Fuel consumption

stevieb5796 · Unread post by **stevieb5796** » 23 Dec 2004, 07:23

Ok, I've got a 1994 SX 1.9TD Xantia and my fuel consumption seems remarkably high!
I've not been driving it particularly hard, although I do tend to be in the turbo rev range. It's got 103k miles on the clock, and is due a service about 15k to 20k ago I think from looking at the service book so dunno if that would make a difference. Although I think the oil etc has been changed fairly recently (I only got it a week or two ago).
So I put in 50 quid to fill the tank up (well the pump hadn't clicked but I could hear it was getting near the top) and the guage went down slowly for 120 miles or so, but then it shot down to abotu two thirds of the way down and i'm only 250 odd miles in. I know on my Orion the bottom end of the guage used to take a lot longer to disappear, so I'm hoping it's the same here?
I bought a diesel as I thought it would be cheap on fuel, granted it's looking like it will be a little cheaper than my Orion was but only marginally.
Any comments?

DoubleChevron · Unread post by **DoubleChevron** » 23 Dec 2004, 08:25

You need to fill it to the brim and reset the trip meter, drive for a week or so, then fill to the brim again. You know have exactly how many litres of fuel you used and exactly how many km's you have driven.
You can then work out the fuel economy. Using the guage as your are is hopeless. Guages are useless bloody things that only give a poor reference to the amount of fuel left.
seeya,
Shane L.

NiSk · Unread post by **NiSk** » 23 Dec 2004, 12:25

Have to agree with Shane - I usually run all my new cars until they stop (run out of fuel) then fill from a 5 liter spare tank, reset the odometer, drive to the nearest station, brim the tank (which gives you a good idea of how much the tank can take) and then drive it until it is almost empty again, brim, note odometer reading and calculate mpg. I then check the mpg regularly over a few months to get a reasonable average. You don't have to run it dry more than once, thats just to reference how big the tank really is. And its also a good idea to check the fuel filter/water seperator after running it dry - you might have dragged up a load of crap from the bottom of the tank!
/NiSk

Unread post by **RichardW** » 23 Dec 2004, 12:55

Xantia TD should return around 40mpg. This gives about 525 miles before the low fuel light comes on (about 8 litres left). The gauges on both mine drop at approx 1 graduation / 100 miles, but tend to drop a bit faster in the middle, and then slow right down again at the bottom.
Xantia might not be that much more economical than an Orion, but there's no contest about which one I'd rather have [:D]

np · Unread post by np » 23 Dec 2004, 15:15

My gauge behaves the same.Although when the fuel light comes on,i`ve managed tp dp 110 miles before i filled it up?.Sometimes the light will come on,but the next day it wont & i can get to work & back(30m)before it comes on again.Like Richard said,i get an average of 40mpg with mine.Give it a good service,& put some Wynns smoke reducer & injector cleaner in it.I use this every 3k miles.It always bumps my mpg up a bit.

Simon Canfer · Unread post by **Simon Canfer** » 24 Dec 2004, 01:41

So let me guess; you've gone up a "car size" and because it's diesel you expect more mpg than the Orion (presumably petrol)?
I find the only accurate way to calculate mpg is to fill up (to the brim), zero the trip, burn the tank, then refill- with the same pump, ideally - and calculate mpg. Over say 3 tanks you'll have a reliable figure.
I have to say a fairer comparison with the Orion would be my ZX TD which averages 48mpg.
Simon Canfer

Gregg1100 · Unread post by **Gregg1100** » 24 Dec 2004, 05:53

Hi ,
I always got around 42 around town out of my TD, which is why I am geting it back on road, and leaving my 16v VSX petrol off the road.
Greg

NiSk · Unread post by **NiSk** » 24 Dec 2004, 13:33

Orion < 1000kg. Xantia > 1300kg. Says itself really.
//NiSk

rossnunn · Unread post by **rossnunn** » 24 Dec 2004, 16:11

The guage in the white ZX used to be brill. Put £10 in it and 5 miles later the fuel light was on. Brim it and 15 miles later, the fuel lights on! hence I kept running out of fuel. It needed a new sender in the tank, but I never fixed it.
Wasn't there something about if they spend 10p more per car on the fuel senders they would be spot on?

