Poor fuel economy / running over rich |
Post Reply |
Author | |
morr
Not Quite Newbie Joined: 17 May 12 Location: Dublin, Ireland Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Posted: 14 Aug 12 at 16:35 |
I reckon my 2.6 bus is running way too rich, I've only had it a few weeks and its averaging 15mpg.
On a 170km run this morning it returned a little over 16mpg at a steady 100 to 120kph! I know its a brick but I'm sure it should do better than this I have the Haynes and Bentley manuals but doubt they'll be of much use for this issue. It smells rich from the exhaust, although the exhaust gases do not look black, and has a rough idle. It was having trouble idling at all when warm until I cleaned the idle speed control valve and throttle body. It has new plugs, leads, rotor cap and arm fitted. Before I go near the fuel system I suspect it could possibly be coolant related, I say this because although the temp gauge works fine and the fan works, the warning light flashes constantly. I suspect this may cause the engine to believe it is still cold and therefore not adjust the fuelling accordingly. Does this sound like a reasonable guess (I'm really not very knowledgeable on fuel injection) and if so what sensors can cause this light to flash? Btw the main coolant bottle is full to the brim with the correct levels in the overflow bottle. I assume a faulty level sensor can illuminate this light but can anything else? Any thoughts or comments would be much appreciated. |
|
Maurice
'95 2.6 SA Caravelle/Camper '83 2.0 (GTi) T3 Caravelle '84 1.6D T3 Hightop Camper (under restoration) '86 1.6D T3 Pick-up (breaking) '73 Beetle/Trike |
|
jason k
Admin Group twinklerims Joined: 14 Jan 05 Location: Wales Status: Offline Points: 15934 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
no coolant will illuminate it too!!
suspect the sender or the ribbon on the rear of the clocks the fi sensors if anything like the 2.1s are not related to the flashy light they are near the thermostat housing
|
|
Bcs shallowest surf award winner 2006
camperjam 2011 chug and tug team member aberdare. south wales newest member of karmann korner no longer the only moderator to manage to ban himself |
|
T3 Nev
Groupie Joined: 05 Mar 12 Location: West Sussex Status: Offline Points: 195 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
You should be getting at least 20 mpg on a trip. Try fitting a new air filter.
|
|
morr
Not Quite Newbie Joined: 17 May 12 Location: Dublin, Ireland Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
The air filter is not too bad, I've certainly seen much worse, but I will be seeing if I can match up something in the motorfactors, hopefully later today. just checked the figures in the handbook which are 90 Kph 27.16 120 Kph 18.83 Urban 16.52 So I certainly have a little room for improvement Edited by morr - 16 Aug 12 at 12:20 |
|
Maurice
'95 2.6 SA Caravelle/Camper '83 2.0 (GTi) T3 Caravelle '84 1.6D T3 Hightop Camper (under restoration) '86 1.6D T3 Pick-up (breaking) '73 Beetle/Trike |
|
Wychall
Groupie Joined: 23 Jun 11 Location: Birmingham Status: Offline Points: 212 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
My 2.5 returns circa 22 mpg on petrol on a similar journey.
|
|
South African 1991 2.5i 5cyl Microbus - virgin, not campered - piloted by Brian.
|
|
silverbullet
Yardie Ingenieur Joined: 10 Jun 09 Status: Offline Points: 743 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
I got 26, maybe 27 running on Super out to Hockenheim cruising at between 65 and 75. Sensible 205/65/15C tyres help no end.
My coolant lamp flashes randomly, probably poor earth at the instrument pack. Check the two coolant sensors high up on the block, behind the pas pump near enough.
Air filter: R.....t Laguna 1.9 TD is best match, correct length and i.d. but a bit small on o.d. not a problem for non-dusty UK
|
|
Have I missed anything?
|
|
morr
Not Quite Newbie Joined: 17 May 12 Location: Dublin, Ireland Status: Offline Points: 15 |
Post Options
Thanks(0)
|
Seems to be all sorted now
Firstly I fitted a universal cone filter, the original is actually fairly ok looking but I needed to be sure. The top housing of the filter box is broken so I'm not getting the full ram effect from the snorkel either way. Found a vacuum pipe a bit perished where it attached to a hella unit on the forward bulkhead, trimed and sorted that. At this point, no change, if anything worse, its now pumping black smoke and spitting fuel at higher revs! Brought it to a mates garage, he discovered the timing was way out (taking figures for an Audi 100) and he also spotted that the air temp sensor from the ducting above the filter was hanging down by the side of the chassis rail with its original location blanked off by the remains of a spark-plug! With the timing sorted and the sensor refitted I took it for a run of 180km today averaging about 100kph over the total distance, total consumption was 20.07mpg which going by the handbook and what others have said above is pretty much what I can expect Oh and the flashing temp light was a faulty low level sender, now temporarily bypassed, and tyrewise I'm running 205/55/16, I'd rather a slightly taller tyre, but these were fitted by the PO and are fairly new so they'll have to do for now. Now that is running well I'm off to book me ferry tickets to take it to Scotland next week for a long overdue holiday - yippee |
|
Maurice
'95 2.6 SA Caravelle/Camper '83 2.0 (GTi) T3 Caravelle '84 1.6D T3 Hightop Camper (under restoration) '86 1.6D T3 Pick-up (breaking) '73 Beetle/Trike |
|
Post Reply | |
Tweet |
Forum Jump | Forum Permissions You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot create polls in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum |