Mods to reduce fuel consumption? [Archive]

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I-S

13-09-2005, 12:35 PM

My pockets hurt...

Are there any easy and FREE mods that will lower fuel consumption (other than driving with pillows strapped to your feet)?

For example, increasing the unmetered air flow by undoing that infamous screw... that would presumably lead to more efficient burning of the fuel that is injected assuming the GLS to run rich? Of course, it won't lower how much fuel is injected....

Anything else? And the FREE bit is important because otherwise you might as well just spend the money on the little extra fuel...

Brunty

13-09-2005, 01:00 PM

Hmmmmmmm...... /Hmmm

Low cost fuel saver (http://www.smartcar-owner.co.uk/Low%20Cost%20Magnetic%20Fuel%20Saver.htm)

Kieran

13-09-2005, 01:35 PM

Not free, but what about the Ecotek? :inquisiti

I-S

13-09-2005, 02:54 PM

It claims only marginal improvement on EFI cars and £49 will buy a lot of "marginal" petrol. Since all mods are likely to only show marginal improvements they have to be zero cost or very low cost (like a couple of zip ties or something) to implement to be worthwhile.

My sceptic hat doesn't like the magnets. But then it didn't like the green pen for CDs either...

enigma

13-09-2005, 03:01 PM

You could always get your bike out!!

I-S

13-09-2005, 03:46 PM

Indeed. However, between my house and work there's the pennines... If it was flat and away from cars going at silly speeds within inches of me then I would have been doing so for ages.

strapping young lad

13-09-2005, 03:49 PM

ease off the foot?

or buy cheaper fuel (dont use optimax if you do currently)

what mpg are you getting now? as there arent quick fix solutions as suich to increase mpg other than the lead foot problem.

drive without aircon increases mpg too so im told

I-S

14-09-2005, 06:45 AM

I'm driving with a very light foot and using cheap fuel and not running the AC. Currently getting 33.5mpg for a mix of steep hills and town driving.

Kieran

14-09-2005, 07:46 AM

To be honest Issac, to get much better than that out of your GLS would probably involve pushing it! :inquisiti

ritch_w

14-09-2005, 07:47 AM

To be honest Issac, to get much better than that out of your GLS would probably involve pushing it! :inquisiti

or changingg the 2.0 to v6 :thumbsup:

I-S

14-09-2005, 09:52 AM

It would do better with a devil's gearbox.

I might put a spike on the throttle pedal...

strapping young lad

14-09-2005, 10:16 AM

what fuel economy are you looking for?

maybe worth selling your galant and buying a 1ltr biddy car ;)

I-S

14-09-2005, 12:54 PM

Well, if I can get the car to run on air only then I'd probably be happy...

Honestly I doubt I can keep the 33mpg going. Driving perfectly good A-roads at 45mph is just wrong. As for selling it.... nah. I need the estate, I hate diesel and any other petrol auto will only be marginal if any improvement. And it's just about run in now (with a sixth digit about to appear in the next couple of months) and has a year's MOT, tax and 9 months insurance all paid for.

Now, if I was to hang on to it for a really long time LPG might be a plan... although I should really have done that 30000 miles ago when I bought the car...

strapping young lad

14-09-2005, 01:09 PM

lpg is still a viable option, and even more so with the rising fuel costs.

http://www.lpga.co.uk will have all the info you need

I-S

14-09-2005, 03:30 PM

Well, it's not because I only cover about 8k per year now, so it would take three years to pay for itself. If I'd know how long I was going to keep the car, and the mileage I ended up doing I'd have had it done long ago.

Paul Beazer

14-09-2005, 08:44 PM

Without wishing to teach you to suck eggs Isaac. Nobody here bought a Galant of any kind because of their frugal fuel economy.
Theres times that i wish mine was a bit more economical to run, 'cos i need all the pennies i can get! Then again what the hell! I dont regret buying mine, even though i could really do with the money at the mo. I need something to keep me sane when i cant get out on the FSR!

I-S

14-09-2005, 09:28 PM

Sure paul, but when I bought mine petrol was 68p/litre and I lived at home. Now I have a mortgage, bills, etc and am cutting back left right and centre. Since there's more cost involved with changing a car, I'm looking to get what economy I can out of the galant. I don't regret buying it for a moment, and I'm just looking at how to keep it more economically.

strapping young lad

14-09-2005, 09:37 PM

u dont live in the easiest part of the world for good roads, loads of windy and hilly roads.

maybe travel by train instead and keep the car in the garage?

change insurance company?(saved 180 quid a year doing this myself recently)

change to a cheaper garage to get it serviced?

scc

14-09-2005, 09:45 PM

When I had my GLS, I wasn't happy with the fuel economy either until I did the following:

1) Changed the panel filter to a replacement KN panel air filter.
2) Use optimax - found it to last longer?!?!?!
3) Changed the engine oil to use Mobil1.
4) Changed the spark plugs to iridium types (Only minor improvement - probably not worth your 8000 miles)
5) Driving habits -> Use the steep hills to your advantage (when going down hill ofcourse)
6) Have correct tyre pressures - found the car to be better the next morning when I gas the tyres at night
7) Removed the bonnet prop

Got ~40-50 miles extra just on 1) and 2) alone!
Averaged >450 miles before I decide to fill up again.

Scc

I-S

14-09-2005, 09:59 PM

The train isn't an option... I'd have to go from west yorks into manchester, change trains and come back out west again to get to oldham. Would take about an hour and a half each way.

