Driving For Fuel Economy

[NickJ]

Hi all,

 

I've been driving my new C1 Rhythm 1.0 petrol for almost a week now, and have been very pleased with it.

 

I have a question about driving style for fuel economy. My previous car was a 1.5 diesel Renault Clio, and fuel economy was easy to drive for - keep the revs around 2000rpm. Clearly this strategy won't work with the C1's petrol engine.

 

So far I've been keeping the engine between just over 2000rpm and 3000rpm under acceleration, and cruising at somewhere around the 2500rpm mark, except on motorways.

 

Generally this means using 3rd at 30mph, 4th at 40mph and 5th at 50mph+ (when cruising), but I've also noticed that the car cruises quite comfortably at 50mph in 4th, and have read comments to this effect elsewhere.

 

So my question is, what gears and rev ranges do other people use to get optimum fuel economy.

 

(Incidentally, fuel ecnomy from my first tank of petrol came in at about 55mpg, which I thought was reasonable since the engine is still running in and that included a days driving round the Brecon Beacons).

 

Thanks for any thoughts anyone has to offer.

 

NickJ

[downsman]

You're getting better mpg than I have so far, so I'm not going to offer advice on that score :o

 

What I would say is, it's a good idea to vary the revs a bit while running in, and you definitely don't want it labouring in too high a gear. I would rev it a fair bit while getting up to speed, and as soon as you're cruising change to the highest gear that it will take comfortably.

[TurboSlag]

Averaged 67.7 on my last tank. It's not about engine revs, but engine load. To give a (hypothetical) example an engine running in 3rd at 30mph may be turning higher revs, but will be under a lesser load than it might be in 4th because the throttle body is open less to maintain engine speed.

 

My scanguage has both MPG and Laod (LoD) functions and is a real eye opener, and is arguably the best accessory you can buy if you're interested in hypermiling.

 

Hi all,Generally this means using 3rd at 30mph, 4th at 40mph and 5th at 50mph+ (when cruising), but I've also noticed that the car cruises quite comfortably at 50mph in 4th, and have read comments to this effect elsewhere.

Thats about right, according to the scanguage. Only on the dead level in clear traffic does 4th give better than 3rd at 30mph, but even then you're sacrificing a degree of vehicle control.

[NickJ]

Averaged 67.7 on my last tank.

 

My scanguage has both MPG and Laod (LoD) functions and is a real eye opener, and is arguably the best accessory you can buy if you're interested in hypermiling.

 

Hi TurboSlag - thanks for the advice.

 

The ScanGuage sounds interesting - have just done a quick look round on the Internet. Do you have the ScanGuage 1 or 2? How easy was it to fit (where is the OBD Connector in a C1) and does this affect any of the cars normal instruments? Oh... and where have you positioned yours - I wouldn't want one in the cubby hole above the stereo - I keep my Archos there?

 

One last question - would fitting a scanguage void the warranty on the car?

 

Cheers,

 

Nick

[TurboSlag]

I got Scanguage II, recessed into the top of the centre console. A brilliant little piece of kit.

 

The OBDII socket is at the bottom of the dash by the drivers left knee.

 

By european law all car manufacturers have to provided an OBDII protocol socket within 1 metre of the steering column. The SG is a certified OBDII compliant device so it won't invalidate your warranty.

[NickJ]

Thanks again for the info.

 

By recessed I guess you mean something like:

http://lsalerano.neuf.fr/auto/C1/scangauge2installed.jpg

 

Would you mind if I asked where you got yours from and how much it cost?

 

Cheers,

 

Nick

[TurboSlag]

Yes, exactly like that.

 

Got mine from egay last year for £114, but the seller was the European distributor anyway (based in Greece).

[Guest The Mackem]

Yes, exactly like that.

 

Got mine from egay last year for £114, but the seller was the European distributor anyway (based in Greece).

 

Turbo - I never knew such a product existed, and I have just ordered a new C1 and would like to know if you can easily hide the cable without drilling holes etc and possibly causing probs later when you trade in and remove the device?

 

Any info would be most welcome.

[ColinC1]

By the way all new car owners should still 'run-in' their car for the first 1000 miles, no matter what salesmen or others say.

