Alto Fuel Economy Woes

ScarySkulls · 17th June 2007, 11:47

Hi guys.
I got myself an almost new Alto from brother.
Feb 07 model. 7k run when I got it. (now 8.5k). (first three free services done)

Pretty happy with the Car overall except for the one thing that it was primarily bought for. LOW RUNNING COST.

From the day I bought it, I could sense low fuel economy, but didnt pay too much of an attention to it because I put that down to extended air conditioner use and the City driving.

However, Last week, I went with my family to see some relatives.
It was a Ludhiana - Ambala - Chandigarh - Ludhiana run.
around 250kms of Pure Highway run done at 60-80kmph in 5th Gear. (was desparately trying for a big economy run).
Around 50kms of city use where again it was totally babied around and top gear used wherever road and engine rpm's allowed.

Then, after coming back, a little bit of use in my own and time for a tank up.
Avg calculated was around 14.5kmpl.

The above figure is with 100% A/C on City or Highway. Basically every possible moment the car is switched on.
Tyres are 155/65 R13 Michelin XM1 on League 5.5J rims.
Passenger weight (for highway run) --> 250kg ATLEAST + bootful of luggage.

I feel the fuel economy that I got is on the low side.

I must however mention that sometimes during highway use, I used to get this funny sound from the underbody. Like the axle scrapping or something.
Example of the sound can be...like trying to run the car with hand brake applied. It made that kind of metal grinding noise.

The above sound description is just as an example and I couldnt find the source of it.

Anyways.

Please help on the following two topics.
1) Fuel Economy
2) Possible reasons/sources of sound.

Vid6639 · 17th June 2007, 14:13

With the weight of the passengers and AC it's actually fine. My mileage doesnt cross 13kmpl in city with AC and not more than 2 passengers.

My mileage last 2 fills was 12.84kmpl, 12.89kmpl.

The AC is pretty strong and the car is heavy with the engine struggling to pull that weight as well the ac load.

Zappo · 17th June 2007, 14:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid6639

With the weight of the passengers and AC it's actually fine. My mileage doesnt cross 13kmpl in city with AC and not more than 2 passengers.

My mileage last 2 fills was 12.84kmpl, 12.89kmpl.

The AC is pretty strong and the car is heavy with the engine struggling to pull that weight as well the ac load.

Oye Vidyut! kya keh rahaa hai bhai? Is that the Alto's average you are quoting? What happened to those fabulous 18kmpl mileage figure that everyone tells me about?

In fact one of my friend was telling me that his Alto always gives around 13 in city and I asked him to immediately get it checked as I thought that's very low for Alto.

Vid6639 · 17th June 2007, 14:31

Haan Zappo that is indeed the Alto's. It gives only so much only. My friend gets also the same 13ishkmpl from the car.

All those high figures are without AC yaar. with AC only 12-13ish.

dj_2006 · 17th June 2007, 14:45

@ scaryskulls

Get injectors cleaned and air filter replaced ... should improve to 15-16 but not more ...

As others have mentioned the engine struggles with AC therefore the low mileage

abhibh · 17th June 2007, 14:53

WTH ppl get your altos checked. Never got less then 16kmpl on HIGHWAY and that too when will 4 ppl and luggage. Total load of passengers + luggage being 300 KG+ at the time i got 16 and in that there were speed bursts of 140+ most of the times and we used that extra premium fuel and that can be culprit too as car is almost 7 years (7th birthday in december) old now.

I think new altos enigne is yuck lol fuel guzzlers like optra 1.8 LMAO...

But still SS man that is a low FE. Get the car checked.

EDITED: Check this SS yaar http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...tml#post467414

Some problem with alto i suppose.

ScarySkulls · 17th June 2007, 15:01

16kmpl with bursts to 140...???
eeekkkk....

I never crossed even 90!.

(Fuel used is Xtra Premium and the pump is pretty trustworthy too)

abhibh · 17th June 2007, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScarySkulls

16kmpl with bursts to 140...???
eeekkkk....

I never crossed even 90!

