Increasing fuel economy

[tilyons]

Progress,

Model-T Ford 25mpg
1 year old, Hummer 12mpg

The last post was a little hard to understand but I too come from the plugs, points, leads, clockwork dizzy brigade.

Basically, just service your car! No gizmos.
Drive at or below the speed limit, any more will cost you.

If you want to save fuel, money and the environment,
1. Don't drive, walk- Infinte MPG
2. cycle - virtually infinite MPG
3. public transport - 100's MPG
4. small car/moped/motorbike - 40 to 100 MPG
5. average car - 20 to 50 MPG
6. Chelsea tractor - 5 - 15 MPG

I have:
'76 MGB GT, ~30mpg
'80 Mini 850cc, consistantly 40mpg
'87 Opel Manta (slightly modified, ok a fair bit) consistently 32mpg
'98 Escort (her car) average 35mpg

wow how technology has improved!!

 

[empip]

How hard ?? Spelling was ok.
Reference to a gizmo or spark intensifier ... named 'Norton spark converter'. Not just from 70's but early 60's !!
First hand experience of it's effect upon an engine, I guess a two stroke twin engine mis-firing on one cylinder has marginally better fuel consumption than the same engine running on one cylinder alone, the 'non-firing partner' passing it's Petroil (sic) mixture, unburned, to the atmosphere.
Mind you, a collection of 'notso golden oldies' must be adding some pollution !!

 

[tilyons]

Indeed, notso golden oldies, have to admit that some "fettling" is required with one of them. The rest have no gizmos but are serviced regularily and sale thru the emissions tests. Granted with the mini,MG and Manta I don't have to achieve the 0.000001% CO (exaggerate) required on newer cars. But they don't have power sapping eco controls and Cat's that though reduce emissions "help" push up fuel consumption, which sort of defeats the object. Not sure whats better,
1. buy new cars that require more fuel (Iron ore, alu ore, fosil fuels) to make and more fuel to run as apposed to
2."recycling" heaps that though are not so emissions friendly consume less fuel to run and heh its recycling!

Anyway if the manufacturer says it does 25mpg, but if its only doing 12 then somethings wrong so fix it! If its doing 25mpg, don't fix it! you will be wasting time and money.

 

[empip]

I agree on the fuel consumption ... My old Nissan has no trip computer but usefully two resettable trip mileage indicators.
From my old 'S' and Healy daze, I have always fuelled to the gun, noted mileage to petrol receipt, then reset the trip meter .. a good monitor of fuel consumption..

Good to hear of an old Bee still on the road !
I still have the original 1970 BL Mini all variants, loose leaf workshop manual and the Midget / Sprite equivalent from 1973 !!
Not selling, but wonder they are worth much today ??
Those manuals are the business, several pages of 'special tools' at the back .. We used to make our own from the sketches and quite exotic materials at times.. in those good old daze !
Cheers.

 

[Luke]

Btw... a fuel 'magnet' has absolutely no effect on the fuel consumption of a car.

 

[empip]

Btw... a fuel 'magnet' has absolutely no effect on the fuel consumption of a car.

You don't say ??

 

[biblejohn]

Best way i found of increasing my fuel economy was to buy a more economical vehicle. Ive done 30k miles a year now for the last 5 years. I started of in a race prepared hot hatch which was doing about 25mpg.... then moved onto a 1000cc sports motorbike... which was doing 45mpg but got through a set of tires every 2000miles. Moved onto a touring motorbike which did 50mpg and 5000miles out of tyres.

But for the last 70k miles ive been driving a battered up old peugeot 106 1.5 diesel. Costs about 600quid to buy these days, does 58mpg, 100quid to insure, cheap road tax and reliable as anything. Ive done 70k on mine without any major problems appart from regular servicing. Granted, its not the most exciting drive in the world, but it will happily cruise at 85mph on the motorway.
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