Fuel Efficiency Figures of Your Cars

sethumurugan · Apr 19, 2013

Not yet. I believe it is like how we 2-wheeler mech check mileage in 2 Wheeler. fill 1 litr petrol in bottle which is connected to your bike and they will run the bike using petrol in bottle and where the vehicle stops they look the KM and tell you the accurate FE in bikes [ i have done this in my various bikes] and it seems here also it is similar.

in my case, at first the tank was full and we went for a 40 KM drive. When we were going on drive, the last bar disappeared after 30 KMs. We came back filled petrol and Auto Cut-off cut immediately and it accepts only 2.56 Ltrs.

When I did the 47 KM drive, the last bar disappears immediately after driving the car for 5 KM or less. then when refilled it accepts nearly 4.37 litrs.

Since the last bar disappears immediately, i assume that the tank was in its full position when we refill after our first drive. So since it has cut-off after 2.56 it show 18KM mileage. Assume if it accepts a litr more the mileage would have been 12. if it accepts 4.56 as it happens to me the FE should have been 9 only.

Explaining all this only I asked for some other method and they suggested Mileage tester. Unfortunately it is with their HYD office which they have not yet received. Once they got it, immediately I will go for it and find Accurate FE.

Figoian · Apr 19, 2013

sethumurugan said:

Unfortunately, FASS too don't have any such facility other than regular Tank Full Method. Just spoke to the Service Manager and confirmed the same.

sethumurugan · Apr 19, 2013

Figoian said:

its okie. Till we accept the FE proven by those Guys. Since am not buying their conclusion am asking for another method.

Let us see. In my case they have one, unfortunately at present it is not with them.

But when they told about this device, I literally blasted them for not telling about this for one and half years screaming of mine about FE issues.

They do not have anything to say.

I really do not know the reason why they did not talk about this earlier.

anshuman8 · Apr 22, 2013

Tornado said:

On very steep hairpin bends it would be difficult to pull a small car with 4 adults/luggage with AC on.

The method you are using can be defined as "Manual Cruise Control". I also have done it sometimes.

Figoian · Apr 22, 2013

Figoian said:

Update: Went for a TD with Metro Ford, St. Marks Road on Saturday. The Metro Ford Driver / Technician drove the car with me, and the route taken was Mekhri Circle to Devanahalli and back in Bellary Road. Seems, this is the only route they do TD for FE check. Note: St. Marks Road to Mekhri Circle and back isn't counted in the TD, which is actually having more traffic than the route we took and may be that's the reason too.

Filled the Tank up to the mouth (until the fuel is visible) at Mekhri Circle and drove in the route mentioned. Being it a Saturday about 11 AM, the traffic was minimal and crossed the signals and got the highway pretty early than otherwise. As I was noticing his driving style, he was upshifting sooner than normal, without considering the RPM readings or load with the engine. That proves that he wanted to reach the top most gear the earliest as possible. The speed was between 60 - 70 all the time. He was shutting the engine at signals without even waiting for minimal idle time. When I asked him about the same, he said that doesn't matter for such short drives. However, I pointed it to him that the Turbo was running and it's isn't good. Moreover, it doesn't make any difference for switching off and on with in 30 secs than idling.

We were back to the same Petrol Pump and filled the tank to the same level from same nozzle. The overall drive was 51 KMs and it drank 2.7 Lts which delivers the FE to 18.89. Surprising? I was not, rather not happy either. For this kind of drive, TDCi should easily have delivered 20+ or at least 20. However, Metro Ford is quite happy with this figure and said this is the max you would get.

I politely declined their gratification for many reasons. Firstly, the route was almost a Highway Drive with minimal city driving conditions. So 18.89 for a Highway Drive at a speed of 60 with 2 people on board isn't that impressive. Though it isn't too low to complain, but not so great to be gratified either. My whole point was, if this is the maximum efficiency for this kind of drive, what about our B-to-B Bangalore City driving condition?

I asked the Customer Relationship Manager to ignore the driving conditions and think of other possible factors that could affect the FE, which he wasn't ready to, rather possibly, he couldn't. So, he handed me back to Metro Ford, Lingarajapuram and I went there again... Do customer have a choice here? That's the best part in our country.

Location Change - Metro Ford, Lingarajapuram, where this 40K service was done last week and I reported on the Low FE. (I was asked to go to St. Marks Road as the FE test is done only from there, which was informed to me just a day earlier). I met with Branch Manager and Service Manager and same stories and dialogues. They were giving the same answers of the CRM of St. Marks Road and the dialogues continues...