modi · Unread post by **modi** » 24 Dec 2004, 16:22

I have exactly the same car, xatia 1.9TD 94 with 80k on the clock, I fill up (to the brim), zero the trip, burn the tank, then refill to the brim and calculate, the best i ever got within town was 38mpg..

shezads · Unread post by **shezads** » 24 Dec 2004, 16:53

np wrote:
"Give it a good service,& put some Wynns smoke reducer & injector cleaner in it.I use this every 3k miles.It always bumps my mpg up a bit."
Just out of interest np, does the car meet any of the following criteria:
A: Super market fuel is used
B: Car mainly driven around the city, fairly gently driven.
C: Combination of the above.
I just wandered if the injector cleaner is worthwhile, if say the car was given a italian style tune up, and/or fuel such as BP Ultimate diesel super duper plus or (whatever its called) was used.
I normally use Millers Diesel plus, normally fill up with shell diesel - not the diesel extra as it has not come to Nottingham yet (although have seen it in Derby).
I haven't tried the BP diesel plus yet - although, it is regarded as the best diesel (in terms of additives) out there. I think I'll try that next - as it's - what 3p/litre more then normal diesel.
Spending £7.00 on Millers diesel plus probably brings the price up to same levels as that, which means I don't have add anything in myself.

Forth · Unread post by **Forth** » 24 Dec 2004, 18:13

I'd noticed that the ZX td ran just a bit better (though it's good all the time anyway!) on BP+ ... also that the Xantia (Mk.1 td) really does appreciate a shot of injector cleaner every thousand miles or so, noticeably more so than the ZX. Both are regularly used for going back and fore between Central Scotland and Cumbria, so they get a full mix of road conditions.

jonathan_dyane · Unread post by **jonathan_dyane** » 24 Dec 2004, 19:34

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by shezads

np wrote:
"Give it a good service,& put some Wynns smoke reducer & injector cleaner in it.I use this every 3k miles.It always bumps my mpg up a bit."
Just out of interest np, does the car meet any of the following criteria:
A: Super market fuel is used
B: Car mainly driven around the city, fairly gently driven.
C: Combination of the above.
I just wandered if the injector cleaner is worthwhile, if say the car was given a italian style tune up, and/or fuel such as BP Ultimate diesel super duper plus or (whatever its called) was used.
I normally use Millers Diesel plus, normally fill up with shell diesel - not the diesel extra as it has not come to Nottingham yet (although have seen it in Derby).
I haven't tried the BP diesel plus yet - although, it is regarded as the best diesel (in terms of additives) out there. I think I'll try that next - as it's - what 3p/litre more then normal diesel.
Spending £7.00 on Millers diesel plus probably brings the price up to same levels as that, which means I don't have add anything in myself.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hello,
Hmm, I see shades of the Emporer's new clothes here; I really cannot see the brand of diesel making *any* difference to the old-tech (but still wonderful), mechanically injected XUD engine.
I usually run on one of three brands, Tesco 'city' diesel, Sainsburys' 'city' diesel, and BP 'normal' diesel. I was running on the Tesco when I was in Liverpool, and now I'm back up North it is mostly the BP. I keep records of the MPG by brimming the tank, and I always average 47-48mpg under 'normal' (for me) conditions.
I have not noticed any difference whatsoever to either economy or performance; my only variation is more black smoke when the air filter needs hoovering out...

shezads · Unread post by **shezads** » 24 Dec 2004, 21:53

I don't really keep accurate figuares for mileage, but I did notice a slight improvment when using shell deisel extra over a local total garage I tried straight after. It made asmall but noticable difference in general running - smoother when reving felt a bit more 'responsive'.
I normally add injector cleaner - usaually Millers diesel plus, and have done for a while. I have noticed less smoke when adding this.
I am not saying the different fuel turned it into another car altogether - just made a good driving car feel even nicer.
The BP Deseil plus, has a guaranteed higher cetane value, and at the moment is the highest available at the pumps. The Shell Diesel extra is slightly lower then Bp plus, but is higher then normal.
Not a magic potion, or rocket science, just better fuel (higher cetane) , with good additives.

davethewheel · Unread post by **davethewheel** » 24 Dec 2004, 22:32

i don't understand all you people getting 40mpg or less, my td xantia has 130k on the clock my driving is a mixture of motorway and town driving and i always get the same 46/48mpg.