this forum is more about keeping our cars going with minimal outlay than giving our cars more reason to go bang
I reset the fuel computer on my 90HDi today, before the 120mile round commute to work, and the computer read 64mpg at the end - I did take it a steady 50-60 though (unusual for me!).
muffindell wrote:I reset the fuel computer on my 90HDi today, before the 120mile round commute to work, and the computer read 64mpg at the end - I did take it a steady 50-60 though (unusual for me!).
Mat
You, my friend, hath laid down the Gauntlet for the great fuel economy competition 2007. The likes of which have never been seen before.
Muhahahahahahah..............
Cars in my care:
2021 Kia Spottage 1.6 Pez Turbo Dual Clutch Gearbox Trickery
2013 Renner Twingo - donkey work
!!
