Van Fuel Consumption

[dansk]

Hi -

Me and my work mate have different opinions about driving style, i drive a 2013 VW Transporter 180ps and my mate drives a 2003 Peugeot boxer.

He is insured on my van and often when driving home i let him drive -

When pulling up hills i keep in a high gear and use the torque of the engine, keeping the revs low. when he's driving he drops it down the gears and has the engines revving high -

The question is: Which style is more fuel efficient? I claim my style is better even though i may be in 5th with the throttle fully open, he claims his is better as the throttle is open half way and therefore not "squirting" more juice in.

 

[telectrix]

you should use a gear that gives sensible rpm, no lower than 2000 rpm. anything lower, the engine is labouring.

 

[LeeH]

I would have thought low revs, the modern ecu won't let you over fuel even with your foot on the carpet. With in reason anyway, you don't want to be doing 10MPH IN 6th.

BUT

The last time I read a car manual it said not to increase the throttle, but to change down a cog. But that was an old carb petrol car.

So basically that was no help to you whatsoever!

 

[telectrix]

put it another way. if the van won't accelerate when you press the loud pedal, you're in too high a gear.

 

[dingledong]

Or you haven't turned the engine on yet

 

[Guest77]

Another great post by the forum nutcase.

 

[dingledong]

Your an ogre not a troll

 

[Guest77]

Is this the picture forum?

 

[dingledong]

Gasp !

 

[Besoeker]

you should use a gear that gives sensible rpm, no lower than 2000 rpm. anything lower, the engine is labouring.

I drive a diesel car - 2.2L with a six speed box.
All the boys toys. A couple of indicators show when to change up or down for optimum fuel efficiency. So about 2,000 rpm is the change up and 1,500 is change down. The change points varie with driving conditions.

I routinely get better than 60 mpg and have recorder 70 mpg on occasion.

This is a pic I took after one trip.

This is a pic I took after a refill.
The 696 is remaining distance on the available fuel.
The 372 is the distance travelled since the refill.
The tank is a bit over 14 gallons. UK gallons that is.

For sure, the jalopy is frugal with the motion lotion.
I think driving style also plays a part.
I don't, at least not very often, exceed speed limits.
With the proliferation of speed cameras it isn't worth the risk.
And much/most of the power is cube law related at higher speeds.

At times I can do about a thousand miles in a week. Mostly motorway of course.
Set the cruise at the speed limit, relax, listen to the radio or some of the stacked CDs.
And the miles drift by seamlessly.
Hour after hour after bloody hour........

 

[dansk]

Interesting, my view is modern engines won't inject any more fuel than needed, but my mate is still in the old mind set.

i don't let the engine labour, but it's got so much grunt I just let the engine do the work.

 

[dingledong]

I thought cruise control on normal roads lowers your mpg

 

[gutterball]

You shouldn't need to change down unless the engine is starting to labour.

 

[Silly Sausage]

you should use a gear that gives sensible rpm, no lower than 2000 rpm. anything lower, the engine is labouring.

That's what I've always thought/been told, better to over rev than labour the engine; sure fire way to knacker it.

 

[Sintra]

Mines automatic so it matters not

 

[Octopus]

You shouldn't need to change down unless the engine is starting to labour.

Can we keep politics out of this! lol

If you drive a diesel, the torque of the engine will allow you to drive within the "band" of the engine which is generally far wider than a petrol engine (and hence the need to change gear more often than a diesel) - I'm guessing your mate either drives a petrol van or hasn't adjusted to a diesel.

 

[dansk]

I think my mate "thinks" his van has a carburetor..lol

 

[Besoeker]

I thought cruise control on normal roads lowers your mpg

The evidence I've presented above suggests otherwise.
Sixth gives just about 2,000 rpm at 70 mph.
Diesels have a lower power band than petrol engined cars.
The highest ratio I had on a petrol engine car was a 1976 Triumph 2500 which was four on the floor with overdrive on the top two cogs. That was 29 mph per 1,000 rpm so around 2,400 at 70 mph. An all round refined car.

 

[Silly Sausage]

When I'm hoofing down the M56 to Scouseland, I couldn't care less if it's going to cost me an extra £1 of fuel so I won't be late for work.
I care even less if it costs an extra £2 to get back to Mancunia.

 

[shanky887614]

i usually get around 10miles a litre but then im usually in a lot of stop start traffic and i dont see the point in hypermiling

 

[Besoeker]

i usually get around 10miles a litre but then im usually in a lot of stop start traffic and i dont see the point in hypermiling

Seems fairy reasonable.