My 2.2 Hdi 136 Hatchback Awful Mpg

[fv43576]

Hi

I am a new forum, my Citroen C5 2.2 HDI 136 VTR 2003 with a rare 6 speed gear & own for six months now. I have really wish that I have bought the 2.0HDI 110 instead! because the 2.2HDI is horrific MPG really should be average 44 but I only average 38 only after 3 months of purchase in mix country and motorway.

What I did try to improve the MPG was add performance air filter, block the EGR valve, DPF (FAP) remove and remap to 175bhp & 270lb/ft and better rolling resistance tyre. I only achieve to 46MPG so far sounds rubbish. No engine problem or error codes the performance is fine but not happy with MPG I was expect go around 50-53MPG

I am sure everyone who own 2.2HDI have terrible economy?

I am think of rid and buy C5 2.0HDI 136 or 2.2 HDI 173 

[Johndouglas]

Having a remap done is all very well but if you are using the extra umph you are going to use more fuel.   Also on previous C5s I've had the particle filter removed and it never showed any difference in fuel consumption.   When you achieved your 38mpg, what distance and type of roads was that over?    On my own C5 I can register as high as 60 mpg taking it easy on a motorway but currently my average is showing only 44 over the last 500 miles.   Best way to measure is to brim the tank, do a week or so running then brim the tank again and divide miles by fuel. And winter time gives poorer fuel consumption with cold starts and longer warm up periods.

[fv43576]

I live in Essex, I drove on 4 miles narrow road then on the A1124, A12 and M25 to work and back total 83 miles same road 5 days a week, few traffic jam still average 38 then have done engine tuned and FAP remove now average 46 and I know you are right it is the cold use extra fuel but I will get more mpg in summer like 48-50?

Because my friend own Peugeot 2.0HDI 110 saloon I think average is 51mpg but he did great 63mpg and 66mpg on 60 mph cruise to holiday in Scotland so that is 12mpg extra but my car only little extra about 3mpg with my 6 gears!!! he got only 5 gears!! see the different that is why I am not happy with it.

My other old Fiat Punto HGT 1.9 sporting factory test is 53mpg and I got 65mpg average other my old Peugeot 306 2.0HDI average 67mpg

Makes me wonder Citroen C5 engine management not good as later model.

Edited December 31, 2015 by fv43576

[Randombloke]

Biggest problem I had with my 2.2 HDi  was brake drag, removing front pads, cleaning out and copper slip could push mpg from 39-41 up to nearly 50 on long runs.

 

Never had it de-FAPed or chipped, and that fuel figure was with the earlier 5 speed box.

[paul.h]

Official mpg figures from a 2003 C5 brochure for the hatchback 2.2 hdi 136 bhp with 6 speed gearbox:

- urban 32.5 mpg

- extra urban 58.9 mpg

- combined 44.8 mpg.

A 2.0 hdi 110 bhp5 speed is given as 38.2 / 61.4 / 50.4 mpg.

 

So from this you should be expecting to get about 45 mpg without doing any mods to the engine/ecu. You could check if the swirl flap actuator rod at the gearbox end of the cylinder head is still in place and the plastic cup on the joint is not broken.

 

We had a 2004 C5 with this engine and gearbox (6 speed is not rare) and without any mods other than normal maintenance. On motorway long runs could get 50 mpg or a bit higher provided the speed was kept 65 to 70 mph, any more and the mpg would drop. This was with careful driving, no hard accelerating, no hard braking, not accelerating up hills. At the end of the motorway the mpg would suffer once going through towns. Also if the weather was bad it would suffer since going into a strong wind knocks the mpg down.

 

We now have a 2007 C5 estate with the 2.2 hdi 173 bhp engine and 6 speed gearbox. This uses a bit more fuel than our previous C5 hatchback for the same type of trips/driving style.

[ESL57]

You don't buy an old 2.2 for economy.

[paul.h]

'You don't buy an old 2.2 for economy'

 

A 2.2 hdi makes sense if you tow a caravan due to its heavier kerb weight and extra power. Also if you do not do many miles, one in good condition makes more sense than a 2.0 hdi in poor condition for similar purchase cost but on the mark 1 there is the dpf to consider which the 2.0 hdi does not have.

[aspire_helen]

Poor economy from the 2.2HDi? Far from it! My 2001, 158,000miler routinely returns 60+mpg on cruise control at @60-65 mph on motorway journeys. Even my 26mile commute down the A1 rarely drops below 60mpg even on winter mornings. I have been recording my fuel usage since 2008 - every topup! Every refill i compare displayed mpg against fuel usec and the two are nearly always within 2%. Heres some boring stats......Since Aug08 (70,718 miles on clock), 120 topups, 6551 ltrs, 80,010miles driven, average fuel consumption 49.9mpg, average mileage per tank 647miles.

Ok, so i drive with a light foot and i am in no huury to get anywhere, but throw in some town driving and the mpg quickly drops to 45-50mpg.

Ps, the reason i have monitored fuel since 2008 is bacause i had to rebuild the cylinder head and afterwards the engine seemed less powerful. Also, i have not had to clean the pdf since then.

[MikeLane]

I've found that the biggest reduction in mpg occurs if I use the aircon and recently, with a damp car, I've needed to frequently demist. Consumption increases by about 10 - 12%.

[ESL57]

Maybe Coastline can chip in with a mean average of what mpg the 2.2 does?

  I have not owned one but AH is the first I have heard to get good mpg.

 

   

     I also tow a caravan and boats with the 2.0 8v. I don't have a DPF. No problematic or expensive injectors. Cheap road tax disc.

  If I come across an old 2.2 that has lower miles( 110k) and is better condition than this one, does same mpg as AH''s example........I will have it.

    Especially if it is £450, which is what I paid for my current car.  Mmm.........it isn't going to happen though is it?   :D  

[paul.h]

The only time I got over 60 mpg over a long distance (about 300 miles) on our mark 1 2.2 hdi was after accidentally filling up with Shell super diesel (or whatever it was called) but a few days later I found the swirl valve actuator plastic cup connector had broken off. It had not been accelerating as well so was a sign something was not right but once replaced the economy went back down to normal.

[aspire_helen]

Paul, my swirl actuator was come off twice (now its wired on). Being very aware of my daily mpg I can say it made no discernible difference to power or mpg.

[4rchibald]

Sorry: my post refers to X7 model, however fuel consumption provided in the first post looks reasonable. 

Can I ask what did you expect from a car that weighs between 1800 and 1900 kg and has DPF? 

 

My other car, Mondeo IV 2.0 tdci with DPF removed is doing 50-55 MPG on a motorway (70MPH+) so it's not far of C5 which is 150-200kg heavier. 

If you are looking for fuel economy, why not try Megane 1.5 dci - later models are fitted with 6 speed gearbox and can do 65-70 MPG on a long run and 40+ in town. Mine (5 speed 100BHP) is currently in a region of 42 MPG on 100% town runs. 

C5 (2.2 HDI) struggles to go above 27 MPG in the same town. No fault codes, new filters and oil, so yours look reasonable.  

 

In addition, this is EURO 5 motor so without reprogramming, computer will recognise blocked EGR and will run in limp mode. 

Edited February 11, 2016 by 4rchibald

[MikeLane]

"Also if the weather was bad it would suffer since going into a strong wind knocks the mpg down."

 

This is particularly true. On one 600 mile journey, at 70mph on cruise control, for the first c.100 miles into a strong headwind I was doing 47mpg. After Rouen the wind turned and dropped and I recorded 59mpg for the whole journey.

(I always get about 4% better mpg on French roads for some reason!)

Edited February 14, 2016 by MikeLane