 

Keep the revs down, ie, no over-reving (for vibe owners just use your ear, as we have no rev counter)

keep the speed reasonable, not way over 70, and vary it so the car engine beds in (wears in) correctly.

 

This will give you a better running engine over the lifetime of the car, should only take a month or less for this run-in periond.

 

As for economy well I get on average 58 MPG in my 1.00 litre petrol Vibe.

 

Economy does go way down if a head wind is real strong against you and its a long motorway journey, I have seem my economy go down to under 40 MPG with this.

 

This is because small engines are not strong enough to counter head winds without placing that right foot futher down on the pedal. I got this also on my previous Smart Fortwo.

[downsman]

I'm now getting 54mpg cruising at about 75mph on motorway driving. I think this amazingly good for such a tiny car ;)

[ColinC1]

Hi Turboslag, I am interested in fitting the Scangauge mark 2 as per that picture above, in the empty recess on the dash.

 

Can you tell me the following....

 

A... How did you make the rectangular cutout fo the unit without damaging the sides of recess and dash?

 

B.... Is there anything that can be damaged behind that cutout area, like vent ducts or wiring?

 

C.. How does the unit fix solidly into the cutout hole (one inch depth I believe, going by the writeup)?

 

D... Where exacly is the OBD socket under the dash ?

 

Cheers Colin

[TurboSlag]

A) I took the centre dash panel out 9a 10 minute job, with only a single screw to undo). I covered the rear of the panel in masking tape, marked it out, and carefully used a scalpel to cut it out. The plastic is very soft and the scalpel did the job in minutes.

 

;) Not really, certainly not at that point of the panel, but you take it out and cut if from behind anyway.

 

C) Having measured very carefully, the Scangauge was a firm interference fit within the sut out. Once in, a couple of dabs of grab adhesive were applied to the rear to stop it vibrating loose.

 

D) Bottom of the dash, by the rivers left knee.

[ColinC1]

Thanks for that info.

[CE08LDB]

Hi all,

 

I've been driving my new C1 Rhythm 1.0 petrol for almost a week now, and have been very pleased with it.

 

I have a question about driving style for fuel economy. My previous car was a 1.5 diesel Renault Clio, and fuel economy was easy to drive for - keep the revs around 2000rpm. Clearly this strategy won't work with the C1's petrol engine.

 

So far I've been keeping the engine between just over 2000rpm and 3000rpm under acceleration, and cruising at somewhere around the 2500rpm mark, except on motorways.

 

Generally this means using 3rd at 30mph, 4th at 40mph and 5th at 50mph+ (when cruising), but I've also noticed that the car cruises quite comfortably at 50mph in 4th, and have read comments to this effect elsewhere.

 

So my question is, what gears and rev ranges do other people use to get optimum fuel economy.

 

(Incidentally, fuel ecnomy from my first tank of petrol came in at about 55mpg, which I thought was reasonable since the engine is still running in and that included a days driving round the Brecon Beacons).

 

Thanks for any thoughts anyone has to offer.

 

NickJ

 

I get 52mpg Driving Around Brecon Beacons in My C2 1.6i 16v VTR SensoDrive and I don't drive slow either. I go up there every week

[pablos800]

Averaged 67.7 on my last tank. It's not about engine revs, but engine load. To give a (hypothetical) example an engine running in 3rd at 30mph may be turning higher revs, but will be under a lesser load than it might be in 4th because the throttle body is open less to maintain engine speed.

 

My scanguage has both MPG and Laod (LoD) functions and is a real eye opener, and is arguably the best accessory you can buy if you're interested in hypermiling.

 

Can the Scanguage be converted from US galls to imperial galls to ensure the MPG reading is correct for UK?

[750Nig]

60 odd to the gallon,amateur stuff. Check this link out :-

 

http://www.mpgmarathon.com/pressrelease2008.pdf

 

Over 82 to the gallon in an Aygo on a run from Bristol - Macclesfield and back.

Perhaps even more impressive is a 'vette getting over 30mpg.

 

For those that can't be bothered to read the article, top honours went to a Yaris which managed 84.66 mpg.