[TDCIfever]

Car: Ford Aspire TDCi
ODO: 6230 kms
Avg city FE (as per MID): 19.5-20.5kmpl*
Avg City FE (tankful method): 19-20 kmpl*
Avg Highway FE (as per MID): 24-26kmpl*
Avg Highway FE (tankful method)24-25.5kmpl*
*= as observed on multiple occasions
100%AC always
Tire pressure ranges from 31-34 psi depending upon no. of passengers and luggage in the car.

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by kifilshah

......

I have taken trips to the airport's recently and the way I drive when I see open road, gotta qualify as Italian tuneups even though that was not intended! I have also heard these are are better done on lower gears so the engine is running high throughout. In any case, Hyundai had done an engine-decarbonisation on it less than a year ago so I really doubt if it's because of carbon deposit.

If you are driving mostly in B2B traffic, then a few trips to airport will not decarbonise the engine properly. In one year since your last decarbonising a lot of carbon would have built up.

The theory behind Italian Tuneup, is to run the engine hot for at least an hour at high speed. That burns up most of the deposits, get rid of water and waste that have accumulated in the engine oil. Short drives of less than 50km in moderate traffic will not do.

My K10 gives around 310km per tankful (30l nominally) in my normal driving. When I take it for a long spin on open highway, it gives upwards of 450km after a 100 to 150km drive. And then for a few months I get 370+ per tank full. So in effect the drive is free.

[kifilshah]

Originally Posted by Aroy

The theory behind Italian Tuneup, is to run the engine hot for at least an hour at high speed. That burns up most of the deposits, get rid of water and waste that have accumulated in the engine oil. Short drives of less than 50km in moderate traffic will not do.

I guess I am gonna give this a try sometime this week!
Really hoping I see some results. Fingers crossed!
If nothing, I am pretty sure I am gonna thoroughly enjoy an hour of redlining so, thanks for the suggestion. I'll update here as to how it goes!

[Vysakh]

Originally Posted by kifilshah

My 2005 getz 1.3 with 32k on the odo just gives 7.5-8 per km (based on multiple thankfuls) with AC always on in Bangalore. :(

80% of the driving is my daily commute with fair amount of traffic. I would take about 4-5 minutes to cover each kilometre.

I suspect these figures are too low and ideally I should be getting at least 9.5-10 in similar conditions right?
Fellow getz 1.3 owners, please give your inputs!

That's less than what I get on my Fiesta 1.6 in similar conditions

[kifilshah]

Originally Posted by Vysakh

That's less than what I get on my Fiesta 1.6 in similar conditions

A friend of mine is getting similar figures on his CRV which is notorious for bad fuel efficiency!

I think I need to get this issue diagnosed! I have changed/cleaned all the parts which normally affects fuel consumption like Oil, filter, air filter, throttle body, spark plugs, fuel injectors, fuel tank and filter etc.. all that's left are the sensors (O2, MAF etc..)

Folks at Hyundai couldn't find anything wrong with the car or the sensors (which I guess is their conclusion after seeing no error codes) so I literally am running out of options but my gut says that it should ideally return at least 10 to a litre!
Since you're from Bangalore, can you suggest a good mechanic who can help me with this?

[Midas]

Originally Posted by kifilshah

Folks at Hyundai couldn't find anything wrong with the car or the sensors (which I guess is their conclusion after seeing no error codes) so I literally am running out of options but my gut says that it should ideally return at least 10 to a litre!
Since you're from Bangalore, can you suggest a good mechanic who can help me with this?

FE depends a lot on driving habits and style too, especially in city traffic. Lot of idling in signals and accelerating only to come to a stop soon with braking also affects a lot, more what many of us think.

I'm not sure whether you already follow this, but try these if your are not doing already doing it...
- If you find/think the stopping at signal or a traffic jam is going to take more than a minute, turn off the engine rather than idling it.
- Anticipate stops and rely on coasting rather than keeping your foot on accelerator and braking at the last moment.
- In crawling traffic, rather than riding on clutch and applying accelerator, try removing your foot from all (i.e. wait for the vehicle in front of you to move ahead a little bit and release clutch slowly. Car would start crawling slowly even without any accelerator input. Many people don't know this). This may not be suitable in all situations, but can be used in many situations.
- Especially in a city like Bangalore where whether is not too harsh, you don't need AC all the time. Rely on automatic climate control(if it's there in your car) or periodically switch off AC when it has cooled down enough

Cumulative effect of all these would help to increase FE by 1-3kmpl. If you already follow all these and still see the bad FE, then there is definitely something wrong with the car which needs to be checked.

[kifilshah]

Originally Posted by Midas

FE depends a lot on driving habits and style too, especially in city traffic. Lot of idling in signals and accelerating only to come to a stop soon with braking also affects a lot, more what many of us think.

I'm not sure whether you already follow this, but try these if your are not doing already doing it...

