'How much further can you go on a tank of petrol?' blog discussion

YANA

peterbaker wrote: »

I agree with much of what tomstrickland says ... and in particular I think the cr*p in the tank is mostly an old wive's tale in 2010.

I can confirm it is not an old wives' tale (although of course you do qualify it by adding "mostly").
As previously stated, plastic tanks have reduced it enormously, but it still happens, especially to those who travel far afield, or have to resort to filling from dirty sources, or use certain vehicles rarely.
Miss a few fuel filter changes and you soon find out what these devices can collect when a 1:10 hill suddenly feels like a 1:3.
Farm and plant machinery suffer most from such maladies. Filter changes on these vehicles can so easily be overlooked.

Other than driving style, don't forget that regular servicing is the next step (if not the first) to ensure good economy.

peterbaker

YANA wrote: »

Miss a few fuel filter changes and you soon find out what these devices can collect when a 1:10 hill suddenly feels like a 1:3.
Farm and plant machinery suffer most from such maladies. Filter changes on these vehicles can so easily be overlooked.

Other than driving style, don't forget that regular servicing is the next step (if not the first) to ensure good economy.

I know what you are getting at, YANA, having filled a few farm vehicles in my time from assorted 5 gallon drums filled from surplus WWII handpumped fuel bowsers ... plenty of old wives around in thosedays! But I am struggling to remember if my 190,000 mile Audi has ever had a fuel filter change. Is it part of a major service? And where is it? Injection end or tank end?

I had the 1:10 feels like 1:3 effect but that was most definitely the Mass Air Flow probe which I replaced for forty quid with a brand new one sent from a German eBayer!

MORPH3US

peterbaker wrote: »

190,000 mile Audi

Which Audi is that?

peterbaker

It's an A6 1.9TDi

linwal

:jI have tested Martin's theory about accelerating slower and braking more gently and I can categorically confirm that changing the way I drive has meant that I now get many more miles out of a tank of petrol than I did before. I used to get approx 400 miles out of a full tank and now I get on average 70-80 miles more. I am also absolutely loving the experience of driving less erratically because I find that I am now much calmer while I am driving and much less stressed by the time I reach my destination. In fact, I get great joy out of seeing the "boy/girl racers" screeching away at the traffic lights and braking like fury only to find that I am right behind them at the next traffic lights...... the only difference is that I have spent much less on petrol getting there than they have....suckers haha.