Yup 140 that too on Stock.... It was Chandigarh - Delhi Highway 4 -5 years back no Traffic

Check this if you havent:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...tml#post467414

Also i recently did a trip of 800 KM from Chandigarh > Delhi > Gurgaon > Faridabad > Ghaziabad and back to Chandigarh on Santro eRLX and it returned 20 KMPL with 95% AC and speeds not exceeding 100 kmph (mostly 80 just did 1 burst till 140). And i must i have fallen in love with Santro. My uncle Santro gives him 15 with AC in Delhi so sure shot either its fuel problem or engine which needs to be checked.

Which fuel did ya filled her up with. Fuel can be culprit too at times.

ScarySkulls · 17th June 2007, 15:12

Xtra Premium brother. Mentioned that.

CrAzY dRiVeR · 17th June 2007, 15:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScarySkulls

16kmpl with bursts to 140...???
eeekkkk....

I never crossed even 90!.

(Fuel used is Xtra Premium and the pump is pretty trustworthy too)

Can you please check the mileage without AC?

14 on highway is on the lower side for an Alto. Its defenitly one of the best FE cars in India. However 4 people+ luggage+ 100 AC Can push the FE down by a decent margin.

Please check the FE the car gives without ac and report it, so that the experts here can help you out more.

jkdas · 17th June 2007, 15:19

14.5 kmpl with Ac and luggage and people looks ok.

pogusingh · 17th June 2007, 15:27

When I read the title <woes>; I thought you are getting something under 10 kmpl

I think its perfectly ok to get 14.5. You can check with other fellow members who have alto and I think this much average is pretty ok

abhibh · 17th June 2007, 15:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by pogusingh

When I read the title <woes>; I thought you are getting something under 10 kmpl

I think its perfectly ok to get 14.5. You can check with other fellow members who have alto and I think this much average is pretty ok

Arey even Petrol Mid sized sedan avg is better / same on HIGHWAYS if driven at same speed under 100 KMPH why you all saying its ok average

akroy · 17th June 2007, 15:38

No boss, Average is on the lower side....Check your filter and tyre pressures...something might be wrong...
See my LTO, I never ever got less than 17 on highways...infact my Blr - Kol drive was high speeds and full AC, it still returned 18+...

Check it....Actually it also depends on ur driving style...but in highway that mileage is less...

Abhi

ScarySkulls · 17th June 2007, 16:05

Car was serviced 2 days before the trip.
So clean Air filter. Brand new engine and gearbox oils.
Tyre pressure-> 30psi

Speeds kept 60-80kmph. And very sedate, light foot driving within the city limits also.

@Crazy Driver -> Sorry brother, but checking without A/C right now in this merciless Northern Summer is pure torture.

In the opening post. I have also mentioned a problem. Can thatbe a cause? (useless friction)?

