ZX 1.9TD 1996 MPG

[sideshowAnthony]

I have a 1996 1.9TD citroen ZX. The car is averaging 48 MPG.

I have been advised that fuel efficiency should be better than this, and that cleaning the injectors is the thing to do. The advised cleaning method being filling a new fuel filter with 1/2 diesel and 1/2 injector cleaner, and then revving it hard.

My questions being:
- Is 48 MPG a decent return ?
- What do you all think of the advice I was given?

Thanks for replies.
Anthony

[Stepto1]

I'd be happy with that mpg figure myself. Never got mpg as good as that with my 1.9td.

I wouldn't mix anything 50/50 with my fuel.

Injector cleaner is only used in small amounts and if you look up what they are made of its just kerosene mainly.

What makes you think the injectors are at fault?

Does it start easily and run ok?

Steve.

[citronut]

i would think that acceptable MPG for the car
do you have the owners hand book if so it should have some page's telling you what the factory say the MPG should be,

regards malcolm

[Northern_Mike]

I have a 1996 1.9TD Citroën ZX. The car is averaging 48 MPG.

I have been advised that fuel efficiency should be better than this, and that cleaning the injectors is the thing to do. The advised cleaning method being filling a new fuel filter with 1/2 diesel and 1/2 injector cleaner, and then revving it hard.

My questions being:
- Is 48 MPG a decent return ?
- What do you all think of the advice I was given?

Thanks for replies.
Anthony

I never got 48mpg from either of my 1.9TD ZXs, and they were both in good working order. 45-47 was the most I ever got. Who told you that 48mpg was too low? It would be a little on the low side if it was a modern HDi engine, but it's not, it's an old-tech IDI diesel motor, and they are not as efficient.

If it's starting ok, not smoking, running well, and pulling well between 1800 and 2800rpm when the boost can be felt, there is nothing wrong with it, and apart from normal servicing, leave it well alone.

The advice - well, I've never heard that in 15 years of owning diesel cars, most of which have been Citroens with that engine! There's also a reason why MOT testers generally ask if your cambelt has been changed before the emissions test. Diesels don't like being revved hard with no load on them. Also, that amount of cleaner in the filter will be sucked through in a few seconds and do precisely sod all to the injectors. The only real way to get them clean is to have them removed and cleaned properly by a diesel specialist in my experience, though only one of my cars have ever needed it, and that had done 230,000 miles.

Who gave you this advice?

My advice, if it's running well, which, if it's getting 48mpg, it would seem to be, would be to service it as normal and leave it alone. I've often found that the best thing to do with these engines is to get them nice and warm, then go charging up and down a clear stretch of road in 3rd gear up near limiter, or 4th, if you like going fast. Do that a few times and blow all the crud out. Many a time I've bought a 1.9TD car and it's been very sluggish. A good Italian tune up always sorts them out..

[Jiffy]

What kind of driving do you do? 48mpg sounds good for general driving. My best result in my 306 1.9TD was 65.8mpg but that was a long steady 60mph drive. In general driving, I'd get about 47mpg.

[Peter.N.]

Sounds good to me as well and I'm not renowned for wasting fuel, I was getting 50+ from my 2.1 XMs on a longish journey but that's driving at about 60 mph and the 2.1 is a more efficient engine. I can get 60+ from the 406 Hdi but again that is driving very carefully so I would say your 48mpg from a 1.9 is excellent and you must be driving it sensibly.

Peter

[Sl4yer]

The best I got from the Volcane was on a weekend to Norfolk - 54mpg. Usual daily use was around 44mpg I think. As everyone above has said, 48 is fine. It would probably be mid-50s from an HDI, but for me the old 1.9TD is a nicer engine to drive.

James

[Jiffy]

I should mention that the figures I obtained above in my 306 were with a gearbox from a HDI which gave longer, more economical gearing.

[citronut]

maybe the brakes are binding

regards malcolm

[sideshowAnthony]

All your replies have assured me it is perfectly normal. I'll leave the car be.

As for 48mpg: On one side of the coin I am a very steady driver. On the other, I do live on the side of the pennines and drive up and down hills.

The advice I got originally, it seems, was of the "self-proclaimed expert stood at the bar" type.

Super. Thanks.

[spanners bitch]

I agree with the others, 48 mpg is a great result for an old girl! My current 1.9td was engine was taken from a vulcane and dropped into my ZX estate and was run pretty much exclusively on veg oil before I got her, we changed all the filters added a bit of petrol to the diesel and went off for a burn. Runs sweet as a nut now even though the engine has done well over 200,000