fuel saving upgrades

[manracer82]

before my mot earlier this year my car was guzzling the fuel more than double and emissions failed badly so i sorted this out by several methods 1)new lamda sensor 2)new sparks this got me interested so i went on to install throttle body spacers new map sensor and new fuel filter also changed oil oil filter +additives massive improvement to car running and brilliant mpg now also weight reduction this has also improved performance what other upgrades do you know of?

 

[obi_waynne]

Gas flowing and porting the head can help MPG if done with this in mind, particularly a 3 angle valve job.

Tyre pressure on the above average pressure will help as well. Fit a panel air filter as well, the engine will not bog down as readily under throttle and allows you to lift off the gas much sooner when approaching a junction or stop.

Run the engine a few degrees hotter with a different thermostat.

Skinny tyres, lighter wheels. Get the bearings and wheel alignment checked as well.

 

[manracer82]

yeah nice 1 i have also gettin a new egr valve installed fortnight ago and 2 new tyres 220 psi reconditioned walls treads sound gettin great value at the pumps with these upgrades what else u think?

 

[obi_waynne]

I'd say 80% of fuel saving is down to driving style.

have a look at these 2 articles for more inspiration...
http://www.torquecars.com/tuning/tuning-mpg.php
http://www.torquecars.com/tools/uk-mpg-calculator.php (Scroll down for the driving tips.)

 

[HDi fun]

^ ^ ^ agreed ^ ^ ^ though you won't reduce your fuel usage by 80%. If you do then clearly your driving style was outrageously aggressive beforehand.

 

[lutonmatt]

my astra is great on fuel anyway
when i went to prescott hill climbing the other weekend got 46mpg out of it and that was driving at 70 officer most of the way and been getting mid 30's around town
and i dont drive like old women

 

[manracer82]

the upgrades i have mentioned have seen my fuel consumption plummet 125% am recooping my investment seriously improvement i would recommend the upgrades mentioned i drive my car for my work have saved hundreds£ with fuel being so expensive

 

[pgarner]

other than a throttle body spacer all youve really done is serviced the car not really upgraded anything.

i would like to know how fitting a spacer has help through as i cant see any need for it ?

 

[manracer82]

the throttle body spacers has seen biggest improvement overall it has created more turbulence in my intake manifold i have also had new shoks 2 month ago making the ride smoother

 

[Simonedi]

Keeping your car well serviced and driving sensibly will help much more than any modifications (bar possibly a smaller engine), i can see 8mpg or more difference simply by driving more agressively

 

[manracer82]

thats where ya wrong there you can drive careful as you like but it will only take ya so far ya still got to move brake safely like everyone else where as someone in a pensioners motor like toyota prius will get 74mpg so that in theory proves for a fact that car specifications is the biggest factor in the equation.exception being you are driving to burn as much fuel possible but thats unheard of.

 

[HDi fun]

thats where ya wrong there you can drive careful as you like but it will only take ya so far ya still got to move brake safely like everyone else where as someone in a pensioners motor like toyota prius will get 74mpg so that in theory proves for a fact that car specifications is the biggest factor in the equation.exception being you are driving to burn as much fuel possible but thats unheard of.

Much of what you post doesn't qualify as upgrades, it's just simple routine servicing.

My father has a MkIV Astra and that, for what it is, is quite thirsty in terms of fuel usage. it also seems to me to be quite costly to own in terms of maintenance and servicing.

He loves his local independent Vauxhall specialist - Thame Service Station - but I do not understand why he parts with so much money to run what is basically a not very good car. He thinks it's fantastic, yet it's been recovered from the roadside 3 times in the last year alone. Yet he describes it as brilliantly reliable?? Anyone have clues as to what's going on.

perhaps my father is just a stupid man?? He must be stupid. I drive about in a BMW E39 which uses less fuel than his Astra, costs less to service, doesn't break down at all, is quieter and quicker. And he laughs at me for running such a car which is costly to maintain.

Which of us is losing sight of reality?

 

[manracer82]

the definition of an upgrade is to raise in standard or quality so on that basis everything i mention qualifies as an upgrade e.g by changing my oil from the old sludgy #!#!#!#! to castrol magnetic the fact remains i have upgraded my oil service or no service the same goes for every component or fluid mentioned yes half of the work i mention is what you would get in a top service .and the rest of the bigger jobs shok absorbers new wheel bearings are amongst the very best upgrades a car can get to improve and maximize fuel efficiency as proven in my case.vauxhall cars are also of a very high world class standard for build quality proven by the new astra mk6 gtc.as for my mk4 i have spend £5000+time blood sweat upgrading and maintain it 3 years resulting in a excellent quality car by anyone's definition of quality.