Then I show them my excel sheet for the last 2 years, which covered the details of each fill with FE and other factors captured. They both look at each other and then me... Do you maintain one like this? [surprise]

Yes, I do... From day one till the past hour.

I said, I am reporting something just not without any background or data. Firstly, I am an active member in TAI (got a chance to advertise TAI) where we have better experts. Secondly, I have captured the data and calculated the FE of every fill, not just missed even one nor have filled it partially anytime. I am a sedate driver maintaining the optimal RPM as far as possible. So, it's just not a vague claim that I filled for 200 bucks and Fuel Needle won't just move up... All I am asking is, 1) I am not convinced with this TD for FE check, even if I do, not about the Figure achieved under this condition. 2) Just think more than the driving conditions, is there anything else which could affect the FE? Recently serviced, new Air Filter, New Tyres, what else?

Also, the DTE works weird always. When you tank up, it would show some figure say 600 and will reduce by 1:1 or 1:2 up till the tank is close to 3/4th. When it reaches that level, both DTE and Fuel Meter won't just move a bit low until next 50 - 100 KMs depending on the driving conditions. After which, it will reduce drastically as 1:2 on average. Earlier I thought it's normal and that's when the system recalculates the DTE based on driving pattern, however, both of them denied that it shouldn't work that way... They thought about various factors which could affect the FE or this issue. They agreed to check the Clutch play manually and fuel injectors flow using the system. We connected to the system and checked the Fuel Injectors flow and many other functions and found to be just fine. Though I was present there and looking at the screen couldn't figure out much as they were quite technical. He checked the clutch play manually and said it's quite good too.

He asked me to check on the DTE when would it stop next time and report back so that they can see it that time. I too agreed as I thought they would understand it better when it's demonstrated directly than explaining hypothetically. So need to go back, very soon...

BTW, they said, we can also change the Float in the Tank if that may be the issue. However, not sure if that's the issue or that's going to solve it. So what's the point? In any which ways, DTE is just an approximation, what about the Low FE issue? Isn't that the whole issue we are talking about? Good question, no answer...

Enjoy This: The Service Manager said the maximum DTE range is between 575 - 620 and I was like WHAT??? I said, there are people who have got 700 to 800 range and same have got 900+ too. I remember seeing one pic of 925 in Figo Facebook page for which he laughed and said not possible at all as the meter is limited to 620. If it's showing any value more than that, then it's a faulty Float. I LOL saying, I myself used to get 700+ in general earlier and surprised him back. He called up someone from Ford and found himself wrong right then & there... [clap]

anshuman8 · Apr 22, 2013

My Manza QJT did its first highway trip last weekend. Let me share the FE details:

Car : Tata Manza QJT
Round Trip Distance : 500km (400 km highway, 40 km B2B City, 60 km Hills)
Max Speed : 130 Kmph
Avg Speed : 80-90 Kmph
AC : 100%
FE : 18.75 kmpl

I was expecting around 20-ish but the uphill and B2B streets must have played spoilsport.

Cheers,
Anshuman

Lucas · Apr 22, 2013

Recently traveled 650kms. 90% highway, intermittent AC usage. My Spark gulped 34 litrs of petrol. Got 19+. I am loving it!! [:D]

sethumurugan · Apr 22, 2013

Figoian said:

Update: Went for a TD with Metro Ford, St. Marks Road on Saturday. The Metro Ford Driver / Technician drove the car with me, and the route taken was Mekhri Circle to Devanahalli and back in Bellary Road. Seems, this is the only route they do TD for FE check. Note: St. Marks Road to Mekhri Circle and back isn't counted in the TD, which is actually having more traffic than the route we took and may be that's the reason too.

Filled the Tank up to the mouth (until the fuel is visible) at Mekhri Circle and drove in the route mentioned. Being it a Saturday about 11 AM, the traffic was minimal and crossed the signals and got the highway pretty early than otherwise. As I was noticing his driving style, he was upshifting sooner than normal, without considering the RPM readings or load with the engine. That proves that he wanted to reach the top most gear the earliest as possible. The speed was between 60 - 70 all the time. He was shutting the engine at signals without even waiting for minimal idle time. When I asked him about the same, he said that doesn't matter for such short drives. However, I pointed it to him that the Turbo was running and it's isn't good. Moreover, it doesn't make any difference for switching off and on with in 30 secs than idling.