17th June 2007, 11:47	#1
ScarySkulls BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Halifax, N.S. Posts: 623 Thanked: 34 Times	Alto Fuel Economy Woes Hi guys. I got myself an almost new Alto from brother. Feb 07 model. 7k run when I got it. (now 8.5k). (first three free services done) Pretty happy with the Car overall except for the one thing that it was primarily bought for. LOW RUNNING COST. From the day I bought it, I could sense low fuel economy, but didnt pay too much of an attention to it because I put that down to extended air conditioner use and the City driving. However, Last week, I went with my family to see some relatives. It was a Ludhiana - Ambala - Chandigarh - Ludhiana run. around 250kms of Pure Highway run done at 60-80kmph in 5th Gear. (was desparately trying for a big economy run). Around 50kms of city use where again it was totally babied around and top gear used wherever road and engine rpm's allowed. Then, after coming back, a little bit of use in my own and time for a tank up. Avg calculated was around 14.5kmpl. The above figure is with 100% A/C on City or Highway. Basically every possible moment the car is switched on. Tyres are 155/65 R13 Michelin XM1 on League 5.5J rims. Passenger weight (for highway run) --> 250kg ATLEAST + bootful of luggage. I feel the fuel economy that I got is on the low side. I must however mention that sometimes during highway use, I used to get this funny sound from the underbody. Like the axle scrapping or something. Example of the sound can be...like trying to run the car with hand brake applied. It made that kind of metal grinding noise. The above sound description is just as an example and I couldnt find the source of it. Anyways. Please help on the following two topics. 1) Fuel Economy 2) Possible reasons/sources of sound.
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 14:13	#2
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,728 Thanked: 43,463 Times View My Garage	With the weight of the passengers and AC it's actually fine. My mileage doesnt cross 13kmpl in city with AC and not more than 2 passengers. My mileage last 2 fills was 12.84kmpl, 12.89kmpl. The AC is pretty strong and the car is heavy with the engine struggling to pull that weight as well the ac load.
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 14:31	#4
Vid6639 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17,728 Thanked: 43,463 Times View My Garage	Haan Zappo that is indeed the Alto's. It gives only so much only. My friend gets also the same 13ishkmpl from the car. All those high figures are without AC yaar. with AC only 12-13ish.
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 14:45	#5
dj_2006 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Singapore Posts: 61 Thanked: Once	@ scaryskulls Get injectors cleaned and air filter replaced ... should improve to 15-16 but not more ... As others have mentioned the engine struggles with AC therefore the low mileage
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 14:53	#6
abhibh Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Back in the HOOD near you! Posts: 2,768 Thanked: 39 Times	WTH ppl get your altos checked. Never got less then 16kmpl on HIGHWAY and that too when will 4 ppl and luggage. Total load of passengers + luggage being 300 KG+ at the time i got 16 and in that there were speed bursts of 140+ most of the times and we used that extra premium fuel and that can be culprit too as car is almost 7 years (7th birthday in december) old now. I think new altos enigne is yuck lol fuel guzzlers like optra 1.8 LMAO... But still SS man that is a low FE. Get the car checked. EDITED: Check this SS yaar http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/travel...tml#post467414 Some problem with alto i suppose. Last edited by abhibh : 17th June 2007 at 15:01.
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 15:01	#7
ScarySkulls BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Halifax, N.S. Posts: 623 Thanked: 34 Times	16kmpl with bursts to 140...??? eeekkkk.... I never crossed even 90!. (Fuel used is Xtra Premium and the pump is pretty trustworthy too) Last edited by ScarySkulls : 17th June 2007 at 15:06.
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 15:12	#9
ScarySkulls BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Halifax, N.S. Posts: 623 Thanked: 34 Times	Xtra Premium brother. Mentioned that.
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 15:19	#11
jkdas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Thiruvananthapu Posts: 9,687 Thanked: 1,492 Times View My Garage	14.5 kmpl with Ac and luggage and people looks ok.
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 15:27	#12
pogusingh BHPian Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: New Delhi Posts: 226 Thanked: 0 Times	When I read the title <woes>; I thought you are getting something under 10 kmpl I think its perfectly ok to get 14.5. You can check with other fellow members who have alto and I think this much average is pretty ok
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 15:38	#14
akroy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA, USA Posts: 2,423 Thanked: 85 Times View My Garage	No boss, Average is on the lower side....Check your filter and tyre pressures...something might be wrong... See my LTO, I never ever got less than 17 on highways...infact my Blr - Kol drive was high speeds and full AC, it still returned 18+... Check it....Actually it also depends on ur driving style...but in highway that mileage is less... Abhi
	() Thanks

17th June 2007, 16:05	#15
ScarySkulls BHPian Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Halifax, N.S. Posts: 623 Thanked: 34 Times	Car was serviced 2 days before the trip. So clean Air filter. Brand new engine and gearbox oils. Tyre pressure-> 30psi Speeds kept 60-80kmph. And very sedate, light foot driving within the city limits also. @Crazy Driver -> Sorry brother, but checking without A/C right now in this merciless Northern Summer is pure torture. In the opening post. I have also mentioned a problem. Can thatbe a cause? (useless friction)? Last edited by ScarySkulls : 17th June 2007 at 16:16.
	() Thanks