mrchipz Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 Hi folks, Just wondering if anyone has managed to get 1000 miles from a tank of diesel (obviously) in their Galaxy yet? I've managed to get 926 miles and the fuel light hadn't even come on.The needle hadn't moved over the last 50ish miles. Thought it was stuck so darn't take it any further. That was using a double dose of REDEX in the summer diesel at the time and driving as economically as possible with high tyre pressures about 45psi all round.Most journeys where done on a 30 mile each way trip to work. Fuel comp says there was enough for another 92 miles. Has anyone cracked the 1000 miles?I'd love to hear. Will give it another go next summer.
seatkid Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 :o Well done! The best I've managed is around 850 miles....although I can get 800 miles fairly regularly. But then I've been told by someone on this forum that this is impossible and the fuel computer tells outright lies and in fact I'm only get 35mpg!! B)
mrchipz Posted October 15, 2007 Author Report Posted October 15, 2007 (edited) I understand the fuel comps can be un-reliable for some people.I must admit mine slightly understates my actual mpg's.I've done several vented top ups and measured miles from fuel used etc. and fuel comp always understates and under estimates range left.Had 56.6 on a trip before.When I do an economy tank, I always compare range meter to how many miles i've done and add them both together to get total range of the tank. As i use diesel and go through the tank, the total worked out range always increses as the needle goes down. Edited October 15, 2007 by mrchipz
seatkid Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 Don't worry! I do believe you've been methodical in checking your mpg. Its just that this forum falls into 3 camps 1. The believers - those who realise that adopting eco-driving techniques can reap big rewards in many ways. But it also requires favourable conditions, a bit of good luck and a "good" car. 2. The majority of people probably don't care too much about mpg - they are the one who are running late all the time. Although they will jump into the no.1 category when the price of fuel goes up and they start taking an interest. 3. A small but vocal minority are the non-believers. They reason that because the Galaxy is shaped like a brick and weighs the same as a herd of elephants that it is physically impossible to break the 50mpg barrier just as it's impossible to travel faster than the speed of light (~125mph) The best "trip" I had was a 10 mile round journey into town and back at 3 a.m. - 73mpg! But I knew every bit of the road - where I could coast etc. Best trips are long slow (~50mph) A road journeys in summer down to Norfolk - 60mpg is frequent. Average is 52 - 53 mpg. Top Tip: In winter, keeping the car in a moderately heated garage results not only in a much more pleasant first ten minute experience in the cabin but does wonders for the mpg in the first ten miles.
gio Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 I would have thought that a 1000 miles on a tank full was highly possible, just follow seatkids example,only drive when the conditions are favourable. :o Diesel prices have almost doubled since the early 90s, and dieselcars on the road have gone up by 3 fold ! " in the winter don't forget" to but some slippers over the wheels as well.! B)
adrianf. Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 I think i need to take my lead boots off cos id be happy to get that out of two tanks B) Going to Paris next week so will give it a go then to see what i get. Only trouble is combining it with a booze run so i dont think ill get many mpg on way home :o
gregers Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 O GOODY ANOTHER MPG THREAD B) 3. A small but vocal minority are the non-believers. They reason that because the Galaxy is shaped like a brick and weighs the same as a herd of elephants that it is physically impossible to break the 50mpg barrier just as it's impossible to travel faster than the speed of light (~125mph) NO SEATKID UR WRONG its because they own petrol versions and are very jealous of the fact that we can pass a petrol station without having to stop every time :o :D
mumof4 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 seatkids tip is sound advice....i was told it by my course instructor aswell last year. if this turns into another MPG slanging match..i will have no choice but to don my FMBs, get me whips and chains out and thrash the lot o yer B) :o Oh and gregers, i dont have to stop at every filling station :D
NikpV Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 Oh and gregers, i dont have to stop at every filling station :D only if the handbrake works :o :D :D B)
mumof4 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 Oh and gregers, i dont have to stop at every filling station :D only if the handbrake works :o :D :D B) Aye..not good when i put the handbrake on and the car rolls back, bit scarey when the car behind is right up me a55 :D All fixed now which is good
gio Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 seatkids tip is sound advice....i was told it by my course instructor aswell last year. if this turns into another MPG slanging match..i will have no choice but to don my FMBs, get me whips and chains out and thrash the lot o yer :25: :D Oh and gregers, i dont have to stop at every filling station :D "sound advice" And i will take it, just wondering what type of heating to use in my double garage? i have a calor gas fire, but clearly that is not a good cost effective way to heat my garage every night through the winter as the better mpg i will get in the first 10 minutes would not cover the cost of keeping the garage warm all night ! sound advice!
mumof4 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 it means...being kept in a garage = not as cold as it would be outside.You dont have to install a heater in the garage to keep the bloomin thing warm.crumbs....... the cold has an effect on the fuel..... i will find some cold hard facts for you gio as i have no wish to get into yet another argument without facts to back myself up.
big_kev Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 And there is me thinking it was the bloody caravans to blame for holding the traffic up.... :25: Now we know who it is..... :D
gio Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 it means...being kept in a garage = not as cold as it would be outside.You dont have to install a heater in the garage to keep the bloomin thing warm.crumbs....... the cold has an effect on the fuel..... i will find some cold hard facts for you gio as i have no wish to get into yet another argument without facts to back myself up. Sorry i thought SK said a heated garage,and yes i have said many times in the past how a cold engine will use more fuel until warmed up,and to be honesta brick garage at 3 degrees or outside at minus 4 will make little difference as the car will still take 10 odd minutes to warm up,maybe a minute less for the car in the garage......
