Fuel consumption and front propshaft

My car is a 300TDI Auto. The driving was just general stuff inc. 30 miles around town and about 50 miles towing a trailer of full of fire wood. The rest was on country roads.

I have just filled up with fuel today so I could check what I had used from the last fill.
448 miles and refilled with 85lt.
So that's 5.27 miles per Lt or 23.71 miles per gallon using 4.5 as a conversion.

Does this sound about right?

Does removing the front propshaft help fuel consumption at all?

Just thinking less transmission drag.

Yes.
No.

Agreed.

ditto.

sounds about right

just one question




















WHY THE FOOK WOULD YOU WANT TO MAKE IT 2 WHEEL DRIVE?

To answer your questions:

1. 22mpg sounds appalling to me !! I have a '98 TDi300 auto and I have averaged 33mpg over the last 13,000 mls. This includes a small amount of town work, a trip trip Morocco, a recent run back and forth to England and normal daily running on a & b roads.

2. Don't take off either propshaft, that is likely to be extra strain on the remaining transmission and won't improve mpg - it's just daft basically.

Have you:

1. Replaced the air filter recently ie within the last 2 weeks;

2. Checked you tyre pressures; 2.0 at the front 2.5 at the rear;

3. When did you last change the oils in the gearbox, trans box and axles?

4. Have you checked to see if your brakes are binding?


You should be getting more than 22mpg as an average.

Cheers and good luck

Dave

Thebiglad

Air filter hasn't been changed yet as I have only had the car 4 weeks. I have ordered a filter and I'm waiting for the fiilter to arrive in the post.

Oils haven't been changed yet either - Any recomendations and availability in France.

I don't think the brakes are binding as I can push the car on flat level ground. I will also lift the car and check the wheels rotate freely.

I had a 300 tdi for seven years and averaged about 25 MPG on just about every tank, it all depends on your driving style. EG how heavy is your right foot and do you use the brakes to slow down or anticipate the road ahead and just lift off the gas..

aviator said:

I had a 300 tdi for seven years and averaged about 25 MPG on just about every tank, it all depends on your driving style. EG how heavy is your right foot and do you use the brakes to slow down or anticipate the road ahead and just lift off the gas..

Click to expand...

Steady on Aviator, you'll be talking about Advanced Driving techniques next !!!!

Only joking, I've found that anticipation and reading the road a long way ahead "is your friend" in terms of general 'wear and tear' on the driver & vehicle plus improved mpg.

Yes I did all that roll up to junctions, easing off on even slight down hill gradiants etc. One of our other cars is a Skoda Octavia and regularly get 62 average where the book says 50. Last year when the prices went up I could even squeeze 67 avaerage.

GTSX said:

Thebiglad

Air filter hasn't been changed yet as I have only had the car 4 weeks. I have ordered a filter and I'm waiting for the fiilter to arrive in the post.

Oils haven't been changed yet either - Any recomendations and availability in France.

I don't think the brakes are binding as I can push the car on flat level ground. I will also lift the car and check the wheels rotate freely.

Click to expand...

Does this mean you are resident in France?? If you are you should know that www.paddockspares.com deliver up to 30kgs of goods (1 parcel) for only a £5 !!!!

I get most of my stuff from them as I live in the country and they deliver to my door. Eg A filter kit (all three filters) costs £6.28+vat so I order 2 at a time and change them frequently, at that price.

Re oils, for the engine I use Carrefour 5w-30 in the winter and 5w-40 in the summer. It's fully synthetic and costs about 22€ for 5 litrs. I buy 3 cans and that does 2 oil changes (every 5000mls).

Manual gearbox needs MTF94 about 3 litrs, this is more difficult to get hold of near me so I usually pick some up in England if I go by car.

Auto gearbox needs DexronIII, about 5 ltrs

Transfer box needs EP 75/80-90, commonly available. About 2.5 ltrs iirc.To get the new stuff in I use a manual pump I bought from BricoDepot, 1€.

Axles front and rear need the same EP 75/80-90, from memory about 1.7ltrs each.

If you can get it and are prepared to spend a little more EVO2 from www.difflock.com is great stuff imo, costs more but you can feel the car running easier, so improving mpg. No scientific tests you understand, so I can't prove it, but when I put this in our previous TDi200 with 165k mls on the clock, she ran like a bird. Smoother quieter and more free-running.


Hope that helps, we've been here for 7 yr so if you need anything, pm me.

Cheers
Dave

Yes a mate told me about paddockspares the other day. I phoned them yesterday to order some headlights and after looking at the site I ordered some extra stuff too like filters etc.

If he takes off the front propshaft he won't be driving anywhere. The car won't move until he engages difflock.

Then soon enough the back diff and propshaft will break up as they are now taking TWICE the load.

CharlesY

LOL, just read this back and of course you're right ... I must have read it wrong or have been thinking of summat else .. My Disco averages about 28 30 mpg all day, until towing the caravan when it drops to about 22 25 mpg and it does depend A LOT on the right foot ...

I used to be a real tight arse when it came to fuel consumption, but now I have Land Rover I just don't care, I just love driving it.