[Floyd de Souza]

What Mclaren says is right. In any car with a broad torque spread, it is ideal to shift between 1500-1750 rpm. I used to do it with my Palio S10 and the best I got with a/c on all the time in Mumbai city traffic was 7.75 kmpl. With the Baleno I get 10+ comfortably in similar conditions. And the engine has still not fully run-in. Venkat, has your car felt different to drive after the first time you checked? If so, then surely get the car checked thoroughly at a MASS. If not, just answer the foll. questions and you will get your answer to the difference in the readings:

1. Have you changed your daily commuting route?
2. Have you changed the time you start off or return?
3. Has the congestion increased due to road repair work etc on your normal route?

Since you are in Blr, why don't you meet up with Mclaren and Vp13 and request them to check the basics of your car like the clutch etc.?

[venkatrx]

Originally Posted by Floyd de Souza

What Mclaren says is right. In any car with a broad torque spread, it is ideal to shift between 1500-1750 rpm. I used to do it with my Palio S10 and the best I got with a/c on all the time in Mumbai city traffic was 7.75 kmpl. With the Baleno I get 10+ comfortably in similar conditions. And the engine has still not fully run-in. Venkat, has your car felt different to drive after the first time you checked? If so, then surely get the car checked thoroughly at a MASS. If not, just answer the foll. questions and you will get your answer to the difference in the readings:

1. Have you changed your daily commuting route?
2. Have you changed the time you start off or return?
3. Has the congestion increased due to road repair work etc on your normal route?

Since you are in Blr, why don't you meet up with Mclaren and Vp13 and request them to check the basics of your car like the clutch etc.?

1. commuting route is pretty simliar.
2. no change in timings
3. no increased congestion..
Yes i will definitely get my car checked by maruti within a month. Hopeful can catch with McLaren, Viper sometime soon....

[k36]

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

4. Well always remember the higher gear u are in and the less throttle u give the lesser is the fuel consumed ..

I guess this is true just for cruising at a constant speed, which is rare in Indian driving conditions. What about accelerating?
Taking an example: say accelerating from 60 to 80kmph. This can be achieved in 3rd, 4th or 5th gear (for a typical car, not baleno specific). The throttle push is far less in 3rd gear and for very little duration as compared to 5th gear. Any ideas on how will this effect FE?

[k36]

Also.. what exactly is the meaning of engine straining? Is it like running the car in higher gear at low speeds? What harm does it cause?

[SLK]

Originally Posted by k36

I guess this is true just for cruising at a constant speed, which is rare in Indian driving conditions. What about accelerating?
Taking an example: say accelerating from 60 to 80kmph. This can be achieved in 3rd, 4th or 5th gear (for a typical car, not baleno specific). The throttle push is far less in 3rd gear and for very little duration as compared to 5th gear. Any ideas on how will this effect FE?

Lets say...
3rd gear @ 80km/h = 4000rpm = 50% throttle
4rd gear @ 80km/h = 3000rpm = 30% throttle
5rd gear @ 80km/h = 2200rpm = 20% throttle

Then... to get to 80 in the given gears you open the respective amount of throttle.
Now we are talking about getting good fuel economy here... so you don't press the pedal more than the speed you want to be at... and then later release it.

I hope I made my point.

EDIT: Suppose you are driving below 12-1300rpm in a high gear 4th or 5th... then to increase the rpm to say 2000 mark.. you'll initially need to press more than the corresponding "x" throttle % (where x% = 2000rpm)..... AND thats called straining the engine (correct me if I am wrong)

[venkatrx]

can some nhc owners tell how much FE they get in bangalore with full-ac?

[pmbabu]

Originally Posted by venkatrx

can some nhc owners tell how much FE they get in bangalore with full-ac?

N-NHC Gxi:
11.5 - 12.5 with 95-100% AC
13 - 14 with 60-70% AC

The car has just clocked over 2000 kms.

[imjimmy]

Tyre pressure : 27psi

huh..?
Which tyres are you using. this psi is too low for both stock or wider tyres. the FE will suffer, i tell ya.

guess thats becuz i average at around 130-140 kmph... and have pumped her to 190kmph on many occasions...