I already follow most of these points, maybe expect for the air conditioning. I rarely drive with windows down. So, AC is almost always on but in low settings (I don't have automatic climate control so I keep the thermostat at about an 11'oclock angle. a little turn to the right and the vents start spitting out hot air) and I switch off the compressor from time to time.

I have a very light foot on the throttle and upshift early before I hear the engine revving.

Also, on my daily commute, I don't encounter traffic signals where I have to wait still for more than a minute.

I have also been analyzing my driving style ever since I bought this car so been extremely careful not to drive in such a way that it affects fuel consumption negatively. So I am kind of convinced that it's something wrong with the car unless, of course, if that's all I can expect from a Getz 1.3 which my gut says isn't the case but I am no expert.

So Like I said, my Hunt for a good mechanic continues! I have booked an appointment with Bay6 Motorworks for this Saturday (thanks to TeamBHP directory) and really hoping they will be able to figure it out! (fingers crossed)

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by kifilshah

My 2005 getz 1.3 with 32k on the odo just gives 7.5-8 per km (based on multiple thankfuls) with AC always on in Bangalore. :(

A former colleague used to own a 1.3 Getz and he mentioned similar figures (way back in 2008-9). So this is not really an aberration.

In general Hyundai petrols reward you with lousy FE compared to their peers, that's a Hyundai feature

[Thebat]

Originally Posted by kifilshah

Since you're from Bangalore, can you suggest a good mechanic who can help me with this?

Would suggest you check out Fastwheels a Bosch authorised service center in North bangalore.

The owner Mr.Babu is throughly knowledgeable and is know to solve complex issues where the service center folks have been clueless.

[kifilshah]

Originally Posted by narayans80

In general Hyundai petrols reward you with lousy FE compared to their peers, that's a Hyundai feature

Honestly, so many had warned me about this 'feature' when I was gonna buy a Hyundai petrol.
Anyways! I love the car in every other way so finally, this may be something I'd just have to l live with! Trying my luck for what it's worth that's all!

[kifilshah]

Originally Posted by Thebat

The owner Mr.Babu is throughly knowledgeable and is know to solve complex issues where the service center folks have been clueless.

Thanks for the suggestion! Finding a knowledgeable mechanic is so hard!!

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I am taking the car to Bay6 Motorworks this weekend and going on a road trip this Sunday where I am gonna administer an 'Italian tune-up' like Aroy suggested in his post! (really excited about this one )

If this doesn't work and If I still have patience left in me, Fastwheels is definitely the next stop

[Aroy]

Originally Posted by kifilshah

I already follow most of these points, maybe expect for the air conditioning. I rarely drive with windows down. So, AC is almost always on but in low settings (I don't have automatic climate control so I keep the thermostat at about an 11'oclock angle. a little turn to the right and the vents start spitting out hot air) and I switch off the compressor from time to time.
........

I have yet to see a modern car with a thermostat for AC (had one in my old M800 which would cut off just like room AC).

On a non climate control AC rotating the thermostat knob just mixes hot air (from heater) with cold AC air. In effect you are consuming more power. Keep the AC knob at its coldest, and manually switch it off when it gets too cold. That will help increase FE a bit.

[daniel990]

Car: VW Vento TSI 1.2 PETROL AUTOMATIC

Bumper to bumper city traffic 9 kmpl

Not so busy day city traffic 13 kmpl

Highway long distance (speeds within 120) D mode steady driving
minimum braking 19 kmpl

Highway long distance high speed (140+)driving (minimum braking)
Sports mode 16 kmpl

(Tyre pressure +1 psi above recommended for long distance)
The MID is pretty accurate

[thoma]

Originally Posted by Aroy

On a non climate control AC rotating the thermostat knob just mixes hot air (from heater) with cold AC air. In effect you are consuming more power. Keep the AC knob at its coldest, and manually switch it off when it gets too cold. That will help increase FE a bit.

You mean to say that in a climate controlled car, keeping the temperature at, say 24, will cut off the compressor once it reaches the temperature inside?

I was thinking it only controlled the mixing of hot and cold air still. Maybe not thinking, IIRC, I've tested it on one of my previous car with climate control, to keep the AC at a higher temp and still finding that the compressor runs intermittently all the time.

Yet, I'm not too sure, but will appreciate more information on this; AC vs FE.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by thoma

You mean to say that in a climate controlled car, keeping the temperature at, say 24, will cut off the compressor once it reaches the temperature inside?



.

Yes, it does. In practice some of the modern AC system are a bit more sophisticated, but still at some point in time at the right temperature the compressor will cut off. You can usually here it as the engine load is less. The ECU will keep the RPMs more or less stable, but you might see a little higher RPM when the compressors cut off and then it settles back again.

Depends a bit of course but on an average family saloon running the AC could take 3-4 HP

Jeroen