Am I being too easy through the gears?

[Ross_Mk2]

Well with my on-going battle with MPG i am just covering everything! When driving normally which is most of the time i keep the revs low and change gear regular till i reach 4-5th an cruise, but am i being too easy would this also be somehow straining the car and drinking fuel 3-4000 rpm i change at?

[richie00boy]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

You need to strike a balance between labouring the engine and over-revving. Given what I'd imagine your power curve to be like, changing in the 3-4k band is maybe a little high. I change about 2.5k and I get regular 35's.

However, of more importance than the revs is the throttle position, i.e. you can be revving really low but if you are pushing the throttle past where the equilibrium point is or accelerating quicker than necessary to the rev change point, it will use excess fuel.

[Brett]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

thats higher up than I'd change if I was driving economically, I'd probably change before 3, around 2500. Thats an XE though not the 8v

For the few quid it saves though I've always been of the opinoin I'd rather just drive in my normal style and enjoy it especially since your running twin carbs arnt you?

[Orange Peel]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

thats higher up than I'd change if I was driving economically, I'd probably change before 3, around 2500. Thats an XE though not the 8v

For the few quid it saves though I've always been of the opinoin I'd rather just drive in my normal style and enjoy it especially since your running twin carbs arnt you?

Totally agrree with all that.

I used to drive my XE'd astra around the 2.5K mark but only saved around £5-£10 a month against giving it some stick!

When I get the new one sorted I'll be driving it to enjoy it not to get good MPG

[Brett]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

Exactly, what richie says about throttle position is also very true mind.

Its interesting when you have one of the fuel computers. When I had the guzzling tank Carlton last summer I used to be transfixed on the fuel comp holding the throttle just just open in a vain attempt to see 25mpg If you depressed the throttle fully it could drop to around 10-11mpg!!

[Ross_Mk2]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

With these carbs you notice the sound change clearly when pressin the go go petal harder! I generally press the pedal very lightly as i am trying to get more miles out of the bugger but thats not working either!

[traffman]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

You dont need fith unless on the motorway, keep the gears as 3rd for 30mph, 4 th 40 mph and so on, i was taught by a police traffic officer this is the way best way to save the engine labouring and youll allways be in the right gear for the right move.

[richie00boy]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

Yes those gears/speed points are what I was taught too, and work well.

[Brett]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

I for one use 5th more often than any other gear, revving the tits of the engine wont help fuel consumption!!

[richie00boy]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

It really depends on what speed of road you drive on Brett... If you change using the rule above it works out you hit about 2.5k each change.

[richie00boy]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

I just made a concerted effort to drive home from work, revving past 3k each time, and it was difficult! If you change into 2nd at 10mph, 3rd at 20mph, 4th at 30mph you hit about 2200 revs. This feels like normal driving to me, past 3k felt too high.

Ross, have you got a vernier pulley?

[Harvey]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

I poddle about in 5th at about 30mph in my 14NV Starmist and that's with 143K on the clock. Not to save fuel but because there's no point leaving it in 4th if your cruising and its not labouring the engine. I regularly get over 40mpg and once got 48mpg the first time I've ever seen over 500miles to a full tank in a mk2.

[Harvey]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

It also depends how you drive; harsh breaking, quick accelleration not to mention the fuel quality and carb balance.

[James C]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

I noticed that Tesco super unleaded was cheaper that diesel last night so i'm not too sure about mpg. The GTE is crap compared to the GL.

Plus I'm now into the mod of listening to my new exhaust note so i'm perhaps not driving too economically.

Ross you're proberbly driving the wrong car to have a worry about fuel consumption. The 1600sv is designed to run with the wider ratio of the F13 and the pidily little Pierberg carb. Plus you have a reprofiled cam don't you?

I can quite easily see this lowering the MPG from 40 down to 30.

With the difference in driving in 4th Vs 5th - i've always been a higher the better gear driver but i find that the 16V doesn't need 5th until atleast 40mph if not a bit faster.

[Ross_Mk2]

Re: Am I being too easy through the gears?

Ross, have you got a vernier pulley?

I think it has mate!

Ross you're proberbly driving the wrong car to have a worry about fuel consumption. The 1600sv is designed to run with the wider ratio of the F13 and the pidily little Pierberg carb. Plus you have a reprofiled cam don't you?

I can quite easily see this lowering the MPG from 40 down to 30.

With the difference in driving in 4th Vs 5th - i've always been a higher the better gear driver but i find that the 16V doesn't need 5th until atleast 40mph if not a bit faster.

30mpg would be great if i could see that but a constant 25mpg would suit me!

Just worked it out with rich's fuel calculator 23.56mpg is what i just got. thats with adding 20miles on as i have just hit the red!