We were back to the same Petrol Pump and filled the tank to the same level from same nozzle. The overall drive was 51 KMs and it drank 2.7 Lts which delivers the FE to 18.89. Surprising? I was not, rather not happy either. For this kind of drive, TDCi should easily have delivered 20+ or at least 20. However, Metro Ford is quite happy with this figure and said this is the max you would get.

I politely declined their gratification for many reasons. Firstly, the route was almost a Highway Drive with minimal city driving conditions. So 18.89 for a Highway Drive at a speed of 60 with 2 people on board isn't that impressive. Though it isn't too low to complain, but not so great to be gratified either. My whole point was, if this is the maximum efficiency for this kind of drive, what about our B-to-B Bangalore City driving condition?

I asked the Customer Relationship Manager to ignore the driving conditions and think of other possible factors that could affect the FE, which he wasn't ready to, rather possibly, he couldn't. So, he handed me back to Metro Ford, Lingarajapuram and I went there again... Do customer have a choice here? That's the best part in our country.

Location Change - Metro Ford, Lingarajapuram, where this 40K service was done last week and I reported on the Low FE. (I was asked to go to St. Marks Road as the FE test is done only from there, which was informed to me just a day earlier). I met with Branch Manager and Service Manager and same stories and dialogues. They were giving the same answers of the CRM of St. Marks Road and the dialogues continues...

Then I show them my excel sheet for the last 2 years, which covered the details of each fill with FE and other factors captured. They both look at each other and then me... Do you maintain one like this? [surprise]

Yes, I do... From day one till the past hour.

I said, I am reporting something just not without any background or data. Firstly, I am an active member in TAI (got a chance to advertise TAI) where we have better experts. Secondly, I have captured the data and calculated the FE of every fill, not just missed even one nor have filled it partially anytime. I am a sedate driver maintaining the optimal RPM as far as possible. So, it's just not a vague claim that I filled for 200 bucks and Fuel Needle won't just move up... All I am asking is, 1) I am not convinced with this TD for FE check, even if I do, not about the Figure achieved under this condition. 2) Just think more than the driving conditions, is there anything else which could affect the FE? Recently serviced, new Air Filter, New Tyres, what else?

Also, the DTE works weird always. When you tank up, it would show some figure say 600 and will reduce by 1:1 or 1:2 up till the tank is close to 3/4th. When it reaches that level, both DTE and Fuel Meter won't just move a bit low until next 50 - 100 KMs depending on the driving conditions. After which, it will reduce drastically as 1:2 on average. Earlier I thought it's normal and that's when the system recalculates the DTE based on driving pattern, however, both of them denied that it shouldn't work that way... They thought about various factors which could affect the FE or this issue. They agreed to check the Clutch play manually and fuel injectors flow using the system. We connected to the system and checked the Fuel Injectors flow and many other functions and found to be just fine. Though I was present there and looking at the screen couldn't figure out much as they were quite technical. He checked the clutch play manually and said it's quite good too.

He asked me to check on the DTE when would it stop next time and report back so that they can see it that time. I too agreed as I thought they would understand it better when it's demonstrated directly than explaining hypothetically. So need to go back, very soon...

BTW, they said, we can also change the Float in the Tank if that may be the issue. However, not sure if that's the issue or that's going to solve it. So what's the point? In any which ways, DTE is just an approximation, what about the Low FE issue? Isn't that the whole issue we are talking about? Good question, no answer...

Enjoy This: The Service Manager said the maximum DTE range is between 575 - 620 and I was like WHAT??? I said, there are people who have got 700 to 800 range and same have got 900+ too. I remember seeing one pic of 925 in Figo Facebook page for which he laughed and said not possible at all as the meter is limited to 620. If it's showing any value more than that, then it's a faulty Float. I LOL saying, I myself used to get 700+ in general earlier and surprised him back. He called up someone from Ford and found himself wrong right then & there... [clap]

So it seems, even your visit to FASS for FE check up is kind of dis-appointing one.

Did u checked about Mileage tester?
Why they suggested Neck to Neck method? For me last visit they said Neck to Neck and this time they were saying to use Auto Cut-Off method.

I spoke to the Customer care executive and she said they are waiting for the Mileage tester and first call would be to mine once they got it.

Figoian · Apr 23, 2013

sethumurugan said:

So it seems, even your visit to FASS for FE check up is kind of dis-appointing one.

Did u checked about Mileage tester?
Why they suggested Neck to Neck method? For me last visit they said Neck to Neck and this time they were saying to use Auto Cut-Off method.

I spoke to the Customer care executive and she said they are waiting for the Mileage tester and first call would be to mine once they got it.