mumof4 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 There are several variables that influence the ability of a diesel engine to start. When diesel equipment is maintained in proper mechanical condition, the most influential outside sources that affect the engine's start ability are: 1. The temperature of the engine. 2. The cetane rating of the diesel fuel. 3. The atmospheric pressure. The effects of cold temperature on the engine's ability to start are quite apparent. The effect of the diesel fuel cetane index is not so obvious. Generally, as the fuel cetane index rating is lowered, the auto ignition temperature of the fuel (temperature at which the diesel fuel will burn) will be higher. To appreciate the effects of atmospheric pressure on the ability of the engine to start, the process of compression ignition (Diesel) should be understood and not confused with the ability to start a spark-ignited engine (Gas), under similar circumstances. Diesel engines rely on the heat generated by the compression of the air in the combustion chamber. After the compression process creates enough heat, the gases in the combustion chamber are ignited. Some of the heat generated by combustion is absorbed into the cold metal mass of the engine. At colder temperatures, the loss or absorption of initial combustion heat through the cold metal mass of the engine is size-able. The heat loss is further aggravated by the strain of parasitic loads on the engine during, and immediately after, start up; i.e. Power Steering Pump, Air Compressor, Viscous Fan Drives, Alternators, etc. The accumulation of these heat loss conditions effect the pressure and/or amount of air in the combustion chamber during the piston's compression stroke. Typically the actual compression ratio during engine cranking is lower in high performance turbocharged engines as compared to naturally aspirated engines. This, in effect, raises the unaided starting threshold of the engine. In addition, with the ability to "pack" more air into the combustion chamber during peak performance after-cooling or inter-cooling has typically raised the unaided starting temperature threshold of the high performance diesels.
adrianf. Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 Now explain what that all meant young lady :25:
mumof4 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 Solving Winter Diesel Fuel / Fuel Filter ProblemsEngine Power LossDiesel engine power loss during winter operation is a common occurrence and source of complaint. Unless there is a component failure within the engine, the problem can usually be traced back to paraffin crystal formation in the fuel which restricts flow through fuel filters. Freezing temperatures can also cause any emulsified water to form a fuel/ice slush, further restricting filters. Frequently, fuel filters are blamed for the problem when, in fact, the problem is caused by the effect of cold weather on summer grade #2 diesel. (Refer to FAQ" Heavy Duty - Diesel Fuel Filtration") The Cloud Point is the temperature at which paraffin, which is naturally present in #2 diesel fuel, begins to form cloudy wax crystals. When the fuel temperature reaches the cloud point, these wax crystals flowing with the fuel coat the filter element and quickly reduce the fuel flow, starving the engine. Typical cloud point temperatures range from:-18
mumof4 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 Now explain what that all meant young lady :25: will try and find a dummies explanation. :D
gio Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 (edited) interesting, but i do not drive a tractor, it may sound like one but it is not. http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtPro...es/coldstrt.htm Edited October 15, 2007 by gio
mumof4 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 http://tricksport.com/7/correct-diesel-tuning.html dont forget tyres folks :25: http://www.whatdieselcar.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=1013 http://www.marts100.com/petroldiesel.htm ooo..this is interesting!!..petrol cars with 15 percent better MPG! http://www.green-car-guide.com/news/vauxha...saturn-aura.htm
mumof4 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 interesting, but i do not drive a tractor, it may sound like one but it is not. http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtPro...es/coldstrt.htm well, i did not get the quote off an agricultural site....i didnt search tractors at all...cold weather effects on diesel and i only looked on car sites.. i give up..not trying to help again this eve..some bugger else can search the thousands of links.
gio Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 Actually in cold weather do not forget the importance of having an excellent battery.
mumof4 Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 My dad has had diesels for as long as i can remember, hes been a mechanic for nearly 40 years and every winter all he does is get a thick woollen blanket and put it over the engine tucking it in where there is space to.He always got the pi55 ripped out of him by neighbours etcc..but his car always started perfectly and he never had any problems with it in the winter.
gio Posted October 15, 2007 Report Posted October 15, 2007 interesting, but i do not drive a tractor, it may sound like one but it is not. http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtPro...es/coldstrt.htm well, i did not get the quote off an agricultural site....i didnt search tractors at all...cold weather effects on diesel and i only looked on car sites.. i give up..not trying to help again this eve..some bugger else can search the thousands of links. mumof 4. please look at my link, interestingly you will see that it is almost indentical to your own link. problem with the internet is one site will knick another siteS info to use, without checking out the facts, be it cooking site or diesel site.also info can become outdated. eg. not long ago diesels had a better co2 rating than petrol and lpg vehicles, but now lpg has lower ratings , so what was true only 5 years ago has changed,and will change again too. Modern diesel engines come fully equiped for the area they are meant to run in.so in places like sweeden they have fuel heaters fitted standard,we in the uk as a rule do not need them. the fuel we use is also changed seasonally so again as a rule we do not have the problems of a couple of decades ago. But the battery thing is always a good idea because of the effort needed to turn a cold diesel engine.....
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