190kmph on a Baleno.. You sure have a speedo error. THere's no way a Baleno can touch 190 - even on the speedo reading.

BUt i guess you don't have to bother about FE at such speeds. The adrenalin pump that you get at high speeds is worth those extra litres of fuel.( yes the FE does go down quite a lot on consistent driving above 130 kmph ..coz that's pretty much where the Baleno torque curve peaks.

[venkatrx]

Guys,

whats the optimal tyre pressure for BAleno vxi?

how important is correct tyre pressure w.r.t FE?

[shuvc]

@venkatrx, the answer to your PM lies in this thread. I get 11kmpl in the city - the parameters are in post #110. No idea about NHC figures.

@imjimmy, OEM 185/65 R14 Goodyear NCT5s. Manual recommends a pressure of 25psi ! with a +4 increase for highway driving. I keep it in between. Am thinking of running on 29 in the city for a while ..

[venkatrx]

Originally Posted by shuvc

@venkatrx, the answer to your PM lies in this thread. I get 11kmpl in the city - the parameters are in post #110. No idea about NHC figures.

@imjimmy, OEM 185/65 R14 Goodyear NCT5s. Manual recommends a pressure of 25psi ! with a +4 increase for highway driving. I keep it in between. Am thinking of running on 29 in the city for a while ..

Hey Shuv,

do u know why higher pressure for highway ?

[venkatrx]

Originally Posted by v1p3r

So here's the deal.

10k into the baby's life, I decide to do a mileage check. This is basically for city driving. Koramangala, Indiranagar, Whitefield, with the odd social trips to MG Rd etc. The airconditioner is rarely used.

Because according to my calculations, which is (11067.2 - 10178)/(2666.2/47.32), I'm getting 15.78 kmpl!!!

Hey V1p3r,

During the drives that you have mentioned,

1. what was the traffic like?
2. what was your top speed?
3. were u able to use 4/5 gears for most of your drive?
4. was the driving during peak hours?
5. whats the tyre pressure your maintain.
6. is your lxi or vxi?
7. whats ur tyre profile 185/65?

[prince85]

I am getting 11.5-12kmpl with a/c on all the time in mumbai ciy conditions. My car has not yet done even the 1st service so if it can improve after the first service, then well....what can i say!!!!!! i would be over the moon.

Cheers

[mclaren1885]

Originally Posted by venkatrx

Hey V1p3r,

During the drives that you have mentioned,

1. what was the traffic like?
2. what was your top speed?
3. were u able to use 4/5 gears for most of your drive?
4. was the driving during peak hours?
5. whats the tyre pressure your maintain.
6. is your lxi or vxi?
7. whats ur tyre profile 185/65?

V1p3r seems to be busy with speedrun , il try and answer a few questions ...

1. Traffic is pretty heavy all the way from whitefield to kumara park (daily routine the car takes apart from the regular late night meets where the cars are revved a bit ) ..
2. Around 60-80 km/hr top speed i guess (when driver driven) ..
3. Yes , once on hitting 40 km/hr shift into 5th most of the time ..
4. Well the car is mainly used during office hours to drop and pick up his mom .. So yes , considering the traffic on airport road i would take it as peak hours ..
5. Well , im not quite too sure on this.. Maybe around 28 psi ??
6. Its a beam blue LXi .. The very few in bangalore ...
7. i think it is 185/70/R13 ..

[venkatrx]

Originally Posted by mclaren1885

V1p3r seems to be busy with speedrun , il try and answer a few questions ...

1. Traffic is pretty heavy all the way from whitefield to kumara park (daily routine the car takes apart from the regular late night meets where the cars are revved a bit ) ..
2. Around 60-80 km/hr top speed i guess (when driver driven) ..
3. Yes , once on hitting 40 km/hr shift into 5th most of the time ..
4. Well the car is mainly used during office hours to drop and pick up his mom .. So yes , considering the traffic on airport road i would take it as peak hours ..
5. Well , im not quite too sure on this.. Maybe around 28 psi ??
6. Its a beam blue LXi .. The very few in bangalore ...
7. i think it is 185/70/R13 ..

Given the above conditions and to get 15 kmpl is not unbelievable but seems out-of-the-world

BTW have you taken more readings and been able to achieve 15 kmpl?