Ya... Not satisfied at all. This is the only method they follow.

Lucas · Apr 24, 2013

Recently had a few discussions with a number of SAs of different brands regarding FE check methods etc. They all supported the neck to neck method where fuel becomes visible in the inlet tube after refueling. The discarded the autocut method as it yields different result every time. The autocut gets activated at different points irrespective of the amount of fuel in the tank. Interestingly some of them mentioned that FE tests during winter generally returns better results with/without AC. Well…
According to some of them, almost each car returns better FE than the claimed ARAI certified one during highway run.

They talked about driving habits of customers too. They pointed that many customers, mainly petrol vehicle owners keep the accelerator pedal pressed while pressing the clutch pedal for gear change. This increases the engine RPM and consumes more fuel. And the scenario worsens in heavy traffic.

Some mixed suggestions (may be off topic) entirely from them :

Be a sedate driver [;)]

While upshifting one should be concerned about the load on the engine not the RPM.

Gear change should be smooth and without jerk.

The engine should not be lugged or knocked.

Engine belts should be tight and no squeaking should be there during normal engine operation. Slipped belts also reduce engine power and returns less FE.

Radiator fins should be kept clean by washing them with water jets while the engine is cold. A dirty clogged fin radiator means less heat dissipation and hotter engine and less FE.

One should insist on neck to neck method to check FE.

Tyre pressure should be correct; 2psi above the recommended returns better FE but ride quality may deteriorate. 2 psi below the recommended makes the ride smoother but FE drops a bit.

Don’t decarbonize your car’s engine unless it is necessary. There are instances where engine lost compression and FE reduced after decarb.

Don’t use Teflon coating. According to them it is useless. Regular waxing is far better.

Minor dents etc should be done outside ASC if one wants to save some good money.
(A minor dent repair in rear bumper was quoted 4200 for replacement and painting in a hatchback as the bumper was irreparable according to the ASC. And the customer got it done outside in Rs.600, retaining the original bumper) It is same everywhere I think.

Before a suspension overhaul consult a trusted mechanic first if you have any doubt.

BTW one more thing, believe it or not, to wash your car most of the service centres use detergents like tide, surf etc. [surprise]

They requested not to mention their names and brands in my post, so not mentioning them.

jarpickle · Apr 24, 2013

The winter FE rise would be applicable to places where the temperature doesn't drop to subzero temps or to the temp where the ecu or in carb the fuel is made to a rich mixture to run at such cold conditions.The octane of the fuel, the compression ratio all play parts in that.

Also a lot of people will tell you that using an AC will drop your FE, when in reality closing the windows and driving saves a lot of fuel due to wind resistance.The air flows more smoothly when the windows are turned up.

About the tyre pressure you are right.All car manuals will tell you to maintain a certain amount of pressure for laden and unladen load.It is upto the driver to find the perfect balance.Factors like the load,type of tyre(taller typres return higher mileage), the compound, use of air or nitrogen and most importantly the roads that you drive on do factor in.Most tests are done on a rolling road or a test oval road.Nothing can replicate real world usage.So no one can tell you what would work best.

All in all if the car had a good run in period and is well maintained it will return the best mileage.

Figoian · Apr 24, 2013

Lucas said:

Good points Lucas. Very informative. Thanks.

Lucas · Apr 24, 2013

jarpickle said:

True, I hardly find a difference of 1kmpl or so with AC on during highway runs.

Agreed. My dad's spark still returns 18+ even after 55K kms in odo. Gears are butter smooth, engine is super smooth and I just love to drive her.

If you maintain a machine well it will reciprocate with good service to you.

sethumurugan · Apr 24, 2013

Yes, Neck to Neck method which I posted long back is back to topic again. But i dont know why those CASS guys changed to Auto Cut-Off Method.

Anyway am waiting for Mileage tester to reach CASS. Once it is reached we can fill exactly one litre of petrol and find out what is the FE. May be I can try both in City as well as in Highway if I was permitted by CASS.

Hey, when we are talking about FE, how accurate a android application reading data thru ECU like how Sai Does?

Figoian · Apr 24, 2013

sethumurugan said:

Any particular application are you referring to?

Fuel Efficiency Figures of Your Cars

sethumurugan

V10

Figoian

V10

sethumurugan

V10

anshuman8

V10

Figoian

V10

anshuman8

V10

Lucas

V6

sethumurugan

V10

Figoian

V10

Lucas

V6

jarpickle

V10

Figoian

V10

Lucas

V6

sethumurugan

V10

Figoian

V10