Change insurance company every year. This year was £800 cheaper than last year (not a typo). And it hasn't had any garage attention for some time (although it's not far off a service now I fear... cambelt will be up before too long too).

scc- Thanks for the tips... was yours a manual? Oil might be an option at the next change, otherwise there's not much there that I can do (optimax would defeat the point of the exercise). The bonnet prop one is interesting though... that suggests that the engine runs rich or struggles for air if it improves mpg?

scc

14-09-2005, 10:08 PM

Yip, it was a manual.

scc

strapping young lad

14-09-2005, 10:09 PM

yeh im defo replacing the air filter with a k&n one since seeing how minging the original one is

i will take a pic when its out (not an easy job either!)

Kieran

14-09-2005, 10:28 PM

Whilst I'm no match for a dealer's expertise, KieranCorp GLS Servicing Inc. is happy to continue your fluid service needs and the odd repair/replace job if I think it's within my capability! :thumbsup:

Paul Beazer

14-09-2005, 10:35 PM

yeh im defo replacing the air filter with a k&n one since seeing how minging the original one is

i will take a pic when its out (not an easy job either!)

Not sure about K&Ns, do a search on air filters, did road some alarming things about increased engine wear due to more particles entering the engine than with the standard paper filters.

Not an easy job? How are 4 clips tricky then?? :inquisiti
Seriously tho, I know it requires a little bit of pulling and twisting, but not difficult surely?

The bonnet prop removal is an interesting one, again read this somewhere before, but really? How much better, or is it a case that the air enters the innlet manifold is a less churned state?

I-S

14-09-2005, 11:04 PM

Kieran - cheers. I take it the word "expertise" was heavy on the sarcasm?

Stezie

15-09-2005, 12:50 PM

My 2001 Galant is sore on it aswell. I still have the 1995 GLSi 1.8 galant and had an average of 38mpg with foot flat! When I changed to the 01 model I thought I might have the same power and economy seeing as it was a newer car with 200cc extra! I was wrong. I'm now averaging 25mpg and it doesn't matter if I dirve easy or hard. Best I got to a full tank was 310 miles!

I love the car to bits, looks cool, handles well but the mpg is just a killer compared to the older model.
I'm thinking on sellin the 01 model and using the 95 model till she stops. It has 170k miles and still going great!

It all must be down to the Engine Management. There must be some way of reprograming the ECU so that its easier run, quicker but still within emission levels???

ritch_w

15-09-2005, 01:08 PM

It all must be down to the Engine Management. There must be some way of reprograming the ECU so that its easier run, quicker but still within emission levels???

try resetting the ECU (disconnect both terminals from the battery for 10 mins)

Stezie

16-09-2005, 01:47 PM

try resetting the ECU (disconnect both terminals from the battery for 10 mins)

Its been done. No difference!

bradc

16-09-2005, 08:22 PM

Stezie, what octane do you run?

sydkhan

19-09-2005, 03:38 PM

mate what is a bonnet prop.iam very much interested in reducing my petrol cost for my 2.0 galant.and will be looking into your recommendations.also the things you have stated would i be able to replace and fit panel filter my self.currently its costing me £20 for 130 miles i recently had it serviced and thought it would make a difference but it didnt.however i did notice that after guy did the spark plugs replacement the car has started to take more petrol.i think they were cheap plugs either way iam considering your recomendations. thanks

When I had my GLS, I wasn't happy with the fuel economy either until I did the following:

1) Changed the panel filter to a replacement KN panel air filter.
2) Use optimax - found it to last longer?!?!?!
3) Changed the engine oil to use Mobil1.
4) Changed the spark plugs to iridium types (Only minor improvement - probably not worth your 8000 miles)
5) Driving habits -> Use the steep hills to your advantage (when going down hill ofcourse)
6) Have correct tyre pressures - found the car to be better the next morning when I gas the tyres at night
7) Removed the bonnet prop

Got ~40-50 miles extra just on 1) and 2) alone!
Averaged >450 miles before I decide to fill up again.

Scc

Stezie

30-09-2005, 01:25 PM

Stezie, what octane do you run?

Sorry for taking a while to get back, I run ordinary unleaded 95ron.

DUNLY

30-09-2005, 03:14 PM

Stezie, u got that air filter yet??? the one i sent u pics of?

Japow

30-12-2005, 12:18 PM

Hmmmmmmm...... /Hmmm

Low cost fuel saver (http://www.smartcar-owner.co.uk/Low%20Cost%20Magnetic%20Fuel%20Saver.htm)

Anyone fitted one of these to their VR-4?

Living in London with a Type-S running on Tesco 99 Ron plus fuel cleaner additive saw me looking at 108 miles with a 1/4 tank left. Wow. I bought one of these magnetic devices awhile back from RHD Japan, & they claim this to be the best of those gadgets.

So the dumb question is: where (on the fuel line) does it fit?

scc

30-12-2005, 02:02 PM

Bal

30-12-2005, 04:26 PM

uhhh i hate to be a stickler but ... why waste time and effort for the sake of an extra 2-5 MPG ??

Kieran

31-12-2005, 02:01 PM

uhhh i hate to be a stickler but ... why waste time and effort for the sake of an extra 2-5 MPG ??

If you've got a car that does about 30-35 mpg, not a lot.But what I've noticed is that cost vs MPG isn't a linear scale. That is to say, the less MPG you do, the cost rises exponentially! /help

Nick Mann

31-12-2005, 07:03 PM

So the dumb question is: where (on the fuel line) does it fit?

How big is it? Could you put it under the car or will it need to go in the engine bay?