MSE's 2011 Petrol/Diesel Cost Diet Challenge: Put your money where your pedal is!

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  • alfantastic
    alfantastic Posts: 36 Forumite
    edited 29 October 2014 at 3:22PM
    Whilst changing your driving style and searching for cheaper fuel forecourts can certainly save money, one of the biggest savings comes from simply allowing your engine to run more efficiently.

    An engine runs at its best, when it receives the optimum amount of air and fuel that it needs at any particular time.
    Starve it of either of these and fuel economy will suffer greatly.
    Dirty and blocked filters are the biggest culprits. Also, neglected spark plugs on petrol engines produce a weak spark, further adding to poor combustion.

    The following vehicle maintenance is fairly simple to carry out yourself, but get a friend to help if you are not sure.

    Replace the following items. You do not have to go to the main stealers for these. Local motor factors will supply quality parts for less money.

    1) Air filter
    2) Fuel filter
    3) Spark plugs (only required on petrol engines)

    Another key component that gets overlooked, but can vastly improve fuel efficiency, is the Mass Air Flow sensor.
    This is the modern day equivalent of the carburetor, and just like times of old, gets dirty and requires cleaning to restore the correct air to fuel ratio.
    There's more details on the benefits of Mass Air Flow cleaning here:

    Mass Air Flow sensor cleaning

    Keeping your engine running at its best will save you ££'s over the years, even when you've factored in the cost of replacement items.
    It's just not cost effective skipping essential maintenance to save a few quid ;)
    Beware rogues, scoundrels and cowboys. We will hunt you down, then expose and eradicate you from our daily lives.
    Dominic Littlewood's words, not mine :D
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 32,518
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    No the airflow sensor is not the modern day equivalent of the carburettor. It shouldnt need cleaning unless cheao airfilters have been used.

    You can do more damage by trying to clean them.

    Replace many where people have tried and damaged the wires.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

  • No the airflow sensor is not the modern day equivalent of the carburettor. It shouldnt need cleaning unless cheao airfilters have been used.

    You can do more damage by trying to clean them.

    Replace many where people have tried and damaged the wires.

    Hi forgotmyname, I was just trying to explain in layman's terms, that the sensor is involved in the process of mixing the air and fuel for combustion.
    Maybe I should have worded it better. Sorry :(

    A good filter will certainly help protect from contaminants entering the air intake system from the outside. Unfortunately, the filter does not protect from any oil mist that can find its way in via the EGR system.
    It's usually this oily mist that can coat onto the sensor, reducing its performance.
    I don't want to bore anyone here with facts on how the EGR system works, but Google it and you will see how this supposedly 'ECO friendly' advance in vehicle technology, can actually cause major problems in engines (especially diesels)

    As for damaging the sensor, people tend make the mistake of trying to clean the wires with something like a cotton bud or similar item.
    Physically touching the wires will indeed break them as they are so delicate.
    Therefore, special sprays are available where the solution gently cleans the sensor, without the need to physically touch the wires.
    Beware rogues, scoundrels and cowboys. We will hunt you down, then expose and eradicate you from our daily lives.
    Dominic Littlewood's words, not mine :D
  • alfantastic
    alfantastic Posts: 36 Forumite
    edited 15 November 2014 at 3:52PM
    Here's a few more tips for saving fuel, now that the cold and nasty weather is here to stay:

    • Switch off rear the demister as soon as you can see clearly through the rear window. The heating element puts a large electrical load on your alternator, making the engine work harder to power it.
    • Running the heaters on max as soon as you jump in, means the engine takes a lot longer to reach it's optimal operating efficiency. A colder engine will over fuel, so the trick is to minimize use of the heater on max setting, by using a demister pad on the inside of the windows before you start the car, and also scraping as much ice off the outside of the windows too. As soon as the windows are clear enough to see safely out of, reduce the heater speed. Remember, the faster your heater fan is running, the more load it puts on the alternator, making the poor old engine work harder.
    • This tip is a bit swings and roundabouts, but switch the AC on when demisting the interior windows. They will demist quicker, due to the moisture removing capabilities of air conditioning, but you may also use a little more fuel in running the AC. You can turn it off again once the windows are clear. Safety wise it's better to demist as quickly as possible though :)
    Beware rogues, scoundrels and cowboys. We will hunt you down, then expose and eradicate you from our daily lives.
    Dominic Littlewood's words, not mine :D
  • Chuffed. Paid 94.9ppl for the first time in about 7 years. There was more fuel going in the pounds going up so I bagged a full tank.
    The harder one works the luckier one gets!
  • JDPower
    JDPower Posts: 1,673
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    Chuffed. Paid 94.9ppl for the first time in about 7 years. There was more fuel going in the pounds going up so I bagged a full tank.
    It's going down so often I daren't get a full tank, guaranteed it'll drop again the minute I do :D
  • Will try not to turn this into "War and Peace" so will keep it short.
    Running a nine year old Yaris 1.4 D4D.
    Always has yearly service.
    Always been a bit of an anorak for data.
    Fuel gauge has 8 blocks and estimate each will give 70 miles
    Always check mpg after every fill up.
    Summer driving averaging 75mpg
    Work late shift so 12 mile round trip see little traffic
    Other trips out tend to be 30 miles plus
    Last fillup gave 83mpg yes I did check my figures
    Always change up a gear before hitting 2k revs
    Always set off early for holiday destinations and rarely exceed 2.5k which is about 75mph
    Lowest revs for 5th 4th 3rd when slowing is 1.2k ( no knocking noises )

    Winter driving drops to 63mpg
    Car parked outside, de-icing, de-misting etc with engine running
  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,452
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    Will try not to turn this into "War and Peace" so will keep it short.
    Running a nine year old Yaris 1.4 D4D.
    Always has yearly service.
    Always been a bit of an anorak for data.
    Fuel gauge has 8 blocks and estimate each will give 70 miles
    Always check mpg after every fill up.
    Summer driving averaging 75mpg
    Work late shift so 12 mile round trip see little traffic
    Other trips out tend to be 30 miles plus
    Last fillup gave 83mpg yes I did check my figures
    Always change up a gear before hitting 2k revs
    Always set off early for holiday destinations and rarely exceed 2.5k which is about 75mph
    Lowest revs for 5th 4th 3rd when slowing is 1.2k ( no knocking noises )

    Winter driving drops to 63mpg
    Car parked outside, de-icing, de-misting etc with engine running

    Top lurking! :beer:

    Two years since you joined, one post ever which resurrects a thread started 3 years ago and hasnt been added to in over a year! :eek:
  • motorguy
    motorguy Posts: 22,452
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Forumite
    And to add my tuppence worth...

    I've a 2001 C320 v6 petrol. Does 22mpg and lies at the airport all week. I claim 45p per mile so it make me money on the journey.

    I've a 2001 2.5 v6 MG ZT which does 20 something MPG but has that many issues to sort out, it hasnt done any miles in weeks.

    I've a Porsche Boxster 2.7. No idea what it does to the gallon but i dont begrudge it a penny of it because its FUN.

    And we've a A45 AMG Mercedes on order which might do 30mpg with a bit of luck which is better than the 25mpg that the 3.7 litre Nissan 370Z its replacing did.

    So happy all round :beer:
  • Who's still doing the Petrol/Diesel challenge? :)
    Could you do with a Money Makeover?


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